In the heel of Italy’s boot lies the region of Puglia – full of fairytale towns, beautiful coastline, and old-world charm. Puglia is relatively undiscovered in comparison to other Italian destinations (such as Rome or Positano), but is just as beautiful. There are quite a few places to explore and you could easily spend a week or two visiting each town. Here’s my guide to the enchanting region of Puglia!
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The Towns of Puglia
Polignano a Mare
When I picture the perfect coastal town, I picture Polignano a Mare. This 8,000 year old town sits right on the edge of a rocky coastline, known for its numerous caves and deep blue waters. Spend a day or two exploring the old town, relaxing on the beach, or exploring the caves on a boat. Here’s the highlights:
Admire the Views from Pietra Piatti
This observation deck offers a scenic view over the edge of Polignano a Mare and the main beach, Lama Monachile.
Centro Storico
Spend some time exploring the streets of Centro Storico, the historic center of town. You will find numerous cafés, shops, and restaurants here! Wander down the quiet streets to find charming little homes, picturesque doors and archways, and photogenic corners of town. When your legs tire, visit the Piazza Vittorio II Emanuele and grab an aperitivo while enjoying some people watching!
Have a beach day
Lay out a towel at Lama Monachile, the pebble beach in the center of Polignano a Mare. This beach is actually quite famous – a Red Bull cliff jumping competition is held here every year, where competitors brave the 92 foot drop into the water. Don’t worry – there’s smaller cliffs too!
Take a Boat Tour of the Caves
Polignano a Mare is known for its sea caves, some of which are literally underneath the town itself! Hop on a boat and explore the beautiful coastline of the Adriatic Sea!
Have a Meal at Grotta Palazzese
Featured all over Instagram, this luxurious dining experience takes place right inside one of the caves of Polignano a Mare. The menu consists of five different tasting menus you can choose from. You definitely pay for the experience here, but it is such a bucket list spot! Book your table here.
Try an Octopus Panino at Olio Su Pan
Since it’s situated on the coast, it’s obvious that seafood is typical fare here. This little sandwich shop is well loved by locals and tourists alike, so we had to give it a go. I’m actually not the biggest fan of sandwiches, but the octopus panino here was to DIE for.
Ostuni
Nicknamed the White City, Ostuni is one of the most uniquely beautiful towns in Italy! During the Plague, homes were painted with white chalky limestone due to the paint’s antibacterial properties. Now, the town maintains its whitewashed aesthetic by repainting the homes every 2 years. Here’s the best things to do in Ostuni:
Explore the Old Town
The Old Town of Ostuni was built with no plan in mind – and it shows. The labyrinth of streets create a confusing network, with dead ends, houses built on top of other houses, and strange winding passageways. Start on Via Cattedrale, the main street running through the town. From there, branch off into the little alleys and staircases. The town gets more picturesque with every turn you take!
Piazza Della Liberta
The main square of Ostuni is a fantastic place to grab an aperitivo and people watch for a little while! There are also a few historic landmarks here – namely the Palace Municipale and the statue of Saint Oronzo, a 20 meter high statue from the 18th century.
Take a TukTuk Tour
Ostuni is one of Italy’s ZTL areas, meaning only cars with special permission can drive inside the perimeter. Luckily, you can find several TukTuk tours to take you around the town! You can either book one ahead of time online, or find a company once you arrive! There are generally a few companies set up in the Piazza Della Liberta area.
Enjoy an Aperitivo with a View
It might just be the fact that we were exhausted from three weeks of travel through Italy, but we spent about half our time in Ostuni sitting at a restaurant or café with a drink in hand. Luckily, there is no shortage of incredible places to get a drink and enjoy the gorgeous views of this town!
MONNA LISA CAFE | A cute café and cocktail bar right off the Piazza della Liberta – you can see the monument from here! It’s a great place for people watching and their aperitivo is 10/10 – the chef decides what to include based on freshness and season!
BLOOM | A beautiful cocktail bar with a panoramic terrace offering views of the town and countryside.
BORGO ANTICO BISTROT | A famous spot with diagonal seating facing the countryside. This place fills up, so I recommend coming early! We arrived at 6pm and waited about five minutes, but by 7pm the queue was taking about an hour.
Lecce
Nicknamed the “Florence of the South”, Lecce is filled to the brim with incredible history, architecture, and museums. Stroll along the sandstone streets and admire the many decorative churches from the 17th century, the Roman theatre, and the many museums.
We didn’t actually have enough time to visit in Lecce, but I will update this guide to include all the details once we visit this beautiful town. In the meantime, here’s a great guide from travelers who spent a month there!
Alberobello
The beautiful town of Alberobello won its title as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996! This charming little town is made up of hundreds of trulli, white cottages with conical stone roofs. You really won’t find anything like this anywhere else!
While Puglia is relatively untouched by tourists, Alberobello has become QUITE a hotspot. Arrive early to get the most of the town before it gets crowded! There are two main areas: Rione Monti and Rione Aia Piccola. Rione Monti is larger, but much more commercialized. You will find many souvenir shops here, and it gets packed by 11am. Rione Aia Piccola is smaller, but more authentic. My recommendation is arrive early to Rione Monti, then leave for Rione Aia Piccola once all the tourists arrive!
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Puglia is during the shoulder seasons – May-June or September-October. The temperatures in July and August are scorching, more tourists flock to the area, and prices are higher. We visited toward the end of September and temperatures still reached close to 90ºF (32ºC).
Getting Here + Getting Around
HOW TO GET TO PUGLIA: The best way is by taking a train or plane into Bari, the capital of Puglia. From here, you can either rent a car or take public transportation into the major towns.
As for getting around, you have three main options:
- TRAIN | This is the most economic option. If you base yourself in one of the major towns, you can easily take trains between towns!
- CAR RENTAL | This is the best option if you’re staying in Puglia for a while and want to explore a good bit of the region. I would also recommend this option if you’re staying outside one of the towns, as train stations are only located within the main towns. Just keep in mind: many towns of Puglia are ZTL areas and do not allow cars within the city center, so you will have to find parking and walk.
- HIRED DRIVER | The most expensive option, but also the least stressful. We stayed in the countryside for only two days and didn’t feel it was worth it to go through the trouble of renting a car, so we used a private driver that our accommodation connected us with!
IMPORTANT NOTE | The white taxis you see all over Italy DO NOT EXIST in Puglia. There is no Uber/Lyft either. There is a taxi service you can call, but it essentially just connects you with a driver through WhatsApp and is fairly unreliable. I recommend one of the options listed above rather than scrambling to find a taxi!
Where to Stay
Polignano a Mare
Polignano a Mare is great base if you plan on using trains to get around the region! The train station is very central, and is only about a 5 minute walk from town.
CHARMING B+B | The beautiful stonework transports you back in time through the history of Apulian architecture. The B+B is also in an incredible location close to everything!
DIMORA TALENTI | A beautiful guest house with six rooms and incredible views over the Adriatic Sea. Breakfast is served each morning on the rooftop terrace. Book in advance – this place fills up quickly!
AQUAMAREA | One of the absolute best views over Polignano a Mare! Aquamarea is situated on the cliffs looking out over Lama Monachile. Some rooms offer a private balcony, and breakfast is served overlooking the sea each morning.
MASSERIA LE TORRI | A gorgeous masseria about a 10 minute drive from Polignano a Mare. Here you will find a stunning pool, beautifully decorated rooms, and a delicious breakfast each morning!
OSTUNI
Ostuni also makes a good option for a base, and is a bit more central to other regions like Lecce or Alberobello.
LA SOMMITA | A five star accommodation with 15 rooms, a Michelin starred restaurant, and a wellness center. Rooms are designed in a traditional Apulian style, with stone walls and neutral tones.
TULIPANO BIANCO | A charming apartment with a rooftop terrace in a central location!
The Countryside
Puglia is full of gorgeous hotels nestled in the countryside away from the towns. Many are referred to as “masserias”, which are hotels that originally functioned as a farm before being renovated into an accommodation. While staying in town can be much more convenient, I recommend splitting your time and spending some time relaxing in one of the unique Apulian accommodations – they are so beautiful and truly offer an incredible experience!
MASSERIA CALDERISI | An absolutely stunning five star masseria, about halfway between Polignano a Mare and Ostuni. Relax in a beautiful room with a private garden, enjoy a day by the pool with a spritz in hand, or get a massage in their spa. You can also book activities through the hotel, such as cooking classes in the masseria’s wood oven, boat trips, or a day at the beach on Calderisi’s private stretch of sand.
BORGO CANONICA | If you’re looking for a truly unique experience – this is it. Borgo Canonica is a trulli village made up of 42 trulli houses from the 1800s. The village has since been renovated into a luxury boutique hotel, complete with a pool and restaurant. Spend the day relaxing by the water, enjoying the full service pool deck. A delicious breakfast is served on the terrace each morning.
