Visiting Puglia: what are the best things to see and do in this region of south-east Italy?
You’ve just booked your tickets to Puglia but don’t know what to visit? With its numerous beaches, Unesco-listed sites, spectacular coastline, rich cultural heritage and refined gastronomy, you’ll have no time to get bored: there’s something for everyone.
Here’s our selection of must-sees and must-dos for your stay in south-east Italy.
1. Bari
Photo credit: Flickr – L.C. Nøttaasen
Bari is the capital of the region and a lively port city. While the modern city is not of great tourist interest, its historic center is well worth a visit. The old town, with its winding streets, boasts architectural treasures, superb churches and a seafront that stretches as far as the eye can see. Find out more about activities in Bari
2. Grotte di Castellana
Photo credit: Flickr – Terry Feuerborn
The Castellana Caves are the largest cave complex in Europe and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Formed around 90 million years ago, they are 3 kilometers long and 70 meters deep, and are one of Puglia’s most important tourist attractions. Here you can admire magnificent stalactites and surprising shapes and colors. The caves are located near Alberobello, Cisternino and Polignano a Mare.
3. Lecce
Lecce is another must-visit town in Puglia. It lies on the Salento peninsula, in the southernmost part of Puglia, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy. Lecce is the Baroque city par excellence, and in its historic center you’ll find an impressive number of monuments to see: the narrow streets are full of churches, palaces and museums, as well as craft stores, bars and restaurants open until late at night. Find out more about things to do in Lecce.
4. Tremiti Islands
Photo credit: Shutterstock – vaklav
Located 22 kilometers off the Gargano coast, this is a place of incredible beauty. San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia, Cretaccio and Pianosa are the five small islands that make up the magnificent Tremiti archipelago, with its crystal-clear waters, sea caves popular with diving enthusiasts and fortified abbey dominating the island of San Nicola.
Some hotels and restaurants remain open all year round, giving you the chance to discover the archipelago outside the tourist season.
5. A boat trip
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Barelli Paolo
To discover these small islands and their crystal-clear waters, there’s nothing like a boat trip!
Renting a boat allows you to explore the beauty of the Tremiti archipelago and its surroundings. You’ll have the opportunity to discover the landscape in a different way, as seen from the water. It’s the perfect way to round off your stay in Italy!
Find a boat rental to explore Puglia
6. Itria Valley
Photo credit: Flickr – whitechristmas2014
Situated in the heart of Puglia and a bucolic destination par excellence, this valley stretches north of the province of Bari, between Brindisi and Taranto, and is as much appreciated for its walks through the hills as for its magnificent white-clad towns. Its vegetation includes large olive groves producing some of Italy’s finest olive oil, as well as vineyards producing excellent white wines.
7. Ostuni, the white city
Photo credit: Flickr – Gianfranco Vitolo
Located in the province of Brindisi and perched on a rocky promontory, Ostuni is nicknamed the « White City » because of the whitewashed walls of its houses, built of limestone blocks. The narrow streets of the historic center are home to a multitude of small boutiques and bars that liven up Ostuni’s nightlife during the summer months. In the upper part of the town, you can admire Ostuni Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace, and enjoy a magnificent panorama of the countryside and Ostuni’s surroundings. Find out more about activities in Ostuni.
8. Gallipoli
The « beautiful town » of the Greeks is a seaside resort on the Salento coast. It consists of a historic center on an island, home to the town’s old quarters, the Greek Fountain and Sant’Agata Cathedral, and a new village linked to the island by a bridge. There’s also Gallipoli Castle and a magnificent coastline of beaches, which at nightfall becomes the place for parties, music and dancing.
9. The houses of Alberobello
What to do in Puglia? Would you like to see the trulli, the famous whitewashed stone houses with conical roofs? The place to go is Alberobello, on the hills above the town. There are over 1,500 of them in the Monti and Aia Piccola districts, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Find out more about visiting Alberobello.
10. Otranto
Photo credit: Flickr – Francesco Crippa
Otranto is a must-see when visiting Puglia. Situated in the south-east of the Solento peninsula, Otranto is a seaside town perched on a rocky spur dropping steeply into the Adriatic Sea. Don’t miss: the 15th-century Aragonese castle, the cobbled streets of the historic center, the Romanesque cathedral with its Renaissance rose window, the Punta Palascìa lighthouse and the Cervi caves. The beach, the fishing and yachting harbours, and the walks along the seafront are not to be missed. Enjoy Italian cuisine in the town’s many trattorias.
11. Road-trip along the Salento
From Otranto, a magical landscape unfolds, sheltered from mass tourism and dotted with Mediterranean coves and beaches along dozens of kilometers of coastline. It’s one of the region’s emblems, and a must-see when visiting Puglia. The landscapes are pristine and wild, allowing you to appreciate the charms of a vast and varied natural environment. You’ll pass through many seaside villages: Porto Badisco, Castro, Santa Cesarea Terme, and many others as far as Leuca, the Maldives of Salento and Gallipoli.
12. Porto Selvaggio
Photo credit: Flickr – Yellow.Cat
What to do in Puglia after all this? Between Taranto and Gallipoli lies the Porto Selvaggio Regional Nature Park, a must-see seaside spot, with its many hiking trails, cliffside walks, coves and rocky spurs majestically overlooking a crystal-clear, green and turquoise sea. You don’t necessarily have to go to the West Indies or the Maldives to go snorkeling!
13. Polignano a Mare
Here’s a must-see when visiting Puglia, south of Bari. Polignano a Mare is a town built on limestone cliffs, on the edge of a chiselled and honed coastline, and anchored by transparent waters of a blue-green color not found elsewhere in Puglia. A tourist town, it is known as the « Pearl of the Adriatic ». The beaches where you can swim are strung out at the end of the cliffs and inlets: Cala Porto – famous for its white pebbles under the cliffs of the historic center -, Cala Porto Cavallo, Ponte dei Lapilli, San Giovanni, Porte Contessa, San Vito, Cala Fetente, Pozzo Vivo, Port’Alga and Torre Incina. In addition to the public baths, 80 natural caves, including GrottaPalazzese, are scattered along the seafront.
14. Taranto
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Lucamato
Founded by the Spartans, Taranto is a must-see in Puglia. Discover not only the old town, but also the Borgo Novo, witness to the Fascist period. As you can see, the city’s history is rich and fascinating. A visit to the Archaeological Museum will tell you all about it.
Another must-see is the Aragonese castle. Witness to the past dominance of the Aragonese, it too tells part of the town’s history. In fact, the Aragonese had the fortress built here, where a Byzantine building once stood, precisely to erase the traces of Taranto’s Ottoman past.
How to get to Puglia
The best way to get to Puglia is by car, so you can move around easily and freely. It’s even more practical if you want to visit Salento. If you can’t get to Puglia by car, you can take a plane and rent a car there. You can compare car rentals in Bari on Rentalcars.
Air France and Alitalia operate flights to Bari or Brindisi airports, with connections to Rome or Milan. Easyjet offers seasonal direct flights between Paris and Bari or Brindisi. Ryanair offers flights to Brindisi from Paris-Beauvais. To find a cheap flight to Puglia, you can search on the website of our partner Ulysses.
Where to stay in Puglia?
During your stay in Puglia, it’s ideal to sleep in different places, as your road-trip progresses. You can stay in Bari, Lecce, Polignano a Mare, Otranto, Gallipoli… it all depends on the stages of your itinerary. Try the unusual experience of staying in a trulli in Alberobello! You’ll find plenty of homestays on Airbnb, as well as hotels and other accommodations on Booking.
Map of hotels and accommodation – Puglia