Travel Guide: Puglia, Italy

{About}
Puglia is Italy’s southern-most region, stretching all the way down to the heel of the boot. Its magic lies in its small towns that dot the central Valle d’Itria and its expansive coastline. Life in Puglia is slow. Or at least much slower that the pace we are likely used to, but that is part of the beauty of it. Compared to many of Italy’s more well-known (and certainly easier to get to) destinations, Puglia remains off the main tourist circuit, though that is changing and fast.

To to the any justice I would recommend a minimum of five days and more if you can swing it. I would also recommend picking a central base, or two - depending on your time in Puglia, and plan your trips from there. The distances between most spots mentioned in this guide are not significant in terms of kilometers, but the roads are small and a drive just a short distance can take far longer than you’d expect.

{Get There/Get Around}
There are two airports Bari Airport (BRI) and Brindisi Airport (BDS) that are convenient to Puglia. If you want to explore the area closer to Polignano a Mare and Locorotondo (toward the northern part of Puglia) then Bari might be the easier option. Brindisi is closer to Lecce to the southern part of Puglia.

When visiting Puglia, you really do need to rent a car as it can be hard to get around all the towns otherwise. However, the driving in Southern Italy isn’t the easiest, think rather aggressive locals, super confusing and narrow streets and fairly high disregard for speed and traffic laws.

  • Tip: when planning your daily itinerary, don’t navigate toward the center of town as you’ll get stuck in a maze of tiny, one way streets and the ZTL (more on this below) but rather look for a parking lot (parccheggio) [you can usually find one near the train station] and venture on foot from there.

{Stay}
Masseria or large farmhouses dot the region and many have been converted into stunning small and even a few luxury hotels. If you are traveling with a larger group you can find entire properties to rent which would likely be the most economical option. Many smaller properties, including many truli, are also available to rent should you be looking for a more-private experience. We stayed in this Airbnb which was one of the highlights of our trip. It was a tiny bit out of the way, which if you don’t have a carsick-prone infant the extra 10 mins to get to the main roads wouldn’t be a bit deal, but that was the only tiny downside to it. Otherwise it was extremely clean and well stocked and that back terrace was just divine.

{See & Do}
Puglia is dotted with towns — some small, some even smaller — interspersed with fields of durum wheat and olive groves. Here are a handful of our favorites.

LOCOROTONDO

Situated between Martina Franca and Alberobello. This is a small quiet town that is lovely to explore on foot with no set agenda. There is a lovely park at the top of the hill that has a great view out over the country side. Meander the small pedestrian-only streets of the old town then stop at the plaza for a glass of wine and a gelato. If you are lucky, the baby will nap. If not, she will get the giggles and become slightly hyper but you’ll still have lovely memories.

ALBEROBELLO

Alberobello is a magical town with over 1,000 beautiful trulli. Trulli buildings were built with stone and have a very distinctive conical shape. They were originally for easy disassembly so that residents could avoid taxes on finished construction in the 19th century. These unique structures are now protected by UNESCO laws. You can see them dotted all over the countryside in Puglia, but Alberobello has an entire village of them. Yes, it is a bit touristy but if you go early you will hopefully avoid the crowds and get a good sense of the buildings up close.

  • Tip: many of the shops allow you to go to the top of the trulli for a view – all you need to do is purchase a small item to go up.

POLIGNANO A MARE

Along the Adriatic Sea, you will find the most famous beach in the region, Polignano a Mare. The view from the Balconata sul Mare is one of the most beautiful, and certainly the most iconic in the region. We aren’t big fans of boats in this family (motion sickness runs deep!) but you can take a boat tour to see incredible views of the town and inside the caves that dot the coastline nearby. Also, be sure to try the tastiest focaccia bread at La Focacceria and join the line (early!) for lunch at the original Pescaria. For a sweet treat, the gelato at Bella Blu is divine.

OSTUNI

Ostuni is known as the white city. Built atop a hill to protect from invaders, Ostuni is a certifiable labyrinth, a maze of alleyways, staircases and arches, of houses built upon houses, green doors and bright blue skies. Have the perfect lunch at Pastasciutto, for pasta or visit Borgo Antico Bistro for some of the best views in the city and epic sharing platters. If you happen to visit Ostuni on Saturday, the local market has a delightful fresh food section as well as a clothing and home goods area.

CISTERNINO and MARTINA FRANCA

Both of these towns are tiny and sleepy but charming non-the-less. For an aperitivo, visit Al Bacareto dal Ivan.

Other towns we didn’t make it to on this trip but are worth visiting: Monopoli, Bari, Brindisi, Lecce and Gallipoli.

Beach clubs are another attraction in Puglia and dot the coastline from top to tail. Most follow the same basic formula: parking, a small restaurant/bar, changing and shower facilities and a section of the beach where you can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas. Many have some sort of '“extra” or theme - music, family-friendly etc. and run the spectrum from simple, local haunt to a more glitzy, tourist-oriented spot. For a reliable recommendation I would check with your hotel or host and of course you can check Google reviews as well. We spent an afternoon at the Lido Bosco Verde and had a great time.

{Eat & Drink}
The food in Puglia is a major highlight. The vast majority of the produce and dishes you will encounter are hyper-local and bursting with flavor. Many masserias will either have a cooking class on-site or will be able to recommend one for you. A few food highlights —

  • Olive oil on everything! There are an estimated 60 million olive trees in the region that produce about 40% of Italy’s entire olive oil production.

  • Orecchiette is an ear shaped pasta commonly found in Puglia. The local pasta is made with Durum wheat and without egg. There are several other simple, flat shapes that are common to the region.

  • Bombette are little meatballs

  • Figs, local melons (carosello) in summer

{Shop}
Ceramic shops across the region sell pumo di fiore, an acorn shaped flower bud, in every color and size you could imagine. There are also several local pottery designs that are quite unique and worth looking at.

If your luggage can bear it, olive oil and some of the local pasta also make great souvenirs and gifts. The local pasta is made without egg and is really tasty.

{Things to Know}
Puglia gets hot - pack accordingly!

As mentioned above the driving isn’t the easiest and even the smallest of towns will have ZTL - limited traffic zones — in their centers. If you drive into the zone without a permit you are liable to get a fine. When going into any town I’d recommend googling parking garages in advance (or two in case one is closed) and navigating directly to one and continuing the last bit on foot.

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