One Week Puglia Itinerary - How to Plan a Puglia Road Trip
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If you’re wondering how to spend a week in Puglia, I’m here to help. There’s no perfect answer though! My home region is big and there are countless lovely destinations to choose from.
How you should spend your week here depends on your interests. Do you want to hit the beach? Are you looking for charming towns and cities? Or are you interested in a more unique experience exploring Puglia’s culture, food, and history?
If you’re like me, you want all of that! So I put together this one week itinerary with all of the above in mind to try and give you the perfect taste of Puglia in just a week.
I’ve built this itinerary to work for either one week or 8 days, and I’ve assumed that you’ll have a car and will do a road trip. I focused on a few days visiting some of the region’s charming cities and towns before winding down the trip with some time relaxing by the seaside.
While most of the itinerary could be done with public transport, you’d need more than 8 days to do so. To give you some more options, at the bottom of the article I’ve also included itinerary ideas for visitors with 10 or 14 days to explore.
I haven’t looked at what you could do in Puglia with fewer than 8 days because it would be a waste to come in that case. To give you a sense of the region’s size, going from Vieste in the northern Gargano area to Otranto in the south of Salento takes 4.5 to 5 hours. It’s just not realistic to try to squeeze in a 5-day visit. But for anyone with a little more time, it’s so worth it!
More Puglia travel info:
For more ideas on where to go and what to do, check out my Puglia regional guide and my list of 28 amazing places in Puglia.
If you could use some one-on-one help planning your itinerary, schedule a Puglia travel consultation with me!
Local help with your planning
I’ve tried to share my best advice in this itinerary, but Puglia is a big region and there’s a lot to see here. No one itinerary will be perfect for every type of traveler and where you should stay and visit really depends on what you want to get out of your trip and how you like to travel.
So if you could use some help figuring out your Puglia plan, schedule a Puglia travel consultation with me!
These are one-hour Zoom calls where we can chat about the trip you’re planning and I’ll share my tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Planning a Puglia itinerary
Puglia can be broken down into 3 categories: towns & cities, rural countryside, and beaches. In the hotter months a good itinerary should find a way to include all three. In the fall, winter, or early spring, the beach isn’t terribly interesting and many of the towns along the coast essentially shut down.
When you’re planning your itinerary, remember that there are not many highways in Puglia and some places are harder to reach than it seems when looking at a map. A car rental is often a necessity.
What areas you should plan on staying in also depends on your budget and what you like.
If you enjoy agriturismo-style accommodation, you might be a bit disappointed as that’s still a relatively new development in Puglia. You’ll basically only find options in the Valle d’Itria.
If you like high-end resorts, you should focus on the Savelletri area south of Monopoli. This is where the vast majority of 4 and 5-star “destination” hotels in Puglia are located and you’ll find very few elsewhere other than a handful in the Salento.
If you want to have lots of towns and cities to explore, the area around Bari has a host of small-to-medium cities that are pleasant and worth exploring. The Valle d’Itria also has some lovely towns to visit. In Salento, however, you basically just have Lecce, Otranto, and Gallipoli. The rest of the towns are small and fairly nondescript.
For nature, the Gargano peninsula and the area around the Alta Murgia national park are probably your best bets.
In other words, there’s a lot to consider.
What to see & do in Puglia
Puglia is the perfect destination for a trip to Italy combining time at the beach, historic towns and cities, great food and wine, local culture, and of course, lots of sunshine.
One thing that can be particularly refreshing about a visit to Puglia is that the region has few “must visits”.
While there are many lovely churches, a few good museums, some nice natural parks, dozens of excellent beaches, and lots of charming towns and cities, very few of them can be categorized as places you absolutely have to see.
If you go to Martina Franca, but don’t make it to Ostuni, you don’t have to feel like you missed out on the visit of a lifetime. If you spend 3 days at the beach near Otranto, but don’t make it to Gallipoli’s beaches, you don’t have to hate yourself! Saw the cathedral in Trani, but not the one in Bitonto? We won’t shame you!
This is part of the beauty of Puglia - you come here to relax, to stroll through pleasant streets, eat good food, lounge on the beach, go for long drives and bike rides, and sit leisurely in squares and cafes. Where you do it doesn’t much matter as long as you enjoy yourself!
Check out my list of 28 places to visit in Puglia for more ideas.
Best time to visit Puglia
The best time to visit Puglia is late spring or the fall. In both seasons everything in the region is open, the weather is good with warm temperatures and little rain, prices are low, and crowds are manageable.
Spring
Spring is a lovely time to be in Puglia. While it won’t usually be beach weather until late spring, the weather in general is good with warm days, crisp evenings, and sunny skies. In the countryside, wild flowers are always in bloom, providing absolutely splendid landscapes.
By mid-May some days will already be warm enough for swimming, everything throughout the region is open, and you’re just early enough to avoid the crush of summer crowds. Prices are still in their shoulder season stage as well, so you can get excellent discounts. Early June provides similar conditions, but it moves into high season by mid month.
Fall
In the fall, the ideal time to come is after September 15th. This is because Italian and European school children all have to be back at school by then, so tourist numbers drop off dramatically. With the departure of the crowds, prices for things like car rentals and hotels become much more reasonable.
The later in September you come, the fewer people you’ll find. Puglia is also hot throughout September, and most years you can swim well into the month of October, meaning that a fall visit is almost all upside and no downside.
In summer
Summer is an ok time to visit if you plan ahead and plan well. You’ll also need a bit of patience and be ready to put up with packed crowds, sky-high prices, and suffocatingly hot temperatures. Beaches are crowded, popular cities like Ostuni and Alberobello are madhouses, and hotels, tour operators, and restaurants are all booked up.
Even so, it’s prime beach season and the whole region is in festive party mode. It can be a lot of fun.
Connect with Paolo, our Lecce-based local expert, for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips!
How long to spend in Puglia
You absolutely need at least 7 days for a visit to Puglia. That said, this is a big region and the ideal amount of time for a visit is 10-14 days. This gives you enough time to visit some of the major towns and cities, get off the beaten path and see some of Puglia’s hidden gems, and also hit the beach, all without having to rush.
For those who don’t have 10-14 days, a week is enough to see the highlights and get a feel for the region. If you have fewer than 7 days, it’s really not worth coming. Anyone who tells you that you can see Puglia in 5 days either hasn’t been here or just doesn’t know the region.
Bear in mind, if you only have a week, it’s best to concentrate on just two or maximum three regions of Puglia. A good example would be 2 days in Salento, 3 days in the Valle d’Itria, and 1 day on the coast around the town of Ostuni.
Even that is pretty rushed though and you’re really better off choosing two bases. A good idea might be a base in the Valle d’Itria and then a base in or near to Lecce. If you have two weeks, you can start thinking about adding the region around Bari and the Gargano peninsula as well.
Where to stay
The most important thing you’ll do when planning your trip to Puglia is choose where to stay and where to base yourself. Puglia is big - more than 4 hours from north to south - and getting around takes quite a while, so you need to have various bases.
For a visit here, you’re typically best off choosing 2-3 bases and staying a few days in each. This will save you the hassle of constantly packing and unpacking your bags while still leaving you close enough to various different places so that you can make easy day trips.
To choose where to stay in Puglia, you should focus on 4 areas: the Gargano peninsula, the Terra di Bari, the Valle d’Itria, and the Salento peninsula.
Gargano peninsula
In the far north of Puglia, the Gargano peninsula is a mystical place of green-blue waters, coastal roads, olive groves, and deep ancient forests. Vieste is the main summer hub and a good place to base yourself, but you also have medieval cities with huge religious significance like Monte Sant’Angelo.
Terra di Bari
The “Terra di Bari” is the region around Puglia’s largest city and capital, Bari. Once an important fiefdom for the Longobards and Swabians in the Middle Ages, Bari is a busy port and university town that bustles with an energy and industry not seen in much of Southern Italy. Her historic center is a maze of narrow alleyways where you can still find le nonne (grandmothers) out rolling pasta and calling to one another in their distinct local dialect.
Surprisingly cosmopolitan towns near to Bari like Trani, Bitonto, Giovinazzo, and Barletta indicate the power and wealth that once existed here. All of them are worth exploring for a few days. Tourism has not really arrived to this part of Puglia, so the cities feel quite local and authentic.
Personally, I like the elegant city of Trani the most of the bunch.
Valle d’Itria
The Valle d’Itria is a bucolic sub-region with fairytale-like countryside, small wineries, fruit orchards, and elegant towns like Alberobello, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Cisternino, Ceglie Messapica, Oria, Putignano, and Ostuni.
It’s the perfect location for day trips all around central Puglia, bike rides, country walks, and gastronomic experiences.
The Salento peninsula
The Salento peninsula is the southernmost portion of Puglia and it’s a dry, rocky land filled with olive groves and small towns. It is here, at Santa Maria di Leuca, that the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet in stunning fashion. Otranto is a historic port city that was once the site of a major Ottoman invasion and brief occupation.
Gallipoli is a charming fishing city surrounded by fabulous sandy beaches. Lecce, the largest city in Salento, is an elegant sandstone masterpiece of Baroque and Rococo architecture that often earns it comparisons with Florence.
The beaches vary from sandy stretches to rocky coves and cliffs, but the water, pristine and uncontaminated, is crystal clear no matter where you go. To explore the Salento, Lecce almost always makes for the best base.
How to get to Puglia
Getting to Puglia from within Italy is quite easy: you have regular flights, trains, and buses from Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and other major cities.
If coming from Northern Italy, it is almost always cheapest and fastest to fly. Flights from cities like Milan and Venice take just 1.5 hours and tickets can cost as little as 30 euros. You have flights with airlines like ITA Airways and also low-cost carriers Ryanair, Easyjet, and Wizzair.
If coming from Rome, you have the option of flights (1 hour travel time and 30-100 euros cost) or high-speed trains (4 hours travel time and 13.90-70 euros cost). High-speed trains depart from Roma Termini station and make stops at 3 cities in Puglia: Bari, Brindisi, and Lecce.
Buses also make the journey from Rome to Puglia, but they take longer and aren’t always much less expensive than the train.
If you’re coming from within Europe, you have many direct flights to Puglia’s two international airports of Bari and Brindisi. Airlines like Swissair, Lufthansa, and AirFrance all runs non-stop flights.
If you’re coming from North America or somewhere else outside of Europe, you’ll usually fly to Rome or Milan (or France or Zurich) and then need to make a connecting flight to continue on to Puglia.
Where to buy train tickets
Your best bet is to purchase your tickets online on either train company’s official website: https://www.trenitalia.com/ and https://www.italotreno.it/en. However, you can also purchase tickets directly at any train station via the ticket window or electronic ticketing machines located inside.
Keep in mind that tickets become more expensive as you get closer to the departure date.
Omio is also a convenient website/app to use if you want to compare options from Trenitalia and Italo at the same time. It’s a 3rd party aggregator so tickets cost a bit more than booking direct, but comparing prices is easy, the site has a great design, and you can keep all your bookings in one place.
Transportation and how to get around
Photo: Chris0693, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
To get the most out of a trip to Puglia you should really rent a car. This is still Southern Italy, so remember that public transport can be unreliable and lots of places are poorly connected. If you choose to go by bus and train, make sure you pack some patience – you will certainly need it!
Bus connections are infrequent and train service is limited to major cities like Bari, Brindisi, Taranto, and Lecce. Don’t expect frequent connections or fast service.
If you don’t plan on renting a car, want to see a lot, and are going to rely on public transport, you should not attempt to visit with fewer than 10 days. Public transport connections are very limited and service is too infrequent to make combining multiple towns into a single day trip possible.
Renting a car is hands down the best way to see Puglia. It gives you the freedom to adapt your itinerary on the fly and it lets you prepare little road trips that hit multiple towns and cities over the course of a day.
Additionally, much of the beauty of Puglia is actually in the countryside and some of the most charming hotels and masserie (fortified farmhouses that have been converted into hotels) are located in rural areas outside of towns. With a car, you can spend hours just enjoying quiet country lanes and bucolic scenes that remind us of a bygone era.
Renting a car:
If you choose to rent a car, there are lots of companies to choose from, with widely varying prices and car conditions. You’ll find all the big international companies here, as well as a host of smaller, locally owned ones.
The easiest places to get a car rental are Bari and Brindisi. Lecce has some selection, but because the airports are in Bari and Brindisi, they’re also where the majority of rental agencies are.
To check prices and book, I recommend using the following two car rental websites:
DiscoverCars includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
AutoEurope tends to be more expensive, but they only list options from large, well-reviewed companies and their customer service is excellent. Their deals often include “zero deductible” (i.e. full coverage) rental insurance.
One week Puglia itinerary
Rather than try to cram all the “best places to visit in Puglia” into one itinerary, I’ve focused on a plan that actually makes sense and won’t have you stuck in the car driving countless hours every day.
You can’t see everywhere in a week, so this itinerary gives a good idea of a general plan and the best way to organize yourself to maximize your time and avoid unnecessary driving.
I haven’t included anywhere north of Bari, meaning you won’t find Trani, Andria, Barletta, or anywhere further north in the Gargano peninsula included in this itinerary. That’s not because they’re not worth visiting (they are!), it’s that Trani is 1 hour from Bari 2.5 hours from Vieste (in the Gargano).
Most of the major places to visit in Puglia are south of Bari, so to go far north only to then retrace your steps heading south is not practical or a good use of your time.
There is no airport closer than Bari to these northern areas, so you can’t start your itinerary near them. As such, trying to fit in a visit to anywhere north of Bari will then leave you a minimum of 2 hours, and up to 4, away from basically everywhere else you’ll want to go in Puglia.
With one week, that amount of driving makes absolutely no sense. So, I keep it simple and I suggest you do the same.
In each place I suggest visiting, I’ve included a few of my favorite sites, some great restaurants, and a few tips & tricks for a better visit.
Enjoy!
For a comprehensive guide to all of Puglia, check out my Puglia travel guide.
Day 1 - Bari & a glimpse of authentic, cosmopolitan Puglia
Bari is the capital of Puglia and Southern Italy’s 3rd largest city. It is generally overlooked by tourists, but has changed immensely in recent years and is an interesting place to visit.
The city is located right on the sea and has a beautifully preserved historic center, Bari Vecchia, that is a maze of narrow streets and alleyways. You’ll find terrific food, excellent shopping, and vibrant night life. Keep in mind that it is a bustling place and for unprepared visitors can be a bit overwhelming at first. So, come prepared and settle in slowly.
Morning
Any visit to Bari should start in Bari Vecchia. The old town is very authentic so a good place to go for a glimpse of local life. Start near the castle (Castello Svevo) where you have 2 little alleyways always with old ladies sitting outside making orecchiette, our typical round pasta which translates as “little ears”.
Let yourself get lost in the narrow alleys making sure to stop by the Duomo (the San Sabino Cathedral) and the Basilica di San Nicola. For a traditional snack of Bari-style focaccia, you can’t go wrong with either Panificio Fiore or Panificio Santa Rita.
After your wander in the old quarter, head down to the lungomare, the seaside promenade, and stroll from here to the Teatro Petruzzelli Theater which is the symbol of Bari. From here, make your way to the Fish Market to see some of the freshest fish in Puglia sold at super reasonable prices.
Unlike many markets which have become tourist destinations, this is still an authentic, functioning marketplace. You’ll hear the vendors speaking in a dialect unique to Bari Vecchia which even other residents of the city struggle to understand.
Afternoon
At the market, you have a good chance to see and eat what we sometimes call sushi pugliese. Distinctly different from most of Italy, in Puglia we eat lots of raw seafood.
A few must-try dishes are raw squid cut into strips (known as tagliatelle – so careful when ordering if you want pasta!), gambero rosso, raw mussels, and raw octopus.
If you didn’t fill up at the market, stop for a quick bite at Mastro Ciccio which is a very trendy place to try traditional street food elevated into creative inventions. Fried burrata cheese and octopus sandwiches with pesto and fresh mozzarella are among the options.
After a late lunch make sure to check out Via Sparano and Via Argiro, two lovely, pedestrianized streets leading from the Old City up to the train station. These are two of Bari’s most famous streets for shopping with many elegant boutiques and designer brands.
Now you should take a much deserved break and relax for a bit at your hotel.
Evening
For dinner try Ristorante Biancofiore for a traditional seafood meal at my favorite restaurant in town. For more ideas on where to eat, see my guide to restaurants & dining in Bari.
Overnight in Bari
Accommodation options in Bari are mostly either B&Bs/apartments or hotels oriented towards business travelers. I’d recommend staying either in Bari Vecchia (old town), the neighborhood of Murat (just behind it), or on the seaside just south of historic center.
Here are a few hotels I recommend:
JR Hotels Bari Grande Albergo delle Nazioni - Rooms from about $220 per night.
Travel B&B - Nightly rates of $150.
B&B Murex - You can usually get a room for $100 USD.
Day 2: Bari to Matera
It isn't technically in Puglia, but Matera is only a few miles from the border and very easy to get there from it. It is a magical place that feels a bit lost in time.
Driving from Bari you will go from the flat coastline and rise steadily up onto the Murge plateau as you pass through Altamura on your way to Matera. The landscape will change dramatically in only an hour of driving.
Morning
Leave Bari and head to Matera with a stop in the city of Altamura on the way. Matera is reachable by public transport, but the 60 km journey takes over 2 hours on a curious diesel train. If you do opt for the train, remember that it does not run on Sundays.
Altamura is about 45 minutes from Bari and a good place to stop and stretch your legs. It’s famous for its old bakeries of which Santa Chiara, from the 15th century, is best known. Be sure to try the traditional bread and focaccia which comes with cherry tomatoes.
Another local treat is pasticcio altamurano, which is basically a stuffed focaccia filled with baccalà (codfish) or tuna, onion, and olives.
From Altamura it’s about 20 more minutes to Matera. On arrival, stop by your hotel and drop off your bags and car. 70% of the old town is caves, so your hotel will likely also be one. This is an experience unique to Matera. We refer to the cave dwellings as “sassi” which means stones or rocks.
Afternoon
From your hotel, go for a walk in the cittá alta (upper town) on the way to lunch. The whole city is magical and you will love simply meandering through its streets. Matera is full of staircases, alleyways, lovely churches, and lookout points. Wandering around with no particular direction is one of its biggest charms.
A great lunch option is La Latteria where you can sample the best cheeses and local salumi as well as traditional recipes like crapiata (legume soup), fave e cicoria (mashed fava beans with chicory), or dried and deep fried peppers called cruschi.
After lunch, make your way down to the Sassi in the lower part of town. Between 11 and 3 this area can be very crowded so enjoy a leisurely lunch and visit later in the afternoon. You can also come back for a look in the evening or early in the morning when the light is beautiful.
The most famous structures are two “rupestrian” churches, Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris and Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Malve and they are spectacular. However, both are very popular and being shoulder to shoulder while visiting can detract from the magic.
A better idea is to find a good viewpoint to observe from and save an inside visit instead for Cripta del Peccato Originale, my personal favorite of all the churches. More on that tomorrow!
Evening
In the evening you can go to the main square Vittorio Veneto and from there you have two streets to walk on: Via delle Beccherie (which means the street of butchers, though they are not here anymore!) and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Via delle Beccherie heads to the cathedral and is full of little shops selling artisanal crafts and clothing.
Before arriving at the cathedral you’ll pass by Piazza del Sedile where there are lots of bars favored by the locals to get an aperitivo. Great atmosphere!
Corso Vittorio Emanuele is where all the local people go for a stroll and takes you to a fabulous lookout point in Piazzetta Pascoli above the Sassi all lit up in the evening.
For dinner you are spoiled for choice. For high-end, creative cuisine Baccanti is always a treat. If you’re feeling a bit more casual, Oi Marí is a good option for a pizza.
For a pre-dinner drink, Quarry has a stunning view from their terrace and excellent cocktails. It is too exclusive for most locals, but is probably the best spot in town.
Overnight in Matera
In Matera, your two options are to stay in the old town (often in a “cave” hotel) or to stay higher up in the new part of town. If you’ll have a car and need to park it, you can’t do so in the old town. However, many hotels have arrangements with parking garages and offer shuttle services for guests.
Here are some good hotels at fairly reasonable prices:
Sant’Angelo Resort - Nightly rates begin at $300.
Palazzo Gattini - Rooms from $250.
Sextantio Le Grotte - Prices range from $150-300.
Palazzo Viceconte - Also $150-300 per night.
Livingstone B&B - Relative bargain at around $100 per night. In the new part of town.
Day 3: Hiking and Rupestrian Churches in Matera
Change things up today with a light hike in nature and amongst ancient cave dwellings before a visit to a truly unique Rupestrian Church, the likes of which are only found here.
Morning
If you’d like another visit to the Sassi, remember to get there early morning before the crowds. You have the option to rent an audio guide but if you want to enter the churches and dwellings, they’re really best visited with a private guide.
For a fun private guided tour of Matera, reach out to me! I’d love to guide you around for a morning, afternoon, or a full day!
Prepare for some outdoor activity as you’ll be heading on a great hike from old town Matera through the ravine and down into the Morgia Materana canyon. You can hire a guide to come with you, but it’s easily doable on your own.
Grabbing a panino and water or supplies for a picnic lunch is the best way to enjoy this. The hike is 6 km roundtrip and takes about 2.5 hours.
After your hike, grab your car and head a little ways out of town to visit the Cripta del Peccato Originale. It is a unique and truly special experience. The church, from the 8th century, was carved out of the side of a cliff overlooking a gulley and has stunning frescoes.
From the parking area it’s a lovely short hike in. It’s located on a private farm and you need to arrange to visit in advance as visitor numbers are tightly controlled.
Afternoon
Once back in town, enjoy some downtime at the hotel. As evening approaches, if you fancy an aperitivo and mingling with the locals, L’Antica Credenza in Piazza San Francesco is always busy.
Evening
For dinner tonight, after your good work hiking, treat yourself to an abundant meal in a lovely location. Set in a cave, L’Abbondanza Lucana is a wonderful gastronomic experience serving hyperlocal fare from the Basilicata region. The antipasti (appetizers) in particular are excellent. Reward yourself with a nightcap at Caffè Tripoli.
If you find yourself with some extra time during your two days in Matera, here are a couple of somewhat unusual things to do: visit a cistern like La Raccolta delle Acque which shows how the people here used to collect and filter water or visit a putridarium like that found in the Chiesa Rupestre di San Pietro Barisano.
A putridarium was an underground crypt where bodies were prepared for burial. The exact process for this generally raises eyebrows, so I’ll leave it to you to research further!
Overnight in Matera
For hotel recommendations, see my suggestions from day 2.
Paolo has answers!
Connect with Paolo in Lecce for the best local info and expert help planning a better trip to Puglia!
Day 4: Matera to Lecce via the Valle d’Itria
This is a busy day with a fair amount of driving, so make sure you have a good breakfast. You’ll be heading through the rolling hills of the Valle D’Itria (the Itria valley) on your way to the charming villages of Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino, and Ostuni before arriving at your final destination, Lecce.
Today requires a car, but if you won’t have one another option to still make it work is to hire a driver-guide who will take you from Matera to Lecce, making stops all around the Valle d’Itria on the way. If you’re interested, I offer a full-day Valle d’Itria tour with pick up and drop off all around Puglia (including Matera).
Morning
Grab the car and drive to Alberobello, the village famous for the canonical, stone roof Trulli houses. It’s about a one-hour drive and after the first 15 minutes or so you’ll have left Basilicata and re-entered Puglia.
Alberobello is lovely and makes for a perfect 30-minute stop. It has become extremely touristy though so is best visited before 11 am when the tour buses start to arrive or after 5 pm when they’ve departed again.
The main street splits the town into two sides, Monti and Aia Piccola. Monti is the more touristy side and many of the trulli have been converted into gift shops. On the Cathedral side you have Aia Piccola which is quieter and has a few Trulli that have been maintained in their rustic state and can be visited.
Have a short look around, grab a coffee and then off to Locorotondo.
If you are a cyclist or walker, some of the prettiest trulli can be seen along the quiet country lanes between Alberobello and Locorotondo. You’ll pass through a fairytale like area of neatly maintained farms, olive groves, and homes. There are many good cycling routes and a few places in town where you can rent a bicycle or e-bike.
Leaving Alberobello, head 15 minutes south to Locorotondo. It’s a lovely little city on a hill with whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets. Some years ago the municipality began a competition amongst residents for the most beautiful balcony, so all throughout the year and particularly in spring you’ll see bright flowers, vines, and plants all around you. It makes for a lovely walk.
15 minutes further south you’ll arrive to the charming town of Cisternino whose centro storico was elected one of the most charming borghi or neighborhoods of Italy. Be sure to visit the Chiesa Matrice and Torre Civica before a walk down Via Basilioni to Vittorio Emanuele square.
Cisternino is a great stop for lunch. It is famous for butcher shops which traditionally would function as a store during the day and in the evening would offer the option of purchasing your meat and having it cooked in a special wood-fired oven called a fornello.
A typical dish is bombette; skewers of pork wrapped with cheese and peppers which are placed vertically in the oven in a technique borrowed from the Arabs. For anyone feeling daring, gnumnarid is extremely typical and is lung, heart, or liver usually of a goat or sheep that is wrapped with the intestine and then grilled. It’s an adventure! Also try the local capocollo.
A good option for this type of meal is Bére Vecchia. If you’d rather wait to eat in Ostuni, it’s another 25 minutes and Osteria del Tempo Perso is a good restaurant choice.
Afternoon
Whitewashed Ostuni, rising out of a plain and perched atop a hill overlooking the Adriatic, is a mesmerizing sight. It’s a bigger town, so be prepared for some traffic.
Park the car and head to Piazza Della Libertá where you’ll find the town hall and a statue of Sant’Oronzo, the patron saint of Lecce and Ostuni. From here, stroll through the old quarter up to the cathedral, making sure to wander off the main street into the alleys as well.
Before leaving Ostuni, one of the best gelato you’ll find is at Cremeria La Scala. Everything is made with fresh local ingredients and produced in-house.
Evening
From Ostuni to Lecce is an hour. It’s been a long day, so on arrival relax at your hotel until dinner. If you’re feeling like something gourmet, any of the following are excellent options: Duo, Primo, or Tre Rane. For more casual fare try Doppio Zero. After, if somehow you’ve still got energy, head to Alvino for a drink.
Overnight in Lecce
In Lecce, you should of course stay in the old town. If you’ll have a car though and want to keep it parked at your hotel, you could look at accommodation options around Piazza Mazzini which is a lovely area just 5 minutes from the old town with loads of good restaurants and excellent shopping. It’s much less touristy than the old town, so also cheaper.
Palazzo Bozzi Corso - Rooms from $600+ (but worth it!)
La Fiermontina - Nightly rates start at $300
Il Risorgimento - Usually around $200 a night.
Patria Palace - Also $200.
Palazzo de Noha - In the $200 range as well.
Palazzo Rollo - $125-200 per night.
Day 5: Exploring Baroque Lecce
After yesterday’s hustle, enjoy an easy-going day exploring my hometown of Lecce. Lecce’s baroque and rococo architecture, pedestrianized center, elegant avenues, and countless squares make it a wonderful city to visit leisurely.
Morning
To fully understand the history and the vast amount of art and culture on open display around you, I’d recommend starting your day with a post-breakfast private guided tour. 2 hours is about the right amount of time.
If you’re interested in a tour, I’m originally from Lecce and would love to be your guide! I offer a 2.5 hour private city tour that covers all the highlights (and some secrets!).
Spend the late morning and early afternoon exploring the historic center of Lecce. Here are some ideas on what to visit: Porta San Biagio, Porta Napoli, and Porta Rudiae - three beautiful historic gates which were (and still are) the entrances to the city.
Piazza Sant’Oronzo is the main square of the city and holds an excavated Roman amphitheater.
The Cathedral and stunning Basilica di Santa Croce (whose façade was recently restored after many years of work) are absolute must visits. Chiesa di Santa Chiara, Chiesa di San Matteo, and a stop at an exhibit inside the Castello Carlo V are also pleasant detours.
Afternoon
Whenever you’re ready for lunch, trendy Pugliese food with interesting twists awaits at La Cucina di Mamma Elvira. If you just want a quick stop, Il Pizzicotto serves terrific and fresh by-the-kilo pizza. Adjacent to Pizzicotto, you also have Mezzo Quinto whose specialty is stewed horse meat in a red sauce.
Neither has indoor seating so grab your plate and sit on one of the benches in Via Degli Ammirati and enjoy the people watching.
Later today, be sure to call Enrico from Crianza to organize a pleasantly casual wine tasting at his stylish enoteca. You can also stay here for dinner.
Evening
If you’re feeling like pasta and fabulous Roman dishes for dinner, just outside the historic walls you have A’Roma. Located inconspicuously inside the entrance of an apartment building, look for the sign and just ring the bell to be let in. If in the mood for seafood, check out always classy Alex.
After dinner, Quanto Basta in the old city is routinely elected one of Italy’s finest bars. The atmosphere, with fashionable locals sipping drinks on the sidewalk and spilling out into the narrow street, is always great.
Two things to be sure to try while you’re in the city are a rustico (a puff pastry filled with mozzarella, bechamel, and a touch of tomato sauce) and a caffe leccese (an espresso served with ice and sweetened, syrupy almond milk). For anyone with a sweet tooth, the chocolatier Maglie has divine chocolate covered figs.
Overnight in Lecce
See hotel recommendations in day 4.
Day 6: Driving from Leuca to Otranto on Italy’s most beautiful coastal road
For today, enjoy resplendent sunshine as you drive the coastal route from Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto.
Morning
Head south from Lecce by car to Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy’s southernmost point and where our coastal drive to Otranto will begin.
You have two routes – one runs inland straight to Leuca, while the other goes to Gallipoli on the coast before continuing to Leuca. Gallipoli is a charming fishing village with good beaches and a lovely historic center.
I’d recommend a stop here, but if you want to get going you can skip it. On arrival to Leuca, where the Ionian sea meets the Adriatic, have a coffee and enjoy the view.
Road SP 358 covers 60 km of sun-drenched cliffside coastal driving. You’ll pass through many lovely beach villages like Tricase, Castro, and Santa Cesarea Terme where you can stop for a snack and a swim. For adrenaline junkies, Ponte Ciolo on your route is a 30 meter high bridge over a little cove. If you stop, you’ll sometimes see cliff jumpers.
Drive this route slowly and stop in the villages along the way for a dip and to enjoy the jaw dropping views. As you get closer to Otranto, you may be able to catch a glimpse of Albania just across the sea.
Note that this stretch of coast is rocky and you won’t find sand beaches until after Otranto. Most swimming options here will be directly off the boardwalk or cement jetties jutting into the water.
Afternoon
You have lunch options throughout the route and at the end in Otranto. If you get hungry earlier, Taverna del Porto in Tricase serves wonderful fresh seafood. In Otranto, you can have lunch at L'altro baffo (seafood, no surprise, is the specialty in this entire area!) If you’re willing to trade culinary excellence for a sea view, I Villani D’Aragona sits directly on the water.
After lunch, make sure to visit the Cathedral of Otranto which houses a fabulous floor mosaic from the 1100s. It opens after 3 pm. Another curiosity in the church, you can see the bones of the 800-some martyrs who were killed during an Ottoman occupation of the city in the late 1400s.
From Otranto you can go for a swim at a sandy beach at nearby Torre dell’Orso or head straight back for the 35 minute drive to Lecce.
Evening
Enjoy your last evening here in Lecce, Puglia’s most refined city, before you travel north tomorrow for a few days at the beach.
Get more info on Otranto and this stunning section of southern Salento in my guide to the Salento.
Overnight in Lecce
See hotel recommendations in day 4.
Day 7: Beachside Relaxing in Savelletri
No trip to Puglia would be complete without a few days relaxing by the seaside. With that in mind, today we’ll head north from Lecce to the Savelletri area famous for its Masseria-style accommodation, sandy beaches, and silky waters.
In Savelletri, I recommend staying in a Masseria for your last two nights. These are fortified farmhouses from the 1800s that have been renovated and turned into smart and sophisticated hotels. They’re located on quiet country roads amongst the olive groves.
Outside of the fisherman’s village of Savelletri you have many hotel options at all different budgets. You’ll also find a large concentration of high-end hotels. Inland around Ostuni and the Valle d’Itria, you have some very pretty “rustic-chic” hotels too. In shoulder season, prices can be… if not reasonable, at least not quite so eye-popping as in the summer.
Some hotels have their own beach clubs, but regardless most will offer free shuttle service to the various beaches.
Morning
Depart Lecce heading north to Savelletri. You’ll pass by Ostuni one more time on your way.
Once in Savelletri, check in to your hotel and enjoy the lovely grounds and pool, or perhaps head straight to the beach. You can have lunch with your feet in the sand.
Afternoon
Spend the afternoon lounging - summertime is hot and you don’t want to be out exploring at this time of day. For dinner, most hotels, both large and small, have good restaurants serving fresh local food.
If you want to venture out, you could try a restaurant in Monopoli (also lovely for a stroll this time of the evening) or by the port in Savelletri.
Monopoli in the evening is very lively and busy. It’s significantly larger than both Savelletri and nearby Polignano and was traditionally a fishing town. It has a cute little port, a lovely promenade, and a pleasant center. Monopoli’s Cathedral is beautiful and you can also visit the Grotto Churches which house exquisite frescoes.
Overnight in Ostuni, Valle d’Itria countryside, or Savelletri coast
For luxury in Ostuni:
Paragon 700 - $400+ per night.
Hotel Relais La Sommità - Rooms from $400.
Luxury on the Savelletri coast:
Torre Maizza - $500+
La Peschiera - $500+ (Rooms literally right on the water)
San Domenico - $500+
Torre Coccaro - Rooms from $400 (Great beach club included)
Il Melograno - Nightly rates start at $300.
Borgo Egnazia - $600+ (favorite of celebrities, but not worth it in my opinion)
Charming and more moderate prices in the Valle d’Itria countryside:
Borgo Canonica - $250-350 per night in Trulli-style accommodation (wonderful)
Il Frantoio - Rooms start at around $200.
Masseria Cervarolo - Nightly rates from $200.
Masseria La Carrubbe - Also $200 range.
Day 8: Beach time, cooking class, and Polignano a Mare
On your last day in Puglia, take it easy and combine some light sightseeing with time to relax by the ocean.
Morning & Afternoon
This morning enjoy more time at the beach with lunch back at your hotel.
If you want to try super fresh local sea urchins (ricci) at bargain prices, check out Il Principe del Mare on the coastal rode just outside of Savelletri with plastic tables in the sand, it doesn’t look like much, but they’ll open and wash the urchins in front of you and give you a spoon or bread to scoop them out with. You won’t find fresher urchins anywhere else.
In the afternoon, you can do an olive oil tasting, a cheese making demonstration, or a pizza/pasta class. Many hotels either offer this directly or can arrange it. Or of course, you can head back to lounging on the beach!
Evening
In the evening, drive over to Polignano a Mare for a visit. Polignano is a cliffside town with dramatic views. There are no major sites in town, but its charming and atmospheric.
If you want to go for a boat ride, there are lots of agencies offering everything from speedboats to catamarans.
While here, you can try a gourmet panini with fish at Pescaria and a good gelato at Supermago del Gelo. You should also stop at a caffè for a speciale which is an espresso with cream and lemon zest.
For dinner, a great spot for seafood on your last night is La Locanda di Felisiano. It can be a bit hard to find, but the food is excellent, the price fair, and the atmosphere welcoming and festive.
After a fabulous dinner, it’s time to pack your bags as unfortunately tomorrow you’ll be leaving Puglia behind for other lands.
Grazie per la visita e buon viaggio! Ci vediamo alla prossima.
Overnight in Ostuni, Valle d’Itria countryside, or Savelletri coast
See my hotel recommendations in day 7.
10-day and 14-day Puglia itineraries
For those with more than a week, you have many more options for what to do. Here are a few ideas on potential itineraries.
10-day
Day 1 - Bari
Day 2 - Bari - visit Trani, Bitonto, and Giovinazzo
Day 3 - Bari to Matera with a stop in Altamura
Day 4 - Matera
Day 5 - Matera to Martina Franca
Day 6 - Martina Franca, Alberobello, Locortondo, Cisternino
Day 7 - Martina Franca to Lecce with a stop in Ostuni
Day 8 - Lecce
Day 9 - Lecce, Otranto, coastal drive on SP358 to Santa Maria di Leuca
Day 10 - Lecce, Nardò, Galatina, Gallipoli
14-day
Day 1 - Bari
Day 2 - Bari with visits to Trani, Bitonto, and Giovinazzo
Day 3 - Bari to Vieste in the Gargano peninsula with a stop in Monte Sant’Angelo
Day 4 - Vieste - explore town and hit the nearby beaches
Day 5 - Vieste to Matera with a stop in Altamura
Day 6 - Matera
Day 7 - Matera to Martina Franca with visits to Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino.
Day 8 - Martina Franca to Lecce with a stop in Ostuni
Day 9 - Lecce
Day 10 - Lecce, Otranto, coastal drive on SP358 to Santa Maria di Leuca
Day 11 - Lecce, Nardò, Galatina, Gallipoli
Day 12 - Lecce to Savelletri with beach time
Day 13 - Savelletri, Monopoli, Polignano a Mare
Day 14 - Savelletri with beach time
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