3 days
Valle d’Itria weekend
- 1.Day 1: Alberobello and Locorotondo.
- 2.Day 2: Ostuni and Cisternino.
- 3.Day 3: Polignano a Mare and Monopoli.
Southern Italy
Puglia
Trulli, masserie, white towns and a sea that changes colour every hundred metres.
Overview
White on blue
Puglia is long: it runs from the Gargano to the heel of the boot, and no stretch resembles another. The north is masserie (fortified farmhouses) and plains, the centre is trulli and white towns, and the Salento is something else again.
It is best explored by car. Distances on the map are deceptive: you keep stopping, and that’s fine.
Character of the place
What to expect
Landscape
Centuries-old olive trees, dry-stone walls, limestone cliffs, long beaches.
Sea and coast
The Adriatic to the east, the Ionian to the south. Clear water, shallow seabeds, hidden coves.
Towns and villages
Polignano a Mare, Alberobello, Ostuni, Locorotondo, Vieste, Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli.
Where it is
Location & getting there
Where
South-eastern Italy, between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea.
Area
Regional capital: Bari. Provinces: Bari, BAT, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, Taranto.
Getting there
Flights to Bari and Brindisi. High-speed trains from Rome, Naples, Milan and Bologna. Direct coaches from the major cities.
The trulli of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Curiosities
Did you know…
- 01
Alberobello has more than 1,500 trulli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 02
The Salento has the largest Griko community in Italy: in the villages of the Grecìa Salentina a Griko dialect is still spoken.
- 03
Puglia’s extra virgin olive oil accounts for around 40% of national production.
- 04
Otranto Cathedral has a 12th-century floor mosaic 16 metres long.
Itineraries
How to experience it
7 days
A classic week
- 1.Bari (1 night).
- 2.Valle d’Itria (2 nights in a masseria).
- 3.Salento: Lecce (1 night).
- 4.Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca (1 night).
- 5.Gallipoli and return (2 nights).
Day on a boat
By sea
- 1.Departure from Polignano or Monopoli.
- 2.Along the coast past caves and coves.
- 3.Swimming stop at Lama Monachile.
Not to be missed
Places and experiences
- 01
Alberobello
The trulli of the Rione Monti and Aia Piccola.
- 02
Polignano a Mare
Lama Monachile from above, then down for a swim.
- 03
Ostuni
The White City, best explored on foot at sunset.
- 04
Lecce
Lecce Baroque, capital of the Salento.
- 05
Otranto
Cathedral, Aragonese castle, turquoise sea.
- 06
Gallipoli
Old town on an islet, with views over the Ionian.
A feast for the eyes
Puglia in pictures
Photo: Pexels. Serban Mihaila · Merwak Raw · AXP Photography · Kelly · Pexels · Carina Ackerman · Liza Sigareva
Highlights
Icons of Puglia
- Alberobello
- Polignano a Mare
- Ostuni
- Lecce
- Salento
Practical tips
Before you go
Best time to go
May, June, September, October.
Ideal length of stay
5–7 nights for one area, more than 10 to cross the whole region.
Good to know
A car is necessary. Inland roads are slow but very scenic.
Keep exploring
Other destinations
Ischia
Thermal springs steaming on the beach, lush gardens, the Aragonese Castle rising from the water.
Discover
