P u g l i a,  Italy

One of my best trips ever was visiting the region of Puglia (poo-lee·uh) in the south of Italy along the Adriatic Sea in June 2019. I tagged along with my husband who was attending a conference at a university in Bari, the region's capital. Before learning anything about the region, I kind of wished we were going to Amalfi Coast instead. However, it turned out that Puglia is quite a gem and perfect to visit in the summer if you want to avoid crowds. As a photographer, I really dislike going to touristy places swarming with people where it would be impossible to get a decent shot of the scenery. In Puglia, the tourists are mostly locals (except in Alberobello and Polignano Amare).

In addition, Puglia is also very affordable (if you're from North America). Your money will go a long way. Just try not to go to the most touristy-looking places to eat or drink. Another nice thing about this region is that it's supposed to be safer compared to other places in Italy. I was walking around with my camera and I didn't feel as conscious about being pickpocketed or robbed as in other places. Although it is still a good idea, in general, to remain vigilant no matter where you go when you are travelling.

Rent a car and visit different towns

The first thing we did when we arrived at the airport was to rent a car. Cars are not very expensive to rent in Puglia and can make your trip so much easier. You can just drive to a town, park and walk around an area you want to explore before getting back in the car to drive to the next one. Although you have to remember that most historic centres (Centro Storico) don't allow cars inside so you'll have to park just outside the limits. But we found that relatively easy to do and still convenient. I was surprised that the famous towns were so close to each other. They were all charming with different landscapes. If you don't drive, it'll be a bit of a hassle to go from one place to another using public transportation as they are slow and limited, so I would suggest just booking bus tours. 

Stay at different types of accommodations

During our trip, we stayed at a European-style apartment (in Bari), a charming B&B, a mansion where you can rent rooms that are not too expensive (Santa Cesarea Terme), and a masseria (a farm-house). There are affordable farm-houses as well as five-star ones with swimming pools and beautiful Mediterranean gardens. I highly recommend staying at a masseria for a distinct Italian experience in the countryside.

Some of the Most Interesting Places to Visit in Puglia

Bari (starting point)

If you're traveling directly to Puglia from outside Italy, you'll probably fly to Bari (the region's capital), and so I'll start from there. It may not seem like the most interesting place at first, but there are enough places there that are well worth the trouble. When we arrived, the first thing we ended up doing was to go shopping because the airport had misplaced my husband's luggage and he had no clothes to wear to the conference the next day. The luggage was recovered a few days later and was delivered to our hotel. While we were originally not planning on shopping, we found some interesting stores and he was happy to find affordable but high-quality Italian leather shoes. 

Bari also has good restaurants, bars and dessert places. In addition, there's a nice promenade along the port, a famous basilica (Basilica San Nicola), a cathedral, a medieval castle (Castello Normano-Svevo), charming narrow streets in the historic centre, and a few more attractions.

Polignano Amare (about 35 minutes away from Bari by car)

Polignano Amare is one of the most beautiful if not the most beautiful town in the region with its white and cream-coloured buildings nestled upon cliffs overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It's famous for its pebbly beach -- a small cove at the bottom of a rugged cliff. Though a little more expensive than its neighboring towns, it has a lively atmosphere great for young people. And if you love cliff-jumping, this is the perfect place for you. It also has the famous Grotta Palazzese Hotel Restaurant -- a restaurant in a cave that overlooks the sea. It is often featured in articles about the most beautiful restaurants in the world.

Alberobello (a little over 50 minutes away from Bari by car)

Alberobello is a small town that's known for its white stone huts with cone-shaped roofs (called trulli) that are marvelous to look at. The main thing to do there is to walk around to see these traditional Apulian houses and go to a nice restaurant or café. Alberobello, however, can be touristy compared to the other places in the region. However, I wouldn't skip this town as it looks quite unique from any other place you'll visit. 

If you're going there from Bari or Polignano, make sure to get there early before the buses of tourists arrive. We were told by the kind owner of the house we were staying at that Alberobello was virtually unknown just a few years before our trip. He himself was surprised with its sudden rise in popularity. If you're staying overnight in this pretty town, I'd suggest staying at a trullo to make your experience there more memorable.

Ostuni (an hour away from Bari)

Situated on top of a hill, the city of Ostuni looks like a storybook medieval kingdom with white-washed buildings and dwellings. It is wonderful to walk around the narrow winding streets and check out the historic centre. It's also nice to just have a cup of espresso at an outdoor café or have a drink at a bar or a restaurant's patio after walking around all day. If you suddenly feel like taking a dip in the sea, there are some nice beaches nearby though not within walking distance. They're just around 15-20 minutes by car, and unlike in Polignano Amare, the beaches near Ostuni are fine, sandy and not crowded. 

Lecce (1 hour and 35 minutes away from Bari/ around 53 minutes away from Ostuni)

A city known for its Baroque architecture, Lecce has some of the most beautiful buildings in Puglia. It also looks more like the Italy outsiders might be familiar with compared to the other cities and towns in the Apulian region. One of the must-see places there is the amphitheatre built in the 2nd century C.E. 

Torre di Sant'Andrea (around 35 minutes away from Lecce)

Powerful waves and wind eroded the cliffs of this coastline into the rock towers of Sant'Andrea which are quite breathtaking to look at. They are a truly unforgettable scene in Puglia. If you want to get closer to the water, there are stairs you can go down to. There's also natural pool nearby that you can jump into to swim if you're not afraid of heights, or you can just go to the nearby beach if you're not into cliff diving.

Otranto (around 35 minutes away from Lecce)

Otranto is certainly one of the most charming towns in Puglia. It may be small but it is full of life and still not too touristy. There's a castle in the historic centre and a tower (Torre Matta) right on the beach which looks rather spectacular. Of course, there are also a lot of interesting restaurants and souvenir shops to check out. Otranto is farther away from Lecce than Torre di Sant'Andrea. However, because you can take the highway to go to Otranto, it takes almost as long to go there from Lecce. 

Santa Cesarea Terme (less than 25 minutes away from Otranto)

Before we went on our trip, I had read many blog articles to learn about which places to visit in Puglia. However, not a single one of them recommended Santa Cesarea Terme, a quiet but very beautiful coastal town in Salento. It was just out of luck that I learned about the place and decided to find out more about it. When we visited it, it became our favorite place in Puglia.

It'll take around two hours and 20 minutes to drive straight from Bari to this beautiful town. If you're going as far as Otranto, you might as well visit Santa Cesarea. I feel that it's one of the most underrated places in the area, but it is definitely worth your time. It's rarely mentioned in blogs and there are not a lot of videos you can find that feature it. This can be a good thing because it means that on your visit, the place won't be packed with tourists even if you come in the summer. 

The locals go there to enjoy the thermal baths. But even if you're not into those, there are other places there where you can go for a swim such as Spiaggia Porto Miggiano -- a public beach at the bottom of a cliff. If you don't feel like swimming, you can just drive along the coast, eat affordable seafood at scenic restaurants, have a drink or a gelato or walk around and enjoy the spectacular sights.

Compared to the other towns in Puglia which got populated during ancient times, Santa Cesarea Terme is much newer (much of it was built in the nineteenth century). I suppose that's one of the reasons why it's not as popular among foreign tourists. However, when it comes to views alone of a rugged coastline, this place is definitely one of the most picturesque in Puglia. 

Visit Matera in Basilicata

From Bari, we went to Matera which is in Basilicata region and just about 50 minutes away by car. If you're already in Puglia, you absolutely have to visit this ancient city which is one the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. The caves and dwellings that were carved into the rocks are wondrous to see. It also has a lot of charming cafes, restaurants and bars. And make sure that you don't just go there on a day trip because there's a lot to see. You also don't want to miss seeing how vibrant it is at night. We happened upon a really cool bar that looks like an underground cave and watched the performance of a Beatles tribute band. For a unique experience in Matera, you might want to try staying at a cave hotel or residence.

Other Places in Puglia Worth Visiting

I chose the places above as they are not only the most special in my opinion but also are quite distinct from each other. But below are more places in Puglia that are well worth visiting too:

Monopoli - a lovely fishing town close to Polignano Amare. It has a castle built in the 1500s, a cathedral constructed in the early 12th century and beaches to complete your summer holiday. Hotels here are also a little cheaper there than in Polignano, so you can stay there when you're visiting Polignano and Alberobello.

Locorotondo - is a charming town on top of a hill that is like a little Ostuni. It's quieter and more relaxed compared to the latter. Even though I likened it to Ostuni, it's a good idea to stop by this very pretty town, though it may not be necessary to stay overnight as there are not very many things to do. It's only about 11 minutes away from Alberobello by car, so you might as well check this out if you're already in the area. One of the things I loved about Locorotondo is the stone stairway that leads to the town's entrance from the highway. 

Cisternino - is also a pretty town with white-washed houses. However, what made our experience in Cisternino special were the distinctive barbecue restaurants where you will get a table outside, go into a butcher's shop just a few steps away, order from various selections of meat and then they'll grill it for you. We were able to try different kinds of mouth-watering barbecued meat at surprisingly inexpensive prices.

Brindisi - (formerly called 'Brundisium') a port city with a lot of historical significance though surprisingly not very popular among the tourists these days. This is where the gladiator Spartacus supposedly led his followers to meet the Cilician pirates and was betrayed. Take a stroll here along the harbour and eat or have a drink at one of the waterfront restaurants. We stopped by here for lunch and to look around towards the end of our Apulian trip on our way back to Bari from Santa Cesarea Terme. 

Here are other places that I would have liked to visit if we had had more time. I think they'll also be worth your time on your tour of Puglia:

• Gallipoli
• Trani
• Santa Maria di Leuca
• Martina Franca

• Ponte Ciolo- Gagliano del Capo