10-Day Puglia Itinerary: Best Towns, Beaches & Hidden Gems
Puglia is one of my favourite summer destinations, and my favourite place that I have visited in Italy so far. With its white-washed towns, stunning beaches and vineyards, it is definitely one of the most beautiful places I have visited. This region of Southern Italy is home to some of the most unique towns and cities, beautiful beaches with crystal-clear water, and some of the most amazing food and wine. It is the perfect summer destination if you are looking for a mix of beaches and laid back days, as well as wanting to explore culturally rich towns and cities. In this Puglia itinerary, I am going to be sharing the must-do’s as well as all of my recommendations on the best places to eat and drink.
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How many days should you spend in Puglia?
Puglia is located in the southern peninsular of Italy, where the heel of the boot is. It’s quite a large region split into six provinces, Foggia, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Bari, Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce. In 7-10 days you can explore many of the most popular towns, cities and beaches but I would recommend trying not to rush to visit all.
I think 10 days is a great amount of time to see some of the most beautiful locations, without rushing. However, if you have less time, I would just pick a few of your favourites and spend time relaxing there and enjoying them!
How to get to Puglia
Puglia has two main airports: Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) – ideal if you’re visiting Bari, Matera, or northern Puglia, and Brindisi Salento Airport (BDS) – convenient for Lecce, Ostuni, and the southern coast.
There are direct flights here from London, Paris and some other major European cities. If flights from your destination aren’t direct, another option is flying into Rome. You can then get the high-speed train from Rome to Bari which takes around 4 hours. I would recommend booking your tickets in advance as these do get booked up on Trenitalia.
Another option is driving from Rome, renting a car is the easiest way to explore Puglia, so you could pick this up from Rome or Naples airport. You can book your hire car with Discover Cars which compares the cost of different providers. This itinerary you can do without a car as there are trains and buses you can use, however a car does provide the ease and flexibility to visit more remote beaches and towns that don’t have these transport links.
Day 1-3 in Lecce (The Florence of the South)
Day 1- Explore Lecce
To start off your Puglia adventure, I would recommend spending 3 days in Lecce. This is a beautiful city, known as ‘the Florence of the South’ due to its Baroque architecture.
If you are not hiring a car, you can get to Lecce by train from Bari which takes 1 hour 40 minutes, or from Brindisi which takes 30 minutes. You can book these in advance on trainline.
You can also get the coach from Brindisi airport which takes 40 minutes.
Start off your morning with a coffee and pastry, I have recommended a few different cafes in my MyMap. Make sure to try an Caffè Leccese, this is an iced coffee drink originating from Lecce made with strong espresso and almond syrup.
Then, stroll around the Old Town and visit Piazza del Duomo. Here you can see the Cathedral, Seminary Palac and Episcopal Palace. I would also recommend visiting this square at night as it’s also beautifully lit up, and the restaurants around give the area a really lovely atmosphere.
Grab a Puccia (incredible local sandwich) and a beer from Antica Pucceria Giannone dal 1941.
Head to Basilica di Santa Croce which is honestly one of the most beautiful churches I have seen with its iconic baroque design. I would also recommend grabbing a drink at Sira Rooftop Bar which has an incredible view of the church.
For dinner, head to A’Roma L’Osteria for incredible fresh pasta in a beautiful outside garden area. Make sure to make a reservation here. Then head to Laurus bar for incredible cocktails.
Day 2- Day Trip from Lecce
On day two, I would recommend a day trip to a beach or seaside town near Lecce.
One option is Torre dell’Orso which is a beautiful coastal town, with crystal-clear turquoise waters, soft sandy beaches, and iconic “Le Due Sorelle” (The Two Sisters) sea stacks. If you have a car, the drive is around 35-40 minutes. If you don’t have a car, in the summer there is a bus service with a direct route to Torre dell’Orso which is what I went on. I just bought tickets from the bus station, I would recommend sorting this the day before as it was a little confusing. Here you can spend the day relaxing on the main beach. If you have a car you could also drive to Grotta della Poesia which is a beautiful natural swimming hole nearby.
Another option for a day trip is Otranto which is a beautiful seaside town, with rugged cliffs, turquoise waters, and a charming whitewashed old town. This is about a 50 minute drive from Lecce or you can get a train which takes around an hour. You can book the tickets on trainline. Here you can visit Otranto Cathedral, Aragonese Castle, the Old Town and Baia dei Turchi which is a nearby beach.
You could also visit Gallipoli which is a beautiful seaside town with a great atmosphere, beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and a charming old town. It is around a 40 minute drive from Lecce or you can get the train which takes around an hour. You can book tickets on trainline. Here you can explore the Old Town and spend the day at Spiaggia della Purità which is a sandy beach near the Old Town. This is also a great place to enjoy a sunset aperitif by the sea.
For dinner head to Animaterrae which is a beautiful restaurant set in the heart of the Old Town. The inside restaurant is set in the vaults of a sixteenth century building. Then head to Prohibition for after dinner drinks.
Day 3- Lecce
On your final day, enjoy a slow morning and breakfast at Too Much – Brunch e Café. Then head to Piazza Sant’Oronzo where you can see the Roman Amphitheatre, the column of Sant’Orzo and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazi.
Then I would recommend getting a sandwich from Porcaria – Il Panino Gourmet which is nearby.
There’s not too much more to see specifically in Lecce, but here are some activities you could do in the afternoon:
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For your final dinner, I would recommend an incredible rooftop dinner at Atenze Restaurant. It serves amazing food with an incredible view of Santa Croce. Make sure you make a reservation.
Day 4- 7 in Monopoli
The next part of the trip will be visiting a few different towns but I would recommend basing yourself in Monopoli. Monopoli is a small fishing town located 40 minutes from Bari, and is one of my favourite towns in Puglia. It’s has stunning beaches, turquoise blue water and a charming old town that is steeped in history. The old town is made up of white-washed buildings, beautiful churches, pretty piazzas and charming narrow streets. I would recommend Monopoli as a base for exploring as it has good transport links to nearby towns and cities, and it felt a lot more laid back and less busy than some of the other more popular towns like Polignano a Mare.
If you are driving, Monopoli is around a 1 hour 10 minute drive from Lecce. If you are using public transport, you can get the train to Monopoli which takes 1 hour 12 minutes and is direct. You can book the train tickets online using trainline and these cost around £9.
Day 4- Explore Monopoli
On your first day, I would recommend just exploring the Old Town in Monopoli. This is made up of narrow, cobbled streets, white-washed buildings with colourful shutters, and picturesque piazzas. Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi and Piazza Vittorio Emanuel II are two lovely piazzas in the Old Town where you can sit and get a coffee and a pastry. Here are some of the key places to see here: Castello Carlo V, the Cathedral- Basilica of the Madonna della Madia, and Porto Antico.
In the evening, head back towards Porto Antico for sunset, and have an aperitif at Tuttoapposta Wine Bar which is a lovely wine bar with a great view of the port through the window. The old town in the evening has a lovely atmosphere with people out having drinks in the squares, and people watching. Then head for dinner along the front, all of my restaurant recommendations are in the interactive map.
Day 5- Day trip to Alberobello and Locorotondo
Today you’re going to do a day trip to one of the most unique towns I have visited. Alberobello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its Trulli—whitewashed stone houses with conical roofs.This is a must visit when going to Puglia however there isn’t much else there so you really only need a couple of hours here max.
The easiest way to get here is by car from Monopoli and this takes around 30 minutes. You can also get there by bus which takes around an hour. You can book these online on Omio. This is how I got there which was easy on the way there, however the bus never showed up on the way back so I did get stuck in Alberobello. Luckily someone in a restaurant managed to get me a taxi but there aren’t many taxis at all and it was expensive to get back so driving would be the best option.
The next stop on this day is going to be Locorotondo which is a beautiful town known for its circular layout, whitewashed alleys, and views over the Valle d’Itria. This is just a short drive from Alberobello, or you can also get the bus here.
In the evening, I would recommend having a drink at Hotel Don Ferrante Rooftop Bar which has beautiful views over the sea. Then heading for dinner again in the Old Town.
Day 6- Day trip to Polignano a Mare
The second day trip from Monopoli is going to be to the famous Polignano a Mare. This is one of the most breathtaking towns with its iconic beach, dramatic cliffs and beautiful town. This is also the location of the instagram famous cave restaurant. It is really easy to get to Polignano a Mare from Monopoli by train, they run regularly and it only takes 5-10 minutes.
Make sure to head to Lama Monachile which is the most popular beach. If you want to lay on the beach and go swimming I would make sure to go as early as possible as this beach does get extremely busy. When I went I struggled to find space to even put my towel down.
Then make sure to explore the old town, and head to Terrazza Santo Stefano and Pietra Piatta viewpoints for the best photos! Head to Mario Campanella for “Amaretto del Super Mago Mario Campanella”, this coffee is made with lemon zest, cream and amaretto.
Day 7- Beach day in Monopoli
For your final day in Monopoli, I would recommend visiting one of the beautiful beach clubs nearby. Make sure to reserve your sunbeds in advance as these do get booked up, and weekends are the most busy time so going on a weekday would be best if possible.
The first beach club I would recommend is Cala Maka which is about a 10 minute drive from Monopoli. This is a stunning beach club with a boho‑chic vibe, similar to beach clubs in Mykonos. Here, you can rent a sunbed, swim in the crystal-clear sea, and eat some incredible fresh seafood in the restaurant.
Another great option is Caldesiri Mare which is about a 15 minute drive from Monopoli.
Here you can rent a sunbed for around €30 which includes a towel. There is also a restaurant in the beach club that serves Mediterranean classics—fresh pasta, pizza, appetizers, seafood.
Lido Bambu is a beautiful beach club just south of Monopoli in Capitolo, this is around a 10 minute drive from Monopoli. This is a stunning beach club with beautiful white sandy, crystal clear water and a chic boho‑beach aesthetic. The sunbeds here are around €60 a day. Enjoy amazing Mediterranean food in the day, then in the evening around 5pm the music starts so you can enjoy a sunset aperitivo. On Wednesdays, there are BBQ nights, Radio Monte Carlo DJ sets on Saturdays, and Après Beach Sundays.
Finally, I would also recommend Spiaggia di Porto Ghiacciolo which has both free areas, and a small area with sunbeds and an umbrella to rent. This is another beautiful beach with crystal clar water, and a beach bar serving affordable, local food.
Boat trips
Another great option for one of your days here is a boat trip. See below for my recommendations:
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Day 8-9 Ostuni
Day 8- Discovering Ostuni
Start off your day with a coffee and pastry at Burro cafe. Then head to Piazza della Libertà and wander through the narrow streets of the ‘white city’ named after the iconic whitewashed houses. There are lots of lovely shops, boutiques and ceramic shops here you can take a look at. Make sure to stop and get a gelato from Cremeria Alla Scala.
Next, visit the Cathedral of Ostuni (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta) which has beautiful gothic architecture. For lunch, head to Casa San Giacomo Ostuni for authentic Apulia cuisine.
In the evening, make sure to head to Borgo Antico Bistrot for an aperitif at sunset. This is such a beautiful bar. For an incredible dinner with a panoramic view, I would recommend Dish restaurant. End the night at ACQUASANTA which is a lovely wine bar serving natural wines.
Day 9-10- Bari
Day 9- Exploring Bari
Start off your day in Bari Vecchia which is the beautiful old town in Bari. The main things to see here are the Basilica di San Nicola and Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino. The old town was my favourite area to wander around in Bari, it was full of charm and felt really authentic. At night, locals sit outside their homes having drinks and food with friends and family. Head to Antica gelateria Gentile for an amazing gelato and tiramisu.
For lunch, I would recommend going to Bakery Santa Rita to try typical Apulia Focaccia Barese. Then head toward Castello Svevo di Bari which is a 12th-century Norman-Swabian fortress. In the streets just behind the castle, you must wander through Strada Arco Basso which is where women are sat outside their homes in the street preparing and selling fresh orecchiette pasta.
In the afternoon, walk along Lungomare Nazario Sauro, which is the seafront promenade where you can stop and have a drink, looking out at the fishing boats here.
In the evening, head to Antica Salumeria Di Nicola before dinner for a drink whilst people watching. I have all of my restaurant and bar recommendations on the interactive map.
Day 10- Beach Day in Bari
On your final day of your Puglia trip, I would recommend a relaxing day at Pane e Pomodoro Beach. This is a big beach in Bari but still has beautiful turquoise water. You can also buy street food and ice creams on the beach so it is a perfect relaxing day before you travel home.
If you would rather spend your final day in Bari in the city, I would recommend doing a food tour or local cooking class. Below are some great options:
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About Amelia
Hi! I’m Amelia, a travel content creator and blogger who loves exploring new destinations, experiencing new cultures, and ticking off as much of my bucket list as possible!
I love to find the best things to do, best places to eat, drink and explore so I have created this blog to share my experiences and recommendations so that I can hopefully help you plan your perfect next trip away.
