Puglia is a region of Italy filled with charming towns, beautiful beaches and fields of olive trees (Puglia supplies around 40% of Italy’s olive oil production). It’s located in the southeast of the country, in the heel of Italy’s boot. Despite everything Puglia has to offer, it’s one of the least explored parts of Italy, often overlooked for the more popular towns on the southwest coast. Puglia is starting to get on more people’s radar, thanks in part to many celebrities vacationing there. I recently visited the region and fell in love!  The food I had in Puglia is some of the best I’ve ever had, anywhere. It’s truly an authentic foodie paradise. I also loved the coastal vistas and bucolic towns. It’s a very charming area and I recommend booking a trip to Puglia soon, while it’s still not really popular with tourists. I hope this travel guide helps you plan a trip to this beautiful part of Italy!

When to go and for how long

Puglia has a temperate Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers. It also gets a lot of sunshine, averaging 300 sunny days a year. I visited in early May and we had sun pretty much every day with temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s. While it wasn’t really beach weather, it was very pleasant. I’ve heard that spring and fall are the best times to go.

I spent four nights and five days in Puglia and it was the perfect amount of time to get a taste of this region. I didn’t get to explore all of Puglia, but I saw most of the places on my wish list and still had time to lay out by my hotel, Masseria Torre Maizza’s, pool. I would recommend at least four nights in this area and adjust based on how much you want to accomplish.

Getting there

The two main airports in Puglia are in Bari and Brindisi, but they’re smaller airports and don’t have many flight options from the US. You would likely have a connection if you fly into them. Flying into Naples is a good choice because there are more international flights, but then it’s a 3 hour drive to the northern part of Puglia. You could also fly direct into Rome and drive 5 hours to Puglia. I flew into Naples and did the 3 hour drive. It’s important to note that you definitely need a car in this area, so get a rental car regardless of where you fly into.

Where to stay

Puglia is known for its masserias, or farmhouses on country estates, many of which have been turned into hotels. These are great places to stay to have an authentic Puglian experience. The best masseria hotel in Puglia, and the one I stayed in, is  Masseria Torre Maizza.

Masseria Torre Maizza is a 16th century masseria that was recently redone by Rocco Forte Hotels. It’s a stunning property surrounded by olive trees and robust gardens with beautifully appointed modern rooms. This is a luxury hotel, and no detail is left out- from flip flops in your room to wear to the beach, to turn down service every night. The staff is also A+ and they were very helpful with recommendations for the area. One of my favorite parts of the hotel was its serene pool that you walk through a citrus grove to get to! It wasn’t really hot enough to swim (but some people were) so instead I enjoyed having aperitivo and lounging in the comfortable pool chairs. Masseria Torre Maizza also has a restaurant (breakfast was delicious) and a spa that I didn’t get to try, but it looked lovely. This hotel is located in a very convenient area of Puglia, a town called Savelletri di Fasano. This town is close to some of the best spots in Puglia-Monopoli, Alberobello and Bari, so it was helpful to stay where I had easy access to those not-miss spots. I highly recommend Masseria Torre Maizza as a beautifully appointed, and centrally located, place to stay while in Puglia.

What to do

There is so much to do and see in Puglia! Some things that should be on your to-do list include:

See the Trulli in Alberobello. Alberobello is a town from the 16th century known for its trulli buildings, which are white-washed limestone dwellings with a cone-like roof made of grey limestone slabs. Some of the trulli buildings date back to the mid-14th century. Many of the trulli have symbols painted on the roofs. Their origin is unknown, but the symbols usually have a religious or astrological meaning. It feels like you’re in a fairytale walking through this town! Crowds can get heavy so try to arrive on the early side.

Explore the coast and beaches. Puglia sits along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea and has over 800 kilometers of coastline. It’s a perfect mix of sandy beaches, rocky cliffs and coves. Some of my favorite places to watch the waves are Grotta della Poesia a huge sinkhole with crystal clear water, Faro di Torre Sant’ Andrea which is a rugged stretch of coastline that reminds me of the 12 Apostles in Australia, and Capo d’Otranto lighthouse.

Unfortunately it wasn’t beach weather when I was in Puglia, but we still checked out some beaches. The ones I recommend are Lama Monachile in Polignano a Mare, the beach at Torre Guaceto and the beaches in Gargano National Park.

Walk the white streets of Ostuni. Ostuni is one of the most beautiful cities in Puglia. It’s a walled city located on a hilltop that’s made up of all white-washed buildings. Many of the white buildings have colorful doors and beautiful plants and gardens outside. The streets and alleyways of Ostuni are like a labyrinth with staircases and dead ends, which was supposed to confuse any enemies who came to the town. We had a great afternoon here wandering around the streets and having gelato in a piazza.

Visit the larger cities of Bari and Lecce. Bari is the capital city in Puglia and the second largest city in southern Italy after Naples. It really has a big city feel. Bari’s old town has retained its ancient Medieval plan and it’s now full of restaurants and bars. Lecce is known as the “Florence of the South” due to its many beautiful historic buildings and churches.

Other towns in Puglia that I recommend you explore are Polignano a Mare, Monopoli and Otranto.

Where to eat

Puglia is truly a food-lover’s paradise. It’s been called Italy’s most overlooked food region, and I have to agree. It’s really not a touristy area and I felt like we were having authentic dining experiences at every meal. At most restaurants we ate at we were the only non-Italians!  Puglia is known for burrata, orecchiette, olive oil and fresh seafood. How can you go wrong!? I think you would have a hard time finding a bad place to eat at in Puglia, but here are some restaurants I especially loved.

Pescaria– An incredibly popular casual seafood spot known for their sandwiches in Polignano a Mare

Antiche Mura– Delicious seafood in a fine dining setting in Polignano a Mare

Il Guazzetto– A very authentic, very fresh seafood spot in Monopoli

Osteria Monacelle– Incredible pasta dishes in Ostuni

I hope this guide inspires you to visit Puglia! If you’ve been to the region before let me know your not-to-miss spots below in the comments!