Top 10 Things to Do In Puglia

Puglia is one of the lesser known regions in Italy, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t land somewhere on your bucket list of places to see! Pronounced “poo-lee-yah”, this region makes up the “heel” of Italy’s boot and contains some of the most beautiful cities, beaches, and attractions in Italy. Hidden away from the bustling tourist destinations of Rome and Venice, Puglia is the perfect vacation spot for you to relax, unwind, and enjoy. 

We visited Puglia at the end of September 2019, while the weather was still warm enough to enjoy the beaches but the summer tourist crowds had dwindled. We were blessed with beautiful weather for our five days in the region and managed to check off plenty of sights on our to-do list! We focused our five days in the Salento region of Puglia and that is where you will find our recommendations are located. 

The region is full of charming cities, stunning cliffs and beaches, and delicious restaurants. The best way to enjoy Puglia is to take it slow - take your time exploring and enjoying everything this region has to offer and you won’t be disappointed. 

Check out Travel Merak’s top 10 recommendations of places to visit in Puglia! If you are anything like us, you will be planning your trip back to this stunning locale before you even get home.

Located on Puglia’s east coast, Torre Sant’Andrea is a beach and overlook, with high cliffs made of unique rock formations. The rock formations make it easy to descend for a dip in the water and you will see plenty of people jumping off the cliffs to cool off in the summer. The water is amazingly clear and a stunning turquoise color. The parking area is just a short walk from the cliffs, so there is no need to plan to spend an entire day at Torre Sant’Andrea. It makes for a great pit stop if you are driving between other locations in Puglia along the coast! 

Unfortunately, the day we visited was extremely windy so we didn’t get a chance to hike down the cliffs for a swim, but we absolutely plan to return to do so. We highly recommend bringing your swimming or snorkeling gear if you visit this amazing overlook in the summer months.

Otranto is a town situated on Puglia’s eastern coast. This is a small, yet charming town full of rich history for you to explore. The Aragonese Castle and Otranto Cathedral are perfect for those looking to see Otranto’s history and architecture.

Otranto has plenty to offer and can be seen in one day, or you may find yourself wanting to make Otranto your Puglia home base for your trip. No matter what you choose, you will find yourself drawn to its charm and beautiful views. 

Situated on the sea, Otranto’s waterfront is perfect for an afternoon stroll. The promenades are full of shops and restaurants, plenty offering fresh seafood (which we recommend trying)! The city has plenty of summertime events that keep it buzzing with tourists, but if you are visiting in the off-season, you will find this a peaceful destination. We spent a full afternoon in Otranto, and ended the day with a delicious seafood dinner by the sea. The views of the sun setting on Otranto did not disappoint and we wish we had more time to spend in this gorgeous spot!

Located just north of Otranto, Baia Dei Turchi is a stunning beach surrounded by cliffs and forests. Baia Dei Turchi means “Bay of the Turks”, named after the place that the Turks landed in Otranto back in the 15th century. The area is rich in history so learning what the name meant from locals was a cool experience! 

Don’t let the dirt road and small sign leading up to the beach fool you - just beyond the trees is a pristine beach, perfect for cooling off in the summer heat. The beach has soft, white sand and the turquoise waters are clean for swimming, or just beautiful to stare at and listen to the waves while you lounge, if swimming isn’t your thing.

Alberobello is a small town in Puglia, known around the world for its Trulli - white stone huts with cone shaped roofs. The huts are seen all around the city and while most of them have been converted into shops or restaurants, some are still being lived in. These huts have been around for hundreds of years and the Trulli of Alberobello are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. 

The town is easily walkable in a few hours and you can enter the Trulli to explore the architecture inside. There is no shortage of souvenir shops for those wanting to take home a mini Trulli. 

While some travelers choose to skip Alberobello (and all the crowds of tourists there), we think it’s worth the visit, especially if you are interested in learning more about the history of this site and the Trulli. The city can definitely be experienced in just a few hours so Alberobello makes for a perfect destination for an early morning or late afternoon of exploring, especially if you plan to visit nearby Ostuni or Monopoli. 

Puglia is famous for its production of olive oil. The region has tons of olive trees and if you are a fan of olive oil like we are, we highly recommend bringing some back with you. There are plenty of olive oil tours and tastings you can do in the region and they are a great way to see how olive oil is made and savor a meal made with local olive oil. Many of these farms are called “masseria” in Italian and offer tours, lodging, and restaurants for you to enjoy and explore.

Masseria Il Frantoio is located about 8km outside of the city of Ostuni. This masseria has been around since 1500 and is surrounded by olive trees that are thousands of years old. They have 16 rooms to book for those looking for an overnight or multi-day stay in this quaint farm. Staying here will provide you with a unique Pugliese experience where you can tour the olive trees, eat fresh, homemade food and relax. 

The masseria’s restaurant provides an authentic farm-to-table experience. For those wanting to enjoy the restaurant but not stay the night, you can make a reservation on Masseria Il Frantoio’s website.

Lecce served as our home base during our Puglia trip. Situated in the middle of the Salento region, Lecce is a short distance away from many beautiful sights, making it easy to take day trips throughout the region. In our opinion, Lecce is more than just a city to check off your Puglia bucket list; it should be experienced and enjoyed slowly, taking time to wander the streets. 

Stunning architecture can be found all over the city. The city’s main square, Piazza Sant'Oronzo, is a great place to begin your Lecce exploration. The piazza is full of shops and cafes. For history buffs, you can explore the Roman amphitheater located in the piazza. The piazza also provides a starting point for your days of exploring Lecce - grab some breakfast at a cafe here and you'll be energized to see what Leece has to offer.

While there is no shortage of delicious restaurants in Lecce, we loved La Drogheria for dinner (the Il Pugliese ravioli was my favorite). The restaurant is located close to the Lecce city center and has a charming, modern vibe. If you are looking for a place to have a drink after dinner, Laurus Cocktail Experience is the perfect spot. This bar has unique cocktail offerings and the ambience is great for enjoying your drink and having good conversations.

Situated on the western coast of Puglia, Gallipoli is a beautifully charming town with a rich history. The city has two main sections - Old Town Gallipoli and the newer section. We only parked in the newer section of Gallipoli and didn’t have much time to explore that area. 

Old Town is located on an island and referred to as “centro storico di Gallipoli” or the old quarter of Gallipoli. We parked just outside of centro storico and walked in to begin our exploring of the city. The city center reminded us of a fortress, with defensive walls built hundreds of years ago. You can take a walking tour of centro storico, or explore at your own pace. We recommend checking out the Gallipoli castle if you want to see more of the historical side of the city.

The old world architecture makes Gallipoli a stunning city to stroll through. Almost all roads lead to a view of the sea, which is particularly beautiful at sunset. Arriving in Gallipoli, we didn’t have much of a plan. We spent a few hours walking around the town, getting lost in the narrow streets and stopping in shops here and there. We ended our evening dining along the promenade with a view of the sunset.

We know what you’re thinking… another city by the sea? You bet! Puglia is full of them, and Brindisi is no exception. This city has been an important port to Italy for hundreds of years, making it rich in history (and beauty). Brindisi is one of the largest cities in Puglia so there are plenty of things to do and see here. 

Piazza Duomo is a great place to start your Brindisi adventure. There is a beautiful cathedral for you to admire Italian architecture. We recommend starting here and then making your way down to the port, where you can leisurely stroll along the waterfront and grab a bite to eat! 

Brindisi is also where the airport of the southern region of Puglia is located. We spent our last day exploring Brindisi and drove a short 10 minutes from the city to the airport to return our car and catch a flight back to Rome. There is definitely more of Brindisi to see than we could squeeze in one day, but we felt our time in Brindisi was just enough to catch the city’s cool vibe as a farewell to Puglia!

South of Otranto lies Santa Cesarea Terme, a quaint town known in Puglia and around the world for its collection of thermal baths. While originally left quite secluded, recent years have given rise to a number of spas and villas in the area, with easy access to Santa Cesarea Terme’s hot springs. 

This is the perfect locale for those looking to unwind and relax. Check out some of the hot springs, like Stabilimento Termale Gattulla, and then head to the waterfront to enjoy an aperitif and nice dinner. For travelers looking to stay in one spot for a few days, Santa Cesarea Terme is a great option as you have all the lovely things about this city within walking distance, yet other Puglia destinations are not far!

Wrapping up our Puglia highlights is Porto Cesareo. This portside town is situated on Puglia’s west coast, north of Gallipoli. The city has something for everyone - if you want to stroll along the promenade along the water, there are plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. 

Porto Cesareo is known for its beautiful, pristine beaches. With several beach clubs, you can hang out all day on a lounge chair, relaxing in the warm Italian sun with some snacks and maybe a drink or two! We chose to explore Bahia Porto Cesareo, a stretch of beach just north of the town. This gave us the relaxing vibe we were looking for and the warm water was perfect for taking a dip. 

Several small islands just off the coast of Porto Cesareo make for a fun adventure if lounging on the beach all day isn’t your idea of a day well spent.

Travel Merak recommends staying in Lecce for your first time in Puglia. Lecce provides a great home base and other cities and attractions are easily driveable from here. For travelers who like to blend in with the crowd and avoid most tourists, an Airbnb is a great option. This charming two-bedroom apartment is perfect and includes a free parking space.

Lecce does have plenty of hotels to choose from as well. The Patria Palace Hotel Lecce is a great option with 4.5 stars on Google Reviews. The hotel is art-deco inspired and even has a rooftop bar to enjoy an Aperol Spritz from while watching the sunset over this beautiful town.

We recommend renting a car to get around Puglia easily and on your own schedule. While there are buses and trains that go through the region, the schedules may not line up with your plans and you might end up feeling rushed to catch your transportation to your next spot. 

We rented a car through Auto Europe, a booking site which compares prices from multiple car rental agencies. The site was extremely easy to use and gave us the option to filter by automatic transmission (learning to drive stick shift was not on the Puglia itinerary for us)! This was our 2nd rental with Auto Europe (the first being in Portugal) and I wouldn't hesitate using this booking site for our next euro trip. We got a great deal on a Jeep Renegade (with unlimited miles!!) for 5 days and were able to pick up and drop off the car at the Brindisi airport.

Driving through the region was a breeze; we used Google Maps to help us navigate and found the directions to be surprisingly accurate. The parking situation is a little tricky, however. In most historic city centers in Italy, parking is prohibited, so you’ll need to park in designated spots out of the center and walk or take a cab. Parking was not very expensive, even when leaving the car for several hours, so we found this option to be the best for exploring on our own time!

We’ve created a Google map of Puglia that lists our recommendations for cities and attractions, as well as restaurants and accommodations. This map is available to save for offline use and you can save the locations you wish to see! Click here to see Travel Merak’s map of Puglia.