Imagine flat red-brown earth lined with olive trees as far as the eye can see set against a bright blue sky. Or the sparkling blue sea inviting you in just a cliff jump away. Quaint fishing boats bobbing in the port. Centuries-old streets with pure white buildings that glisten in the sunlight. Striking stone huts that dot the countryside. Opulent, baroque-style cathedrals. Chaotic narrow city streets where women sit outside rolling orecchiette, laundry drys in the sun from the balconies and kids play in the streets. These are just some scenes that evoke a little of what Puglia, Italy was like during our recent holiday there in September 2021. If you’re curious to know more about our adventures there or are planning a trip to Puglia yourself, keep reading for my top tips on spending a week there.

Where is Puglia Italy?

Puglia is in the heel of the boot, all the way down south on the East coast. It is bordered by the Adriatic & Ioanian Seas, Basilicata and Abruzzo. It is a rather large region (although not the largest- that’s Sicily!), so you really do need at least a week to visit. Even then, you won’t be able to see all of Puglia if you want to do it properly. The Gargano area is the upper part of Puglia and in itself requires a week, then there is the Valle D’Itria (home to many a trullo) and the deep Salento down South.

Why should you visit Puglia Italy?

Puglia gets hot during the summertime – sweltering hot! If you’re going to attempt a trip in August (been there, done that and I wouldn’t recommend it) then you absolutely should try and stay somewhere with air conditioning and a car is non-negotiable. If you want to go while it’s still warm but not stifling and the lido are still running, my pick is September. October is still often warm enough for a swim although the lido will all be closed by then. Likewise, May is meant to be beautiful but the lido might not be set up and running yet if you’re planning on getting some beach time.

7 Best Places to visit in Puglia Italy 2021

This is my no means a definitive list since we were only in Puglia for a week (even if I’d been before in 2019)! However, it is a list of fabulous places you should include in your own trip to the region if you’re a foodie, or lover of history. In addition, I would also recommend Polignano a Mare, Gallipoli, and Ostuni as well worth adding to your list (if you can fit them all in!) Next time I can’t wait to go back and explore the Gargano region and further south in the Salento.

1. Bari

The heart (and capital) of Puglia, Bari is a vibrant, pulsing Southern Italian city that you cannot miss on a trip to Puglia. It’s chaotic but there’s an energy in this town that is exciting.

My boyfriend’s family has a bit of a history you could say with Bari. His mamma’s family lived there in the 1970s when she was a teenager and she had never actually set foot in Bari Vecchia (until this trip with us) as it was deemed a little too dangerous for her. In any case the Piemontese family lived there happily for some years until things went a little bit awry (honestly it’s like something out of a soap series) and her dad fell in love with his son’s girlfriend’s married mother. The new woman and her Barese husband had one of the very first divorces in Bari which you can imagine was a huge scandal back in the day and my boyfriend’s family (sans dad) hot footed it out of there and back to Turin. It was however a true love story as my boyfriend’s grandfather married the woman and they were together for a good 20 years until his death and he is buried to this day in Bari.

Our trip to Puglia was the first time my boyfriend (and his mum!) had been in 20 years so you could say it was a long time coming for both of them! Besides the family drama though, Bari is a beautiful city on the sea with a long history – apparently inhabited since 1500BC! My two favourite things to do here (besides eating of course) are walking through the maze like streets of the old town and then walking along the promenade. When in Bari you must try the famous focaccia Barese which is stuffed with tomatoes and other delicious toppings.

What to see in Bari:

• Basilica San Nicola
• Bari Vecchia (old town) and the famous ‘orecchiette’ street
• Promenade
• San Sabino cathedral
• Visit Castello Normanno-Svevo
• Eat freshly caught seafood on the pier

Where to eat in Bari:

• Panificio Fiore for the classic Barese focaccia
• Al Sorso Preferito for the Spaghetti all’Assassina and tiella
• Mastro Ciccio for delicious seafood panini

2. Monopoli

We chose Monopoli as our home base for the week. I’d been here before and loved it and the second time was just as good! It’s a seaside little town with a laid back and relaxing atmosphere, and whilst it’s definitely not off the beaten track, it’s not as busy (or as small) as Polignano a Mare. Monopoli has an interesting history too dating back to 500BC! The old town is comprised of white washed buildings with a distinct Greek feel (after all it was founded by the Greeks!) It’s just under an hour from Bari so a comfortable home base if you want to spend some time in the city and then explore the Valle D’Itria too.

What to see in Monopoli:

• Hit the beach! There is an excellent free beach right in town or you can venture out further to go to the lido on the rocks
• Visit the cathedral
• Explore the picturesque old town
• See the ruins of an historic fort
• Day trip to the more famous Polignano a Mare (it is beautiful! But very busy with tourists so be prepared for that one. If you want to swim at ‘that’ beach make sure to go in the morning as it’s in complete shade in the afternoon).

Where to eat in Monopoli:

• La Locanda dei Mercanti: Amazing fresh raw seafood and very cheap too
• Ceresa Lido: A great beach club where we had a delicious lunch of cavatelli with vongole
• Osteria del Caroseno: It’s a 30 min drive from Monopoli in Castellana Grotte but probably my favourite meal of our trip!

3. Lecce

Lecce is an absolute beauty. Some call Lecce the ‘Florence of the South’, however when we were there it seemed the town of churches! The churches are very impressive and most are in the baroque style. Dating back to the time of the Messapians, Lecce is older than Ancient Rome itself. It has a long history and many incredible artefacts left by the Romans like the amphitheatre. This was my second visit to Lecce and we only had time for a day trip. It’s well worth spending a few days here and using it as a base to explore further down the Salento- and indulge in lots of caffe’ leccesse and rustico.

What to see in Lecce:

• Roman Amphitheatre
• Lecce Cathedral
• Basilica di Santa Croce
• Walled gates of the city
• Villa Comunale park

Where to eat in Lecce:

• Alvino for Caffe’ Leccesse and Rustico
• La Bottega del Corso for delicious antipasti and wine

4. Martina Franca

Martina Franca is a hidden gem! There’s nothing in particular really to see or do other than wander the beautiful streets (besides their apparently fantastic flea market). It dates back to 1300AD! It was a walled city until the unification of Italy and parts of these walls still remain. Nestled in the Valle d’Itria which is famed for its trulli, the drive here is truly spectacular.

What to see in Martina Franca:

• Basilica di San Martino
• Flea Market
• Centro Storico
• Palazzo Ducale

Where to eat in Martina Franca:

• Visit Slow Food Butcher Macelleria Romanelli (Emiko Davies gave us this tip and it was so worth it for his delicious capocollo! We got it vacuum sealed and brought it home to Turin).

5. Grottaglie

An absolute must for ceramic lovers! The drive here from Monopoli was long but well worth it. We arrived at the gorgeous ceramics quarter and were greeted with workshop upon workshop full to the brim with gorgeous ceramics. Built on limestone, the town dates back to the Palaeolithic age.

What to see in Grottaglie:

• Ceramic shops! It is ALL about the beautiful ceramics here so clear your day (or a half) if you’re crazy mad for ceramics. Alice Adams and Emiko Davies wrote a great guide to their favourite ceramic shops in the area if you’re looking for tips.

Where to eat in Grottaglie:

• Dine at nearby town Ceglie Messapica and the renowned restaurant Cibus. Word of warning – their ricotta forte is very forte (strong!) but everything is delicious there and grown from their own garden.

6. Alberobello

Is Alberobello touristy? Yes of course! But actually, it (and the surrounding area) was one of our favourite places we visited on this trip. Having never seen a trullo in real life before, it was sort of mesmerizing when we finally came face to face with not just one but a whole community of them. I can totally see how Alberobello would be less charming at the height of summer in the heat with crowds, but we were lucky enough to walk around with fairly few people there on an afternoon in September.

What to see in Alberobello:

• Trulli
• Church of Saint Anthony of Padua (basically a Church trullo)

7. Matera

Spoiler alert- Matera isn’t actually in Puglia! It’s in the region Basilicata. However, it’s very close to Bari, so it makes for an excellent day trip. My first view of Matera honestly took my breath away. I’ve never seen anywhere like it before. Made up of sassi or caves, the town feels like stepping back through time. Whilst today Matera is a tourist attraction and there are plenty of luxury hotels in the sassi, not so long ago it was a place of national shame. This town saw people live in absolute poverty inside overcrowded, unhygienic caves with not just multiple families but their animals too until the 1950s!! It was eventually abandoned until the 1980s when restoration slowly began.

What to see in Matera:

• Start with a visit to Casa Noha to understand Matera’s history
• Sassi Barisano and Sassi Caveoso
• Cave churches: Santa Maria de Idris, which sits high on top of a rock
• San Pietro Barisano

Looking for more advice on where to go in Puglia? Check out CNN’s guide to Puglia now. Liked my travel guide? Why not have a read of my guide to the best food in Puglia or the best things to do in Puglia in 2023, my travel guide to Cinque Terre, another beautiful beach destination in Northern Italy. Have tips of your own about Puglia? Leave me a comment- I would love to hear about your experience there too.