Italy · Puglia — A one-week road trip
Puglia
A week in Puglia: two bases, one road trip. The Valle d’Itria and the Adriatic coast first, then Lecce and the Salento.
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Introduction
Puglia stretches farther than it first appears. From the trulli of the Valle d’Itria to the southern tip at Santa Maria di Leuca is a drive of several hours, and the character of the region changes along the way: stone farmhouses and white hill towns in the north, baroque Lecce in the middle, two different seas around the Salento.
In a week, the most practical approach is to sleep in two places. Spend the first three or four nights between the Valle d’Itria and the Adriatic coast, then move south to Lecce or the Salento for the rest. Two bases keep the daily drives manageable and put both seas within reach. With only four or five days, choose one base and see it properly.
Puglia
At a glance
Time needed A week for both bases; four to five days for one.
Two bases The Valle d’Itria or the coast near Monopoli, then Lecce or the Salento.
Best time Late May, June and September. August is the hottest and busiest month.
Getting around A car is best for this two-base route; trains connect some of the main towns.
Airports Bari for the first base, Brindisi for the second.
Book ahead Masserie, summer dinners, beach loungers in August.
Getting there & around
Airports
Bari and Brindisi are the two main airports. For this route, fly into Bari and leave from Brindisi, or the other way round, if flights and car hire allow a one-way rental.
By car
This itinerary is built around a car. Towns, masserie and beaches are spread out, and many are not served by public transport. Roads are generally good; the coastal roads and the approaches to the beaches slow down considerably in summer.
ZTL and parking
Many historic centres, including Lecce, Ostuni, Polignano, Monopoli and Gallipoli, have a limited traffic zone (ZTL). Rules and access differ from town to town and can change. Park outside the old town and walk in, and if your accommodation is inside a ZTL, ask it how to arrive before you drive in.
Driving times
The move from the first base to Lecce is the longest drive of the week; the towns within each base are short drives apart. Check times on a route planner before you set off, as summer traffic and your starting point can change them considerably.
By train
Trenitalia runs along the coast between Bari, Polignano, Monopoli, Ostuni, Brindisi and Lecce. Ostuni station is below the town. FS Sud Est runs local lines from Bari into the Valle d’Itria and from Lecce across the Salento. Services are less frequent, and some sections may be operated by replacement buses: check the current timetable.
How to divide the week
A week in Puglia: two bases, one road trip
- Days 1–3/4 First base. Alberobello and Locorotondo; Polignano and Monopoli; Ostuni with Cisternino or Martina Franca.
- Days 4–7 Second base. Lecce; Otranto and the Adriatic coast; Gallipoli and the Ionian coast; a last free day for the beach or Santa Maria di Leuca.
- Shorter trip With four or five days, keep to one base rather than splitting it.
Base 1 · Days 1–3/4
Valle d’Itria & the Adriatic coast
Alberobello · Locorotondo · Polignano a Mare · Monopoli · Ostuni
Base yourself in a masseria in the countryside between Monopoli, Fasano and the Valle d’Itria. From there, each of the towns below is a short drive.
01
Alberobello
Alberobello’s trulli, dry-stone houses with conical roofs, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rione Monti, on the slope, is the busiest part, with most trulli now shops; Rione Aia Piccola, across the main road, is residential and quieter.
- Allow Two to three hours
- Best Early morning, before the coaches arrive
- Know The Trullo Sovrano, a two-storey trullo, is open to visitors; check current tickets. Park at the edge of the centre.
- Map Rione Monti ↗
Locorotondo
A round hill town of whitewashed lanes above the vineyards of the valley, and an easy pairing with Alberobello. Walk the ring of the old town for the view over the countryside.
02
Polignano a Mare
The old town sits on limestone cliffs above the Adriatic. The view most visitors come for is Lama Monachile, the small pebble cove below the Bourbon bridge, seen from the terraces of the old town.
- Allow Two hours for the old town and the terraces
- Best Early morning or late afternoon; midday in summer is very crowded
- Know The centre is a ZTL: park outside. The cove is tiny and can fill by mid-morning in summer.
- Map Lama Monachile ↗
03
Monopoli
A working harbour town, a short drive south of Polignano, with an old port full of small blue fishing boats, a seafront castle and a walkable historic centre inside its walls.
- Allow Half a day
- Best Late afternoon into dinner
- Know Cala Porta Vecchia, a small beach inside the walls, is the easiest swim from town.
- Map Old port ↗
04
Ostuni
Known as the white town, Ostuni sits on a hill above the olive groves and the coast. Its lanes climb to the late-Gothic cathedral at the top.
- Allow Two to three hours
- Best Late afternoon, staying for sunset and dinner
- Know The lanes are steep and stepped. The centre is a ZTL; park below the old town.
- Map Cathedral ↗
Cisternino
A small hill town known for its fornelli pronti: butchers who grill the meat you choose and serve it at simple tables. Best in the evening.
Martina Franca
The largest town of the valley, with a baroque centre, the Palazzo Ducale and, in summer, the Festival della Valle d’Itria. Choose it or Cisternino for the same day as Ostuni.
Base 2 · Days 4–7
Lecce & Salento
Lecce · Otranto · Gallipoli · Santa Maria di Leuca
Stay in Lecce for the city and quick access to both coasts, or on the coast itself if the week is mainly about the sea.
05
Lecce
Lecce is built in a pale, soft local stone that lent itself to richly carved baroque façades. The essentials are close together: the Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza del Duomo, and Piazza Sant’Oronzo with part of the Roman amphitheatre exposed below street level.
- Allow A full day and an evening
- Best Morning for the churches, evening for the squares
- Know The LeccEcclesiae circuit groups several of the main churches on one ticket; check which are included and avoid visiting during services. The centre is a ZTL.
- Official LeccEcclesiae ↗
- Map Santa Croce ↗
06
Otranto
A walled town on the Adriatic, one of Italy’s easternmost towns, close to the country’s easternmost point at Punta Palascia. Its cathedral has a twelfth-century floor mosaic covering the nave, with the Tree of Life at its centre; the Aragonese castle stands at the edge of the old town.
- Allow Half a day, plus the coast
- Best Morning in town, afternoon on the coast to the north
- Know Continue north along the coast towards Torre Sant’Andrea and Roca Vecchia for the cliffs and sea stacks.
- Map Cathedral ↗
07
Gallipoli
On the Ionian side, the old town sits on a small island linked to the mainland by a bridge. Walk the ring of the sea walls, the baroque cathedral of Sant’Agata and the fish market by the harbour.
- Allow Half a day
- Best Late afternoon and sunset on the western walls
- Know In August the town is very busy at night. Park on the mainland side and walk across the bridge.
- Map Old town ↗
Santa Maria di Leuca
The southern tip of the Salento, with its lighthouse and the sanctuary of De Finibus Terrae. It works as a last day, combined with the coastal road north towards Castro.
Beaches in brief
Two seas
Adriatic, first base
Small coves and rocky stretches between Polignano, Monopoli and Savelletri. Convenient from the first base, but small and busy in summer.
Adriatic, Salento
North of Otranto: Baia dei Turchi and the sandy bay of Torre dell’Orso, with cliffs and sea stacks at Torre Sant’Andrea.
Ionian
Long sandy beaches and clear, shallow water south of Gallipoli, and the protected coast of Porto Selvaggio, reached on foot, to the north.
The wind
A northerly wind often leaves the Ionian side more sheltered, while with the scirocco the Adriatic may be the better choice. Check the marine forecast and local conditions on the morning itself.
Lidi and free beach
Much of the coast is divided into lidi, paid beach clubs with loungers, alongside stretches of free beach. In August, book loungers ahead.
Grotta della Poesia
At Roca Vecchia, a natural sinkhole inside an archaeological area, not a beach. Access and swimming rules are set locally; check the current conditions before you go.
Book ahead
- One-way car hire, Bari to Brindisi
- Masserie, especially from June to September
- Summer dinner tables
- Lidi in August and regulated sites
Where to eat
Restaurants in Puglia
Pashà
€€€€Contrada Torre Catena 874, Polignano a Mare
A restaurant in a historic masseria in the countryside behind Polignano, listed in the Michelin Guide, with tasting menus and a deep wine list.
Best for one serious dinner near the first base
Primo Restaurant
€€€€Via 47° Reggimento Fanteria 7, Lecce
The restaurant of chef Solaika Marrocco, listed in the Michelin Guide, with modern dishes rooted in the Salento.
Best for a special dinner in Lecce
L’Acchiatura
€€Via Marzani 12, Racale
Traditional Apulian cooking served across several rooms and inner courtyards, listed in the Michelin Guide. Close to the Ionian coast south of Gallipoli.
Best for a traditional dinner near the Ionian coast
Check menus and opening days, and book ahead in summer.
Where we stayed
Giardino dei Pini
Marina di Alliste, Posto Rosso · Ionian Salento
A quiet retreat among pines, palms and old olive trees near the Ionian coast, with a large pool and breakfast in the garden. A calm base for the second half of the week, within reach of Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca.
Other stays to consider
Borgo Egnazia
Savelletri di Fasano
A resort built as a village in pale local stone among olive groves near the coast, with the Vair spa, the San Domenico golf course and private beaches.
Best for a full-service base for the first half
Masseria Torre Maizza
Savelletri di Fasano
A Rocco Forte hotel in a sixteenth-century masseria among olive groves, with a nine-hole golf course, a spa and a beach club.
Best for a masseria stay near the Adriatic coast
La Fiermontina
Historic centre, Lecce
A hotel in Lecce’s historic centre that combines art and design, with a pool and the Zéphyr restaurant.
Best for staying inside Lecce’s old town
Practical
Before you go
Heat
July and August are very hot. Plan towns for the morning and evening, and the sea for the middle of the day.
Midday closures
Many churches, shops and smaller museums close in the early afternoon. Check times before planning a visit around them.
Out of season
Many beach clubs, coastal restaurants and some hotels close from autumn to spring. The towns and Lecce remain open all year.
One-way car hire
Flying into Bari and out of Brindisi avoids driving back north, but check the one-way fee when booking.
Churches
Cover shoulders and knees, and avoid visiting during services.
What to bring
Sun protection, shoes for stone lanes, and water shoes for the rocky coves.
Puglia works best in two halves: white towns and masserie first, then Lecce and a sea chosen by the wind.
Feels like home.
Nearby, and next
In this guide — Puglia