The 14 things to do in Puglia

Visiting Puglia: what are the best things to do and see in this region of southeastern Italy?

You just took your tickets for Puglia but don't know what to visit? With its many beaches, its UNESCO-class sites, its spectacular coasts, its rich cultural heritage and its refined gastronomy, you will not have the time to get bored: there is for all tastes.

Here is our selection of essential things to do and to see during your stay in southeast Italy.

1. Bari

Bari is the main place of the region and a very lively port city. If the modern city does not have a great tourist interest, its historic centre is worth a visit. The old town with turbulent alleys has some architectural treasures, beautiful churches and a seaside that extends to a loss of sight. Learn more about activities in Bari

2. Grotte di Castellana

The Caves of Castellana are the largest cave complex in Europe and are listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Formed about 90 million years ago, they measure 3 kilometers in length and 70 meters in depth and are one of the most important tourist attractions of Puglia. You can admire magnificent stalactites as well as surprising shapes and colors. The caves are located near Alberobello, Cisternino and Polignano a Mare.

3. Lecce

Lecce is another must-see city in the Puglia. It is located in the Salento peninsula, in the southernmost part of the Puglia that houses some of the most beautiful beaches of all of Italy. Lecce is the Baroque city par excellence and you will find in its historic centre an impressive number of monuments to see: the alleys are full of churches, palaces, museums, as well as shops of artisans, bars and restaurants open until late in the night. Learn more about activities in Lecce .

4. The Tremiti Islands

Located 22 kilometers from the Gargano coast, this place is of incredible beauty. San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia, Cretaccio and Pianosa are the five small islands that make up the magnificent Tremiti archipelago with its crystalline waters, its marine caves very popular with diving enthusiasts and its fortified abbey that dominates the island of San Nicola.

Some hotels and restaurants remain open all year round, the opportunity to discover the archipelago outside the tourist season.

5. A boat ride

To discover these small islands and their crystal clear waters, nothing like a boat ride!

Indeed, rent a boat will allow you to explore the beauty of the Tremiti archipelago and its surroundings. Thus, you will have the opportunity to discover the landscape in another way, seen from the waters. A great experience to live with your loved ones to perfect your stay in Italy!

6. The valley of Itria

Located in the heart of the Puglia and the bucolic destination par excellence, this valley extends north of the province of Bari, between Brindisi and Taranto, and appreciates for its walks through the hills as well as for its beautiful white-coated cities. Its vegetation is home to large olive groves producing one of the best olive oils in Italy and vineyards that produce excellent white wines.

7. Ostuni, white town

Located in the province of Brindisi and perched on a rocky promontory, Ostuni bears the nickname of "white city" because of the walls of the houses painted to limestone and built in limestone blocks. The small alleys of the historic centre include a multitude of small shops and bars that inspire the nightlife of Ostuni during the summer. In the upper part of the city you can admire the Cathedral of Ostuni and the Episcopal Palace and enjoy a magnificent view of the countryside and the surroundings of Ostuni. Learn more about activities in Ostuni .

8. Gallipoli

The "beautiful city" of the Greeks is a seaside town that lies along the coast of Salento. It is composed of a historic centre located on an island that gathers the old quarters of the city, the Greek fountain or the Cathedral of Sant’Agata and the new village connected to the island by a bridge. There is also the castle of Gallipoli and a beautiful coastline of beaches that, at nightfall, becomes the place of celebration, music and dance.

9. ♪ houses in Alberobello

What to do in Puglia? Want to see the trulli, these famous white stone houses, built in lime and with conical roofs? It is in Alberobello that must go, on the heights of the city. More than 1,500 of these are found in the Monti and Aia Piccola neighbourhoods, all of which are part of UNESCO’s world heritage. Learn more about Alberobello’s visits .

10. Otranto

Otranto presents itself as a must when you visit the Puglia. Located in the southeast of the Solento peninsula, Otranto is a seaside town on a rocky sparrow falling at peak in the Adriatic Sea. Not to be missed: the 15th century Aragonese castle, the paved streets of the historic centre, the Romanesque cathedral with its Renaissance rosace, the Punta Palascìa lighthouse and the caves of Cervi. The beach, fishing and pleasure harbour, seaside promenades are immanquable. Enjoy it to enjoy the Italian cuisine in the many trattorias City.

11. Road trip on the Salento road

At the start of Otranto, there is a magical landscape, protected from mass tourism and surrounded by coves and Mediterranean beaches along several tens of kilometers of coastline. It is one of the emblems of the region, a must-see place to visit the Puglia. The landscapes are virgin and wild, to appreciate the charms of a vast and varied nature. There will be many seaside villages: Porto Badisco, Castro, Santa Cesarea Terme, many other villages to Leuca, the Maldives of Salento and Gallipoli.

12. Porto Selvaggio

What to do in Puglia after all this? Between Tarente and Gallipoli, is the Regional Natural Park of Porto Selvaggio, a must-see spot on the seaside, composed of multiple hiking paths, walks along the cliffs and cribs and rocky sparrows overlooking a crystal clear, green and turquoise sea. We will realize that there is not necessarily a need to go to the Antilles or the Maldives to make snorkeling!

13. Polignano a Mare

Here is a city to visit the Puglia, south of Bari. Polignano a Mare is a city built on limestone cliffs, on the edge of a cozy and wet coastline by transparent waters and a blue-green that is not found elsewhere in the Puglia. Unfortunately tourist city, it is called the “adle of the Adriatic”. The beaches where you can swim are enfilades at the end of the cliffs and calanques: Cala Porto – very famous for being equipped with white pebbles, under the cliffs of the historic centre -, Cala Porto Cavallo , Ponte dei Lapilli , San Giovanni , Porte Contessa , San Vito , Cala Fetente , Pozzo Vivo , Port’Alga and Torre Incina . In addition to public baths, 80 natural caves, including the Palace Cave ( Grotta Palazzese ) are disseminated on the seafront.

14. Taranto

Founded by the Spartates, Taranto is a must-see place to visit in the Puglia. Go to the discovery of the old town, but also the Borgo Novo, witness of the fascist period. You understood it, the history of the city is rich and fascinating. A visit to the Archaeological Museum will allow you to know the least secrets.

Another unmissable place: the Aragonese castle. A witness to the past dominance of the Aragon, she also tells us a part of the history of the city. Indeed, the Aragonese had built the fortress at this location, where a Byzantine building once took place to precisely erase the traces of the Ottoman past of Taranto.

How to get into the Puglia?

The ideal to get to the Puglia is to go by car, so that you can simply and freely move on site. This is all the more convenient if you want to visit the Salento. If you can't come by car in Les Pouilles, then you can take a plane and then rent a car there. You can compare car rentals in Bari on Rentalcars .

Air France and Alitalia provide connections to Bari or Brindisi airports with correspondence to Rome or Milan. Easyjet offers direct seasonal flights between Paris and Bari or Brindisi. Ryanair offers flights to Brindisi from Paris-Beauvais. To find cheap flights to Puglia, you can search our partner's website Ulysses .

Where to stay in Les Pouilles?

During your stay in Puglia, the ideal is to sleep in different places, along the road trip. You can house in Bari , in Lecce, Polignano a Mare, Otranto, Gallipoli... everything depends on the steps of your itinerary. Keep the unusual experience of staying in a trulli Alberobello! You will find many accommodations in the living room on Airbnb hotels and other accommodations on Booking .