Puglia Guide

We recently came back from our wedding trip and mini moon in Puglia (sooo many wedding details to share separately!!), which was our favorite trip to date. Aside from the obvious highlight of getting married in Puglia, we’ve completely fallen in love with the region and are already planning our next trip back. I also may or may not have spent an inordinate amount of time looking at property, dreaming of opening our own masseria (someday!). In the meantime, I’ve received so many questions about our trip and am so excited to finally share all the details in a single place!

The Ultimate Puglia Guide For Chic Travelers

Although Puglia has been steadily increasing in popularity over the past decade, visiting the region still feels unlike most other parts of Italy. Notably, it feels significantly less touristy and is still fairly underdeveloped (Puglia is traditionally one of the poorest regions in Italy, with an emphasis on agriculture – much of the produce in the country is grown there!). While the summers are very lively, tourism felt to us to be primarily locals and Italians. We saw (and heard) very few English speakers or Americans, which may or may not be your preference.

In some of the smaller towns in Puglia, you might even be hard-pressed to find someone who speaks English (thankfully this isn’t a huge issue with Google Translate being available). It’s not quite a hidden gem anymore, as much as I am sure many people would love for it to stay that way, but is still very much a gem. I describe Puglia as magical to everyone I speak to. I feel like we could spend months there and not even begin to scratch the surface of everything there is to do and see. Here’s everything we learned and loved about Puglia, and some tips for planning your future trip!

HOW TO GET TO PUGLIA

Getting to Puglia takes an extra step, but I promise it is worth it! The easiest way to get to Puglia is to fly into Rome and then either take a short flight or train ride to Bari or Brindisi. If you’re already based in Europe, there are many direct flights to Bari and Brindisi depending on where you are coming from. For Americans, flying into Rome will be your best bet. We spent a night in Rome on the way in and two nights outside of Rome at the end of our trip and really liked splitting up the travel this way. It helps that Rome is one of our favorite cities and you can surprisingly get a lot of sightseeing done in one day! Some of our wedding guests flew into Rome and then connected to Bari/Brindisi and preferred getting directly to their final destination.

Take the train from Rome.

If you do choose to spend time in Rome, I would personally recommend taking the train for convenience and peace of mind. Flights and trains can be surprisingly priced similarly, but you get the benefit of a shorter trip to the train station vs. a longer ride to Fiumicino Airport. Also, given all of the flight horror stories I’ve heard lately and the general discomfort around air travel, the train is likely to be less delayed than a flight (from our experience in June 2022).

We honestly found taking the train to be a breeze – you can show up at the train station 15 minutes before your train departs and you don’t have to worry about bag weight limits and liquids. WiFi was spotty but the trip was fast and comfortable, going forward we would definitely opt to take a high speed train over rolling our dice with a flight anyday.

You can drive from Rome.

Finally, you also have the option of driving from Rome to Puglia (Rome to Bari takes between 4-5 hours) – this is great if you love a road trip and want to stop along the way. We’ve done this drive and I have to admit it’s very long and windy, and Italian drivers can be a bit crazy. Driving in Rome is undeniably not for the faint of heart!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BEFORE VISITING PUGLIA

Once you are in Puglia, my biggest piece of advice is to rent a car. You will need a car to get around! Taxis and private cars are hard to come by and extremely expensive (think up to 50 Euros for a 20 minute trip, the pricing is also all over the place and you might be getting ripped off for being a tourist / not speaking Italian). Puglia is also a massive region. There is so much to do and see and getting from point A to point B requires a car. We found most of the sights and towns we wanted to see to be between 15 minutes to an hour away by car. I truly don’t know how we would have gotten around without a car!

Unfortunately, we experienced higher than usual prices. Rental cars are through the roof ever since the pandemic. However if you’re able to drive stick/manual you’ll save a ton of money. We’ve also noticed rental car companies will try to sell you an upgrade. Which tends to be a bigger but nicer car – consider turning this down as many of the towns have extremely narrow alleys you need to drive through, and parking spaces are quite small.

Make time for all the hidden gems in Puglia.

Part of the beauty of Puglia, for us, was how many hidden gems are tucked into little towns and corners across the region. We found information on Puglia to be, relative to other parts of Italy, fairly sparse and limited. When we got engaged in 2019 and visited Puglia the first time, we had a hard time finding lists of restaurants, cafes, and beaches to visit. Exploring Puglia for ourselves, driving aimlessly amongst the olive groves and stopping along the way for an aperitivo or espresso, was one of the joys of Puglia. A much slower pace than what we are used to in the states, we felt Puglia truly encompassed “dolce far niente” – the sweetness of doing nothing.

With that said, I think it’s important to note how large and diverse the region is!

I truly believe you wouldn’t be able to see everything in a month, much less a week. I would recommend splitting a trip into the northern or southern parts of Puglia and choosing a home base accordingly. Ostuni is a great home base for exploring the north, while Lecce is a great base for the south. The north has cute towns and felt more developed, you’re also much closer to Matera (which we haven’t visited yet but have heard is a must!), while the south has access to better beaches.

WHERE WE STAYED

Because this was our wedding trip and “mini moon” we splurged a little more than usual on nicer hotels. Don’t get me wrong, I love a luxurious hotel, but when we travel we tend to prefer exploring and sightseeing over parking ourselves in a resort. Thanks to years of working in consulting and our Chase Sapphire Reserve, we were able to book most of our hotels over our 2.5 week trip in Italy on points! I’m happy we spent a bit more on hotels as it was important for getting good rest before the wedding. The week after the wedding we were physically and emotionally exhausted, so we ended up laying around more than usual, and I was grateful to be very comfortable where we stayed!

Paragon 700

We chose this hotel in the heart of Ostuni for the 2 nights before our wedding due to its proximity to our venue and stated amenities. We also read several glowing reviews in different publications online. Aesthetically, the hotel is very unique, but we ended up in an unfortunate room (essentially the attic with only 2 tiny windows for natural light) and found the staff to be indifferent at best, and at times rude (to put it gently). The prices for the restaurant and bar on site were also on par with LA/New York, which for Ostuni is very high.

I wouldn’t stay here again or really recommend it. I think staying at an authentic masseria is a much better local experience and there are so many great family run options! However, it is probably the most “luxurious” and newest hotel in Ostuni, and I did get several DMs/inquiries on where we were staying. If you want a five star resort experience, I would recommend Borgo Egnazia (below). Truthfully, we would have preferred to book a room there, but they were closed to the public due to a full property buy out for the entire weekend before our wedding.

Masseria Grieco (our wedding venue)

I could do an entire post on our experience planning a wedding in Puglia and speak more to our venue specifically. For this trip, we stayed two nights at our wedding venue. Keep in mind if you are visiting Puglia in May, June, or September many masserias and hotels may be partially or fully booked for weddings. Most venues will not host July or August weddings, as these tend to be popular months for holiday in Europe.

We would have loved the option to stay an extra night at our venue, or extend that option to our guests. However our masseria was holding back to back weddings (with full property buyouts required). So we did end up feeling rushed in and out. We were a bit surprised and taken aback by the constant flow of weddings. The staff overall felt a bit impersonal and inhospitable despite the fact we were having our wedding there and had bought out the entire property. There are so many local masserias, with new ones opening every year. I don’t think I would stay here again or suggest someone on holiday to stay here outside of the months of July or August.

Borgo Egnazia

Probably the most well known resort in Puglia, Borgo Egnazia really sets the standard for luxury and service in Puglia but would hold its own anywhere in Italy. It really is a special place, you step onto the property and are instantly transported to vacation mode. From the white washed buildings, to bougainvillea covering every corner. To the glittering blue pools, Borgo Egnazia is a breathtakingly stunning property. We also took full advantage of their spa and fitness center. Plus love their take on a traditional Puglian breakfast with modern twists (the only green juice I had in Puglia!).

During the summer season, the resort can feel quite busy and crowded. There are also a lot of families on the property (bonus points if you want something family friendly!). Not a bad thing at all, but if you’re looking for a quiet and intimate Puglian experience, you may want to find a local masseria with fewer rooms. If you’re looking for luxury and a resort like experience (you literally don’t have to leave the property), Borgo is an incredible base. It’s also a fantastic home base for exploring Ostunia and other local towns. It’s close to the seaside town of Savelletri (where we had some of the best seafood I’ve ever had in my life!).

Masseria Moroseta

I stumbled across Masseria Moroseta on Instagram years ago and had it bookmarked for our wedding trip to stay at. If you’re looking to stay here you will likely need to reserve your room a year in advance. I looked last October for June and there was only 1 night available during our trip remaining! There are only 6 rooms on the property and Instagram fame certainly doesn’t help your chances of booking.

The property is truly stunning, there’s nothing else like it in Puglia that I’ve seen! A traditional masseria experience but with so many thoughtful modern touches mixed in with authentic components. The exterior and pool are really the most eye catching parts of the masseria. I will admit the rooms are simple and plainly renovated. But you’ll want to spend time by the pool or out exploring anyway!

\They host dinner on site 4 nights a week, which is a delightful experience if you are able to partake. However, if you happen to be staying on site one of the other nights, the main communal spaces close at 8pm which did feel quite early to us. All the more reason to drive to Ostuni for dinner, conveniently only 10 minutes away!

Palazzo Daniele

My favorite hotel we stayed in Puglia! Passed down for generations in a family and converted to a 9 room boutique hotel (with many of the original details still in tact!). Palazzo Daniele is tucked away in Gagliano del Campo – a tiny town in the southern region of Puglia, Salento. The hotel has thoughtful touches and amenities throughout, truly a local hidden oasis. The one thing to note is the prices were truly exhorbitant. We avoided having breakfast (45 euros for a simple continental breakfast) or aperitivo on site. There were a couple local pastry shops and cafes right outside that we would walk to in the morning for an Italian pastry and cappuccino before driving up and down the coast to explore. Would absolutely stay here again in a heartbeat though.

Airbnb is also an option!

For future trips, I would look to mix in renting an Airbnb or villa with friends! There are so many great options ranging from authentic and affordable, to incredibly luxurious.

WHAT TO DO IN PUGLIA

There is so much to do in Puglia! I can’t even begin to claim I am an expert. But here are some of the things we did and loved, and what we wished we did or had time to do (saved for our next trip!).

+ Explore the towns of Puglia

Remember, the key is dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing! Days in Puglia are slow and relaxed, you might not squeeze in a lot of sightseeing and that’s ok! If your home base is near Ostuni, you can easily do day trips to Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Alberobello, and even Matera. Polignano a Mare and Alberobello are touristy, but I still found them to be very charming and worth a visit!

We also loved some of the smaller, lesser known towns – Locorotundo, Cisternino, and Martina Franca. They were beautiful and unique places to wander around and stop for a gelato or afternoon refreshment. There isn’t much to do per se, but it’s nice on a hot summer day to find a piazza and stop for a coffee (espresso after 11am!) or an aperol spritz and people watch. 

Alberobello will by far have the most crowds and tour buses. So go early or later in the day to avoid crowds. Yes, it felt a little Disneyland-esque but the trullis are so unique. Also local to Puglia it’s a fun half day trip.

+ Visit the beaches

Puglia can get hot in the summer, and we happened to visit during a June heat wave. Make your way south and explore the beaches – we found the best beaches to be in the south of Puglia. The eastern coast has beautiful but rocky beaches, while the sandy beaches are on the west side. Both are worth exploring! There are so many little beaches and coves, we didn’t even begin to scratch the surface. But here are the beaches/beach towns we had bookmarked or were recommended by locals: Punta Prosciutto, Grotta Verde, Grotta della Poesia, Torre dell’Orso, Torre Sant’Andrea, Marina di Pescoluse, Porto Badisco, Castro Marina, Marina Serra, Santa Cesarea Terme. Clearly, there are a lot! You’ll want to pack a towel, umbrella/shade, lots of sunscreen, and snacks/water for the beach! Unless you choose to make your way to a lido…

+ Find a lido

Chances are you’ve seen photos of matching colorful beach umbrellas along a beach on social media. These are lidos, or private beach clubs in Italy. They range from fairly basic and inexpensive, to very luxurious and high end. The lidos in Puglia are much cheaper than say, a lido in Capri or Positano. They are also generally more simple. You rent a chair for the day and have access to a locker, bathrooms, shower, and on site restaurant but they tend to be no frills. You can rent two chairs for the day for between 20 and 40 euros.

I have heard in Capri there are minimum spends of several hundred euros a day. This was not the case when we visited years ago, so goes to show how much tourism drives prices. This trip we did not visit many lidos. We only spent a half day at Bagno Marino Archi (recommended by our hotel) and found it to be a great place to get some sun, relax, and dip into the sea.

+ Visit Matera

I mentioned Matera briefly above. We unfortunately still have not visited but it’s high on the list for our next trip! A city built of stones and rocks, Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and may look very familiar from the most recent James Bond movie, No Time to Die. Matera is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. It holds so much history and culture in its walls.

+ Take a cooking class

I’m a huge fan of taking cooking classes abroad, Italy is of course a wonderful place to do one! We usually look on Airbnb Experiences for highly rated local cooking classes, in Puglia our wedding planner recommended Puglia Kitchen. The local Puglian experience will obviously include making orecchiette and foccacia, and tasting local cheeses and meats (Puglia is famous for their burrata!!).

+ Rent a boat or do a boat tour

As mentioned above, there are so many hidden beaches and coves along the coast. Some you can only reach by boat! Our favorite days on vacation are often boat days. Whether you rent a private boat or do a larger group tour, boat days are always memorable and a fun activity for the summer.

WHERE TO EAT IN PUGLIA

We honestly didn’t have a bad meal in Puglia. The cuisine is certainly more rustic than other regions of Italy. But the freshness of local produce and emphasis on fresh ingredients adds to the appeal of local Puglian cuisine. We did end up eating at our hotels a lot out of convenience. Again, we were exhausted and lazier than usual! But we did venture out when we could. Here are some of the meals that really stood out to me that we enjoyed:

+ Ristorante Da Silve

Probably our favorite dining experience in Puglia! Run by Silve himself tucked away in Fasano, there are only a handful of tables and no menu. Silve’s mama cooks a multi course meal for you filled with love. You really feel like you are inside his home having the most authentic Puglian meal. It’s such a special experience. I hesitate to share because it’s such a small space but it’s truly a can’t miss if you are staying north or near Ostuni.

+ Osteria del Tempo Perso

Intimate dinner spot in the heart of Ostuni. We loved our dinner here, the menu is restrained and every dish is delicious. The portion sizes are reasonable so you should be able to try a few dishes! I really loved my spaghetti vongole here. I was on the hunt for the best spaghetti vongole in Italy and used it as an excuse to have it almost every meal – really can’t get enough!.

+ Osteria del Porto

You can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants in Savelletri, the emphasis in this town is seafood. Kind of obvious, but only have seafood when you are close to the water, otherwise stick with land based dishes. We noticed a huge difference in the quality of fish/seafood when we were dining in seaside towns. I had one of the best uni pastas of my life here. The restaurant was so lively even at 10pm on a weekday. Everyone spoke Italian and I wanted to try everything that came out. The atmosphere overall was so delightful, I would eat here every night if I could.

+ Classe 18

If you find yourself in Otranto in the south, there are several good seafood options. However we were recommended Classe 18 by our hotel. We enjoyed the seafood dishes here (spaghetti vongole for me, obviously) and found the prices to be reasonable despite how touristy Otranto is, and how we had read online there is no good food in the town!

+ Trattoria Iolanda

Another local recommendation from our hotel, this was an authentic Puglian trattoria experience. We had a 4 hour dinner here and had to utilize Google translate exclusively. It’s tucked away in a small town and was a lively local trattoria featuring Puglian. Specialties such as chicory and broad beans, horse meat (!!) pasta, and grilled meats. This was our last meal in Puglia, but a very authentic and memorable one at that!

I hope you enjoyed this Puglia Guide!

Writing this post made me so nostalgic for Puglia. Obviously I am a bit biased because we got married here. But it really is such a special and magical part of Puglia. Once you experience it you really understand it, I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone who asks! There’s still so much to explore, do, see, eat. My hope is for this to be an ongoing guide that is updated sooner rather than later.

Stay tuned for the next part of my trip recap, Sicily!

See more travel guides HERE.