This Apulia guide will discuss why you should visit this fascinating region. Furthermore, we’ll reveal some tips and tricks for traveling to this beautiful Italian region, undoubtedly one of the most enchanting. Many know it as the heel of Italy. Over there, you will find stunning scenery, welcoming beaches with the blue Caribbean Sea, tasty food, and thousands of years of culture and tradition. Last but not least, it offers excellent summer festivals and parties. You will undoubtedly fall in love with it once you spend a few days there.
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Apulia Guide
Apulia, also known as Puglia in Italian, is a stunning region known for its picturesque landscapes, rich history, and delicious cuisine. Apulia is characterized by its charming coastal towns, historic architecture, olive groves, and beautiful beaches along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Let us give you a few ideas.
Ostuni – Charming whitewashed town in Salento
©Ostuni -istock-510266213
Matera – a stunning stone city
©iStock
What to See and Do in Apulia:
The region will surprise you with its beaches, landscapes, culture, history, traditions, magical townlets, and villages. We recommend reading our related articles because there’s so much to see there.
- Alberobello: Visit this charming town’s unique trulli houses, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Matera: While technically in Basilicata, the ancient cave city of Matera is a short drive away and a must-visit.
- Lecce: Explore the “Florence of the South” with its stunning Baroque architecture.
- Ostuni: Wander through the “White City” known for its whitewashed buildings.
- Locorotondo is referred to as one of the most beautiful Italian villages. It will conquer you with its whitewashed houses.
- Gargano Peninsula: Discover this national park’s beautiful beaches, forests, and seaside towns.
- Castel del Monte: Admire the mysterious octagonal castle built by Emperor Frederick II.
- Bari: Explore the capital city of Apulia, with its historic old town and lively atmosphere.
- Food and Wine Tours: Taste the regional cuisine, including orecchiette pasta, olive oil, and local wines.
- Discover its beaches
- Discover its folklore
Orecchiette (Most Famous Puglia Food to Try)
©goatsontheroad.com
What to Eat and drink in Apulia:
Puglia has been predominantly an agricultural region for millennia, producing around 40% of Italy’s olive oil and a large proportion of its Wine. Vast tracts of the region’s territory are given over to farming, whether crops or livestock and many inhabitants continue to grow their produce.
This essential agricultural nature means that the region’s cuisine is home-country inspired, predominantly using the abundant local produce such as durum wheat, tomatoes, artichokes, fava beans, rocket, courgettes, beans, fennel, peppers, onions, beef, and lamb.
- Orecchiette: A pasta shaped like small ears, often served with various sauces.
- Burrata: A creamy and delicious cheese, often served with fresh tomatoes and basil.
- Seafood: Apulia’s long coastline provides fresh seafood, including octopus, mussels, and sea urchins.
- Focaccia Barese: Try the local style of focaccia, typically topped with tomatoes and olives.
- Pasticciotto: A famous pastry filled with sweet custard or fruit jam.
Where to eat?
Whatever you want to eat, choose local “messier” (local farmhouses turned into villas and restaurants for tourists) or various Agritourism scattered throughout the countryside. You can find a vast selection of Agritourism on the Agriturismo website.
©Poike|
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Apulia Guide: Best Beaches
Finally, we arrived at the most desired part of our article, the shore of Apulia and its splendid small coastal towns and beautiful beaches. We believe the best beaches are in the Salento and Gargano regions, so we will focus only on the few selected beaches in these areas (we will give more details in a separate article).
What are the most popular beaches? Again, this a complex question that doesn’t deserve an answer. There are so many of them, and all of them are beautiful. But then again, it all depends on your taste, Whether you like more sandy beaches, beaches with excellent facilities, or more secluded beaches. Therefore, we have chosen only a few.
Let’s go and check them out, all right?
- Polignano a Mare: Famous for its cliffside beach and crystal-clear waters.
- Gallipoli: Offers sandy beaches and a charming old town.
- Porto Cesareo: Known for its Caribbean-like beaches and marine reserve.
- Torre dell’Orso: Features stunning limestone cliffs and turquoise waters.
- Pescoluse (Maldive del Salento): Known for its vast sandy shores.
Puglia’s folk dances
Puglia has a few thousand years of traditions so that we could write about them; however, we will focus only on two dances, which we think you should see; the first is Tarantella. This group of folk dances is characterized by a fast-paced tempo, usually in 2, 4, or more dancers, accompanied by tambourines. This is one of the most recognized traditional music forms from southern Italy.
In the Italian province of Taranto, Apulia, the bite of a spider named “tarantula” after the region was popularly believed to be highly venomous and to lead to a hysterical condition known as tarantism. This became known as the Tarantella. R. Lowe Thompson proposed that the dance is a survival of a “Dionysiac cult.”
The specific dance name varies with every region, and in Puglia, the dance has evolved into a new form called Pizzica, the most popular dance in Puglia in the past thirty years. Since 1998, there has been a Notte della Taranta (Tarantula night), consisting of an entire night where many famous musicians alternate their performances with pizzica orchestras.
Notte della Taranta 2020 – PIZZICA
Discover Puglia’s Vibrant Nightlife
In Aoukua, you can experience exciting nightlife in the major cities of Bari, Taranto, and Foggia. However, if you’re here for a holiday, we highly recommend exploring the Salento peninsula – the southernmost part of Italy’s heel. The capital, Gallipoli, boasts a lively “Centro Storico” surrounded by stunning sandy beaches.
That’s why it is fast becoming a top summer destination in Italy, especially among young people. You can enjoy beach parties, concerts, international DJs, and more during the summer. The fun never stops, day or night!
Must-visit party spots include Samsara Beach, Lido Zen Beach, Zeus Beach, and Praja Gallipoli. But since clubs and discos may change yearly, we suggest asking locals for recommendations.
Apulia also offers a welcoming environment for the LGBTQ community, making it one of Italy’s most inclusive regions.
Note: Check out our Gay Gallipolli article for more information.
How to get in and around Puglia
In Puglia, two main airports serve as gateways to the region: Bari and Brindisi. You can reach Puglia by high-speed trains from Rome, Naples, and Milan; ferry boats connect Brindisi and Bari to Greece, Croatia, and Albania. However, if you genuinely want to experience Puglia, it is recommended that you rent a car once you arrive. Even if you only plan to stay for a weekend, having a car will allow you to visit different places in the region on the same day without relying on the often unreliable public transportation system. Additionally, several tour operators organize bike group trips along the way. In spring and autumn, the less hot times of the year, it’s common to see groups of adventurers cycling along the route.
Note: If you’d like to arrive in Apulia by train, we suggest using Omio, but if you’d like to fly to Puglia, we recommend using Sky Scanner; however, if you are arriving there by ferry, we recommend using a Ferry Scanner.
When to Visit Apulia:
The best time to visit is spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) when the weather is pleasant and tourist crowds are smaller. Summers (July and August) can be hot and crowded.
How many days should you spend in Puglia?
Puglia is not a destination that you can explore in a day. Your itinerary will depend on the time of year and your interests. Ideally, in this Apulia Guide, we recommend spending a week in Puglia to fully experience what the region offers and get a feel for its unique rhythms.
However, if you only have a weekend to spare, start by flying into Bari in the morning. Grab a slice of focaccia barese at Panificio Fiore. Enjoy it with a cold Peroni beer while taking in the Basilica di San Nicola sights and the historic city center. From there, drive to Castel del Monte and spend the night at a Masseria in Valle d’Itria.
On the second day, visit Alberobello and a coastal city such as Polignano a Mare or Monopoli. If the weather permits, go for a swim before returning home.
If you have a few more days to spare, consider adding a night in the Alta Murgia area to enjoy a lovely dinner in Minervino Murge. Spend a day exploring Valle d’Itria, then check out Lecce and its beautiful baroque architecture. And at the end, visit some of the beautiful beaches in Salento.
Where to stay
Puglia offers a variety of accommodations, from medieval palazzi to traditional cottages and luxurious coastal hotels. To experience something unique, consider staying in a Masseria or Trullo. A Masseria is a fortified farmhouse turned boutique hotel with a blooming courtyard and fine dining restaurant. A Trullo is a traditional Apulian stone hut with a conical roof, converted into a comfortable lodging, offering a piece of local history. Both options are charming and cozy and can be found on Booking or Airbnb. Remember to book in advance!
Apulia guide: Tips
When planning your vacation in Puglia, your preferences will determine what you should look out for and where to visit. We recommend staying for at least a week. Suppose we had to suggest places not to miss. In that case, we recommend Ostuni, Alberobello, Pogliano a mare, and the beaches of the Salento peninsula.
- Renting a car is highly recommended. You can rent one at the airport, hotel, or car rental services, or ask the friendly locals for assistance.
- While many tour operators offer excursions around Apulia, we advise against taking their offers. Instead, book your trip at a local agency to save money.
- The best time to visit is between April and July when nature is most beautiful, and there are fewer crowds. Avoid staying in August during Ferragosta, as prices skyrocket and there are too many tourists.
- In terms of safety, Puglia is generally safe, but pickpocketing is a concern. As a tourist, it’s best to avoid dark and empty places and to stay vigilant.
- If you have any further questions, feel free to check out our FAQ or leave a comment. We’d love to hear about your favorite places in Puglia and any suggestions you may have.
Apulia Guide: FAQs
How long should I stay in Apulia?
Taking a week for your Italian road trip is a great idea, but if you have more time, it’s even better as you can unwind and enjoy the sunny weather. Remember to arrange for car rental (check out transportation options), secure travel insurance, and select two or three locations to stay at as your home bases during the trip.
The best places to stay in Apulia
When planning your Italian road trip, consider staying in one of Puglia’s beautiful and safe towns: Bari, Polignano, Monopoli, Alberobello, Ostuni, Lecce, and Vieste. Selecting two or three of these locations as your home base is best. Bari is an excellent option for first-time visitors to the region, as it is one of the gateways to Puglia and Brindisi.
Do I need additional medical insurance for travel to Italy?
The answer is yes. We strongly advise you. You will save a lot of time in case of an emergency.
Small guide to Otranto/Apulia – The splendid door to the Orient”
References and sources:
- Locorotondo/Lonely Planet
- Locorotondo/Italy Magazine
- Never Ending Voyage
- Wikipedia/Ostuni
- The 10 Prettiest towns in Puglia/CN Traveler
- The Thinking Traveler
- Salento.com
- Viaggia nel Salento
- Expedia/Marina di Pescoluse
- Charming Puglia
- Aria Journeys
- Nomad is beautiful
- Neverending Voyage
- Great Italian Chefs/Puglia Food Guide
- Italian Breaks/Food and Drink in Puglia
- Wikipedia/Tarantella
Photo credits:
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Lovely just what I was looking for.Thanks to the author for taking his clock time on this one.