The Ultimate Puglia Itinerary
I spent a week exploring the Puglia region of Italy on my most recent trip and I’m so happy I did! I’ve spent lots of time in Italy, but have never made it to this region before. Puglia is a southeastern region in Italy that makes up the “heel” of the boot. There are many great towns to visit in Puglia from Bari, the regions charming capitol, to coastal gems like Polignano a Mare & Monopoli, to unique spots like Alberobello & Matera (Matera is technically in the nearby Basilicata region, but I recommend adding it to your Puglia Itinerary.)
I highly recommend renting a car for this itinerary, as it’s much easier to get around this region with a car, and it’s not as well connected via train as other areas of Italy. In terms of timing I recommend spending a minimum of 5 days in Puglia, but ideally your trip would be closer to 7+ days to really explore the region.
My recommendation for a Puglia itinerary would be Bari –> Polignano a Mare –> Alberobello –> Matera. If you have more time to explore you could also consider adding Monopoli and Lecce to your trip if you have some extra days during your trip.
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Puglia Itinerary Map
Bari
Bari is the charming capitol of the Puglia region. The lively coastal city is a university town with a charming Old Town, lively night life, and an excellent food scene. I recommend starting your Puglia trip in Bari as it is the most accessible city in the region, and is likely where you’ll be flying or taking the train to to get to the other towns in Puglia.
Getting to Bari
By Plane
Bari has it’s own international airport located not too far from downtown. From the airport you can take the FM2 Trainline (the train station is attached to Bari Airport) to Bari Centrale, the main train station.
The train takes about 30 minutes and costs 5 euro one way. It runs every 20-30 minutes, so you’ll never have to wait too long.
By Train
Bari Centrale, the main train station in Bari is connected to all other major Italian cities via Italy’s extensive rail network. From Rome the fastest trains reach Bari in four hours.
How many days to spend in Bari
1-2 Days
I definitely recommend spending at least one day in Bari, if you have some extra time and want a little more time to relax and explore you could spend 2 days exploring the charming city, but if you’re crunched on time one day is enough!
Where to stay in Bari
iH Hotels Bari Grande Albergo delle Nazioni
I recommend staying in the Bari Vecchia (Old Town) area of Bari along the harbor. This is where you’ll find the majority of what you want to see as well as the best restaurants. iH Grande Albergo Delle Nazioni is a lovely 5 star hotel located right along the harbor in Bari Vecchia. They have a stunning rooftop patio at the restaurant on site that’s a great place to grab a drink or dinner with a view after a long day of exploring!
Top things to do in Bari
One of my favorite things about Bari is that there is not a huge list of “must see” and “must do” things like Florence and Rome, it’s much more like Venice, where the main experience is to explore the charming streets, relax and immerse yourself in the culture!
Explore Bari Vecchia
Bari’s Old Town, Bari Vecchia, is a maze of charming, picturesque roads and alleys. I loved exploring early in the morning before it got too crowded. The area is filled with restaurants, street food, shops, gelato spots, bakeries and more.
You’ll see many of the highlights of Bari simply by exploring this area! Like:
- Basilica San Nicola
- Basilica Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale San Sabino
- Piazza Mercantile
- Il Fortino di Sant’Antonio
- Lungomare Imperatore Augusto
Try the Local Cuisine
Bari has tons of amazing food, definitely visit hungry! You can explore Bari’s food culture on your own or can join a tour. There’s tons of options from street food tours, to bike tours, pasta tours, tours with cooking classes & more!
See my post on the best restaurants in Bari here.
For more information on Bari, find my full travel guide here.
Polignano a Mare
Next head south down the coast to Polignano a Mare. Polignano a Mare is a charming coastal town with a picturesque rocky beach, and stunning cliffside views. It had been on my bucket list for so long, and I’m so happy I made it there on this trip!
Getting to Polignano a Mare from Bari
By Car/Taxi
From Bari, if you have your own car it’s about a 30 minute drive. I usually rent my cars through Booking.com as they aggregate costs, options and reviews from all rental companies in the area.
You can also take a taxi from Bari Airport or Train station. It will cost about 80 euro to get from the airport to Polignano a Mare via taxi.
You can book taxi transfers ahead of time through Welcome Pickups – I use their services regularly, they’re highly reliable and cost the same as a taxi would, but your ride is confirmed in advance. You can also communicate with your driver through their app.
By Train
The Trenitalia train from Bari to Polingano a Mare takes less than an hour (between 30-45 minutes) and runs hourly. It costs about $3.00
How many days to spend in Polignano a Mare
1-2 Days
Polignano is a very small town, and there aren’t a ton of “must-do” attractions there, it has a way more casual vibe. You can easily explore it all in one day, or even as a day trip. If you want a bit more time to relax you could spend two days there!
Where to stay in Polignano a Mare
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni is a 4 star hotel right in the heart of Polignano a Mare that offers some of the best views of any hotel in Polignano. I highly recommend staying here!
Top things to do in Polignano a Mare
Polignao is a super laid back town, so there isn’t really a long list of “must do” things for visiting. I honestly spent most of my time finding the best viewpoints and exploring the charming alleyways around the Palazzo dell’Orologio.
Some of the best viewpoints:
- Belvedere su Lama Monachile – best viewpoint of the picturesque rocky beach (Lama Monachile) in the heart of Polignano with the town as the backdrop
- Belvedere Terrazza Santo Stefano – best viewpoint of the dramatic coastline
- Ponte di Polignano – best viewpoint looking over the beach (Lama Monachile) out onto the water
- Lama Monachile – if you want to hike down to the beach itself (Lama Monachile)
For more information on Polignano a Mare, find my full travel guide here.
Alberobello
Next you’ll head inland to Alberobello & the Trulli region. This is honestly one of the most unique areas of Italy I’ve visited. The Trulli Of Alberobello are white-washed stone huts with dark, sloped conical roofs, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The unique houses served as storage or home for farm workers, but they also served the dual purpose of allowing homeowners to avoid paying taxes as they could easily be deconstructed. Alberobello & the surrounding area is definitely worth a visit on your trip to Puglia.
Getting to Alberobello from Polignano a Mare
By Car
From Polignano a Mare to Alberobello is about a 30 minute drive without traffic
By Bus
It is possible to take the bus from Polignano to Alberobello, but it requires a change and takes an hour & 40 minutes, so it is much longer than driving.
How many days to spend in Alberobello
1 Day or a few Hours
Alberobello is super cool and I highly recommend visiting! It’s one of the more unique places I’ve seen, that being said, you really don’t need more than a few hours to explore the area.
I stayed for one night, but after a few hours exploring & then dinner with a view I was ready for my next stop!
Where to stay in Alberobello
In a Trulli
If you’re looking to splurge a bit and have a unique experience try staying in a Trulli. Some great options are:
Where I Stayed
I was only in Alberobello for one night and wasn’t planning on spending much time in the room, so I opted for a hotel on the cheaper side that was still easily walkable to the Trulli.
Hotel Ramapendula is about a ten minute walk from the Trulli area of Alberobello. The hotel is simple, clean, has a restaurants and a pool. Highly recommend it if you’re looking for an affordable option in Alberobello with parking!
Top things to do in Alberobello
Alberobello is fairly small & the main attraction really is wandering through the unique Trulli Unesco Heritage site. There are no specific attractions or things I’d recommend seeing/doing other than just taking a few hours to explore the area!
For more information on Alberobello, see my full travel guide here.
Matera
Matera was my favorite stop on my Puglia trip! The epic, ancient city is technically in the nearby Basilicata region of Italy & not Puglia, but the two are easily combined into one itinerary, and I highly recommend not skipping Matera!
Matera is an ancient city that originally consisted of a series of cave dwellings, or Sassi, carved into the rocky landscape. The Sassi were inhabited by lower income families until the 1950’s when families were relocated to new housing. The impressive city has been built around the Sassi, which are now home to museums for visitors to explore.
Getting to Matera from Alberobello
By Car
It’s only an hour drive from Alberobello to Matera if you’ve rented a car
There really is no good public transportation option, so if you’re not renting a car you’ll need to book a private transfer or take a taxi.
How many days to spend in Matera
2-3
I spent two days in Matera, and while it was enough to see everything I really wish I had a third day to explore. It was just a super unique and cool landscape and I would have loved to have more time to wander.
I also was working, so two days might have been more efficient if that weren’t the case, as it limited my time to explore!
Where to stay in Matera
L’OSPITE – LIFESTYLE RESIDENCE
I stayed at L’OSPITE – LIFESTYLE RESIDENCE during my recent trip to Matera and I cannot recommend this place enough! The pictures absolutely do not do it justice, it’s much nicer in person, and very reasonably priced (I paid about $150 per night)
The location cannot be beat, it’s about a 3 minute walk from the entrance to Sassi Barisano, one of the two Sassi districts that make up Matera. They have street parking or offer paid parking in a locked lot (this was super convenient for having a rental car)
The man who checked me in was also that absolute nicest host. He drove with me to the private parking so I didn’t get lost, and then he walked me through a guide to the city and hand drew all the best places to see and visit in 2 days.
He also provided a list of his favorite restaurants, all of which were amazing recommendations! I cannot say enough nice things about this hotel!
Top things to do in Matera
Find the Best Viewpoints of the City
While you’ll want to wander down into the Stassi districts themselves (see below) The highlights of Matera are the stunning viewpoints along the roads that surround the Stassi districts. These roads are up the stairs from the Stassi districts and offer the most epic views of the landscape.
See this map I’ve created on Google Maps for the best viewpoints. All of these are close to one another and walkable as you explore the city with the exception of Belvedere Murgia Timone. This viewpoint is across the deep valley that separates Matera from the nearby area, you can easily drive to the viewpoint
Viewpoints (referred to as Belvedere in Italian)
- Belvedere Luigi Gureicchio
- Belvedere di Piazza Giovanni Pascoli
- Piazza San Pietro Caveoso
- Piazza Duomo
- Convent di Sant’Agostino
- Belvedere Murgia Timone
Explore the Infamous Sassi Districts
Matera consists of two Sassi districts, (they connect to one another) Sasso Caveoso & Sasso Barisano. The most epic thing to do in Matera is wander from the roads that encircle the Sassi into the heart of the Sassi themselves and get lost among the winding streets and alleys.
Tour a Traditional Sassi
If you’re interested in learning more about what life in Matera was like when the Sassi were still inhabited you have several options in Matera to tour a traditional Stassi. I visited Casa Grotta nei Sassi di Matera.
This tour is quick & informative, and you can buy tickets at the entrance. It wasn’t too long of a wait when I went, shorter than 10 minutes.
Visit Some of Matera’s Most Famous Churches
For more information on Matera, see my full travel guide here.
