The ultimate Puglia road trip itinerary; exploring Southern Italy

A Puglia road trip is a must-do adventure for any traveler who dreams of exploring Southern Italy. This region, located in the heel of Italy’s boot, boasts some of the most picturesque landscapes, quaint towns, and stunning beaches you’ll ever encounter. From the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic Sea to the rugged countryside dotted with olive groves and vineyards, Puglia is a feast for the senses. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or just looking for a relaxing getaway, this region has it all.

In this Puglia itinerary I will share all the best places you must visit, where you should stay, eat and drink, along with my personal tips and tricks. This travel guide is for those who like to see and do a lot at a relaxed pace with enough time to take photos and to absorb the local atmosphere. After all, Italy is no country to rush through.

So are you ready to embark on a journey through Italy’s stunning Puglia region? Pack your bags, rent a car, and let’s discover the magic of Puglia together!

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Puglia road trip itinerary; exploring Southern Italy

It was my first time exploring this region of Italy and I had organised it quite fast. So I did not plan on visiting the whole Puglia region, as it is quite big. This Puglia road trip itinerary mainly covers the Valle d’Itria and Monopoli region and an extra trip to Matera, situated in Basilicata, its neighboring province. However, I added some side notes of several more beautiful places in Puglia that you can add, depending on the length of your stay and interests. It is a great itinerary for first time visitors! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments down below!

Where is Puglia and how can you get there

Puglia, also known as Apulia, is a region located in Southern Italy, forming the heel of the Italian peninsula. It is bordered by the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Taranto to the south. Puglia shares borders with the regions of Molise to the north, Campania to the west, and Basilicata to the southwest. The capital city of the region is Bari.

There are two international airports; the Karol Wojtyla Airport in Bari and the Airport of Salento in Brindisi. Both airports offer direct flights from major cities in Italy and Europe. Puglia is well-connected to the Italian rail network, with regular high-speed trains running from major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Milan to Bari, Brindisi, and Lecce.

Driving to Puglia is also an option, with the region easily accessible from the A14 highway that runs along the Adriatic coast. If you’re coming from Rome or Naples, you can take the A16 highway that connects to the A14.

The best time to go on a Puglia road trip

Puglia is a region that can be enjoyed year-round, but the best time to go depends on your travel preferences. The summer months of June to August are the peak season in Puglia, with warm temperatures, long sunny days, and vibrant beach scenes. This is the perfect time for sun worshippers and beach bums who want to soak up the sun and enjoy the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic Sea. However, the high season also means crowds and higher prices, so it’s best to book in advance.

If you prefer cooler temperatures and smaller crowds, the shoulder season of April to May and September to October is a great time to visit. The weather is still pleasant, and you can enjoy the region’s attractions without the throngs of tourists.

I visited the second half of September and some towns were still pretty crowded during the day. Which is why I always prefer to explore early in the morning. But it wasn’t the same amount of people like the Amalfi Coast or Rome. The ambiance was still pleasant and the weather still nice.

How to travel around

Renting a car is the most popular way to explore Puglia, as it gives you the flexibility to visit remote areas and smaller towns. However, driving in Puglia can be challenging, especially in crowded city centers or on narrow country roads. There are a few things you need to take into account, but more on that later!

You can also catch the state trains (Trenitalia) or the Ferrovie Sud Est (FSE) from a couple of towns, but often you’ll need to transfer, and it will take a lot of time. The small towns often do not have a train station. Also, the bus can be an option, but again you will need to transfer, and it will take way more time than by car.

Taxis do barely exist in Puglia. If you do not want to rent a car you could opt for N.C.C. (Noleggio con conducente). Which is a more expensive transfer service with driver you need to reserve in advance. I recommend this Taxi Service located in Ostuni. The drivers and girl who arranges everything were super nice and helpful! You can reserve online.

Need to know & tools to plan your Puglia itinerary

In Italy, parking spaces are color coded: white spaces are free, blue spaces are paid, yellow spaces are for residents of the area with special parking permit, handicapped permits, taxis, or official vehicles, and pink spaces are for expectant mothers or mothers traveling with infants. But always keep your eyes open for exceptions!

Cars without a permit are frequently prohibited in historic city centers. Make sure to check if the area you’re visiting has a ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato), and if so, make sure to avoid it or risk getting a hefty fine.

Italians are known for taking speed limits and traffic rules lightly. And for any Italian reading and denying this; I am not saying ALL Italians are doing this, BUT I have driven with many Italians and none of them were, let’s say, calm drivers. So when driving in Italy don’t feel rushed by them and do respect the traffic rules, because guess who will get fined?

Most highways in Italy are toll roads. Meaning you have to pay to drive here. You can pay cash or by credit card.

The south of Italy is way poorer than the north. Puglia has one of the highest unemployment rates in Italy, with a significant portion of the population unable to find work. Its infrastructure is relatively weak compared to other regions in Italy, with poor road and rail connections and limited public transportation options. Puglia’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which is vulnerable to climate change, disease, like the current Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, and other external factors that can impact crop yields and production levels.

In this Puglia road trip guide I chose to stay in different hotels/B&Bs along the way. But you can also opt to stay in one place and visit all the places from there. The reason I stayed in different places is because I like to explore early in the morning and that way I avoided to have to wake up extra early and drive first. If you prefer to stay in one place, I would recommend Monopoli.

Read more about Puglia in Lonely Planet’s South Italy guide.

The ultimate Puglia road trip itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Brindisi airport, pick up car & drive to Ostuni

I took a flight from Brussels to Brindisi, but you can also fly into Bari to start this adventure. Pick up your car at the airport and drive to Ostuni, your first stop of this Puglia road trip! I arrived in the evening while the sun was setting. When I was approaching the town, which is nestled on a hill, I saw the pink and golden light of the sun reflecting on the white city walls. It was simply magical!

After arriving at your hotel/B&B in Ostuni you can go for a first stroll around the town and go for dinner. I found a cute restaurant called L’Arco Dei Sapori where they served a very good melanzane alla parmigiana.

Driving time: Brindisi airport to Ostuni: 30 minutes / Bari to Ostuni: 1 hour 5 minutes
Kilometers to drive: Brindisi airport to Ostuni: 37 km / Bari to Ostuni: 99 km
Parking in Ostuni: Via Giosuè Pinto / Via Antonio Specchia.
Where did I stay: Vico Bianco Raro Rooms Collection

Day 2 – Explore Ostuni, la Città Bianca

Ostuni is a beautiful town perched on top of a hill overlooking eternal olive groves and a sparkling Adriatic Sea. It is known as La Città Bianca (The White City), thanks to its whitewashed houses and surrounding city walls. Ostuni kept its authentic medieval charm and is the perfect place for true wanderers. So start your day roaming the town’s winding streets. Things you must not miss while exploring Ostuni:

• Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta & Arco Scoppa
• The colorful doors of Ostuni
• A walk along Ostuni’s city walls
• Aperitivo at Borgo Antico Bistrot or Avenida 40 Cafè
• The view from Piazzetta Martiri delle Foibe
• Have a puccia for lunch, which is a typical regional sandwich that can have all kinds of fillings like cheese, vegetables, ham, salami,…

After lunch you can either choose to stay longer in Ostuni or already leave and continue your Puglia itinerary to Cisternino. Which is also known for its picturesque streets and quaint stone houses. Park your car and start to wander through the narrow alleys. You’ll be transported back in time to a simpler and slower way of life. The town’s focal point is its beautiful main square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Here locals gather to enjoy a coffee or gelato and soak up the sun.

Then drive to your next stay in Locorotondo and have dinner at Ai Tre Santi in Locorotondo. The town has a nice vibe in the evening.

Driving time: Ostuni – Cisternino – Locorotondo: 32 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 23 km
Parking in Locorotondo: Piazza Antonio Mitrano / Via S Pantaleo
Where did I stay: Marinella Suite Home (currently closed but there are plenty of options to stay in Locorotondo)

Day 3 – Locorotondo, the “Round Place” & Martina Franca

Wake up early to continue your Puglia explorations in one of the most beautiful towns of the Valle d’Itria! Its name Locorotondo, which translates to “Round Place,” refers to the circular shape of the town.

The streets are narrow and winding, with white cobblestones and stone paving. As you stroll through the town in the morning, you’ll see locals going about their daily business, chatting with neighbors and friends. While wandering through the narrow alleys I encountered nonnas hanging their laundry or cleaning their house. Most façades and terraces are decorated with cacti, plants and flowers.

Locorotondo is a clean and well maintained town! The scents of fresh laundry and fragrant aromas of local cuisine kept seducing my nose. The terraces of cafes and restaurants are filled with people soaking up the sun and enjoying their meals and drinks. Things to do in Locorotondo:

• Get lost in the Centro Storico
• Eat the best pizza of the region at Pizzeria Casa Pinto
• Enjoy an aperitivo with the best view at the southside of the Via Nardelli 
• Walk through the olive groves
• Visit the many churches

After lunch you can opt to drive to Martina Franca (6 km – 8 min drive). This is the highest town in the Murgia area of Puglia with alleys lined with whitewashed houses, beautiful piazzas and exquisite churches and palaces in a particular type of style called Barocco Martuinese. It is rather big with a population of 49.000! Top attractions in Martina Franca:

• Lama: the old town center
• Palazzo Ducale
• The many beautiful squares
• Porta di Santo Stefano
• Basilica Cattedrale di San Martino & Church of Saint Dominic
• Piazza Plebiscito

If you would like to learn more about the history and architecture I recommend this Baroque & Rococo walking tour.

You can also choose for a lazy afternoon and drive to the next hotel in Alberobello. I stayed at a nice hotel with pool, so I could relax and enjoy the sun!

Go for dinner at Il Pinnacolo in Alberobello, but make sure to make a reservation in advance! It has a terrace with a nice view on the trulli rooftops and serves classic dishes from the Itria Valley.

Driving time: Locorotondo – Alberobello: 10 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 9 km
Parking in Alberobello: Parking “Nel Verde” / Via Indipendenza 
Where did I stay: Il Gabellota Resort

Day 4 – Alberobello, the “Trulli Capital” of Puglia

Rise and shine! Today it is time to wake up really early to beat the crowds, as you are going to visit one of the most popular places in Puglia! Alberobello gets busy from 9.00 am, so if you want to take some decent photos without the crowds, you’ll have to explore before that time! After you took your photos, have breakfast with the locals at one of the bars.

There are two districts with trulli within Alberobello. Rione Monti is the biggest one with about 1000 trulli spread over 10 streets, and Rione Aia Piccola is a smaller, more authentic area consisting of about 400 trulli. After breakfast everything will start top open, so it’s time to start exploring the little bars and cute shops selling mostly souvenirs like ceramics, pottery, magnets, pasta, olive oil, art, handmade textiles, … Don’t forget to enjoy the view at Belvedere Santa Lucia and the many other fun things to do in Alberobello.

Depending on what time you are done exploring, you can have lunch either at Alberobello (again at Il Pinnacolo or go for a focaccia or local pucce at Largo Martellotta) or at Monopoli, the next stop of this Puglia road trip! If you are having lunch at Monopoli I suggest to do it by the seaside (CarloQuinto or MiCasa). Since it was an early morning I think it would be great to relax a little in the afternoon, so go to the beach (Porto Rosso) or enjoy the pool at the hotel!

In the evening there are plenty of options to have dinner at Monopoli! A few of my suggestions:

• Ristorante Porto Rosso
• MiCasa
• La Locanda dei Pescatori
• The King
• Viamare

Driving time: Alberobello – Monopoli: 25 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 21 km
Parking in Monopoli: Via Procaccia / Ink Café / Parcheggio Procaccia
Where did I stay:  Playa del Mar

Day 5 – Monopoli, the charming coastal town

This Puglia road trip itinerary continues with a day in Monopoli, a charming coastal town with whitewashed houses with green window shutters surrounded by old citywalls and bastions, protecting the town from the sea. Monopoli managed to keep its genuine, lived-in ambience, unlike its more popular neighboring towns. I absolutely loved this town. The locals who were extremely friendly and I had so much interaction with them. The streets are extremely inviting to keep exploring. Surprises are waiting to be discovered behind every corner. It’s also a real challenge to find all 20 churches in the historic center. There are plenty of fabulous things to do in Monopoli!

• Explore centro storico
• Wander along the lungomare
• Visit the cathedral
• Find all 20 churches
• Porto Antico

Driving time: /
Kilometers to drive:/
Parking in Monopoli: Via Procaccia / Ink Café / Parcheggio Procaccia
Where did I stay: Playa del Mar

Day 6 – Polignano a Mare, the “Cliff-Top Jewel”

After breakfast, (which is excellent by the way at Playa del Mar!) it is time to drive to Polignano a Mare. This picturesque beach town is perched atop a 20-meter-high limestone cliff, looking out over the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic Sea. It is well known for its breathtaking coastline, which is lined with lovely beaches and towering cliffs that plunge into the clear waters below. The town is filled with charming, winding alleys that will take you to charming piazzas, ancient churches, and tastefully adorned homes as you explore it. My favorite things to do in Polignano a Mare were:

• Wandering around the historic town
• Belvedere su Lama Monachile
• Grotta dell’Arcivescovado
• Punto Panoramico Largo Ardito
• Lama Monachile beach

Recommendation for lunch: Bella ‘Mbriana / dinner: L’Archibugio

If you do not want to spend the whole day at Polignano a Mare, you could drive to a few more places places in the neighborhood:

• Conversano (12 min / 10 km):  an ancient town with a castle overlooking the city
• San Vito (11 min / 4 km): a small coastal town with a little harbor and an ancient tower
• Grotte di Castellana (22 min / 17 km): Karst cave network

Driving time: Monopoli – Polignano a Mare: 13 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 8.5 km
Parking in Polignano a Mare: San Francesco / Train station
Where did I stay:  Finisterre Casa di Mare

Day 7 & 8 – The final stop of this Puglia road trip; Matera

First have breakfast at the Piazza San Benedetto. I found a cute place there that serves excellent pancakes called San Bé. Then you will get back in the car and continue your Puglia journey to Matera. Which is one of the dreamiest cities in the world, located in the Basilicata region, near the border of Puglia. Matera is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and has a very interesting history. I am not going to explain it thoroughly in this Puglia itinerary, but you can read all about it in my detailed Matera travel guide.

Keep in mind that you are not allowed to drive in the historical center (ZTL zone). Park your car in the nearest parking lot to your hotel/B&B or where the shuttle bus passes. The owner of my guesthouse advised Parking Via Saragat. You will probably still need to walk some stairs with your suitcases, so make sure to research well in advance where your hotel/B&B is located and which shuttle stop you will need to take!

Once you dropped your luggage you can start exploring the “Sassi”, meaning “the Stones”. Which is the old part of the town. It is divided in two separate districts. The Sasso Barisano is located in a bowl-shaped area within the old part of town. The Sasso Caveoso is situated on the mountainside descending from the Duomo towards the Gravina. In the Sassi you will find all the rock-cut cave houses, historical landmarks and narrow streets to get lost in!

Matera has a lot to discover which is why I definitely recommend to stay 2 or 3 nights here, depending on your interests and tempo. These are some Matera highlights:

• Visit a cave house
• Belvedere Piazza Pascoli
• Belvedere Luigi Guerricchio detto dei “Tre Archi”
• Belvedere San Pietro Barisano
• Convento di Sant’Agostino
• Duomo
• Santa Maria de Idris and the Church of Santa Lucia alle Malve
• Piazza Vittorio Veneto
• Palombaro Lungo
• Parco della Murgia Materana

Recommendations for lunch and dinner can also be found in my Matera travel guide!

Driving time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 100 km
Parking in Matera: Parking Via Saragat / More parking info
Where did I stay:  Le LUMINARIe Sassi 

Day 9 – Matera to Bari

Depending on your flight hours and interests, you can still explore Matera or drive to Bari and continue your explorations there. As the capital of the Puglia region, Bari has been a significant port city since ancient times, connecting Italy with the Mediterranean world. The city’s historic center, known as Bari Vecchia, is a maze of winding streets and alleys lined with ancient churches and buildings, including the iconic Basilica of San Nicola, which houses the remains of Saint Nicholas.

Bari is also famous for its delicious food, such as orecchiette pasta and fresh seafood dishes. So don’t forget to give the Via delle Orecchiette a visit, where you find several women making this fresh pasta in the street!

Driving time: 45 minutes
Kilometers to drive: 63 km
Parking in Bari: Via Ruggiero

Pin this Puglia itinerary for later

So that is it! I hope you enjoyed this Puglia road trip itinerary and that it will help to plan your own trip! I really tried to cover everything you need to know. Do not hesitate to leave your comments or questions down below! That way I can add more information if necessary!
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