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28/09/2026

28/09/2026

Portafortuna dal Madagascar ( albero del Baobab)

19/09/2026

Puglia’s Most Beautiful Places

Puglia is one of those regions where the famous photographs only show part of the story. Everyone recognises the trulli of Alberobello or the cliffs of Polignano a Mare, but travel farther north and south and the landscape keeps changing: forests, fishing towns, white villages, Baroque cities and some of the clearest water on the Adriatic.

Vieste sits dramatically above the sea in the Gargano, surrounded by cliffs, caves and long beaches. Nearby Peschici is smaller and more intimate, with white houses packed onto a rocky promontory overlooking the coast.

Foresta Umbra feels almost impossible after spending time on Puglia’s beaches. This enormous woodland in the Gargano gives you shaded trails, ancient trees and a completely different landscape from the Puglia most visitors imagine.

Monte Sant’Angelo is another surprise. Its historic centre sits high above the Gargano and is home to the UNESCO-listed Sanctuary of Saint Michael. Manfredonia, farther down the coast, combines a long seafront with an old town that receives far fewer international visitors.

Trani has one of the most spectacular cathedral settings in southern Italy. The pale stone Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino stands almost directly beside the Adriatic, while the harbour nearby is perfect for an evening walk.

Bari deserves more than a quick arrival or departure. Bari Vecchia is full of narrow streets, churches, small squares and the famous women who still make orecchiette outside their homes.

Polignano a Mare is one of Puglia’s icons, and the view over Lama Monachile really is as beautiful as the photographs suggest. Monopoli, just down the coast, feels different: a working harbour, whitewashed old streets and little corners that are easy to explore without a plan.

Ostuni is known as the White City for good reason. Its old town climbs up a hill in a maze of white houses, stairways and terraces overlooking endless olive groves.

Then there is Alberobello, with hundreds of trulli creating one of Italy’s most unusual townscapes. But nearby Locorotondo is every bit as worth seeing, especially for its perfectly white historic centre and views across the Valle d’Itria.

Martina Franca changes the mood again with grand Baroque buildings, elegant streets and beautiful palazzi. It is one of the places that shows Puglia is not only about beaches and white villages.

Farther south, Lecce is the region’s great Baroque city. Its churches and palaces seem almost carved rather than built, especially when the warm local stone catches the evening light.

Otranto combines a historic centre, castle, cathedral and remarkably blue sea in one compact place. And at the very bottom of Puglia, Santa Maria di Leuca gives you dramatic coastal scenery and the feeling that you have reached the end of the Italian peninsula.

That is what makes Puglia so special: there is no single image that represents it.

The region can be wild, elegant, ancient, colourful, quiet and spectacularly coastal — sometimes all within the same day.

19/09/2026

Puglia’s 10 Most Beautiful Beaches for Your Next Summer Trip

Puglia has hundreds of beaches, but these are the ones I would put at the top of the list if you want the clearest water, the most dramatic scenery and a good mix of wild coves, long sandy beaches and iconic coastal towns.

Start in the Gargano, where the coastline feels completely different from southern Puglia. Baia delle Zagare is one of the most spectacular beaches in the region, surrounded by pale cliffs and famous sea stacks. Nearby, Spiaggia di Vignanotica has a wilder atmosphere, with white cliffs dropping directly into incredibly clear water.

Farther south, Lama Monachile in Polignano a Mare is probably the most recognizable beach in Puglia. It is small and extremely busy in summer, but the setting beneath the old town makes it one of those places you should see at least once.

On the Adriatic side of Salento, Torre dell’Orso is one of the strongest beach choices. The long sandy bay, turquoise water and the Due Sorelle sea stacks make it especially beautiful from above. Baia dei Turchi, near Otranto, is another excellent stop if you prefer lighter sand, shallow water and a more natural setting surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.

Then there is the Ionian coast, where some of Puglia’s most Caribbean-looking water appears.

Punta Prosciutto is one of the best-known beaches around Porto Cesareo, with pale sand, dunes and shallow turquoise water. Torre Lapillo is nearby and is another easy choice if you want a long sandy beach rather than a rocky cove.

Porto Selvaggio gives you something completely different. Instead of a classic beach resort, you walk through pine forest to reach rocky coves and intensely clear water. It feels much more natural and is perfect if you want a break from the busiest sandy beaches.

Farther south, Pescoluse is famous for its very shallow water and long sandy shoreline. This is the area often marketed as the “Maldives of Salento,” and while that nickname gets overused, the water really can be exceptionally clear on calm summer days.

Finally, Punta della Suina near Gallipoli is one of the most beautiful places to finish the list. Rocky sections, small sandy areas, transparent water and views along the coast make it especially good around late afternoon.

If I were planning a summer beach trip, I would not try to see all ten in a few days. Puglia is much larger than it looks on the map, and driving from Gargano to southern Salento takes time.

A better plan is to divide the coast into areas. Stay in the Gargano for Baia delle Zagare and Vignanotica, use the Bari or Monopoli area for Polignano, then spend several days in Salento for the remaining beaches.

July and August bring the warmest weather but also the biggest crowds, especially at places like Lama Monachile, Torre dell’Orso and Punta Prosciutto. If you can travel in June or September, you usually get a much more relaxed experience while still enjoying warm sea temperatures.

Another thing to remember is that not every beach is easy to reach. Some require a walk, some have limited parking, and access arrangements can change during the summer season. For the most popular beaches, arriving early in the morning can completely change the experience.