Apulia “Puglia” a southern region in Italy. It is commonly known as the “Heel,”of Italy. Apulia is known for its whitewashed hill towns, centuries-old farmland and hundreds of kilometers of Mediterranean coastline.
- Alberobello.
- Polignano a Mare
- Monopoli
- Ostuni
- Lecce
- Torre Dell’orso
- Cisternino
The Food.. I know, I am getting excited thinking about it too!
These are some traditional and authentic food and wines to try out. I tried most of them and everything is Molto Bene! (Very good)
- Traditional Dish: Orecchiette con cime di rapa (Orecchiette with broccoli rabe or rapini
- Taralli: small rings made from crispy bread dough. They are a traditional snack (we got a couple packs and snacked on them our whole trip:) Also in the crunchy bread realm are frize and friselle
- Focaccia/bread
- Burrata, Mozzarella
- Olive Oil
- Famous wines: Primitivo, also known as Zinfandel. •Salice Salentino DOC, • Castel del Monte Riserva DOCG
Getting Around
For our trip to Italy it made sense for us to get a car. We stayed in Italy for two months. We picked up our vehicle from the Bari Airport. (We went in 2022) so there wasn’t as many cars Available (especially automatic cars) and be prepared to pay a little more now. since Covid hit prices went up. Be sure to book in advance by at least 2-3 months. I will post the links Europcar and Booking.com at the end of the blog to help assist you with your vehicle needs. I Found Europcar to be more affordable.
*Helpful Saving Tips: If you rent cars for shorter periods of time and get different cars rather than keeping the same car for the whole trip. Using multiple cars ended up saving us hundreds of dollars. It’s a little more work but worth it to save money. **
**Be warned some of the driving gets REALLY tight in some spots. Especially Ostuni, I am blessed that my husband is a good driver!**
Accommodations
While staying in Apulia, we were there for 5 nights and split those days into two areas. (There is never enough time to see Italy itself! 5 Days was a good taste, but a week would be ideal or even more.) We stayed in a Trullo in Alberobello and then in a flat near the Centro of Ostuni.
Alberobello Airbnb:
Staying in Alberobello was definitely a bucket list goal. I was absolutely in love with our accommodation! From the decor to the landscape, and charming barn, it was definitely a special stay that I will never forget.
The price of our accommodations was fairly reasonable, this was one of our “Experiences Stays.” I only stayed two nights there, I was travelling Italy for two months so we tried to budget or spend more where we could.
Staying in this accommodation for 2 nights was enough time for us. We had time to see the Trulli and other near by towns such as Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. The location of this Trulli was about a 5-10min drive to the UNESCO Heritage Site. There was a grocery store very close by as well, about 3-5min drive. Link to Alberobello Accommodation. https://abnb.me/Q5LLWlQQgtb
Ostuni Airbnb:
The second part of our stay in Apulia we stayed in Ostuni. The price of our accommodation was very reasonable and located very close to the main Piazza. This property is situated close to lots of restaurants and bars. It was more of a bachelor suit, but had most of the amenities I was looking for. It was just my husband and I so the space was perfect for us.
There is a grocery store about a 10-15 walk depending where you are situated. The Parking itself was very tricky! Make sure you ask you host before if they have a place to park your vehicle. https://abnb.me/l3PYtuXQgtb
The Towns In Apulia
𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨
is a small town known for its whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs known as Trulli or Trullo (singular.) Due to its uniqueness, the trulli of Alberobello was included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.
𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢 & 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐞:
These two towns are located on the Scenic Adriatic Coast. The contrast of the crystal blue waters and white wash walls are definitely a site to be seen. They are both very small and can be seen in the same day. Polignano a Mare is know for its Famous beach, breathtaking coastal views and Cave/Grotto Restaurant. Monopoli Has a lot of history and has a charming fishing port. There are beaches scattered across the coast! By car it takes about 30min from our accommodations in Alberobello.
Here is a map of the beaches (Spiaggia) along the Coast of Monopoli
On the way to Ostuni we stopped off in little picturesque towns: Locorotondo and Cisternino. We were able to do both towns in a day. We sat outside and had our morning cappuccini and cornetti at a cafe with a view. Morning never looked so good! With a stunning view of the countryside filled with mature olive trees and scattered Trulli. These are very pretty white washed towns and contrasted with colourful flowers everywhere, you definitely feel like you are in a fairytale!
Perched upon a hill and the Adriatic Sea sparkling in the distance. Ostuni’s charm will take your heart. Get lost in whitewash buildings and alleys, you will find something new every turn! Although very small, it has a lot to offer. *Also, be prepared to walk up hill!*
Ostuni is filled with trending bars, restaurants and pretty views. You can grab a quick espresso or cappuccino for breakfast or an Aperol Spritz in the Piazza della Liberta for dinner. I also find Ostuni very charming at night time.
It was a good base as well, we did day trips towards the south to Lecce and Torre dell’orso. It took about an hour to get to Lecce by car and then we just kept going south to the next destination, which made our trip home a little longer but still easy.
We stayed in Ostuni for 3 days and 2 Nights, if we had more time in Apulia we would have done the west coast too.
Don’t forget to make a stop by Agriturismo Antica Masseria Brancati to view the mature olive’s trees that are up to 2000 years old and go on a tour of their property!
Lecce is filled with gorgeous 17th century Apulian Baroque architecture. Which can be categorized as “pietra leccese,” a light yellow, easily worked limestone.
I have to say, Lecce was really one of the places that REALLY surprised me and how much I liked it! The essence of Lecce is lovely! It looks like a bigger town or city, but it is so laid back and relaxed . It wasn’t too busy, no body was rushing around! It really had a great vibe there. Lecce is a university town so there are people of all ages which makes it really diverse.
Things to do in Lecce
• Best way to experience Lecce is to just take a stroll. Every street is a treasure, you can admire all the taralli shops along the way.
The best starting point to explore Lecce is its Roman Amphitheater, in Piazza Sant’Oronzo.
• There are plenty of old churches and museums that are so gorgeous. These are some churches..
- SANTA CHIARA CHURCH
- SANTA CROCE BASILICA
Torre dell’Orso – one of the most beautiful beaches of Apulia, located in the city of Melendugno in the province of Lecce. This beach has received environmental awards, including the Blue Flag. It is about 30 min from Lecce.
Torre dell’orso
Escape from it all with these views! There are plenty of hotels and places to stay along the beach. Vacationers can enjoy restaurants and bars and other sea side amenities. Best times to go are between May-October.
Riccardo Caffe: When it comes to cocktails or some dinner; Riccardo Caffe has such an seductive ambience. It is located on a trendy street in Ostuni. They light up the ally way in front of the restaurant and it is just a vibe itself.
Website to book restaurant or hotel accommodations or reservations in Polignano a Mare. “Grotto|Cave Restaurant” https://www.grottapalazzese.it/en/home/
Osteria Del Tempo Perso:we really wanted to try this restaurant. It was recommended by our Airbnb host but unfortunately it was closed:( it is located on the cutest street.
I hope this guide helps reduce some stress of planning your holiday to Apulia!
“Safe Travels and Auguri Alla Tua Dolce Vita!” – -Kristina xox
𝑫𝒐𝒍𝒄𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 
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