Patty 
Bari is often treated as little more than the place where you land before setting off to explore Puglia. That is a mistake. The capital of Puglia is one of southern Italy’s most interesting cities: a lively Adriatic port where medieval churches, narrow old-town streets, elegant nineteenth-century avenues, beaches and some of the region’s best … Read more
Puglia has no separate border rules from the rest of Italy. The documents you need are the documents required to enter Italy and the Schengen Area, and they depend primarily on your nationality, passport, residence status, length of stay and purpose of travel. For a short holiday, the rules are straightforward for many travellers, but … Read more
Ten days is enough to experience Puglia as a region rather than as a collection of famous postcards. You can begin with Gargano’s forested promontory and dramatic Adriatic coast, move through Bari and the limestone towns of central Puglia, then finish in Lecce and Salento where the landscape and architecture change again. The route is … Read more
Matera is not in Puglia. It is in the neighbouring region of Basilicata, and that distinction matters. But for travellers based in Bari, Altamura or central Puglia, Matera is one of the most rewarding day trips you can add to an itinerary. The city is famous for the Sassi, the ancient cave districts of Sasso … Read more
The Tremiti Islands are one of the most distinctive destinations in Puglia, but they require more planning than a normal beach day. The archipelago lies in the Adriatic north of the Gargano peninsula and is made up of San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia, Cretaccio and Pianosa. Only San Domino and San Nicola are permanently inhabited, … Read more
Cisternino is one of the best places in the Valle d’Itria for travellers who want a white hill town that feels lived-in rather than staged. It is smaller than Martina Franca, less famous than Alberobello and less polished than nearby Locorotondo, but that is exactly why it works so well for a late-afternoon visit or … Read more
Porto Cesareo is one of the most popular bases on the Ionian coast of Salento, but the town makes most sense when you understand that “Porto Cesareo” can mean three different things: the compact waterfront town, the long strip of beaches north toward Torre Lapillo, and the wider coastal area that continues to Punta Prosciutto. … Read more
Santa Maria di Leuca sits at the southern end of Salento, where the peninsula narrows between the Adriatic and Ionian sides. The town is less about one perfect beach and more about position: a waterfront lined with historic villas, a major lighthouse and basilica high on Punta Meliso, rocky bathing spots, and boat routes that … Read more
Peschici is one of the best places to stay on the northern side of Gargano: a white old town perched above a broad sandy bay, with beaches, trabucchi and forest roads close enough to fill several days. It is smaller than Vieste and can feel more intimate, but the hills, stairs and seasonal traffic mean … Read more
Martina Franca is one of the most rewarding towns in the Valle d’Itria because it offers something different from the trulli and whitewashed lanes that dominate many central-Puglia itineraries. Its historic centre is richer in Baroque detail, the town is large enough to feel lived in, and the countryside immediately outside the centre is still … Read more