11 best places to visit in Puglia [2024]

Updated at: 25-03-2024

If you want to plan a holiday in Puglia or if you have already booked and are ready to leave for the south of Italy, you must know that there are many tourist attractions not to be missed.

Puglia is a wonderful region. Located in the heel of Italy, it offers many places to visit.

The best places to visit in Puglia are: Vieste, Alberobello, Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Cava di Bauxite, Gallipoli, Torre Guaceto, Santa Cesarea Terme, Pescoluse, Grotta della Poesia. In this article we cover all the best places in Puglia and the tips for a dream vacation.

Here is the list of 10 places to visit in Puglia:

Best place to visit in Puglia

Vieste

Vieste overlooks the sea in the northernmost part of Puglia on the Gargano Promontory.

The Gargano area is very large and offers countless places to visit. You will be fascinated by its landscapes, its villages and the clear and clean sea.

If you are in the Gargano area of Vieste we recommend that you also visit Peschici.

Vieste and Peschici are two villages with wonderful historic centers and, at the same time, they also offer beautiful sandy coasts with a crystalline sea.

Among the many things to see in Vieste, in the Gargano area, you cannot absolutely miss a visit to the Baia delle Zagare beach is one of the beaches of Vieste absolutely to visit.

If you are looking for a real paradise where to spend your summer holiday 2024, Baia delle Zagare is the right place for you.

Baia delle Zagare is considered, in fact, one of the most beautiful beaches in Puglia and throughout Italy.

If you love nature and hiking you cannot miss a visit to the Umbra Forest, a UNESCO heritage site. The Umbra Forest is one of the most fascinating places in the Gargano.

You will have the opportunity to walk the paths of the forest surrounded by unspoiled nature. You can choose between different routes.

You can take a guided tour of the forest by booking at one of the information centers in Vieste or in one of the structures that will host you.

You will also have the opportunity to rent a bike to visit the most beautiful corners of the Umbrian forest.

We can say with certainty that the Gargano remains one of the most beautiful places to visit in Puglia.

Recommended Tourist Villages in Vieste:

Visit the page of the 20 and more villages and campsites in Vieste, choose from a list with photos and descriptions, or visit the map with the tourist villages in Vieste to view and choose them from the map.

Alberobello

11 best places to visit in Puglia [2024] 1

In the central part of Puglia, on the hills halfway between Bari and Taranto, you will find Alberobello, one of the most beautiful and visited villages in Puglia.

Are you wondering what to do during your 2024/2024 holidays in Puglia? We recommend a walk in this characteristic village of the Itria Valley.

You will be fascinated by the ancient houses typical of the area, the Trulli built in stone, which are inserted harmoniously into the luxuriant territory of the Itria Valley.

The oldest trulli were built around the fourteenth century. Stop at the Belvedere of Santa Lucia. From here you can enjoy the wonderful panorama overlooking the trulli.

The village is among the most picturesque in Puglia and is a perfect place to take photos that will remind you of the beauty of your holiday in Puglia.

If you decide to leave during the Christmas holidays 2024 you will discover an even more magical village. Christmas in Alberobello rente fills the city with lights and colors.

You will be able to see many decorations and Christmas markets as you stroll through the city center in December.

What are you waiting for? Visit the village of Alberobello with its ancient Trulli.

If you want to enrich your experience you can book and sleep the night in a real Trullo. A unique experience that we recommend to anyone visiting Alberobello.

Recommended Trulli in Alberobello:

Visit the page of the 50 and more Trulli to rent in Alberobello and choose your Trullo from a list with photos and description, or visit the map with the Trulli in Alberobello to be able to view and choose them from the map.

Polignano a Mare

Polignano a Mare is one of the historic seaside resorts to visit if you are on holiday in Puglia. Polignano a Mare is located just south of Bari and is a popular tourist destination.

The town stands on a spur of rock that falls sheer to the Adriatic Sea.

In addition to the historic center, an important tourist attraction in Polignano is the Lama Monachile beach.

Among the many beaches in Polignano a Mare, the Lama Monachile beach is the only one in the historic center.

The beach is closed between two rocky walls, and is characterized by small pebbles and clear waters surrounded by the wonders of the ancient village.

Recommended accommodations in Polignano a Mare:

Monopoli

Monopoli is among the most beautiful places to visit in Puglia. The historic center of Monopoli is characterized by a historic center characterized by many narrow alleys, squares and numerous churches

Among the churches in Monopoli, the most beautiful is the Cathedral of Maria Santissima della Madia, built in Baroque style.

You will enjoy a beautiful view from the port of the city. You will see the medieval walls to protect the ancient village on the sea.

Monopoli is also known for its sea, among the most beautiful in Puglia.

Among the numerous coves and beaches in the coastal area of Monopoli we recommend, among others, to visit Porto Ghiacciolo.

Porto Ghiacciolo beach is located in a particular position, just south of Monopoli, at the foot of the Abbey of Santo Stefano.

As in almost all of Puglia, the sea of Monopoli is limpid and crystalline.

Recommended Masserie in Monopoli:

Visit the page of the 15 + Farmhouses to rent in Monopoli and choose the farm from a list with photos and description, or visit the map with the farmhouses in Monopoli to be able to view and choose from the map.

Ostuni

During your holiday in Puglia you cannot miss a visit to the city of Ostuni, a wonderful village near the city of Brindisi.

Ostuni is called the white city due to the lime-based coloring of the buildings.

Walking through the alleys you will be able to see the ancient craft shops and small shops. Enjoy a drink at one of the typical places in the city center.

The beaches in Ostuni are very famous above all for the naturalness of the coastal areas of the city.

Absolutely to visit, reaching the sea by walking through the green of its Mediterranean scrub, is the natural oasis of Torre Pozzella, a large unspoiled reserve full of beaches, coves and rocks on the sea.

Fine sand and wonderful colors are the characteristics of the beaches in Ostuni mare.

The coast is made up of long stretches of sand. There are also rocky beaches.

If you are on holiday in Puglia, the beaches of Ostuni are to be included in the list of things to see. Ostuni mare is a few kilometers from the city center.

Recommended Masserie in Ostuni:

Visit the page of the 20 and more farmhouses to rent in Ostuni and choose the farm from a list with photos and description, or visit the map with the farmhouses in Ostuni to view and choose them from the map.

Bauxite quarry

Moving to Salento, the southernmost part of Puglia, you will find an attraction that attracts many tourists every year. We are talking about the Bauxite Quarry.

It is located in Otranto, a few minutes by car from the city center, and is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Puglia.

In more ancient times it was a place for the extraction of bauxite (a rock rich in minerals from which aluminum was extracted).

When the water was abandoned, it infiltrated the ground and created a pond in the crater left by the quarry.

The peculiarity of the colors of the lake, and of the area around it, are perceived by the visitor as an alien landscape.

Both the emerald green color of the lake and the red of the soil around it are due to the residues of the minerals from the quarry.

Still near Otranto, a little further north, you can visit the Alimini Lakes area which is another important tourist attraction within the Salento area.

These are two lakes, Alimini Grande and Alimini Piccolo, which communicate through a canal. The whole area is rich in vegetation and offers a breathtaking landscape.

After having seen the quarry and the lakes we recommend that you visit the city of Otranto.

In Otranto you can visit the Cathedral and the Castle. Thus you will discover the history and events that have traveled through Otranto in the past millennia, one of the most beautiful villages in Puglia.

Recommended farms in Otranto:

Visit the page of the 10 + Farmhouses to rent in Otranto and choose the farm from a list with photos and description, or visit the map with the farms in Otranto to be able to view and choose them from the map.

Gallipoli

Gallipoli is on the list of 10 places to visit in Puglia. If you still don't know where to spend your 2024 summer holiday, we recommend Gallipoli.

The city of Gallipoli is located in the province of Lecce, in Puglia. It overlooks the Ionian coast and is known as the pearl of Salento.

In Gallipoli you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Salento. The city offers wonderful landscapes and Gallipoli sea is always clear and crystalline.

On Beaches of Gallipoli the is calm most of the time, because it is favored by the currents of the north wind.

If you are wondering what to do in Gallipoli? In addition to the beautiful beaches, in Gallipoli you will find various tourist attractions to visit.

Among the main places to visit in Gallipoli is the Castle. It is surrounded by the sea and is located at the beginning of the bridge that connects the historic center to the mainland.

After visiting the Castle, take a walk in the beautiful old town.

Recommended Masserie in Gallipoli:

Visit the page of the 10 farmhouses to rent in Gallipoli and choose the farm from a list with photos and description, or visit the map with the farmhouses in Gallipoli to view and choose them from the map.

Torre Guaceto

Torre Guaceto is a beautiful nature reserve located near Brindisi. The sea of Torre Guaceto is a real natural paradise.

Here you will find different landscapes, both sandy areas and rocky areas. There is also a wetland where birds and amphibians live.

To be precise, the nature reserve is divided into three zones, each one has different regulations to preserve the marine reserve.

In total protection areas you will not be able to swim, because the environment must be preserved.

In the other areas, along the coast, you will find various basins with clear and crystalline water where you can stop, swim and enjoy the landscape.

In Torre Guaceto you will always find clear and clean sea and fine sand.

The sea is populated by many fish. In the Torre Guaceto area they organize various guided tours, so you can discover all the curiosities of this sea.

Santa Cesarea Terme

Santa Cesarea Terme is a place to visit in Puglia. It overlooks the Adriatic Sea and is a destination for many tourists every year. So if you are planning a holiday in Puglia for 2024 Santa Cesarea Terme is among the 10 places to visit.

Santa Cesarea Terme is famous for its natural thermal springs which were discovered already in ancient times.

The spas are useful for regenerating and healing the respiratory and muscular systems. If you are wondering where to swim in Santa Cesarea Terme?

We can recommend three beaches: Porto Miggiano, Bagno Marino Archi and the Caicco Bathing Establishment.

They are three rocky beaches that will show you a wonderful landscape. The sea of Santa Cesarea Terme is a real spectacle, crystal clear and transparent water.

Do you want to know what to do after a morning at the beach in Santa Cesarea Terme?

The town of Santa Cesarea Terme also offers some tourist attractions: Villa Sticchi and the famous Tower of Santa Cesarea Terme and Carlo V.

You can also take a beautiful walk in the town center admiring the landscape of the sea that surrounds you.

Pescoluse

Pescoluse is one of the most beautiful places in Salento. It is best known for its beautiful sea, so transparent that it is compared to the Maldives.

The long stretch of fine white sand, the shallow waters, the small islets that emerge from the crystal clear waters and the sandy dunes covered with vegetation are the main features that make Pescoluse one of the most coveted and popular places in the surroundings of Lecce.

During your holiday in Pescoluse there are many things to do and see. You will be able to see the beautiful beaches of Salento and go on boat excursions.

You will be able to visit the small town. You will be able to visit the historic watchtower and do many other things.

Poetry Cave

The Poetry Cave is also worth a visit. If you are planning a holiday in Puglia and are wondering what to see in the surroundings of Lecce, we recommend that you visit the Poetry Cave.

It is a real natural swimming pool surrounded by rocks. It is possible to take a guided tour by paying a 3 euro ticket.

Nearby you will find other areas with rocks where you can freely stop and swim. The sea at the Poetry Cave is beautiful, transparent and clean.

These we have just listed are just 10 of the best places to see in Puglia. There are many places to visit. The sea of Puglia is always clear.

Whichever area you choose to visit you will find many tourist attractions to visit.

What are you waiting for? Plan your 2024 holiday in Puglia now!