Puglia: 7-day Itinerary
Discover Puglia on a 7-day itinerary through whitewashed villages, turquoise beaches, historic towns, and beautiful landscapes beyond the tourist trail.
Day 1.
Bari Airport → Polignano a Mare → Monopoli
Driving: ± 1 hr 15 total
Pick up your rental car at Bari Airport and head south along the Adriatic coast.
Make your first stop in Polignano a Mare, where the old town rises dramatically above the sea and narrow streets lead to viewpoints overlooking Lama Monachile.
Continue to nearby Monopoli for the afternoon. Explore its whitewashed historic centre, old harbour and waterfront before enjoying your first evening by the Adriatic.
Stay: Monopoli
Day 2.
Monopoli → Alberobello → Locorotondo
Driving: ± 1 hr total
Leave the coast behind and drive into the Valle d’Itria, one of Puglia’s most distinctive landscapes.
Start in Alberobello and wander through its famous trulli districts. While Rione Monti attracts most visitors, Aia Piccola offers a quieter side of the UNESCO-listed town.
Continue to Locorotondo in the afternoon. Explore its immaculate whitewashed streets and viewpoints overlooking a countryside filled with vineyards, olive trees and trulli.
Stay: Locorotondo / countryside around Valle d’Itria
Day 3.
Locorotondo → Cisternino → Ostuni
Driving: ± 1 hr total
Spend the morning exploring more of the Valle d’Itria. Drive through the countryside to Cisternino, a small hilltop town filled with whitewashed alleys, stone archways and local restaurants.
Continue towards Ostuni, the famous White City. Explore its maze of narrow streets in the late afternoon and climb towards the cathedral for views across ancient olive groves towards the Adriatic.
This is deliberately a slower day, giving you time to experience Puglia’s inland villages rather than simply driving between highlights. The Valle d’Itria is particularly known for its trulli, centuries-old olive groves and white villages.
Stay: Ostuni
Day 4.
Ostuni → Lecce
Driving: ± 1 hr 10
Leave the Valle d’Itria and continue south into Salento.
Spend the afternoon exploring Lecce, one of southern Italy’s most beautiful historic cities. Wander through its Baroque centre, passing Piazza del Duomo, Basilica di Santa Croce and the remains of the Roman amphitheatre.
Stay into the evening, when the streets become quieter and Lecce’s warm limestone buildings are beautifully illuminated.
Stay: Lecce
Day 5.
Lecce → Baia dei Turchi → Otranto
Driving: ± 1 hr 15 total
Head towards Puglia’s Adriatic coastline and spend the morning at Baia dei Turchi, a beautiful natural bay surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.
Continue south to Otranto. Explore its walled historic centre, cathedral and waterfront before walking towards the Aragonese Castle.
Otranto is an ideal base for exploring this side of Salento, with Baia dei Turchi, Alimini and Torre Sant’Andrea all located along the surrounding coastline.
Stay: Otranto
Day 6.
Otranto → Santa Maria di Leuca → Gallipoli
Driving: ± 2 hr 30 – 3 hr total
This is the most scenic driving day of the itinerary.
Leave Otranto and follow the Adriatic coast south, stopping at places such as Porto Miggiano, Santa Cesarea Terme or Castro along the way.
Continue towards Santa Maria di Leuca at the southern tip of Salento before turning north along the Ionian coast towards Gallipoli.
Spend the evening exploring Gallipoli’s old town, which sits on an island connected to the mainland by a bridge, and stay for sunset over the Ionian Sea.
Stay: Gallipoli
Day 7.
Gallipoli → Porto Selvaggio → Brindisi Airport
Driving: ± 1 hr 45–2 hr
Don’t drive directly back to the airport.
Head north from Gallipoli and spend your final morning around Porto Selvaggio, where pine forest, rocky coastline and clear turquoise water create one of Salento’s most beautiful natural settings.
After a final swim or coastal walk, continue towards Brindisi Airport, return your rental car and fly home.
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