Puglia — Highlights and Travel Tips
Travel Highlights
- Visit Alberobello and experience traditional trulli culture. This UNESCO site looks like a white-washed hobbit village. Alberobello is also known for its lemon liqueurs as well as a selection of great restaurants.
- Visit Galatina for the frescoes found in the Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria.
- Have local crafters custom make you a pair of sandals in Ostuni. If you visit on a Saturday you will be able to buy crafts and fresh produce at the market.
- Take a dip in the rustic, rock-beach swimming coves and hidden grottos like the Grotta Verde in the town of Andrano.
- Visit Martina Franca to see the frescoes in the Palazzo Ducale and the baroque architecture of the Chiesa di San Martino.
- Join the locals for a drink in one of the open-air bars in the piazza.
- Visit the churches in Lecce, which is home to more than 40 churches and lots of baroque art. It has even been called the “Florence of the south”.
- Join in the celebration of festa di paese, a village festival Salentine Peninsula where men with tambourines and accordions play while women sing and locals perform an Italian folk dance called tarantella.
Travel Tips
- Most of the swimming coves are rustic and don’t feature many services, so make sure to bring your own towel and umbrella.
- Puglia travel can be tricky. Trains and buses are widely available but will take up too much time if you want to see all of Puglia. Rent a car if you want to explore all the small coves and quaint little villages.
- Beware that many of the beaches are not accessible without paying a fee or are private beaches called lidos. It takes some planning, but you can find several free beaches in Puglia like Alimini Beach.
- Stay in a cone-shaped dwelling called a trulli. They can be found all over the Puglian landscape but the trulli-heavy spot has to be Alberobello.
- Avoid taking your Puglia holiday in August because the area will be full of noisy kids on school holiday. For a trip with fewer crowds and cheaper prices, plan your visit for June or September.
- Even though tipping isn't expected in local areas, there's no escaping the coperto! If a restaurant charges a servizio, that's a tip. The coperto is not a tip, but a charge for bread, tablecloth, and silverware.
- Look for restaurants that don’t have English menus in plain sight and you will dine like the locals.
The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily has a wealth of amazing coastal paths, incredible beaches, awe-inspiring archeological sites and fantastic cuisine. A trip to Sicily also offers travelers a glimpse into a diverse culture that dates back to ancient times. Visit majestic cathedrals, ancient Greek ruins, small painted churches, stunning vineyards and more to get inspired on your Sicilian vacation.