7 Days in Puglia: How to Road Trip Italy’s Most Underrated Region

Puglia’s centuries-old olive trees, crystalline beaches, remote farmhouses and white villages may be one of the enchanting corners of Italy that most travelers have yet to discover. This often-skipped destination keeps pulling me back: I’ve been four times and counting, spending months in Puglia to explore every hidden nook and cranny. Unlike other road trip itineraries, the slow pace of a Puglia road trip offers shorter drives, authentic food and plenty of small surprises along the way. After multiple Southern Italy road trips, this is my master Puglia road trip itinerary. 

Do You Need to Rent a Car in Puglia? 

There’s no debate here. Regardless of your trip, you will need to rent a car to explore Puglia properly. Driving allows you to move between beach towns, small villages and white towns without a timeline. 

Train travel can cover journeys between bigger towns like Bari, Lecce and Monopoli. But once you depart from the well-worn path, waits become longer and travel becomes more difficult on public transit. To truly enjoy your 7 days in Puglia, you need a car. 

The Perfect 7-Day Puglia Road Trip Itinerary 

My perfect 7 days in Puglia includes plenty of beach time in charming, seaside towns, exploring the region’s trulli buildings and winding roads through historical towns. Here’s how to plan the perfect Puglia road trip itinerary. 

Day 1: Arrival & Polignano a Mare

Arrival: Bari International Airport

Once you arrive at Bari International Airport, pick up your rental car and head out on the road. This is the easiest spot to start your road trip through Puglia. From here, your first drive will be short and relaxed. 

About thirty minutes later, you’ll reach Polignano a Mare, one of the most beautiful spots in Puglia. Polignano a Mare is close enough to ease into the first day, but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. It’s also home to one of the most beautiful beaches in Puglia. 

Lama Monachile is one of the most iconic spots in Puglia. This beach, located right in the city center of Polignano a Mare, might not have a lot of space to sit and sunbathe (unless you get there early!), but it does have a lot to offer. Swimming in the crystal clear waters under the cliffs of Polignano a Mare is truly unforgettable! 

This beach is simply stunning — and even more beautiful from the water. If you have the budget, I always recommend a boat tour (this one comes with an aperitif!) to see the coastline in all its glory. 

Lama Monachile also has plenty of Puglia restaurants nearby: a great gelato place, a granite spot, and a focaccia spot, in addition to several sit-down spots. The ease of accessibility makes this one of my favorite cities in Puglia. 

There’s plenty more to do in Polignano a Mare, too: If you’re interested in exploring the elaborate cave system in Puglia, consider taking a boat tour to see the best of the region. 

Overnight: Polignano a Mare 

Day 2: Monopoli 

On your second full day in Puglia, head to my favorite place in Puglia: Monopoli. 

Perched on a rocky promontory above the Adriatic, Monopoli is one of Puglia’s most captivating coastal towns — a tangle of whitewashed alleyways, fishing boats and sun-bleached piazzas that spill straight into the sea. Its old town, encircled by 16th-century walls, rewards slow wandering and long strolls through tangled alleys. 

Monopoli, Italy also boasts one of the most breathtaking stretches of coastline in Puglia. With crystalline waters, hidden coves and rocky outcrops,Monopoli is truly home to some of the best beaches in Puglia.

Make sure to spend an afternoon lounging in the sun and swimming through crystal-clear waters. 

Overnight: Monopoli 

Day 3: Alberobello and Ostuni 

Start your day off by driving inland to two of Puglia’s beloved villages: Alberobello and, later, Ostuni. 

Your first stop? Alberobello. Alberobello’s famous trulli — ancient dry-stone dwellings crowned with distinctive conical roofs — have earned the town UNESCO World Heritage status, and one look explains why. Bizarre, beautiful and utterly unlike anything else in Europe, this is one of those rare places that lives up entirely to the hype. Spend your morning wandering through the famous streets; you won’t need more time than this. 

When you jump back into the car, drive a short 45 minutes to Ostuni. Ostuni earns its nickname — the White City — the moment you spot it rising from Puglia’s olive-covered plains, its medieval hilltop town a blaze of whitewashed walls visible for miles.

Inside, it’s a labyrinth of steep lanes, hidden courtyards and cathedral squares that reward every wrong turn.

Overnight: Ostuni 

Day 4 & 5: Lecce or Salento 

Lecce is the undisputed capital of Puglia’s deep south — a baroque city of such extraordinary architectural richness that it has earned the nickname “the Florence of the South.” 

Built almost entirely from the region’s golden lecce stone, its churches, palaces and piazzas are encrusted with an exuberant riot of cherubs, garlands and grotesques that seem to spill from every surface. 

The city is the perfect spot to explore the true Puglia with its authentic restaurants, deep history and stunning scenery. If you’re looking for a taste of Puglia, don’t skip Mamma Elvira Enoteca and Taula. 

Alternatively, if you want to skip the history and head straight to the beach, don’t miss some of the best beaches in Puglia. From here, visit Torre Lapillo Beach, Baia Verde or Spiaggia di Pescoluse. 

For this section of your Puglia road trip, you have two choices for overnights. 

Spend the night in Lecce if you are seeking out a more historical second half of your vacation. However, if you want to lounge by the beach and spend just a day in Lecce along the way, pick a spot in Salento. 

Torre San Giovanni and Porto Cesareo offer two breathtaking, charming seaside spots with crystal clear waters and long stretches of beach. 

Overnight: Lecce or Salento, your choice 

Day 6: Bari 

On your final full day in Puglia, head back to your base: Bari. This charming – though sometimes gritty – Italian gem offers tourists stunning seaside spots, winding Old Town streets, and beautiful beaches, a unique mix of both traditional and modern Italian life. 

Italy’s Bari is perhaps one of the most forgotten cities to time, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t history and culture and beauty around every corner.

Bari’s stunning Old Town, or Bari Vecchia, is perhaps one of the most beautiful regions of the city – and one of my favorite things to do in Bari. Most Old Towns can feel touristy and overcrowded, but Bari’s Old Town is a maze of narrow, winding roads filled with so much to uncover and explore.

While you’re here, you simply can’t miss orecchiette street, or Arco Basso street.  Every day, the women of Bari will set up stools and tables on the street to make fresh orecchiette pasta (which you can buy!!). Even if you don’t plan to buy the pasta, this is still one of the best things to do in Bari, Puglia Italy. 

The women here are used to people taking photos and videos of their work – and watching them work is truly extraordinary. They can make those little orecchiette is simply insane; they also sell taralli and even cookies to take home. 

Find my full list of the best restaurants in Bari here and the best things to do in Bari here. 

Overnight: Bari

Day 7: Fly Home 

On your final day, grab breakfast in Bari and head back to the airport to wrap up your 7 days in Puglia. If you have a later flight, keep in mind you can store your luggage at the train station for a low price. It’s always sad to leave the dreamiest region of Italy, but after a Puglia road trip, you will always be back.

Samantha Tatro

Samantha Tatro is a Czech-American third culture kid who grew up living and traveling abroad. Many years later, after living in California and working as a journalist, she decided to take the leap and move abroad again…this time to Prague, Czech Republic. Samantha started Undiscovered Path Home to help couples and solo female travelers find the courage to visit countries – and locations – off the beaten path. Her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, NBC News, The Adecco Group, and more.