Vacation in the heel of an italian boot is a real la dolce vita! Read reviews of tourists about their holidays in Puglia and find out about the best hotels, beaches and attractions.
Impressions of Puglia
There are few mountains in the southeast of the Apennine Peninsula. Almost the entire territory of Puglia is occupied by the magnificent Apulian plain and picturesque hills. Tourists come to Puglia to enjoy the wonderful views, the leisurely and carefree life of the Italians, beautiful temples and medieval palaces. Puglia is popular with connoisseurs of authentic cuisine - delicious orecchiette pasta, excellent olive oil, homemade cheeses and the local tiella dish made from rice, potatoes and mussels.
vesna68: "Bari is a very cozy town for rest and travel around Apulia. The old town, the Basilica with the relics of St. Nicholas is a must-see! Beautiful embankment. The beach, however, with a shallow sea, but you can lie down."
Where to relax in Puglia
You can admire the grandeur of Rome and the huge shops of Milan as much as you like, but the true flavor of Italy opens up in small provincial towns. Apulia consists of six provinces, and its coastline stretches for 800 km.
Administrative center of the region Bari - a large port city, which is loved for its sandy beaches, colorful Old Town and rich nightlife. Town Alberobello looks like a fairytale village of gnomes. Come here to see white houses with gabled roofs - trulli.
Old Martina Franca popular with connoisseurs of the Baroque, narrow streets and rich Catholic churches. The very end of the "heel" is the province Lecce - called southern Florence. It has preserved many monuments - from Roman times to the Renaissance.
Provincial center Brindisi imbued with the atmosphere of southern Italy. Everything here seems different than in the large cities of the country - life, language, open and deep sea. Ferries to Greece and Albania leave from the port of Brindisi.
Tiny Gallipoli - a paradise for lovers of medieval architecture. White City Ostuni admires churches and palaces, the oldest of which are more than 500 years old. In the north of Puglia, on the seashore is a beautiful city Vieste, which is known for the purest sea water, golden beaches and picturesque cliffs.
Find out where to relax by the sea in Italy.
Best hotels
There are no problems with accommodation in Puglia. Accommodation for tourists is available in all towns and small seaside villages. When major religious holidays are held in Bari, many pilgrims come to the city. If you are going to Bari at the beginning of May - for the day of St. Nicholas, we advise you to book the hotel in advance.
The best beach hotels in Puglia, according to tourists:
Terra d'Acqua Resort 3 * is an excellent hotel with a seafood restaurant in the seaside town of Ugento. Double room with breakfast costs from 67 €.
Il Civico 2 3 * - a wonderful hotel overlooking the city of Bari. For a double room with breakfast, tourists pay from 70 €.
Hotel Zodiaco 4 * is a stylish hotel with colored balconies 5 minutes walk from the sandy beaches of Porto Cesareo. Double room with breakfast costs from 171 €.
Best Western Plus Leone di Messapia Hotel & Conference 4 * is a modern hotel 4 km from the historic center of Lecce. A double room with breakfast costs from 102 €.
Borgo Egnazia 5 * is an Arabic-style resort hotel in Fasano with a private beach and four swimming pools. Double room with breakfast costs from 534 €.
Eremo Guest House 5 * is an excellent guest house in Polignano a Mare. A double room costs from 127 €.
Apulia beaches
The coastline of Apulia is washed by the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Along the coast, rocky areas alternate with cozy coves and sandy lagoons.
In the Marina di Andrano resort, vacationers swim and sunbathe on the beaches of Zona Grotta Verde and Zona Botte. There are 25 excellent beaches on the coast near the town of Monopoli. In some resorts, tourists combine relaxation by the sea with thermal baths.
In the reviews, tourists call the coast near Ostuni, the Gulf of Zagare, the beaches of Lama Monacile, Punta della Suina, Porto Midziano, Torro del Orso, Torre Sgarrata, the island of San Nicola and the beach of Guzmay near the national park as the most beautiful beaches in Puglia Gargano.
medlena: "The beaches in San Foca are fine light sand, the entrance to the water is shallow, the bottom is sandy, there are no stones. It is good for children to swim here. There are paid sun beds and umbrellas."
Sights
For a couple of weeks of vacation, it is impossible to visit all the interesting places in Puglia! Do not miss the magical houses of the Trulli in Alberobello, the Old Town of Bari, the Temple of Santa Maria Maggiore in Barletto, the Castellana Karst Caves, the Conversano cathedrals and monasteries and the medieval castle of Castel del Monte. From Puglia it is convenient to travel to the neighboring region of Italy to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the rocky settlement of Sassi di Matera.
Krevetka123: "During a tour of the city of Monopoli, I first visited the shrine to the glory of the Savior, which was founded in the fourth century. After this wonderful place I went to see the fortress by the coast to feel like I was in the Middle Ages."
Vacation with children
According to the reviews of tourists, in Puglia it is good to have a rest with children of any age. The resorts have water parks and comfortable family hotels. Shallow bays with clear sea water are beautifully warmed by the sun.
With an older child, it is interesting to see the sights of Italian cities, the dino park in Castellana Grotte and the Acquario del Salento aquarium. Relax at Capricciolandia amusement park in Bari and visit the Zoosafari in Fasano!
YuliaEvgenevna04: "The zoo and the amusement park are a must! You drive through the zoo and meet different animals that walk and live like in the wild, without enclosures. The child was delighted with everyone, but especially with giraffes! The terrarium made a great impression" ...
When is the best time to go
Apulia has a mild Mediterranean climate. There is a lot of sun and snow is very rare. The first tourists come to seaside resorts in April. It is very beautiful in the middle of spring in Puglia, but the weather is still unstable.
The swimming season starts in May and ends in October. There is no intense heat in Puglia in June. In July and August, the average daytime temperature is + 32 ° С. Often the thermometer rises to + 40 ° C. The sea water is warmed up to + 25 ° С.
Those who find it hard to endure the summer heat, rest in Puglia during the velvet season. September is sunny and warm in Italy. In October, the weather gets worse and it starts raining.
Find out when to vacation in Italy.
ALEkh-po: "We flew to Bari in April, after Easter weekend, to soak up the sun a little. But it didn't work out very well. It was sunny and warm in Rome, but cloudy and rainy in Bari."
Conclusions: is it worth going to Puglia
The southeastern part of Italy is ideal for beach holidays and boat trips. Lovers of history, interesting museums and architectural monuments come to Puglia with pleasure. The coastline of Porto Cesareo is perfect for diving enthusiasts.
Puglia has resorts for luxury and budget holidays. It is convenient to travel around the region by car, bicycles, regular buses and yachts along the coast.
