Puglia has attracted more than its fair share of travel magazine column inches in the last couple of years, yet still remains relatively untouched and well worth exploring. Packed full of ancient towns, dramatic Romanesque churches, dreamy windswept beaches and wild open plains, Puglia (the heel of Italy’s boot) is well worth a visit on a trip to Italy. This southern region is enclosed by the Adriatic Sea on one side and the Ionian Sea on the other and is populated by plenty of whitewashed hill towns that are perfectly situated to take in the stunning sea views. On your Puglia holidays, travel through the vast plains of Tavoliere di Puglia in the north and see the iconic beehive shaped dry stone trulli houses in the picturesque, UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello. Take a tour of the charming cities of Otranto, Leuca, Bari and Lecce and feel like you’ve stepped back in time on a visit to the ancient fortified hill town of Matera, a place so ancient in look and feel it was used to film several scenes of Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ.'

Puglia holiday ideas

A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started

  • One Country Italy – Puglia

    Slow Travel Italian Style - London to Puglia by Train

    Practice slow travel on this eight-day rail trip from trendy Milan to laid-back Lecce

    8 days, from £2700 to £4300

  • One Country Italy – Mattinata – Matera – Noci – Lecce

    Italy’s Southern Charm - A Road Trip Around Puglia

    Soak up the southern charm of Puglia on this 12-day adventure winding through its idyllic landscapes

    12 days, from £3200 to £4150

  • One Country Italy – Puglia – Fasano – Matera – Lecce

    Culture and Cuisine in Puglia - A Scenic Road Trip from Fasano to Lecce

    Embrace the laid-back beauty of southern Italy on this Puglian road trip through coast, countryside and culture

    9 days, from £3300 to £4200

  • One Country Italy – Greece – Monteroni di Lecce – Noci – Bari – Athens – Mystras – Areopoli

    Italy and Greece Combo - From Salento to Mani Along the Mediterranean

    Soak up idyllic Italian landscapes in Puglia before setting your sights on the Greek grandeur of the Peloponnese during this two-week adventure

    14 days, from £3450 to £4800

  • One Country Italy – Puglia – Pezze di Greco – Conversano – Alberobello

    Pint-Sized Puglia - A Luxurious Family Getaway

    Enjoy eight fun-filled family days in Puglia, combining beach bliss, beautiful towns and unforgettable food

    8 days, from £3900 to £6300

  • One Country Italy – The Dolomites – Venice – Puglia

    An Italian Mountain, City & Beach Break - Summer in the Dolomites, Venice and Puglia

    Spend 11 days exploring the best of Italy’s varied landscapes: the Dolomites, Venice and Puglia

    11 days, from £4400 to £7050

  • One Country Italy – The Amalfi Coast – Puglia

    Culture and Culinary Treats - A Romantic Trip to Southern Italy

    Soak up the romance of Southern Italy, from ancient Matera to the Amalfi coast and Puglia’s hill towns

    10 days, from £6050 to £9650

Italy testimonials

30 reviews
4.7 / 5
"Emily really understood what mattered to us and created a trip that felt completely personalised and thoughtfully organised. We had time to relax in Naples after each excursion, our transport provider was friendly and always on time, and it was a pleasure to be looked after by a local, who added an authentic touch to the whole trip. Visiting Herculaneum and Pompeii was a particular highlight - our guide was truly exceptional, making the visits truly memorable with an excellent command of English and an impressive knowledge of world history as well as the sites themselves."
L - UK
Published on 23rd February 2026
"Our Concierge was brilliant and super helpful - we'd recommend travelling with Original Travel based on her help alone! The Concierge was a new thing for us as previous travel companies did not have this feature, and we thought this was invaluable. We particularly enjoyed the food tour in Ragusa, seeing Mount Etna, driving in Ortigia and the sunset in Marsala. It is the first time we have used Original Travel and we were very happy with the service."
M - UK
Published on 29th September 2025
"Emily really listened and understood what I was looking for, and developed a fantastic itinerary based on that. The personalised tour of Siena was a real highlight - I had asked if we could see some James Bond filming locations, and our guide took a lot of time to review the films and take us to the exact streets, balconies, doorways and squares seen in the films. We all loved it, especially our boys, who are James Bond enthusiasts."
G - UK
Published on 29th September 2025

Which experiences is Puglia best for?

Blessed with hundreds of miles of coastline and every type of beach imaginable from golden sand getaways to gray rock coves and sheltered bays, Puglia’s coast has plenty to entice. After you’ve had your fill of beachside bliss, delve into the many picturesque towns scattered across the region. Visit Lecce, the “Florence of the South” and enjoy its impressively intricate baroque buildings complete with gargoyles and gremlins galore. Explore the port city of Bari and marvel at its steep cliffs topped with white-washed houses and make sure to go to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Alberobello to see its distinctive trulli houses. Other top spots to tick off include Monopoli with its grand Baroque Cathedral, Ostuni, a wonderland of whitewashed buildings; and Canusium, the oldest city in Puglia. For nature, head to Gargano National Park and immerse yourself among the rare flora and fauna as you wander along its winding coastal trails.


Who is Puglia best for?

Puglia holidays are perfect for anyone with a love of history and architecture. Spend your time here hopping from one UNESCO-listed site to another and filling up on ancient hill-topped villages, intricate architecture and grand churches. Lovers of the coast will also find plenty to delight in this stunningly beautiful corner of the world. Explore the coastal park of Gargano and enjoy the underwater caves and colourful fish of the Tremiti islands. In Santa Maria di Leuca, spend your days diving in the sea and trying your hand at windsurfing and kitesurfing on one of the many lakes in the area.


The best ways to discover Puglia

Puglia is best explored by car. Enjoy stunning scenery as you wind along the roads and stop in all the places that catch your fancy.


Unique experiences on a trip to Puglia

Stay in a traditional trulli house and admire its distinctive conical roofs and dry stone walls from within. These thick walled buildings - some many centuries old - are synonymous with the Itria Valley region, and the town of Alberobello alone has more than 1500.


What you can find in Puglia that you won't find anywhere else?

Puglia specialises in another type of unusual accommodation: hotels converted from centuries old fortified farmhouses. Stay in one of these elegantly refurbished masserias, which are opening up along the coastline, and enjoy the region's good weather, deserted beaches and hilltop towns that feel unchanged for centuries.