Best 10 day Puglia Itinerary

This is the best 10 day Puglia Itinerary you need to help you plan your trip! We love this area of Italy, it is very beautiful and feels less touristy than other places in the north. This is what you need to do. Puglia is also referred to as Apulia in Italian.

Table of Contents

Where is Puglia (Apulia)?

Puglia is located in the south of Italy. It includes a group of towns which covers a wide area along the coast near Bari and runs all the way to the bottom of Italy’s ‘boot’. Its capital, Bari, is approximately 450km south east of Rome.

How to get to Puglia?

Most people will fly into the international airport at Bari however you can also arrive from Sicily by bus or Naples and Rome by train.

Is Puglia worth visiting?

Definitely! We loved Puglia. It is a beautiful area with a lot of little pretty towns that are all worth visiting. You can base yourself in one town and visit others nearby. The seaside villages are just as lovely as the countryside. Puglia is more affordable than other areas of Italy and has less tourists. It is really easy to get around by bus or car, you can easily spend a week here and have more to come back and see!

How do you pronounce Puglia?

Puglia is pronounced Pool-lia. Try to use this pronunciation as you will not stand out as a tourist!

Do you need a car for Puglia?

The honest answer is ‘it depends’. If you can hire a car then yes it is a great way to easily get around and see the area. It will be the fastest and easiest way to get to each village and you can then spend as much or as little time as you want at each. We always use Rental Cars when hiring a car.

Can you get around Puglia by public transport?

However if you can’t afford to or don’t want the hassle of hiring a vehicle then yes, you can get around Puglia by public transport. We used public transport to visit each of the places below and it was pretty easy and straightforward. We actually took an overnight bus from Sicily to Puglia! That was an experience but definitely possible.

Within Puglia we used the TrenItalia app to find the buses and timetables. We also used Google Maps to find buses and bus stops. While we were able to get around the whole area using these I do have to say that it wasn’t always exact or reliable. We were left waiting for a bus leaving Martina Franca to Locorotondo for 45 minutes as one didn’t turn up. Another time Google Maps was telling us to wait 5 km away from where we knew the bus would actually stop.

The only thing I can say is it is possible, we did it. But you have to talk to the bus drivers to confirm where you are going. Make sure they confirm they will stop in the town. If we were really worried then we showed them the Google Map of where we wanted to go. Once you are on the right bus it is really easy! We took buses between all of the below towns without problems. We also used trains for the Bari and Polignano A Mare area.

What to do in Puglia? Best 10 Day Puglia Itinerary!

We spent 10 days in Puglia and loved every minute. This is what we recommend for this amazing area of Italy. You can do this in any order, this is just how we worked it.

Day 1-3 Locorotondo

Use Locorotondo as a base and spend 3 days here exploring the area. Make sure to wander the charming white lanes and old centre. From here check out Martina Franca, Alberobello and Cisternino. These are must visit towns! Magical Alberobello with its uniquely shaped houses, Cisterino is the prettiest little whitewashed village with unique foods and Martina Franca is the big sister of Locorotondo, with a rich old centre.

Where to stay Locorotondo:

We stayed at Casa Melina! Historic house in Locorotondo , it was well priced and just perfect!

If you want to stay in a Trulli you can do this best in Alberobello. These are great options:

Midrange: Dimora Miccolis, Dimore nel Tempo, Trulli Antichi Mestieri, Trulli Holiday Albergo Diffuso

Luxe: Romantic Trulli

Day 4-5 Ostuni

Ostuni is an incredible town to visit. Located on top of a hill this whitewashed town will immediately capture your heart. It is just lovely. Wander the lanes that circle the centre. Find all the viewpoints from the outer edges. Eat the best food. Take in the history. From here you can do day trips to Brindisi and Lecce although it is a bit further away. I honestly wouldn’t though. Check out our Ostuni blog on how to fill two days here easily and leave you wishing for more!

Where to stay Ostuni:

Budget: Elda Guest House, Suite Nella Roccia, Sunshine Luxury Rooms

Midrange: Cà Bella Vista, CASETTA LAURA C.I.S, WHITE STONE- La Terrazza,

Luxe: Panta Rei, Caterina’s Suites & Apartament, BELLE HOME OSTUNI vista mare

Day 6-9 Polignano a Mare

Polignano a Mare was my favourite place…which is saying something as I loved everywhere we went! This town is stunning. Located right on the coast only 35 minutes by train from Bari it is beyond picturesque. You will find an incredible little ancient old town on the edge of a cliff. Then there is the amazing beach which is the prettiest place I’ve seen in a long time. Surrounded by cliffs the pebbly bag is accessed by stairs and a walkway under an arched bridge. You have to check out my Polignano a Mare blog to see everything in this must visit destination. We also spent a day in Monopoly the larger town only 5 minutes away by train.

Where to stay Polignano a Mare:

Budget: DON GIL CHIC, POLIGNANO BONITA, La Perla del Mare di Polignano Apartments, Leavì,

Midrange: Tre Archi Apartment & Relais, L’ARCO ANTICO – Una Casa sul Mare, A casa di Dany

Luxe: Dimora Valmar, Bruco Holiday, Dofely – Suite by the Sea, POSEA – Polignano Sea Suites,

Day 10 – Bari

If you are arriving or leaving from Bari you really should check it out. We spent a day here and really enjoyed walking the old city. It is the capital of Puglia and has the cutest old streets. Check out our Bari blog for the must see spots. If you are not staying overnight here you can leave your luggage in storage. We use the Radical Storage system. They are well located and priced. We have a Radical Storage 10% discount code for them also!

We loved our time in Puglia and can’t wait to come back and add to this itinerary! There are so many other little villages and places we want to discover. Let us know if you go or if you have any questions about planning in the comments, we are happy to help!

Is there an easier way?

If you want to make it super easy just check out these tours that includes everything from accommodation, transport and food! Tour from Bari to Lecce or this tour of Puglia and Matera!