Puglia, nestled in the „heel of the Italian boot”, is a favorite destination for many in Italy. If you’re planning a trip, be sure to visit these places!
Puglia, also known as Apulia, is located in the southeastern part of Italy and is famous for its beaches, historical cities, which include the famous trulli and baroque towns.
Table of Contents
The most beautiful places in Puglia
Alberobello
Starting with the most well-known place first. Here you can find the famous trulli, which have made the city a part of UNESCO World Heritage.
A trullo is a form of housing: circular in plan, with cylindrical walls and a conical roof, its chimney is at the top of the roof. It’s the stone-built version of a teepee. Many of them can be seen in the so-called monumental zone.
Their development is tied to taxation. Since taxes had to be paid on houses in the 1700s, by order of Count Giangirolamo II Acquaviva of Conversano, houses were built that could be easily dismantled when the tax collector came, and quickly rebuilt after their departure.
Monopoli
The city is visited for its beaches and historical center.
In its downtown, there are labyrinth-like streets where we can walk among whitewashed houses. Its most beautiful building is the Cathedral of Maria Santissima della Madia. The 12th-century Apulian Romanesque church is famous for the icon of Madonna della Madia.
On the beachfront stands a 16th-century fortress, Castello di Carlo V. Built by order of Charles V of Habsburg to protect the city from maritime attacks. It later lost its significance and served as a prison for centuries.
Several wonderful beaches and bays can be found around the city. Examples include Cala Porta Vecchia, Porto Verde, and Capitolo.
Bari
The capital of Puglia, and the second-largest city in Southern Italy after Naples, serves as a starting point for exploring the province.
The Romanesque style is strongly present in the city, blended with local Byzantine and Saracen influences. A standout example is the Basilica of San Nicola, built in the 11th century. It’s one of the most significant church buildings in European Christianity and an important pilgrimage site not just for Roman Catholics but also for Orthodox Christians.
Bari’s old town, Barivecchia, is located on the eastern part, where the ancient city walls still stand. It features labyrinth-like, irregularly branching streets and characteristic medieval buildings.
South of the old town lies Murattiano, the city area with a carefully planned, grid-like street layout. Its main street is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, lined with magnificent palaces built in the 19th century. Here is also the main shopping street, Via Sparano, offering luxury goods.
Ostuni
Its old town, also known as the Citadel or the White City due to its whitewashed buildings, is famous. The most significant buildings are the cathedral and the Episcopal Palace, as well as several noble palaces.
Ostuni is not only popular for its architecture. The olive groves around the city and beaches, such as Costa Merlata, add to its attraction.
Lecce
Located in the southern part of Puglia, on the Salento Peninsula, it’s often called the Florence of the South due to its unified cityscape defined by numerous baroque buildings.
It experienced its golden age in the 17th century when the city was under the control of local bishops. This is when its imposing baroque buildings were constructed. A main characteristic of Lecce baroque is that it does not transform the space, i.e., it stays true to classical architectural forms. However, in terms of decoration, it moves towards more richness and elaboration.
The most significant building is the Basilica of Santa Croce. The church, built in the 14th century, is the finest example of Lecce baroque. Its main feature is the richly decorated façade.
The old town’s center is Piazza Sant’Oronzo in the eastern part of the city, named after the column holding the statue of Saint Orontius. This was the medieval city’s marketplace. The most beautiful buildings stand along Via Visconti and Via Mocenigo.
Matera
The city is famous for the Sassi di Matera, a complex of districts consisting of cave dwellings that form the historical center, which has been part of UNESCO’s World Heritage since 1993.
People lived in these prehistoric cave labyrinths without electricity or water up until the 1950s. It was then that the inhabitants were relocated. In 1993, UNESCO declared the sassi of Matera a World Heritage Site, which today forms Italy’s largest open-air museum.
Polignano a Mare
The town is famous for its steep cliffs rising from the Adriatic Sea, clear blue waters, and the natural caves that line the coast.
Polignano a Mare’s symbol is Lama Monachile. This beautiful little bay where the crystal blue sea meets rocky shores offers a spectacular view.
The famous Italian singer, Domenico Modugno, known for his song „Volare” was born in the town. A statue of him is placed on the seaside promenade, offering a beautiful view of the Adriatic Sea.
Castel del Monte
The most famous of the castles built by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1996 because of its interesting and unique architectural solutions.
The castle, built in the 1240s, is also referred to as Apulia’s „stone crown” due to its unique octagonal layout. As it lacks the usual military elements of the era, it was probably primarily a representative fortress and only secondarily of a military nature.
Martina Franca
Located in the Itria Valley, the city stands out for its baroque and rococo architecture.
One of the main attractions is the Basilica di San Martino, dedicated to the patron saint of Martina Franca and a stunning example of local baroque architecture. The interior of the basilica is richly decorated with frescoes, gilded carvings, and a magnificent main altar.
The city hosts the famous Valle d’Itria Festival, an internationally renowned opera festival that attracts lovers of classical music and opera from all over the world.
Cisternino
The town is built on top of a 392-meter-high hill overlooking the Itria River valley, thus it is situated in a magnificent environment.
Its center is made up of narrow streets and whitewashed buildings. Several buildings in the town also exhibit the trulli style. The Torre Civica, or Civic Tower, is one of the main historical buildings, having been a central place for community life over the centuries.
One of its outstanding attractions is the belvedere, a panoramic viewpoint that offers a wonderful view of the Itria Valley.
Locorotondo
The town’s name means „round place” which refers to the town’s circular layout.
Located on a hill, it offers a wonderful view of the Itria Valley and the surrounding olive groves and vineyards.
Notable are its houses with the cummersa, a distinctive roof structure that is a unique element of local architecture. These roofs are sloped and often combined with characteristic whitewashed walls.
Gallipoli
The city lies on the Ionian coast, in the western part of the Salento peninsula. The Greek word for „beautiful city” makes it well worth a visit.
It consists of two parts: the borgo (the new town) and the historic old town, which is located on an island near the coast and connected to the town by a multi-arched bridge.
The old town stands out for its narrow cobbled streets and well-preserved medieval buildings. The most beautiful of these is the Cathedral of Gallipoli (Cattedrale di Sant’Agata), which stands out for its impressive Baroque architecture.
At the foot of the old town is the most popular beach, the Spiaggia della Purità, notable for its golden sandy beach and its location.
Otranto
Cape Otranto, within the city limits, is the easternmost point in Italy. It is famous for the breed of horse (murgese) bred here.
Its most outstanding attraction is the huge cathedral, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata, built in the 11th century, and inside is the famous mosaic floor, one of the largest and most complex mosaic works in medieval Europe, depicting biblical scenes and mythological motifs, among other things.
The city walls, the bastions and the Norman-Aragonese castle offer a magnificent view of the sea and are a reminder of Otranto’s strategic importance in the Middle Ages.
