Luxury Puglia Holidays

Rustic region with an A-list coast

Puglia

Down in the heel of Italy's boot is the region of Puglia. With quaint towns and villages, delicious regional cuisine, and a landscape dominated by olive groves and vineyards (save room in your case for tins of extra virgin olive oil and a bottle of DOC red wine), it's rural Italy at its best.

With a dual coastline – one side fronts the Adriatic Sea, the other borders the Ionian – there are plenty of beaches to take your pick from. Around Savelletri di Fasano, expect pale sands and cut-glass waters; venture further south into the Salento peninsula and you’ll find bays that could rival the Maldives.

Puglia offers a raft of day-tripping options, too. Head for historical Ostuni or handsome Lecce, discover Alberobello's iconic trulli houses, or explore the caves near the town of Castellana, which stretch over three kilometres and date back two million years. UNESCO-listed Matera, with its centuries-old cave houses, is also in reach.

Destinations in Puglia

Monopoli

Monopoli is a strikingly pretty town in Puglia that piles ivory-white castles, towers and cathedrals in a walled old town by the sea.

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Savelletri Di Fasano

Savelletri di Fasano is a fishing hamlet with a marina, plenty of seafood restaurants and a world-class golf course. Plus, Egnazia Archaeological Park is just up the road.

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Things to do in PugliaExplore LecceLecce is a gorgeous city, with baroque buildings and churches, plus houses made from cream-coloured local limestone. Make sure you check out the intricate façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce and the beautiful bell tower in the Piazza del Duomo.

Things to do in PugliaGo wine-tastingThey might not be as well-known as those from Tuscany or Piedmont, but Puglia produces some fantastic wines, with a number of growing regions now designated DOC areas. We can arrange visits to local vineyards or enotecas (wine shops) to sample of few local labels. Reds are most popular, though white, rosé and sparkling wines are also produced – names to look out for include Primitivo di Manduria and Salice Salentino.

Things to do in PugliaSee Alberobello's trulliYou'll find the highest concentration of Puglia's distinctive trulli houses in this little town. The cobbled streets of the Rione Monti and Aia Piccola districts are lined with the whitewashed dwellings, each of which is topped with a grey, cone-shaped roof.

Things to do in PugliaWander Ostuni's narrow lanesThe whitewashed houses that spill across Ostuni's hillside have given it the nickname La Città Bianca, or The White City. The narrow backstreets and alleys are perfect for getting lost in. Once you make your way to the top of the hill, you'll find the grand Gothic cathedral, which dates back to the 15th century.

Flight Information

Flights to Puglia take around 3 hours from the UK.

When to go

Nestled right in the far south of Italy, Puglia has a balmy Mediterranean climate, with warm springs and autumns that see temperatures in the 20s well into October. Head here in the summer and you can expect plenty of beach-perfect days – blue skies, sunshine and temperatures nudging 30°C.

Visa Information

British citizens do not currently require a visa to visit Italy.

Tipping

When you dine out in Italy, you will generally be charged a coperto (cover charge), which is for the bread, tablecloth, cutlery, etc. Tipping in Italy is not customary, but is always appreciated.

Introduction to languages

The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.

Puglia Specialities Puglia is one of Italy’s biggest foodie regions – its agricultural background means there’s stacks of fresh produce grown on the doorstep, including olives, tomatoes, fava beans and artichokes. Rustic is the watchword, with simple dishes taking the spotlight. Try out the local pasta, orecchiette, with cime di rapa (turnip tops) and don’t leave without sampling Puglia’s cheese of choice – burrata. This creamy mozzarella-like cheese was first made here around 100 years ago.

Our pick of the top hotels in Puglia

Every one of our hotels is handpicked and personally visited by our team

Borgo Egnazia Resort & Spa

Puglia, Savelletri di Fasano

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Il Melograno

Puglia

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Trulli beautiful: Discovering Puglia's Valle d'Itria07/10/2017 The Valle d’Itria, or Itria Valley, is classic Puglia: rolling countryside half-covered in olive groves and dotted with round, spiky-roofed trulli houses. A day spent driving around here will give you a real flavour of this sun-baked southern region of Italy... Read More

Luxury Puglia Holidays

Puglia

Borgo Egnazia Resort & Spa

Il Melograno

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