Apulia forms the heel of Italy's boot and, covering more than 19,000 square kilometres, is the country's seventh largest region. To the east lies the Adriatic Sea; to the south and west, the Ionian Sea. Between them stretches the flattest region in Italy, with only 1.4 per cent of its territory classified as mountainous. The highest point, Monte Cornacchia in the Daunian Mountains, reaches a mere 1,152 metres.
With more than 800 kilometres of coastline, Apulia boasts the longest coastline on the Italian mainland. Add to this three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, two national parks and a culinary tradition that has won admirers far beyond Italy's borders. What sets Apulia apart from many other Italian regions, however, is its landscape: calm and expansive, with well-known coastal towns alternating with remote olive groves and small inland villages.
Six provinces and four landscapes
Apulia is divided into six provinces: Bari as the regional capital on the Adriatic, Barletta-Andria-Trani (BAT) to its north, also on the Adriatic, Foggia in the far north with the Gargano, Brindisi on the southern Adriatic, Taranto on the Gulf of Taranto, and Lecce in the far south on the Salento peninsula. Neighbouring regions are Molise to the north-west, Campania to the west, and Basilicata to the west and south.
Geographically, the region falls into four clearly defined zones. In the north lies the Gargano, the rocky spur of the Italian boot that juts far out into the Adriatic. To the south of it extends the Tavoliere delle Puglie, a vast plain and one of Italy's most important agricultural areas. In the centre follow the Murge, a limestone plateau characterised by its distinctive dry-stone walls. In the far south, the Salento peninsula stretches down to Apulia's southernmost tip, Santa Maria di Leuca, where, according to popular belief, the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet.
Two seas, over 800 kilometres of coastline
Apulia borders the Adriatic to the east and the Ionian Sea to the south and south-west. The two stretches of coastline each have their own distinct character. The Adriatic side is rocky and steep in the north around the Gargano; further south, between Monopoli, Polignano a Mare and Ostuni, small coves alternate with flat sandy stretches. The Ionian coast in the Salento is predominantly fine sand and shallow, turquoise water, which some travel sites occasionally compare to the Caribbean.
Among the best-known coastal towns are Vieste and Peschici on the Gargano, Polignano a Mare with its houses perched directly above the sea, Monopoli with its historic harbour, and Ostuni, the whitewashed town seven kilometres inland. In the Salento, Gallipoli, Otranto and the southernmost Santa Maria di Leuca define the coastal scene.
Alberobello and the Trulli
Perhaps the most iconic symbol of Apulia is the trulli: whitewashed stone dwellings with conical roofs made from overlapping limestone slabs, built without mortar. The small town of Alberobello in the Valle d'Itria is home to around 1,400 to 1,500 of these trulli, clustered particularly densely in the districts of Rione Monti and Aja Piccola. The ensemble was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
The building technique predates the founding of Alberobello by a considerable margin and can be found scattered throughout the Valle d'Itria, from Locorotondo to Martina Franca and Cisternino. The dry-construction technique that underlies both the trulli and the dry-stone walls of the Murge has been part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018.
Castel del Monte and Frederick II
Not far from Andria, on a hilltop in the northern Murge, stands Castel del Monte. The octagonal fortress was commissioned by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in the 13th century. The building, with its precise geometric layout, eight towers and eight rooms per floor, continues to fascinate architectural historians and visitors alike. The exact purpose of the structure has never been definitively established; possibilities include a hunting lodge, a coronation venue or an astronomical observation post.
Castel del Monte was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Its octagonal form makes the fortress so distinctive that it is depicted on the Italian one-cent coin. The building is today managed by the Direzione Regionale Musei Puglia of the Ministry of Culture.
Lecce and the Barocco Leccese
Lecce, in the heart of the Salento, bears the nickname "Florence of the South." The reason is the Barocco Leccese, a distinct Baroque style that developed between the late 16th and the mid-18th century. The region's soft, pale limestone, known as Pietra Leccese, can be worked with exceptional finesse and made possible the opulent façade decorations that define the old town.
The style is displayed to particularly impressive effect on the Basilica di Santa Croce, with its richly detailed façade reliefs, on the Palazzo del Seminario, and on the Piazza del Duomo with the Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Assunta. Lecce is also a vibrant university city and the cultural centre of the Salento.
The Gargano and the national parks
Two national parks protect Apulia's most precious natural landscapes. The Parco Nazionale del Gargano protects large parts of the Gargano spur in the north-east of the region. The park is renowned for the Foresta Umbra, an ancient beech and oak forest that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests since 2017. Lying just offshore are the TremitiIslands, Puglia's only archipelago.
The Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia was founded in 2004 and extends across the high plateau of the Murge between Bari and Andria. Steppe landscapes, limestone formations and a dense network of historic dry-stone walls define the terrain. At the heart of the park stands Castel del Monte.
Orecchiette, Burrata and Olive Oil
Apulian cuisine has its roots in the cucina povera, the cooking of ordinary people. Vegetables, durum wheat semolina, olive oil and modest amounts of meat form the basis of many dishes. The most recognisable pasta shape is the orecchiette from Bari, small ear-shaped pieces of dough that are traditionally rolled by hand and classically served with cime di rapa, a slightly bitter leafy vegetable from the crucifer family. In the old quarter of Bari Vecchia, women still shape the pasta on the open street in front of their doorways to this day.
Among the most celebrated cheeses is burrata, invented in Andria in the 1950s. The outer shell is made from mozzarella, while the centre consists of stracciatella and cream. The Burrata di Andria now carries IGP protected status. Alongside it, taralli, small ring-shaped baked goods, are ubiquitous and are traditionally served with the aperitivo. The Pane di Altamura DOP, a durum wheat bread with a characteristically dark crust, is likewise among the protected specialities of the region.
When it comes to olive oil, Puglia is Italy's dominant force: more than 40 per cent of national production originates from the region. The olive groves of the Salento peninsula, some home to centuries-old trees, define the landscape. Since 2013, however, the pathogen Xylella fastidiosa has been responsible for devastating losses among the trees.
Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia
Puglia is one of Italy's largest wine-producing regions. Three principal grape varieties shape regional production. The Primitivo, particularly from the appellation Primitivo di Manduria DOC, yields powerful, deep red wines with a high alcohol content and ripe berry fruit. The variety is genetically identical to the American Zinfandel and originates from Croatia.
The Negroamaro defines the Salento above all and stands behind well-known appellations such as Salice Salentino DOC. In northern Puglia, Nero di Troia predominates, forming the backbone of the Castel del Monte DOC and Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva DOCG appellations. The Valle d'Itria is regarded as a white wine enclave, home to the Locorotondo DOC, a light, fresh wine made from Verdeca and Bianco d'Alessano grapes.
Salento and the End of Italy
The Salento peninsula forms the southern tip of Puglia and at the same time the south-easternmost point of Italy. Between Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca lies one of Italy's most distinctive sub-regions, with its own language (the Griko dialect in several villages), its own cuisine and a particular quality of lightthat has drawn photographers and artists for years. Across the Otranto Channel between Punta Palascia and the Albanian coast, only around 70 kilometres of open sea separate the two shores; on clear days, the Albanian coastline is visible from the Apulian side.
Among the most popular destinations in the Salento are the sweeping coastline from Porto Cesareo to Pescoluse with its fine sand, the medieval old town of Otranto, and the small harbour town of Santa Maria di Leuca at the southern tip. To the north lie the Grotte di Castellana in the province of Bari, and to the west, beyond the regional border, the cave city of Matera in Basilicata beckons.
Travel Season and Getting There
The peak season in Puglia runs from July to September, with its height in August. Coastal towns such as Polignano a Mare, Otranto and Gallipoli are heavily frequented at this time. Things are more relaxed in May, June and from September to October, when temperatures remain pleasant yet the sea is still warm.
The main airports are Bari Palese on the central Adriatic coast and Brindisi Casale in south-eastern Puglia, both served by several European airlines. For those travelling by car, the motorway A14 runs from Bologna along the Adriatic coast to Bari and on to Taranto. Alternatively, the region can be reached by train via Ferrovie dello Stato services to Bari or Lecce.
Those wishing to experience Puglia in its full breadth will need time and a car. Well-known destinations such as Alberobello, Lecce and Polignano a Mare each deserve a day to themselves; in between lie vineyards, olive groves and small villages that make up the quietest part of the region.
