For those who have already experienced the pretty streets of Florence, Bologna, Milan and sorts, I have the next Italian destination you should visit: Puglia! From my point of view, Puglia is perhaps a bit too intense for someone who has not been to Italy before, but more on that later. This incredible region in the heel of Italy has it all: local specialties, beautiful distinct scenery, charming towns and cities, bright blue seas and more. Compared to the more popular regions in the north, the streets of Puglia’s towns and cities are not yet packed with foreign tourists. Let me walk you through a perfect itinerary of Puglia.
To start your exploration in Puglia, I would recommend to fly to one of the two most common airports: Bari or Brindisi. I decided to go for Bari, the capital of Puglia and a great base from which day trips can be made. Bari itself is of a manageable size, you won’t get lost here and the streets can be explored in a day or two. Worth exploring is the old town and its pretty streets, as well as its dedicated pasta street where the local nonna’s make fresh orechiette pasta to take home. My room in the centre of Bari made roaming around the city and its restaurants very convenient, especially at night. From Bari, the first day trip that I recommend you take is a visit to Alberobello. This town (and area) is famous for its stone, pointy roof homes called trulli. The town is truly (pun intended) worth exploring! It might as well be in Greece or any other mediterranean area. The town is pretty much decked out in white trulli homes and that makes it very pretty. Make sure to bring a cap and sunglasses as well as plenty of breaks for some water, as it can get bloody hot here in summer. The easiest way to get to Alberobello is probably by bus, which takes around 40 (ish) minutes from downtown Bari.
Next up: Monopoli! Not the board game, but the town closeby Bari. If you take the regional train, it will take you less than 30 minutes to reach it. Monopoli is in a way similar to Bari, just way more compact. The streets are pretty, and so are the beaches and harbors dotted around. If you are 
a fan of seafood, you will have plenty of options here. I especially liked the tiny beaches surrounded by rocks and crystal clear water. While such beaches are not the most comfortable to lay down on, they offer an unique atmosphere that would not look weird in a Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue commercial. Grab yourself a nice sandwich, locally known as a Puccia with a filling of your choice such as cheeses or cured meats. It never fails to surprise me how such an incredible sandwich packed with flavour will only cost you 3 to 5 euros here. We don’t calorie count on holidays, so just eat what you want! You will have plenty of steps in your day anyway, so don’t let the local cuisine hold you back. It would be a shame to miss out on it. On the way back from Monopoli, make sure to stop in Polignano a Mare. The beach in this town is perhaps the most famous beach in Puglia, certainly online. While I did not end up going to this beach (it is quite packed and I think there are nicer beaches around), I think you should still go and have a look. The pictures are pretty, but in real life it is even prettier. So take the train back, exit at Polignano a Mare, roam around and grab yourself a nice spritz.
For the final stretch of the Puglia trip, it is time to head even more south in the heel of Italy. On our way to the beach town of Gallipoli, we made a pitstop at Lecce. Lecce is sometimes referred to as the Florence of the south, and any visitor would see why. Compared to the other cities in Puglia which are often clad in white houses, Lecce gives a different vibe more reminiscent of a capital city. This is because Lecce is home to many grand buildings, beautiful churches and squares. It is also packed with boutique 5 star hotels, all of which
look incredibly chique and with impeccable hospitality. Up until now, I have barely seen any foreigners, but Lecce does get visited by (rich) foreign visitors from the US and the UK. I cannot tell you how long you need in Lecce as that is quite personal, but I would highly recommend to give the city at least a few hours of your time. One of my favorite discoveries in Lecce: caffe leccese! It is a coffee specialty originating from Lecce and is made by first adding some almond syrup to your glass, followed by ice cubes and a shot of espresso. Steer it well and enjoy. It is quite sweet but for me, it is a perfect summer drink to enjoy on a terrace after roaming the city. Ever since that discovery, my Puglia trip saw daily orders of a caffe leccese. Up until this point, the Puglia trip had not seen much sunbathing yet. This is why the final few days in Gallipoli were dedicated to catching some sunshine on the beautiful beach of Baia Verde. Gallipoli is a very cozy town on the other side of Puglia by the Ionian sea and has its old town on a cute circular limestone island. The days in Gallipoli allowed for ultimate relaxation: reading magazines on the beach by day, swimming in the beautiful sea, having a lunch at one of the beachclubs, head back to the hotel and then go out for dinner in the cute old town. I am very glad we had a few of these days on this trip, and it made for a perfect end of our trip. After the days in Gallipoli, it was time to head back to Bari one more time for an overnight stay before flying back to the Netherlands.
Coming back to my original statement: why is Puglia not the obvious choice for beginners? Well, I think Puglia is quite a bit less touristy than other regions in Italy. As a result, it can be tricky to communicate in English and some businesses or bus drivers won’t be able to help you in English. It is not a reason to not go, and all train tickets and train schedules will be available in multiple languages. The same goes for most restaurants and other places. Puglia is just a bit more hectic, even for Italians! With that in mind, I highly recommend you to visit this incredible region of Italy with so much charm, good food, beautiful sights and cities. You will love it.
