A few more tips for your Puglia trip

Restaurants and cafes:

1. Do you know the famous Italian coperto, the fixed fee that covers the items for your meal, such as napkins and cutlery (usually 1-3 euros per person)? Well, it is not only reserved for restaurants - a good number of cafes in Puglia will also charge you for it, around 1-1.5 euros per person.

2. When in doubt, make a restaurant reservation. I don't have a thumb rule for when and where you need it, but it's not uncommon for restaurants to be completely full for the entire lunch or dinner service, so if there's a place you're really eager to try, read some reviews and look for ones mentioning reservations.

Crowds: The tourist season is May to September (with July and August being the busiest and hottest months), and you can definitely notice the crowds in the most famous towns like Alberobello and Polignano (and in the buses and trains going there) even at the beginning of May, while others can remain quite tranquil or are pleasantly lively, at least until the peak summer months.

That said, the number of people you'll see in each town, famous and popular or not, changes not only throughout the year but also throughout the week and day, so you'll probably experience both the serene and bustling sides of Puglia.

Also, don't rule out visiting off-season - one of my trips to Puglia was in March, and although some businesses and services were not operating (for example, some restaurants were closed), I had great weather 90% of the time, and I had these beautiful places almost all to myself!

Beaches: Bring water shoes or sandals! Not all beaches are sandy - some are pebbly and even rocky, and others are not even proper beaches but just offer some areas to put your towel on, sunbathe, and jump into the water. In addition, not all beaches offer sunbed and umbrella rentals, especially not beyond mid-June to mid-September.

Landmarks, piazzas, streets, etc.: This is true for Italy in general - something is always under renovation! You can be thrilled to see a specific landmark or get excited about a certain piazza, and then, you come across construction work that leaves you completely disappointed. It's a bummer but also essential to keep in mind.