Suggested itineraries

Note: You can adjust these to your liking! Want to spend another day in Bari instead of one of the day trips? Go for it! Want to enjoy a full day in both Polignano and Monopoli, or just half a day in each one? OK! Want to skip out on one of the famous towns, such as Ostuni? It's all good. It can be challenging to balance between traveling more slowly and wanting to see all the best spots, so you can play with these itineraries to adjust them to your pace and preferences, even throughout the trip itself.

Note 2: It didn't work out for personal reasons, but from Alberobello, I wanted to take a taxi to the nearby Cantina Masseria Torricella for a winery tour and wine tasting. Book your spot a few days in advance, and if you visit Alberobello and this winery, don't try to also visit Locorotondo on the same day.

5 days in Puglia based in Bari:

Day 1 - Bari

Day 2 - Alberobello (if you have time, you can also visit Locorotondo, but be aware of the timetables of the last bus going back to Bari)

Day 3 - Polignano (if you have time, you can also visit Monopoli)

Day 4 - Lecce

Day 5 - Ostuni, if you want to see another highlight, or Giovinazzo + Trani, if you prefer hidden gems

Note: Lecce is 1 hour and 40 minutes from Bari by train, and even if you only have 5 days, I think it's worth the day trip because it's so beautiful and unique, but if you prefer taking day trips closer to Bari, skip Lecce and take two separate day trips to Polignano and Monopoli or take both day trips to Ostuni and Giovinazzo + Trani.

7 days in Puglia based in Bari:

Day 1 - Bari

Day 2 - Alberobello

Day 3 - Martina Franca + Locorotondo

Day 4 - Polignano (if you have time, you can also visit Monopoli)

Day 5 - Lecce

Day 6 - Ostuni

Day 7 - Giovinazzo + Trani

Note: Again, if you prefer skipping Lecce, visit Polignano and Monopoli on two separate days.

10 days in Puglia based in Bari AND Lecce:

Day 1 - Polignano

Day 2 - Alberobello

Day 3 - Lecce (+ staying in Lecce)

Day 4 - Gallipoli

Day 5 - Salento Coast (3 places out of the Cave of Poetry, Torre dell'Orso Beach, Faraglioni di Sant'Andrea, Santa Cesarea Terme, Castro, and Cala dell'Acquaviva)

Day 6 - train back to Bari + a day in Bari

Day 7 - Ostuni

Day 8 - Monopoli

Day 9 - Martina Franca + Locorotondo

Day 10 - Giovinazzo + Trani

Note: If you're not visiting in mid-June to mid-September, meaning it's not as easy to explore Gallipoli and the Salento Coast without a car, and you don't want to opt in for a solution like a tour or a private driver, I still suggest staying in Lecce so you can spend 2 days there, but if you prefer only basing yourself in Bari, you can spend a couple of slower days in Bari and add another day trip from the list below.

If you have 14 days:

1. Spend more days in places like Bari, Lecce, Polignano, Monopoli to enjoy them much more slowly (you can stay in another town that isn't Bari for a few days).

2. Take more day trips/half-day trips from Bari:

   • Taranto

   • Molfetta + Barletta (in the same area as Giovinazzo and Trani)

   • Bitonto

   • Conversano

   • Putignano

   • Grotte di Castellana

   • Casamassima

3. Take more day trips/half-day trips from Lecce (better in mid-June to mid-September when there are seasonal train and bus lines - book your ticket on TrenItalia):

   • Otranto

   • Nardo

   • Galatina

   • Porto Cesareo

A Note on Matera

Usually, people who visit Puglia also head to the city of Matera, which is in the Basilicata region. This is one of the oldest cities in the world, especially famous for its ancient cave dwellings you can explore throughout two districts.

You can get there by bus from Bari, but here's the thing - the direct bus from/back to Bari's city center can be manageable but limiting, with only one leaving early in the morning and only one coming back in the evening. The other option is to take a direct bus from the airport, and trains aren't always available either. If you find the bus too inconvenient, you can book a day tour.