One Week in Puglia Without a Car: My 7-Day Itinerary

Although its public transport has a poor reputation, a week in Puglia without a car is entirely doable. I know because I have done it.

This itinerary covers Lecce, Otranto, Ostuni, Monopoli, Alberobello and Polignano a Mare, all reached by train and bus.

whitewashed trulli houses with painted roof symbols in Alberobello, Puglia

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IN THIS ARTICLE

Can you see Puglia without a car?

Yes, though it takes some planning.

Trenitalia runs a coastal line between Bari and Brindisi, stopping at Monopoli, Polignano a Mare and Lecce, with frequent, comfortable trains. Inland towns including Martina Franca and Locorotondo are served by the slower FSE regional line, so check timetables in advance.

Local buses fill in the gaps, though services thin out considerably off season.

inside a Trenitalia coastal train carriage in Puglia — The coastal train

boarding the local bus to Alberobello — The bus to Alberobello

READ THIS NEXT: Beginner’s Guide to Train Travel in Italy

Where I based myself

I flew into Brindisi from London (Bari is the other main hub) and split my week between Lecce and Monopoli, using each as a base for day trips. This kept hotel changes to a minimum and both towns sit on the coastal train line.

Lecce is the natural gateway to the Salento peninsula. Monopoli’s location makes it easy to reach the whitewashed towns of the Valle d’Itria and the coast around it.

I stayed in Rois Haus Suites and B&B Ai Due Santi in Lecce, and Palazzo Murat in Monopoli. I’d happily book any of them again.

hotel room at Rois Haus Suites in Lecce — Rois Haus Suites

room at Ai Due Santi in Lecce — Ai Due Santi

hotel room at Palazzo Murat in Monopoli — Palazzo Murat

My 1-week Puglia itinerary at a glance

Day 1 – Arrived in Lecce
Day 2 – Lecce
Day 3 – Otranto
Day 4 – Train to Monopoli & Ostuni half-day trip
Day 5 – Monopoli
Day 6 – Alberobello
Day 7 – Polignano a Mare and flight home

A week covers the highlights, but not all of Puglia. I left out Bari and the Gargano Peninsula for lack of time, and skipped Gallipoli and Martina Franca/Locorotondo, both awkward by public transport out of season.

Matera sits just over the regional border in Basilicata and works well as an add-on if you have an extra day or two, though it isn’t part of this itinerary.

I travelled solo in October. The weather swung between glorious sun and one thoroughly wet afternoon in Ostuni, and although visitor numbers were lower than summer, the main towns were still busy. I’d choose September or April next time, both drier and with fuller summer timetables still running.

wsolo traveller Bridget Coleman in the old town of Polignano a Mare

Day 1: Arrive in Lecce

Known as the ‘Florence of the South’, Lecce is famous for its flamboyant Baroque architecture. I checked in late evening, with just enough time for a passeggiata before dinner.

Baroque carving on the San Matteo church facade in Lecce — San Matteo was next to my accommodation in Lecce

Day 2: Lecce

Start with a pasticciotto and coffee on the terrace of Pinti Pasticceria (location here), then explore Lecce’s churches (the LeccEcclesiae combination ticket covers several).

pasticciotto pastry on a pink plate, a Lecce breakfast tradition — Breakfast *pasticciotto*

The Basilica di Santa Croce, with its facade of frilly stone carvings, is the city’s architectural centrepiece.

ornate Baroque facade of the Basilica di Santa Croce in Lecce

Visit the Museo Faggiano, where one family’s home renovation uncovered 2,000 years of history beneath their floors. Try to pop into one of the town’s papier-mâché workshops. This craft has been practised in Lecce since the 17th century.

READ THIS NEXT: One Day in Lecce: Puglia’s Baroque Gem

Day 3: Otranto

Spend the day in Otranto, where mainland Italy reaches furthest into the sea. The seasonal bus service will get you there in an hour. Out of season, it’s a longer train journey, changing at Maglie.

cream and white buildings of otranto old town by the sea

The Norman cathedral houses a striking floor mosaic, and the Aragonese castle tells the story of the city’s maritime past. Walk the walls and the Lungomare, and cool off with a swim before heading back to Lecce for your last Salento evening.

medieval floor mosaic inside Otranto Cathedral — Part of the cathedral’s mosaic floor

READ THIS NEXT: A Perfect Day in Otranto, Italy: What to See and Do

Day 4: Transfer to Monopoli, afternoon in Ostuni

The train journey north to Monopoli takes you along Puglia’s Adriatic coast. After checking in to my guest house, After checking in, I took the train straight back out to Ostuni, Puglia’s White City.

Ostuni’s historic centre is Greek in style, houses stacked like sugar cubes against the hillside and painted in a white lime wash called calce viva, a tradition dating to a 17th-century plague outbreak.

ginger cat on a limestone street in Ostuni's white old town

READ THIS NEXT: A Perfect Day in Ostuni: Puglia’s White City

Day 5: Monopoli

Start early to beat the day trippers into Monopoli‘s medieval Old Town, a maze of whitewashed buildings, churches and palazzi.

narrow street through a whitewashed arch in Monopoli's old town

Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Madia, then wander down to Porto Vecchio, where blue-painted fishing boats bob in crystal-clear waters. The Museum of Romualdo covers the town’s history, or cool off at one of the small urban beaches. Finish with an evening walk along the medieval walls as the sun sets over the Adriatic

Monopoli Cathedral of Santa Maria della Madia viewed through an archway — Monopoli Cathedral

fishing boats in the old port of Monopoli, Puglia — Porto Vecchio

READ THIS NEXT: Your Guide to Monopoli: Puglia’s Charming Seaside Town

Day 6: Alberobello

A short bus ride brings you to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its trulli, distinctive cone-roofed buildings. As tourist numbers can be high, even in low season, arrive early to avoid the largest crowds.

Head to the busy Rione Monti district for those postcard views of Alberobello. Visit the trullo church of Sant’Antonio and learn about these unique structures at the Trullo Sovrano Museum.

cone-roofed trulli houses in the Rione Monti district of Alberobello

Complete your Alberobello day trip with a glass of local organic sparkling wine at Giardino del Guercio on a terrace overlooking Rione Monti (location here).

glass of sparkling wine on a terrace overlooking the trulli of Alberobello

READ THIS NEXT: Discovering Alberobello: A Day Amongst the Trulli

Day 7: Polignano a Mare and departure

I made the most of my final day in Puglia with a half-day trip to Polignano a Mare, five minutes by train from Monopoli. From there, I caught the train to Brindisi for my flight home (there’s a useful Nanny Bag location near the train station to dump your luggage).

Lama Monachile beach beneath the cliffs of Polignano a Mare

Polignano sits on limestone cliffs above the sea, with the famous Lama Monachile beach as its centrepiece. Explore the old town’s winding streets and look out for the poetry written on its walls and doorways.

coloured umbrella hanging over a narrow street

READ THIS NEXT: Postcards from the Edge: One Day in Polignano a Mare

Why I didn’t love Puglia

Puglia is often sold as “authentic Italy” and an “undiscovered” region. In my experience, that’s not accurate.

Even in the October shoulder season, popular spots like Polignano a Mare and Alberobello felt like tourist conveyor belts, with queues forming for the same photos. Public transport was harder work than in Tuscany or Emilia-Romagna, with irregular timetables and seasonal buses, and the inland villages were largely out of reach without a car.

Some businesses had clearly adjusted for tourists too, with inflated prices and five-language menus. This is not a cheap region to visit.

The coast is beautiful and the food, away from the busiest spots, is excellent (a meal at a small family-run salumeria in Monopoli remains one of my best in Italy). But “undiscovered” it is not.

I’ll leave it to you to decide whether Puglia’s for you. I’d go back to see Bari and the Gargano Peninsula, but with more realistic expectations next time.

Bridget Coleman, travel blogger at Flashpacking Italy

By Bridget

Bridget Coleman is an award-winning travel blogger who is an incurable Italy addict and has travelled its length & breadth on multiple occasions. Find out more here.

To get in touch, email her at hello@flashpackingitaly.com