Brindisi and Mesagne: why I think these are Puglia’s most underrated destinations

Brindisi and Mesagne are both towns of varying sizes in Puglia, in Italy’s south. Have you heard of them? I reckon you probably haven’t. Or, you may have heard of Brindisi as one of Puglia’s two major airports, but just as a place you fly into to get to other bits of Puglia!

Having been visiting Puglia regularly for coming up to 15 years (!), on the suggestions of friends who live there, I decided to take a look around these two towns to see whether they might be mistakenly missed off the usual Puglia travel guides. You know the ones: usually by mainstream travel operators, recommending Alberobello, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare etc.

Those are certainly worth a visit, of course, but you will find that they can be quite touristy, and might not give you the cultural hit you’re looking for. Plus, if you're a bit of a stressy traveller like me, you might not enjoy the crowds, or looking for a parking spot for 45 minutes in the midday heat of Alberobello.

All about Brindisi and Mesagne

So here’s what I can tell you about visiting Brindisi and Mesagne in Puglia - and I’ve included some recommendations on where to stay if you do visit.

Or, jump to:

What I loved about visiting Brindisi
Where to stay in Brindisi: some recommendations
What I loved about visiting Mesagne
Where to stay in Mesagne: some recommendations

I thought Brindisi and Mesagne was well worth a visit - you can stumble upon some beautiful sculptures! — I thought Brindisi was well worth a visit - you can stumble upon some beautiful sculptures!

Visiting Brindisi

Despite its appearances, Brindisi – a port town on the Adriatic Sea – has a very long history. You may have heard of it as the southernmost end point of the Roman Appia Way, which starts in Rome (it is still possible to trek from one end to the other).

A short history of Brindisi

Brindisi's long lasting significance as a port comes from the fact that it has a natural harbour. Its name comes from the Latin Brundisium, which is thought to mean "stag's head," referencing the shape of the harbour.

The city was originally settled by the Messapians (you’ll spot other references to the Messapii in Puglia, like the town Ceglie Messapica), an ancient Italic people, and later became a Roman colony in 267 BCE. Under Roman rule, Brindisi flourished as a key port connecting Italy to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.

During the Middle Ages, Brindisi's fortunes rose and fell. It became an important hub during the Crusades, as pilgrims and soldiers passed through on their way to the Holy Land. However, wars and epidemics caused decline.

In the 19th century, the city regained importance when it became a major stop on the route between Europe and the British Empire, thanks to the opening of the Suez Canal.

Steps from the harbourside promenade leading up into the old town in Brindisi

What I loved about my visit to Brindisi

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by a visit to Brindisi. It’s really not touristy at all, but like most Italian towns, it has a lovely centro storico (historical centre), and a fantastic vibe on the streets leading down to the harbourside, with plenty of cafes and restaurants – full of locals!

The absence of tourists also seemed to mean that food and drink were relatively inexpensive. We visited in late March, on a sunny day which, for us Brits, meant that we were in our shorts and t-shirts. For Italians, our attire was obviously confusing, as most of them were still wearing winter jackets. We had some very funny looks as we strolled around Brindisi (for info, proper summer clothing should only be worn in July and August if you don't want to get stared at).

My favourite part of Brindisi was the walk we took around the harbour, which apparently has had a lot of money put into its renovation. It felt very relaxed, again with mainly just locals enjoying the harbour too, and we really soaked up the views out to sea and the wide promenade.

There was a lovely spot around the Lungomare di Brindisi where you can sit and admire the Monumento al Marinaio d’Italia, a striking piece of architecture commemorating 6,000 Italian sailors who lost their lives in WWI.

The area below Via Benedetto Brin to Monumento al Marinaio d'Italia would be pleasant to stay in, in Brindisi — The area below Via Benedetto Brin to Monumento al Marinaio d'Italia would be pleasant to stay in

I reflected that when staying in Brindisi, I’d love to find somewhere around that monument – I’m not sure what the area is called, but it's the main area of the top part of the map, above. It really looks lovely over there!

After that, we explored the centro, which as you might expect was full of churches, and well worth getting lost in. As it was only a flying visit, we (astonishingly) didn’t stay for either lunch or dinner, so I don’t have any food and drink recommendations for you – I’ll add them on my next visit.

Things to do in Brindisi

We only put a few hours on the car parking, but some things to do on your visit to Brindisi might include:

Visit the Roman columns: explore the remnants of Brindisi’s Roman past, including the surviving column marking the end of the ancient Appian Way.
Discover the cathedral and Baroque churches: admire the architectural beauty and historical significance of Brindisi’s cathedral and surrounding Baroque churches.
Tour the fortress of Frederick II: delve into the history of the impressive fortress built by Emperor Frederick II, a symbol of Brindisi's strategic importance.
Explore the winding streets: lose yourself in the city’s charming streets, discovering hidden gems and experiencing the authentic local lifestyle.

So would I recommend visiting Brindisi as part of your Puglia holiday? Absolutely!

You’ll get loads for your money, and it’ll take mere minutes to get to your accommodation from Brindisi Aeroporto (which is practically within the city walls). You may well be one of the few tourists there, so you’ll get a more authentic experience than following a mainstream Puglia travel guide like The Lonely Planet for instance.

A quiet corner of the Castello Normanno Svevo di Mesagne

Visiting Mesagne

Mesagne is another Puglia town which, to be quite honest with you, I would never have thought about visiting without some enthusiastic encouragement from friends (who now live there themselves).

It’s smaller than Brindisi, but only a 10 minute drive in the car – and it’s really easy to get to and from Brindisi airport, Francavilla Fontana, San Vito dei Normanni, Carovigno and Ostuni.

A little further inland from the sea, it might not appeal in the super hot summers if you like to have instant access to water to cool down… like Brindisi, it’s really not on the established tourist trail.

But the good news: I think Mesagne might now be one of my favourite places to visit in Puglia!

A short history of Mesagne

Mesagne was an important centre when Puglia was dominated by the Messapians, because it joined Oria to the port of Brindisi.

After the Roman conquest, it was also an important city located on the Appian Way; its name is rooted in this period. In the Middle Ages it was called Castrum Medianum, then from the 16th century, Castro Misciano.

When Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo decided to expend the city's castle, Mesagne evolved, with the construction of a theatre, a hospital and the paving of roads.

The pretty piazza in Mesagne's old town, on a warm June evening

What I loved about Mesagne

So what did I love about Mesagne? Two things: the very adorable (and not hilly – unlike many towns) centro storico; and the Norman Castello. Friends said that Mesagne used to be very heavily connected to the Pugliese mafia, but there’s really no sign of that any more. It seems to be just a lovely little local town.

There are loads of lovely little bars and restaurants dotted around the centro, and all of them were eminently affordable and high quality.

To pass time waiting for our friends to join, we popped our heads into the Castello Normanno Svevo di Mesagne – the castle. It hadn’t been all that long since Cop28 had taken place in Brindisi, and as part of the region’s showcase, the gallery in the castle had a fantastic exhibition of Italian artists through the centuries.

There’s also a permanent exhibition of Puglia’s history and archaeology in the adjoining museum / gallery space, which was also fascinating and well worth a visit.

What a beautiful little spot to have dinner in Mesagne!

Eating and drinking in Mesagne

Highly recommended, in terms of restaurants, is a little place on a side street running parallel with the centro, called ‘L’Incontro’. They serve traditional, hearty food and is usually packed with locals – a good sign. In fact, you’d best reserve a table rather than just showing up like we did on a Sunday lunch time (we were lucky).

The Piazza IV Novembre in Mesagne is a great area to eat, drink and people watch. We ate at Osteria del Vicoletto which was so pretty with its twinkling lights adorning the eating area outside; a pianist was playing inside the adjoining bar, which was lovely to hear during our meal.

For our aperitivo, we had a couple of spritzes at Sottospirito around the corner – a trendy little place but like everywhere else in Mesagne, very affordable.

I’d be more than happy to go and stay in Mesagne for a week’s holiday – inexpensive accommodation (including even the more luxury stays) – and it gives you great access to both north and south of Brindisi, so it’s super easy to get down to Lecce and Gallipoli, as well as north to Ostuni and beyond.

Ciao ragazzi!

Where to stay in Brindisi

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