What tourists get wrong about Puglia: 12 common misconceptions about visiting Italy’s heel
- Christopher White
- 10 hours ago
- 8 min read
There’s so much to love about Puglia, from the endless sunshine and warm sea swimming, to the undulating olive groves, bellissimo food, and pretty whitewashed centros.
Puglia – along with other regions in the south of Italy like Basilicata and Calabria – is often in the tail-end of travellers’ lists when it comes to visiting Italy. It’s certainly seen a growth in visitor numbers over the past 10-15 years, but the heavy-hitters like Tuscany, Rome and Venice still attract the bulk of Italian holiday-makers.
Here's what tourists get wrong about Puglia:
The myth: Puglia is too far away
The truth is that Puglia, being in Italy’s south, does take a little longer to get to than the well-known places in the north of Italy. But if you’re flying from Europe or the UK, it’ll add no more than 30-45 minutes onto your flight time – that’s less than one episode of Love Island.
If you’re flying from further afield without a direct flight to Bari or Brindisi, then it will mean getting a connection in Rome or Milan for instance, and that in itself can add a couple of hours.
If you’re planning on driving from Europe or the UK, then you will have to traverse almost the entire length of Italy to get to Puglia, as opposed to somewhere in the north like Turin or Tuscany – and that can add a day or so of driving. In this scenario, incorporate stop-offs along the way to see some other regions, and enjoy the coastal views.
But trust me – look beyond the extra hour or two of travel time, and you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic experience!
The myth: It’s hard to get to
Many people I imagine visit northern Italian cities and towns because they are deemed easier to get to, and are generally more well-known. There is a little truth in that, as they’re nearer major transport hubs, but it’s actually super easy to make your way down to Puglia from them.
For instance, you can catch a 5 hour train from Rome to Ostuni, and if you book ahead, you can get a first class ticket for 70EUR.
The train from Milan to Ostuni is a little longer, but again you get to see some lovely scenery en route.
Connecting flights from Rome or Milan take around an hour to Bari / Brindisi.
Fly into Naples, and you can drive to Ostuni in around 3.5 hours – and you’ll get a stunning view of Mount Vesuvius as you drive out of Naples.
There are plenty of ways to get to Puglia, all of which offer something magnificent in return.
The myth: There’s nothing to do in Puglia
What tourists get wrong about Puglia is that there’s actually plenty to do, whether you like culture and art, or nature reserves and exploring.
To be honest, with just one week in Puglia, you’ll struggle to see everything you want to.
There’s something for everyone here, including so many amazing restaurants, cute little towns to explore, beaches to relax on, wine tours, art galleries, festivals…the list goes on.
What you don’t get in Puglia are big cities, the likes of Rome and Milan for instance. There is definitely much more countryside, and the region is enveloped by coastline. That alone makes Puglia brilliant for people who want a more chilled experience, and less crowds.
Get my custom itinerary for a one week holiday to Puglia (flying in and out of Bari).
The myth: It’s too hot
I’ve been to Rome in July, and I can tell you, Puglia is not as hot as that.
Like practically any part of Italy, Puglia does of course get super hot sometimes – July and August in particular. For those wanting slightly more temperate experiences, I’d suggest going in May or June, or September, when it’s still nice and warm, but doesn’t reach the wild summer temperatures of the peak season.
The myth: You have to hire a car
I’ve written about the benefits of taking the train versus hiring a car in another blog post, but essentially each has its own advantages.
Yes, Puglia is quite rural, so if you want complete freedom, being able to visit any beach or countryside restaurant that you want, then a car is a good idea.
But I’ve also visited a bunch of times and only taken the train, so if you’re new to Puglia, that method offers everything you need.
You can still explore most of the lovely towns like Ostuni, Lecce, Polignano, Monopoli, Trani etc by train (and you won’t have to worry about all the things that come with driving in Italy!)
The myth: It’s small and you can see it all in a few days
Wrong! In fact, quite the opposite. After 16 years of visiting, there is still a long shopping list of Puglia places I’ve not yet visited but have been meaning to.
Puglia might seem like it’s just basically a big bit of countryside with some beaches, but the more time you spend there, the more you realise you want to explore.
Even one week’s holiday to Puglia will leave you wanting so much more that you'll wish you'd booked a longer holiday.
The myth: It’s an undiscovered secret
Maybe 20-25 years ago, this myth might have been more accurate. But over the past couple of decades, Puglia has become more and more desirable a holiday destination, even with Hollywood stars!
Puglia has always been popular with Italians themselves, who see it as their own version of the Riviera, going for long summer weekends and beach holidays. Germans also are massive fans of Puglia – they’ve been going for ages.
Brits started discovering Puglia in the late 00’s, and now you’ll find small enclaves of ‘ex-pats’ around the region, although it’s hardly like going to the Costa del Sol.
The bottom line is that people are waking up to how incredible Puglia is, and tourism is booming. That means that you’ll need to properly plan ahead, make sure you book flights and accommodation in good time, and of course, make a prenotazione (reservation) at restaurants you want to eat at.
The myth: It’s the same as the rest of Italy
Obviously being part of the same country, there are common factors – the language, driving on the right hand side, the quality of food. But the more you see of Puglia, the more you realise how different it really is from other regions and cities.
Puglia’s way of doing things differently extends to so many things. Beaches and beach clubs, speciality dishes and wines, the laid back attitude to life and slow living. Architecture, historical centres (‘centro storico’), culture – you’ll get a unique experience of Italy when visiting Puglia.
The myth: the food isn’t good
I mean, come on…nobody thinks this, surely! You can visit literally any part of Italy and expect great food – it’s the best in the world. Just watch Stanley Tucci’s travel documentary about eating his way around Italy to get a flavour of any Italian region’s food, including Puglia.
Like any region, Puglia has its own special dishes, often based in the culture of cucina povera, and one of these is fava bean puree with sauteed turnip tops. Doesn’t sound appetising, but it really is.
Even the pricier restaurants in Puglia will offer incredible food at cheaper prices than similar restaurants in the north.
On the whole, Puglia offers food at a standard that matches any other place in Italy, at more affordable prices.
You really can’t eat badly in Puglia and it’s my absolute favourite thing to do when I go there.
The myth: It’s cheap and too rustic / lacks luxury
Sure, Puglia probably has more countryside per acre than many more densely populated regions. And depending on where you stay (and how much you are willing to pay), you can get a fairly rustic experience.
But Puglia has its luxury side too – in a big way. There are hundreds of luxury holiday listings in Puglia, and if you’re worried that you’ll be sleeping on a camp bed and cooking on one gas ring, think again.
Puglia actually has some of the most luxurious Masseria and villa rentals going, and most have beautiful swimming pools and options to customise your stay with personal chefs, transport and other guest services.
For example, here's how you can stay in the luxury masseria featured in BBC's I Kissed a Girl.
The myth: It’s unsafe for holidaymakers
In 16+ years of visiting Puglia, I’ve never experienced any crime whatsoever. Criminals do exist, like anywhere else in the world: I’ve heard of thieves targeting empty rental properties in the countryside for instance.
But I really don’t think this is anything to worry about if you’re just visiting for a week or two. Just make sure that you lock doors and windows, and your car, when you go out. And like any holiday, don’t leave phones or bags lying unattended.
Puglia has been one of the safest holiday destinations I’ve ever been to.
The myth: you have to speak Italian / nobody speaks English
I genuinely think it makes your holiday easier anywhere in the world if you do learn some of the native language. But like anywhere, you can still get around Puglia without knowing any Italian at all. Puglia is set up for international tourism, so in restaurants, bars, transport hubs and car rental offices, they will speak English, German, Spanish, French and sometimes some Russian.
One way to get around any potential language barriers is to have Google Translate on your phone, for real-time menu and conversation translation!
The other is to buy the Michel Thomas Method Beginner or Foundation Italian course on Amazon - within minutes you will be understanding Italian, I assure you.
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Have I missed anything?
Hopefully I won’t have any more to add to this list, but if you’ve experienced any other misconceptions about visiting Puglia, let me know at info@puglia-holidays.com and it can be added to this list!
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Thank you so much ~ Chris
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