Puglia first caught my attention after watching Walking on Sunshine—a light, easy film, but it planted a seed. When we think of Italy, we tend to picture Rome, Milan, Venice. Beautiful in their own right, yes—but Puglia is something else. Something quieter, softer. Maybe even more beautiful than all the rest.
Tucked into the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia stretches across nearly 20,000 square kilometres. There’s no real way to experience it properly without a car. We hired one at the airport and drove straight into a dream—beginning with Tenuta Gentile Resort & Spa, where we stayed three nights for under £140. Set among olive trees and slow skies, it was peaceful, beautiful, and serves up a breakfast of dreams.
Our days were spent driving the winding roads, spotting wild flamingos (yes, really!!) and swimming in the clearest sea I’ve ever seen. In Vieste, we walked the Scala dell’Amore—the stairway of love—and paused for long coffee breaks with warm pastries. Everything felt slow, sun-washed, and cinematic.
One afternoon, we joined a wine tasting in Martina Franca, sipping wine from the very vineyard we were sitting in – truly one of the most amazing parts of our trip. The sight of the sun setting over the vineyard was unforgettable. We wandered through Alberobello, with its fairytale trulli rooftops, and stood in awe at the dramatic cliffs of Grotta della Poesia.
We made it all the way to Ostuni, the iconic whitewashed town, and later to Polignano a Mare—my favourite. As we walked past a restaurant playing Sultans of Swing, a song from my home city, I was hit with that strange, perfect feeling: of being far from home, yet exactly where you should be. We didn’t dine at Grotta Palazzese, the famous cave restaurant but we did manage to steal a glimpse of the pretty view.
There was pistachio gelato and pasta in every shape and size. My favourite was from Barrio Street Food in Taranto—fresh fish, fresh pasta, full flavour. The cities of Brindisi and Bari were lovely, but if you find yourself in Puglia, leave the cities behind. Drive. Explore. Get lost.
Recommendations
Stay
- Tenuta Gentile Resort & Spa – Affordable, serene, with stunning grounds and a breakfast worth waking up for.
Eat
- Barrio Street Food, Taranto – Fresh fish, perfect pasta, no fuss;
- Anywhere serving pistachio gelato.
Do
- Walk the Scala dell’Amore in Vieste;
- Swim near Grotta della Poesia;
- Wander the trulli rooftops of Alberobello;
- Wine tasting in Martina Franca;
- Explore the whitewashed streets of Ostuni.
If you’re planning a trip to Puglia and still need to sort out where to stay, I’ve got a link that might come in handy. It’s what I use to browse hotel options—it’s easy to compare places and prices all in one spot.
Because here, in this quieter corner of Italy, everything feels a little more real. A little more yours.
Molly Levi Travels 