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Eight hundred kilometres of coastline on two seas, centuries-old olive trees to the horizon, and two UNESCO sites that could hardly differ more: the trulli of Alberobello and Castel del Monte, Frederick II's mysterious octagon, both listed in 1996. Puglia is the whitewashed Itria Valley, Lecce's exuberant Baroque, the sea stacks of the Gargano, and the Salento beaches that become Italy's summer capital.
At the table, simplicity rules: orecchiette pasta, burrata, frisa bread and olive oil — nearly half of Italy's oil is pressed here.
The provinces of Puglia
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The best of Puglia
The places worth the trip on their own, picked by our editors.
The top 10 places in Puglia
Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →
1
🏰 Castles & palaces Castel del Monte
📍 Andria
Frederick II's 13th-century octagonal masterpiece in Apulia is a UNESCO site of sheer mathematical perfection.
2
🏛️ Squares & old towns Rione Monti
📍 Alberobello
Rome's first rione, Monti encompasses the Imperial Forums, the ancient Suburra, and layers of rich history.
3
⛪ Churches & sanctuaries Basilica di Santa Croce
📍 Lecce
The largest Franciscan church in the world and Italy's secular pantheon, housing the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo.
- 4 Castellana Caves Castellana Grotte · 🌋 Nature & views
- 5 Basilica di San Nicola Bari · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 6 Bari Vecchia e la via delle orecchiette Bari · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 7 Otranto Cathedral Otranto · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 8 The White City Ostuni · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 9 Pizzomunno and old Vieste Vieste · 🏖️ Beaches & sea
- 10 Trullo Sovrano Alberobello · 🖼️ Museums