The 17 Most Instagrammable Places in Puglia

If you’re headed to Puglia and you’re a fan of taking beautiful photos, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will guide you through the most Instagrammable places in Puglia so that you’ll be sure to be the envy of all your friends and followers. 

Puglia is often overlooked by international travelers who prefer Tuscany, Venice, or Rome. You won’t hear many other languages other than Italian traveling around the heel of Italy. But those who do make it down to this underappreciated part of the country are rewarded with some of the most beautiful places in the Mediterranean. 

So here I’ll share with you all the most photogenic places in Puglia. You’ll surely take some awesome photos and make your friends super jealous that they didn’t think of going to Puglia too!

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Puglia Basics 

First, let’s start with a really quick intro to the Italian region of Puglia. You can skip ahead by using the shortcuts in the Table of Contents above. 

Where is Puglia?

Puglia is in southern Italy. It’s the heel of the boot and features stunning coastline and endless olive tree groves. 

The largest city is Bari, which has a population of about 325,000 people. The total population of Puglia is about 4.06 million people, making it the 8th most populated region in Italy (out of 20). With no major cities, the population lives scattered across small cities and endless countryside.

The nearest major city is Naples, a good 2 to 6 hours away by car, depending on where in Puglia you’re coming from. 

How to get to Puglia

Puglia is one of the more remote regions of Italy in terms of distances from major airports. And while all the main cities are connected by train, this is a trip where you really want your own vehicle. It will just make it so much easier to get around, and there’s nothing like an awesome road trip around Puglia.   

For booking rental cars in Europe we use discovercars. You can search for a rental car from Bari or any other Italian airport using the link below. 

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The cities in Puglia are known for ancient old towns, which are all car-free. But there are tons of parking areas and ample street parking outside of the old towns in all the cities, so you won’t have a problem parking anywhere. Just be advised that many of the cities are hilly and if you’re staying in a car-free old town, you might have to lug your suitcase up and down numerous flights of stairs when walking from the parking area to your accommodation. 

And if you’ve never driven in Europe before, make sure to check out my guide to driving in Europe for first-timers. 

Weather in Puglia 

The weather in Puglia is damn near perfect. It has a strong Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. It hardly ever rains here in the heel of Italy, and the skies are often clear and blue.

July is the hottest month, with an average high of 85 degrees (29 C) and overnight lows around 67 (19 C). January is the coolest month, with an average high of 55 degrees (13 C) and overnight lows staying well above freezing (provided temperatures are for Bari).

The most rain falls from November to March, about 2.5 inches (60mm) per month. It rarely rains in summer, and humid days are few and far between. Like I said, pretty damn perfect!

When to visit Puglia

Puglia is beautiful year-round, but can be best enjoyed in the summer. Though be warned that while it’s not a popular destination for international visitors just yet, it gets a ton of Italian tourists, so the month of August tends to be very busy. Avoid August if you can. The best months to visit are May through July and September. 

The Most Instagrammable Places in Puglia 

Now let’s get into what you came here for: the most Instagrammable and photogenic places in Puglia. Most of the photos shared on this page are in vertical format, to be Instagram-friendly, but some photos are best taken in landscape mode. 

The places below are in no particular order. You can use the Google Map below to see each exact location so you can be sure to save them in your Google account for your trip.

#1) Monumento a Domenico Modugno, Polignano a Mare

Let’s start with coastal views in the beautiful city of Polignano a Mare. The old town of Polignano a Mare sits along a giant cliff on a small peninsula that sticks out into the sea. At the base of the cliff there is a small, rocky beach with clear, turquoise water. It’s one of the most stunning places you’ll find in all of Italy!

Perhaps the best view of the old town on the cliff is from Monumento a Domenico. This monument is at the other side of the inlet that leads to the beach, so when you’re here you’re looking straight at the rugged cliff with old town Polignano a Mare above. 

The location the photo above is taken from is just beyond the monument. You don’t actually get a great view from the monument itself, you have to walk a bit further out to the coast. You’ll see tons of people looking for that perfect photo, plenty of “influencers” among them. So just explore the coastline and find your favorite spot for the most famous photo in Puglia!

#2) Belvedere su Lama Monachile, Polignano a Mare

The view from Belvedere su Lama Monachile is basically the opposite as the view from the monument. Instead of looking at the old town, you’re in the old town looking back at the famous beach Lama Monachile. 

The actual spot is a small viewpoint near the Aquamarea Boutique Hotel. It’s right on the cliff and it’s usually quite busy so you might have to wait a few minutes to get a spot on the railing with a direct view of the beach. 

From the viewpoint you look back inland to the little, rocky beach nestled between the cliffs. It’s one of the most famous views in Puglia and an absolute necessity to stop at when you’re in Polignano a Mare.

#3) Ponte Borbonico su Lama Monachile, Polignano a Mare

Ponte Borbonico su Lama Monachile is a viewpoint from a bridge that passes just south of the famous beach Lama Monachile. From the bridge you get a view of the beach plus the cliffs of old town Polignano a Mare. It’s like spots 1 and 2 on this list in one!

You’ll see plenty of people taking photos from the bridge, so you can judge for yourself where to find the best angle. We took various photos from the bridge and found right square in the middle to be best. 

#4) The Cactus Garden, Polignano a Mare

In a quiet alley in old town Polignano a Mare there is a whitewashed brick building with a little cactus garden in front. The alley is right across from the Cactus espresso bar (which also sells alcohol and has a variety of Italian craft beer). The contract of the green, spiny cacti with the white building is remarkable. 

There are also endless little alleyways in Polignano a Mare that will provide you with beautiful views and cute photos. While the cactus garden might be my favorite, you might find a better spot on the nearby streets. 

Old town Polignano a Mare is very small. You can literally walk around it in 5 minutes. So it’s easy to explore the entire old town looking for empty alleys and quiet streets, all of which are gorgeous. 

#5) The Streets of Monopoli

Monopoli is another beautiful little city on the Adriatic coast in Puglia. Just a few miles south of Polignano a Mare, it’s not quite as popular as Polignano, but features similar architecture and history. 

The old town is small, compact, and car-free, similar to Polignano a Mare, and every street is stunning. I’m not giving you one particular location here, as it’s hard to narrow it down. The best street will be the side street that has few pedestrians walking down it. 

The buildings in the old town are all white with shades of green, red and blue doors/shutters. Perfect for photos on a sunny day!

#6) Porto Antico, Monopoli

Porto Antico is a small bay just outside the old town of Monopoli that is full of charming little fishing boats. While it’s not quite as beautiful as Marsaxlokk in Malta (seriously look it up if you’ve never heard of it), it’s pretty cool seeing the colorful boats in the turquoise water with the stone buildings of the old town in the background. 

For the absolute best view, walk a little along the walkway north from the main boat launch point. It’s hard to describe so use this pin on your Google maps. That’s where the photo below is taken from. 

#7) Romantic Trulli, Alberobello

Albelrobello is simply one of the most stunning cities in the entire world, let alone Italy, and the entire city can be considered one of the most Instagrammable places in Puglia. I don’t say that lightly either. The city is world famous for its unique cone-shaped houses, called “trulli”. They are basically stone box structures painted white with shale rock conical roofs. 

The entire city is incredible, so it’s hard to narrow down the best spot. But that’s what I’ve tried to do here. We will start with the “Romantic Trulli”, tagged on Google Maps as Trulli Kamenne Jehlan Strechy. 

This is a small alley with a private residence, but it’s known for having large, blossoming pink flowers decorating the alley, which provides stark contrast to the white houses and blue sky. You can’t actually go down the alley, as it’s private property, but you can take some beautiful photos from the chain that blocks off the alley. 

#8) Via Monte S. Michele, Alberobello 

Via Monte S. Michele is a pedestrian-only street in Alberobello that is arguably the most beautiful in the entire city. Every location on this street is absolutely fantastic. 

It’s lined with little shops selling colorful goods and many of the business owners have decorated their trulli outside with plants and flowers. If you look up the definition of “charming” in the dictionary it just shows a picture of Via Monte S. Michele in Alberobello. 

One thing about this street, however, is that it can get really busy. If you want to avoid other people it’s best to go really early in the morning. Depending on the time of year you visit this might be pretty damn early. Also note that the sun won’t actually be high enough to shine into the streets of Alberobello until at least a couple hours after it rises. 

#9) Via Monte Nero, Alberobello 

Via Monte Nero is not as crowded as Via Monte S. Michele, but it’s arguably even more beautiful. Similarly lined with flowers and greenery, it’s the perfect place to snap a few photos to impress your friends. 

The street is small and pedestrian only, with fewer shops than Monte Nero. You’ll definitely be able to find a quiet spot on the street without other people. 

One thing I will note here is that I’ve mentioned flowers and greenery multiple times. Just know that if you go in the winter, you won’t get the benefit of these colorful plants. 

#10) Villa Comunale Belvedere Parco, Alberobello  

For the last Instagrammable spot in Alberobello, we will cross the main road to the other side of town. This part of the city also has neighborhoods or trulli you can explore. It’s arguably even better since it’s just private homes so it’s less crowded. Just be courteous of the people living there.

But at Villa Comunale Belvedere Parco, we are actually going to look back towards the streets I’ve discussed previously on the other side of the main road. This is a small park, and from it you can see the roofs of the trulli on the other side of the road. As you can see in the photo below it’s pretty damn awesome. 

For the absolute best view, there are some brick walls you can climb up so you can see over most of the park’s vegetation, straight to the trulli. These walls are towards the back of the park, close to the houses on the north side of the park. Just don’t bother any locals and you should get an amazing view!

#11) In Front of Casa Vacanze il Giardino, Cisternino

Cisternino is a beautiful whitewashed city in central Puglia. As you’ve probably realized now, each Puglian city has a small, car-free old town consisting of white painted buildings with colorful doors and shutters and lots of plants and flowers. Cisternino is no different. But each city has its own unique charm.

In Cisternino there is a little alleyway that is wonderfully decorated with flags, flowers, and general greenery that makes an amazing background for that perfect Instagram photo. It’s located near the main north gate to the old town off of Via Roma. Use the map at the beginning of this post to zero in on the exact spot. 

#12) Old Town, Ostuni

Ostuni is – you guessed it – another gorgeous Puglian city. It’s bigger than the others on this list, though, with a larger old town. The streets of the old town wind and weave in seemingly no organized manner, leading to beautiful hidden corners everywhere you turn.  

Unlike the previous cities discussed, old town Ostuni is built atop a hill and surrounded by a medieval wall. It really is a walled city on a hill, difficult to attack for ancient intruders. The wall is painted white, just like everything else in historic Puglian cities, making it unique for medieval European walled cities – like Siena or Tallinn – where walls are not usually painted.

Walking around the little hidden streets of old town Ostuni you’ll find tons of Instagrammable views. You’ll also find great restaurants and adorable cafes. 

When you’re in Ostuni, practice La vida lente, “the slow life.” Take your time. Enjoy. Have a cappuccino. Or a glass of local wine. Your busy life can wait!

#13) White City View, Ostuni

As we have already discussed, Ostuni is a very picturesque city in the old town. But as it’s located atop a hill, you also get the opportunity to view the city from afar, which gives you a view of the entire old town, the ancient wall below and the main cathedral perched at the top of the hill. 

There are a few places to do this, but the best is from the side of Via Lecce near the intersection of Via Giosue Pinto. There is no official viewpoint, but you can pull over on a side street and walk down the side of the road until you get a good view. For the exact location where the photo below is taken from, refer to the map at the beginning of this post. 

If you don’t have a car you can walk from the old town, but it’s a bit of a harrowing walk on busy roads without sidewalks. So best to take a taxi or get a ride another way. 

For those with their own car, there are wild fig trees all over the place near where this photo was taken. If you’ve never had a fresh fig before it will blow your mind. Figs mainly come in the dried form at supermarkets, but here in Puglia the fresh figs are to die for. Just pick it off the tree and enjoy!  

#14) Old Town, Locorotondo

The last Puglian city we will discuss here is Locorotondo. Locorotondo is often compared to Cisternino, as the cities are quite similar and only a few miles from each other. If you’re short on time, you might want to just choose one of the two to visit. But should you have the time you’ll definitely want to visit both. 

I’m again not giving a specific location for a photo in old town Locorotondo. Just walk the cute old streets and find what suits you best. The old city is small and takes only a few minutes to explore every street. 

#15) Cala dell’Acquaviva, Castro

Getting out of the city for a minute, Puglia has a ton of coastline. And while it’s not known for having the most beautiful beaches in Italy by any stretch of the imagination (see Sardinia for that), there is some pretty epic coastline in Puglia (photo above courtesy of Samantha from continuousroamer.com). 

One of the most stunning coasts is all the way at the southern tip of the boot’s heel near the coastal town of Castro. Cala dell’Acquaviva is a small inlet beach flanked by rugged rocks on each side. There are a couple of restaurants at the beach and nice terraces you’ll see people sunbathing on. 

For the best view of the beach, walk along the coast to the north side of the inlet. Along the rocks you can look back towards the beach with the terraces and vegetation in the background. There are plenty of other great views at Cala dell’Acquaviva though, so explore around and find your favorite spot. 

#16) Cava di Bauxite, Otranto

Cava di Bauxite is sort of an outlier on this list in the sense that it’s not a city or a coastline. It’s actually a funky crater lake with a strikingly red cliff that encircles it. The lake itself is small. You can walk around it in just a few minutes. 

What makes it unique is the sharp red color that makes up the crater wall. It just seems so out of place at the tip of the heel of Italy, not even a kilometer from the beach. Tossing in a photo of Cava di Bauxite on your Puglia trip will really throw people off! 

Cava di Bauxite is just south of Otranto on the Adriatic coast, only about 50 miles from the Greek island of Corfu as the crow flies. It’s easy to get to and there are plenty of walking trails. Even if you don’t have a car, it’s close enough to Otranto where you could just walk 30 minutes there. 

#17) Torre Sant’Andrea Melendugno, Torre dell’Orso

For the final spot on our most Instagrammable places in Puglia list we will return to the coast. Torre Sant’Andrea is a rugged coastline south of the town of Torre dell’Orso. The coast itself is actually similar to Polignano a Mare, but here we don’t have buildings constructed into the cliffs.  

Torre Sant’Andrea is natural and wild, a stark contrast to the beautiful man made icons of Puglia. People usually visit to marvel at the cliffs and swim in the crystal clear water. There is a large parking lot right at the cliffs and walking paths along the coast that will provide you with endless amazing views. 

If you have time to get in the water it can be a stunning place to swim. Just be sure to be careful, as the rocks are sharp and can be dangerous.  

Nearby Bonus #1: Matera

Trips to Puglia are often combined with a visit to Matera, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Matera is just outside of Puglia in the Basilicata region of Italy. It’s an old stone city built on the edge of a small canyon and it is one of the most stunning places you’ll ever see.

Matera is about a 1 hour and 10 minute drive from Polignano a Mare and about 45 minutes from Bari. It’s easy to get to and far easier to park outside the car-free central city – known as the “Sassi” – than you’d think. 

The entire Sassi is car-free and built on steep hills. Everywhere you turn there is a ridiculously gorgeous view. There’s also an amazing view of the entire city from the other side of the canyon, as seen in the photo above. The exact location of that spot is here. 

Many people visit Matera as a day trip, but it’s worth fitting in at least one night in Matera on your trip to Puglia. I guarantee you’re going to love it. 

Nearby Bonus #2: Castelmezzano

A little bit further past Matera you’ll find one of Italy’s true hidden gems, Castelmezzano. It’s almost 2 hours from Bari, but if you’re traveling to Puglia from the west coast of Italy, you’ll have the opportunity to stop in this beautiful, mountainside village.

Castlemezzano is known for its colorful buildings in the foothills of magnificent conical rock spires. The best viewpoint in all of Castelmezzano is from the Panoramic Terrace. See here for the exact location. 

Castelmezzano is easy to explore in a few hours, making it an option for a midday stop if you’re driving from Rome or Naples to Puglia. It’s a bit out of the way, up a large mountain, but once you get there you will agree that it is totally worth it!

Where to stay in Puglia

Puglia has few major chain hotels, but tons of quaint little boutique hotels and homestays. There are so many great options in Puglia that it can be hard to narrow down where to stay. One thing you have to experience in Puglia, however, is staying in a traditional trullo. If you didn’t stay in one of the many trulli, did you even go to Puglia!?

Stay in a trullo: Casa Relax Isabelle, Alberobello

Our favorite accommodation from our Puglia adventure was Isabel’s trullo house just outside of Alberobello. We stayed in a large trullo and enjoyed dinner with Isabel and her husband Michele and the family of kittens on the property. Truly the highlight of our trip!

In Polignano A Mare: A Casa di Elena

We had a lovely stay with Elena at her guest house in old town Polignano a Mare. There are multiple rooms and a rooftop breakfast each morning. It’s right in the heart of the old town, so the city is at your doorstep. But it’s also quiet enough at night to not hear the street noise. 

A luxurious life outside Ostuni: Masseria San Paolo Grande

Masseria San Paolo Grande is a fabulous resort in between Ostuni and Ceglie Messapica. The masseria – which means sort of like “farm stay” – is run by family friends of mine, so I can personally vouch for the management and the property in general. It’s a popular place for destination weddings and has an amazing restaurant on site. It’s pricey, but you’ll feel it’s worth it!

Puglia – FAQs

Final Word

In this article we’ve discussed the most Instagrammable places in Puglia. This underappreciated region in southern Italy is blessed with beautiful whitewashed cities, stunning coastline, and more olive farms than you can shake a stick at. It’s truly a photographer’s dream. 

If you hit all the spots on this list you’ll be the envy of all your friends and family!