Where to stay in Puglia, Italy

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Puglia, or Apulia as it is also known, is in Southern Italy, the heel of the boot on the map. There is so much to discover in the area that it can be a bit overwhelming trying to choose where to stay in Puglia. We toured the area for 2 weeks, meaning we got to see most of the highlights of this beautiful area of Italy. As with most locations there is a wide selection of accommodation-types to choose from depending on your budget and personal preferences. We have a separate post detailing our full itinerary. Here We’ve rounded up our recommendations and top-picks for each of the three areas that we visited.

Where to stay in Puglia: Salento region

This is the southern most part of Puglia and is generally hot and dry. Being on a peninsula, wherever you are you’re not far from the sparkling azure waters of either the Ionian or Adriatic Sea. The capital city of the area is the beautiful Lecce, but there are plenty of other charming smaller towns too.

Lecce

We based ourselves in Lecce, the ‘Florence of the South’. It’s a great base for exploring the area, with lots of interesting accommodation options. We particularly loved exploring this city in the evening when it comes to life the most.

Best reasons to choose Lecce as your base for where to stay in Puglia:

• Good transport links. – If you prefer not to hire a car, Lecce is the best base to get around easily.
• Cultural highlights- Lecce is a beautiful baroque city with lots of cultural sights to enjoy.
• Lots of accommodation and restaurant options.
• Great for nightlife- lots of lively bars and clubs.

Budget choices in Lecce

La Cartapesta is a great choice if you want plenty of space in central Lecce without breaking the bank. You get a whole apartment complete with an outdoor patio to relax in between your explorations of the city. It sleeps up to 6 so is a great choice for families.

Leccesalento bed and breakfast is also a fantastic budget option if you would rather have hotel services with a great breakfast included. You can’t get more central than this place and it is great value for money.

Best hotels with pools in Lecce

When we visited Lecce during the summer months we were really grateful for a pool to cool off in. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Lecce which had a nice rooftop pool and was good for parking, being a bit further out from the centre.

For a more central hotel with a pool the Dimora Storica Muratore would be my choice, as it looks amazing and has fantastic reviews.

Rural accommodation near Lecce

If you have your own transport and don’t want to be right in the city a more rural location is a good choice. With these options you generally get a bit more space, larger pools and a more peaceful location.

The Masseria LuciaGiovanni is an excellent choice. For families it has lovely split level rooms, allowing for a bit more privacy and space between parents and children.

Accommodation for larger groups

If you are a larger family or group of friends, I think a villa is an excellent choice of where to stay. When looking for villas I tend to browse Airbnb as well as vrbo. Booking.com also has a growing number of self-catered villa options too. This villa would be my choice if travelling with other family members.

Gallipoli

If you want to be closer to the beach but still have a charming old town to wander around, Gallipoli is a great option. It’s also accessible by train, with connections to Lecce, Brindisi and Otranto. We didn’t stay here but visited on a day trip from Lecce. The old town of Gallipoli is on a small island linked to modern Gallipoli by a bridge. It is beautiful and brimming with shops, restaurants and plenty of accommodation options.

B&B La Riviera is a charming option in the heart of the old town. It’s sea-front position is perfect for taking in the spectacular sunsets and there is a small city beach nearby for swimming.

Baia Verde is a little further away from the main town of Gallipoli but is a beautiful white sand beach. Villa Dune, is a lovely small guesthouse on the beachfront. A great choice if you want to be somewhere a bit quieter but in close proximity to Gallipoli.

Otranto

Another charming coastal town in the Salento region is Otranto. Again there is a pretty old-town as well as newer section of town next to it, which backs a beachside promenade. It’s smaller than Gallipoli and we felt it was a bit quieter, although when we visited in August nowhere was particularly quiet!

Hotel Palazzo Papaleo is a family-run 5 star hotel in the old town, yet really close to the local beach. The rooms here look incredible.

If you’re on more of a budget The Miramare Apartments are directly opposite the beach and still a short walk from the old town.

Where to stay in Puglia- Valle d’Itria

The Valle d’Itria is the beautiful central region of Pugili and is very popular with tourists, for good reason. The area encompasses rolling hills punctuated by small pretty towns and pristine beaches. There are endless possibilities for where to stay in this area of Puglia. Many of the towns are reasonably close to one another. This means wherever you stay you can easily visit all the highlights of the area.

Ostuni is one of the larger towns in the area so is a good option if you want somewhere lively. Casa Vico Melles is a great apartment central to the old town.

Smaller towns which are also lovely but slightly quieter include Locorotondo and Cisternino. Diamorao Graziano 1909 is highly recommended in Locorotondo.

We stayed out of town in a small hotel, ten minutes drive south of Ostuni. There are plentiful options if you would like to do this, including self-contained villas and beautiful boutique hotels like the Trulli Damari.

Where to stay in Puglia- Gargano Peninsula

If you prefer slightly wilder landscapes, the Gargano Peninsula is perfect. This is the northern part of Puglia, the spur of the boot. We spent a week in this area and loved exploring the inland forests where the temperatures were much cooler. It was a great refuge from the coastal heat in summer. The are also has some beautiful characterful towns and plenty of beaches, which we found to be less crowded than other parts of Puglia.

Vieste and Peschichi are both great options when deciding where to stay on the Gargano peninsula

Vieste

In Vieste you can choose to stay in the old town or close to one of the many beaches. Cela Una Volta is highly recommended in the heart of the old town. If you would rather be closer to the beach but also within easy reach of the old town Forte 2 Hotel is recently renovated. It also has a pool, which for our family is always a great advantage.

We stayed just outside Vieste in a fantastic small agriturismo, Tesori del Sud. We loved it here, it’s particularly great for young families. Read the full review of our stay in a separate post.

Peschichi

Peschichi is smaller than Vieste but the old town is no less atmospheric. If you want to be in the centre of the old town, with amazing views opt for the Locanda Al Castello. For beach-lovers, Gemini Luxury rooms with beach sun loungers included is a great option.

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Check out our travel resources page for tips on websites to use when planning your trip and ideas for what to do in your Puglia itinerary. Wherever you stay in Puglia, it is a fascinating region of Italy and I’m sure you will love it as much as we did.