The best things to do in Puglia, Italy

Here at The Thinking Traveller, we are dedicated to ensuring you get the most out of your holidays with us. To help you do so, our team of experts has put together a list of some of our favourite things to do in gorgeous Puglia, Italy, from wine tastings and guided hikes to boating excursions and guided tours.

Welcome to Puglia

We have perfect accommodation solutions for those wondering where to stay in Puglia, most of which ensures easy access to the best adventures and experiences. Not only that, our selection of magnificently appointed villas can provide a perfect base to return to after a day of sunbathing, boating, hiking, biking, eating or wine tasting.

What to see and do in Puglia, Italy

Puglia is an unmissable destination for those who love food, adventure, relaxation and the great outdoors. This picturesque region is located in the south of Italy, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea to the east and southeast respectively, and the magnificent Strait of Otranto and Gulf of Taranto to the south. Suffice to say, visitors will have countless opportunities for yachting, fishing, biking, hiking and eating awaiting them.

To help you discover all Puglia offers, we have carefully curated a list of the best things to do there, alongside a collection of our fully customisable Experiences. Should you wish to modify or personalise any of our suggestions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team of experts. We are happy to help in any way we can.

Please note: Experiences are available exclusively to our clients. Please view our full terms and conditions here.

Discover our entire selection of luxury villas in Puglia.

1. Cooking classes in Puglia, Italy

If you're a keen cook travelling with us to Puglia, why not organise a culinary experience with our resident expert, Anna Maria Chirone Arnò? She is the author of one of the best Puglian recipe books, Il Gusto del Tacco d'Italia (available in English), and has worked for many years as a food writer, a personal chef and as a teacher at a cooking school.

What you will do: Flexibility is also the name of the game. You are welcome to request a specific lesson, whether it be making orecchiette (Puglia's signature pasta) from scratch or learning how to make perfect pastries... and always tasting as you go.

2. Cheesemaking in Alberobello

Puglian food and wine are a serious business to the locals. One excursion that should be on the top of your list if you're staying in Puglia's Valle d'Itria is a visit to Alberobello, a unique UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with iconic Puglian trulli. If you visit Alberobello with one of our local guides, you will have the unique opportunity to delve beneath the town’s surface to better understand its traditions and savour its food culture.  

What you will do:

• Discover the magical trulli of Alberobello, including learning about the ingenious construction techniques and exploring a local family’s trullo

• Visit a local farm and become a mozzarella cheesemaker for the day

• Taste some of the farm's delicious produce, including mozzarella, fresh ricotta, aged cheeses, capocollo di Martina Franca, bread, wine and desserts

View our Alberobello culinary experiences

3. Fishing in Puglia

Step into the shoes of a Puglian fisherman for the day with this tasting experience on a yacht! This is a fun fishing trip, followed by a swim in a unique location, a wine tasting and meal on the boat prepared in front of you by local chef Anna Maria Chirone Arnò. This authentic and exciting experience all takes place in the wonderful setting of Gallipoli on the Ionian Coast.

What you will do:

• Explore the Gulf of Gallipoli

• Learn how to clean fish

• Enjoy a local aperitif served on board

• Learn about the different fish dishes and culinary traditions of Puglia

• Sample a meal with the fishermen who caught the ingredients (you will typically be given dishes such as fish soup, grilled fish, a side dish and fresh fruit)

View more culinary experiences in Puglia

4. Olive oil tours in Puglia

Nothing quite so typifies Puglia as the millions of ancient olive trees scattered across the region. The extra virgin olive oil produced is of outstanding quality, and this tour aims to give you an insight into the secrets of its production. After a relaxing walk amongst the ancient olive groves, you will sample some of the deliciously fruity and aromatic oils and taste some other local products. We can organise tours in both the Salento and Valle d'Itria.

What you will do:

• Enjoy a guided visit to an organic farm that produces extra virgin olive oil

• Partake in a tour around an ancient olive grove and visit the olive oil mill

• Experience an olive oil tasting and sensorial evaluation

• Sample a homemade snack with the farm owner (only available in the Salento)

Olive oil tasting in Salento

5. Wine tastings in Puglia

Puglia's rapidly expanding wine scene has something for all wine lovers. Don't miss our wine tours at some of the region's most renowned wineries. You can choose from tours in two different wineries: Azienda Cantele or Azienda Agraria Guarini

What you will do: We have a variety of different tour options available, from simple tastings to selections that include lunch, cooking classes and more. We would be happy to help you choose the best Puglian wine tasting experience for you.

6. Puglia bike tours

Exploring Puglia on a bike is a great way to experience what makes the region so unique. As you pedal along cycle paths, you can take in places of historical, natural and gastronomic interest that might otherwise be difficult to find.

A scenic tour of Otranto's coastline

With this "bike and trek" excursion, you will discover the wonderful treasures of Otranto, the Valle dell'Idro and the Valle delle Memorie. The journey starts on bike from Otranto Station, where you will then cycle along the paths of Valle delle Memorie, passing by the Muro delle Memories and the Grotta delle Navi (Cave of Ships). After exploring Charlemagne's aqueduct, you'll continue pedalling along the banks of the Canale dell'Idra before heading back to lovely Otranto where you will enjoy a well-deserved snack of tasty local products.

A scenic tour of Gallipoli's coastline

Discover the iconic coast of Gallipoli, heading south around Baia Verde and down to Torre San Giovanni. Upon your return, you will discover the charming streets' historical ramparts and try the delicious local products of gorgeous Gallipoli.

The treasures of Capo di Leuca

This is a leisurely guided tour through the heel of Italy’s boot or de finibus terrae (the end of the world) as the Romans called it. Here, the Ionian meets the Adriatic, and it is a beautiful area with charming little villages full of history.

You'll start from the sanctuary of Santa Maria di Leuca and head down on foot to the Canale delle Menghe. You will then be given the chance to explore Villa Meridiana, home to an artisan weaving exhibition, before cycling to the Torre dell'Omomorto and Lo Scalo - the fisherman's bay - with its icy freshwater spring.

You'll then pass by the Grotta Porcinara, an ancient place of worship, before reaching Punta Ristola, the southernmost tip of Puglia. After exploring the Grotta del Diavolo Tre Porta, the tour continues along a paved country road called Strada Vicinal Porcinara and then back to Santa Maria di Leuca for a well-earned snack of local products.

7. Walking and hiking in Puglia

There's nothing quite like experiencing the great outdoors on foot, something that we firmly believe is best enjoyed with a knowledgeable tour guide. However, please keep the following in mind before booking one of our guided Puglia walking tours:

• You can expect transport and a dedicated guide to and from the meeting point

• Fees to enter galleries and museums are not included

• Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots and comfortable clothing are recommended for safety and comfort

Porto Badisco

Set out for a guided trek along the paths of Puglia's southeastern coast in the area of Porto Badisco, which is part of the Regional National Park of Otranto and Leuca. This historical walk will take you all the way back to the Mesozoic period, along a path that was once part of a tropical coral reef. Now petrified, this reef has emerged and submerged many times at the command of the Eurasian tectonic plate. The tour ends with guests sampling some local produce.

Alberobello tour

As we mentioned above, Alberobello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its trulli. Trulli are exceptional examples of a type of building deriving from prehistoric construction techniques that have survived intact and still function well, even in the modern world. Our fascinating walking tour is led by a knowledgeable local guide and will allow you to wander through this beautiful town’s streets, uncovering the local trulli, shops and more - there is truly no better way to experience Alberobello.

Walking tours in Lecce

Lecce, a baroque masterpiece, is one of the most important cities in Puglia. We can arrange for you to see the city with a guide who will show your group the most fascinating parts of the town and the locals' hidden secrets, including gorgeous churches and monasteries, bell towers, workshops and more. We offer both half-day and full-day tours, as well as a food tour ideal for culinary and gastronomic aficionados.

Matera walking tour

Matera is pure charm, with its colours, light and views. Almost completely carved out of, and built with, tuff stone, the town has a truly remarkable history and a deep sense of spirituality, purity and authenticity. The Sassi district and its ancient cave dwellings make it unique, as does the fact that Mel Gibson chose Matera to be the primary location of The Passion of the Christ - as you can tell, there are a variety of reasons why this city continues to draw travellers from all over the world.

You won’t really scratch the surface unless you go with a guide, however, and that’s where we come in: we have one of the very best, ready to unveil the secrets of this UNESCO Heritage town’s arcane secrets on a two-hour walking tour.

8. A boat trip from Monopoli

Monopoli is a lovely town with a history that has been thoroughly influenced by its east-facing position. Its fortified seafront walls and castles tell many stories, and observing its coastline from the sea is a great experience. We offer a variety of fantastic excursion options, from half-day trips to full days out, swimming, eating and otherwise exploring the coast.

What you will do:

• Explore the area by boat, including the many grottos and coves that have been created by the sea over the millennia

• Stop for a swimming break (weather dependent

• Enjoy a selection of local produce and Prosecco

• Indulge in lunch served on board (full-day excursion only)

Private boat charters

9. Otranto boat trips

A day boat trip along the Adriatic Coast is a must if you want to enjoy the beauty of Salento, mainly because there are so many beaches that are accessible only by a boat or a yacht. Otranto is a historic seaside town and port in southern Italy, with a coastline renowned for its beauty and stretches of famous beaches to both the north and south. With a variety of half- and full-day chartered excursions available, you will be spoiled for choice - from lovely bays and sea grottos to historic watchtowers and nature reserves, we are on hand to help you choose the ideal boat trip from Otranto.

What you will do: You will explore the natural and historical beauty of the area by boat, stopping off for swimming and beach excursions at various points.

Learn more about our Salento boat charters

10. Boat trips from Santa Maria di Leuca

One of Puglia's main attractions is, without a doubt, its glorious coastline and transparent azure seas. This is particularly true of Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas meet. There are many beaches to discover up and down the Adriatic on the east coast of Puglia and the Ionian, from nature reserves with vast expanses of sand and sea to sandy and rocky bays. We truly believe there is no better way to experience all this spellbinding coast has to offer than on a personalised boat trip.

What you will do:

• Visit the enchanting local coves and famous caves of Leuca

• Enjoy a selection of beautiful, sandy beaches

• Stop for lunch at a restaurant

• Indulge in a leisurely swim

• Sail across the spellbinding sea, taking in the natural beauty that surrounds you

View more boat charter experiences

See all Puglia has to offer with a bespoke Experience

From adventurous treks to romantic wine tastings, Puglia has an unequalled selection of breathtaking activities for you to enjoy. We would be delighted to help you choose and customise the perfect experience to enrich your holiday. For more information about these and any other of our Experiences, please call us on +44 (0) 203 603 4478 or enquire online.