We visit Brindisi, one of Puglia's most underrated cities. Brindisi was once one of the great crossroads of the entire Mediterranean world. Julius Caesar blockaded its harbour. The Roman Empire's legions marched east from here. Crusader armies set sail from these waters for the Holy Land. Virgil, the greatest poet of the ancient world, died here. Shakespeare wrote about it. And in 1943, when Rome fell to German occupation, Brindisi became the capital city of Italy.

Our Brindisi guide has details of all locations and restaurants recommended.

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We visit Locorotondo, one of the prettiest towns in Puglia's Valle d'Itria. We cover the old town's highlights and walking route, the remarkable churches — including what is probably the oldest in the Valle d'Itria — Locorotondo's own DOC white wine appellation, which is significantly underrated, the best places to eat and drink, and the Locus Festival, which brings some of Italy's most interesting music programming to a masseria just outside town every August.There's also a word on Christmas, which Locorotondo does beautifully.

You can find our complete guide to Locorotondo here.

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A little Italian goes a long way!

Italian is a beautiful language. It sings to you, and it's fun to try speaking it back. Even learning just a few simple words when visiting – ciao, buongiorno, grazie – brings a small sense of achievement. It's polite, and shows respect. Most travellers quickly discover that even a handful of basic phrases can lead to warmer interactions and more enjoyable everyday moments during a trip.

In this episode Teresa from Punto e virgola Italian language school in Grottaglie coaches Scott Maxwell, the Puglia Guys perpetual Italian language learner, with some helpful words and phrases. At 16:20 she goes over the correct pronunciation of all your favourite Puglia destinations! No more tripping up over Alberobello, Ceglie, Cisternino, Otranto, Polignano and Taranto...

To see the words and phrases in print, head to our Parli Italiano? website resource. For information on face to face or online Italian courses, as well as immersive Italian language experiences on offer at Punto e virgola, contact Teresa or follow them on Instagram.

We visit Kayla Savino, a Puglia based American luxury travel designer and founder of Storia Travel Club. Although Kayla works with clients traveling globally, her speciality is curating the perfect Puglia and Italy itinerary.

We discover what brought Kayla to Puglia, the cultural challenges that she had to navigate as an American coming to live in Puglia, and the joys of sharing her lived-in experience with travelers coming to vacation in Italy, and Puglia in particular. We talk food, the Italian language and Puglia's best bits. Plus there's some insider travel tips from Kayla for visitors coming to Puglia.

You can contact Kayla via the Storia Travel Club website or email her directly at [email protected] - be sure to let her know you heard her on the Puglia Podcast!

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Wine tasting in Puglia comes in many forms. Across the region, there are countless opportunities to visit local cantine, where tastings are typically centred on that producer's own wines, a great way to understand a single estate, its vineyards, and its production methods.

An alternative approach is to experience a broader cross-section of Puglian wine in one sitting. That's why we chose a tasting in Locorotondo at Pavì Wine Restaurant. Here, Ignazio curates a selection of wines drawn from multiple producers across the region, offering a more comparative and panoramic introduction to Puglia's wine landscape.

The experience is informal and immersive. Glasses clink, wine is poured generously, and it's all accompanied by excellent local food. Ignazio's enthusiasm shapes the tasting, guiding it beyond a standard format into something more personal and engaging.

The wines we tasted in this episode were from a wider selection curated by Ignazio: Locorotondo Tagaro (white), Costiero Giustini (rose) and Ritunno Nero di Troia Puglia I.G.P. (red).

For more information on Puglia's wine producing credentials, and pictures of the wine we tasted with Ignazio, visit our Puglia Guys Puglia Wine Guide. For information on visiting Pavì Wine Restaurant and Locorotondo, see our Puglia Guys Locorotondo City Guide.

To arrange a wine tasting at Pavì Wine Restaurant in Locorotondo contact them via their Instagram - pavi_51 (be sure to tell them you heard the podcast).

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Continuing our Bari Vecchia guide, we shift perspective. We move away from ticking off sights, and focus on what to notice.

Because what defines Bari Vecchia is not only its basilicas and castles, but the cultural details woven into its fabric: the food rituals, the ground-floor homes, the arches and shrines, the defensive towers hidden in plain sight, the way private life spills into public space.

As you explore Bari Vecchia we encourage you to take in its everyday architecture. The street food traditions. The devotional details. The way space is shared.

For detailed information on our route, locations and places to stop for refreshments along the way, see our companion Puglia Guys guide to Bari Vecchia.

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Brilliant Bari Vecchia — Bari's historic old town — is one of the most compelling parts of our regional capital. Once a city most people passed through, Bari has become Puglia's most visited destination: a place of pilgrimage, welcoming those devoted to the cult of Saint Nicholas alongside visitors drawn by Bari Vecchia's extraordinary food scene.

With its 4,000-year history, the old town doesn't reveal itself all at once. Much of what defines Bari Vecchia lies between the monuments: front doors opening onto cool, shaded alleyways; the sounds of food being prepared and families eating together; laundry hanging from balconies, drying slowly in the afternoon heat. Everyday life continues here in full view.

Its streets are irregular, defensive and intentionally disorienting — a medieval urban maze built to slow intruders. It's easy to lose your bearings in Bari Vecchia. We still do. So, join us on our walking tour of Bari Vecchia, approaching the old city by neighbourhood: overlapping zones anchored by piazzas, churches and historic institutions. Discover the character and rhythm of each quarter as we explore Bari Vecchia and its history.

For more information on our route, precise locations and places to stop for refreshments along the way, see our companion Puglia Guys guide to Bari Vecchia.

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Puglia is one of Italy's most surprising destinations. Many travellers arrive expecting the familiar rhythms of "Italian tourism", only to discover that Puglia follows its own patterns: slower, more local, more traditional, and far more community-shaped than you might expect.

For many travellers from the USA, Puglia feels both new and authentic — a place that hasn't been shaped around international tourism. But with this enthusiasm comes a learning curve. Puglia is not Tuscany. It is not Rome. It is not the Amalfi Coast. It has its own rhythms, its own cultural logic, and its own deeply-rooted way of life.

Understanding those rhythms is the key to a richer, smoother, more meaningful trip.

Welcome to Puglia 101: Essential Tips for First-Time Visitors. Everything you wish you'd known before your trip to the heel of Italy's boot.

Follow us on Instagram for reels, stories, and daily inspiration. Use our Puglia Guide to plan your trip with confidence.

Knowing the best time to visit Puglia helps you plan realistically. Three factors really matter: weather, tourist numbers, and whether your chosen destination will be open for business.

It's not just about avoiding the August crowds. From November to Easter, life in Puglia shifts indoors. The weather turns cold and damp — the kind of chill that seeps through stone walls and straight into your bones. Humidity makes it feel far colder. Rain is frequent, skies stay grey, and daylight is short.

Life in much of Puglia slows right down. Away from the main cities our region slips into hibernation mode.

For visitors, that means the experience changes dramatically outside the extended summer season. There may be fewer tourists, but there's less open and less happening: fewer dining options, fewer outdoor experiences — even fewer accommodation options.

In this seasonal guide to Puglia, we highlight what to expect month by month in terms of weather and tourist numbers, and suggest where to go and what to do during Puglia's "not-summer" season.

For more information, with weather snapshots over a year in Puglia, see our companion Puglia Guys guide on the best time to visit Puglia: a seasonal guide to Puglia.

We live in Puglia all year round and provide practical tips on getting around, cultural insights and unique local experiences. Follow us on Instagram for frequent video stories, reels, photos, ideas and other information to inspire your stay in Puglia.

Not everyone visiting Puglia wants to go it alone. Some travellers prefer the security and structure of a guided experience. It allows for connection — with the people, places, and traditions that make Puglia so special.

And sometimes, having someone local by your side can open doors you'd never find alone.

For travellers who don't want to drive around Puglia but also don't want the challenge of using public transport to reach harder-to-access corners of the region, guided travel offers the perfect solution.

We speak with Luca Oliva of Puglia With Locals, a specialist travel designer and certified tour leader from Taranto, Puglia.

For more information, check out our recommendations for guided travel in Puglia page.

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