After three trips to the region, we’ve finally put together our guide to the best beaches in Puglia, including all you need to plan your visit - wherever you’re basing yourself.

One of the most common questions we get asked by those planning at trip to Puglia, is where to find the region’s best beaches.

Well, after three visits to the heel of Italy’s boot, we’ve finally put together this guide full of our very favourites - from Spiaggia Pescoluse on the west coast, to the cute little seaside resort of Santa Maria di Leuca in the very south, to the world-famous Cala Porto in Polignano a Mare on the east side.

For each beach we have also provided all the necessary information you need to know to plan your visit, including where to find it, the facilities on offer, parking & accessibility and the best nearby places to stay.

These are the best beaches in Puglia!

best beaches in Puglia

/ Cala Porto in Polignano a Mare
/Porto Marzano Beach
/ Calette di Torre Cintola
/ Spiaggia di Torre Pozzelle
/ Torre dell’Orso
/ I Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea
/ Baia dei Turchi
/ Otranto
/ Santa Cesarea Terme

/ Grotta Zinzulusa
/ Cala dell'Acquaviva
/ Spiaggia di Tricase Porto
/ Il Ciolo
/ Santa Maria di Leuca
/ Spiaggia di Pescoluse
/ Ginosa Marina

A GUIDE TO DISCOVERING THE BEST BEACHES IN Puglia

BEACHES IN Puglia | THE ESSENTIALS

If you’re planning your first summer escape to Puglia, then it's important to know about a few differences between the region’s coastline in comparison to somewhere like Portugal or Spain.

First, it’s that outside the less frequented west coast, long stretches of soft golden sand are not the norm. They absolutely do exist - and the best of them are in this post - but Italians have an innate ability to turn (and call) anywhere you can pitch a chair and a parsol a 'beach' (spiaggia).

Therefore, wherever you see a 'spiaggia' in Google Maps, don't assume it's going to be long and sandy.

Second is the very Italian phenomenon of the 'lido'. Many of you will be familiar with pictures of rows of tightly packed sun-loungers paired with bright, colourful umbrellas, all laid out with hypnotically perfect precision and repetition - that's a lido. Though they come in various shapes, styles and standards, all subscribe to that particular aesthetic of matching sun-lounger (lettini) and ombrellone (parasol). You have to pay an entrance fee to access them and their facilities, which usually includes the rental of your own lounger and umbrella for the day.

They are pretty common in Puglia.

For first-timers in Italy, or if you've never before travelled its nearly 5,000 mile coastline, then understanding what these are and how they operate in advance will save you a good deal of shock, befuddlement, and irritation.

We’ve written a whole post about these if you'd like to know more: The Art of The Italian Lido.

The lidos take up the majority of beach space in summer, but there will pretty much always be sections known as spiaggia libera (free beach) that you can access for free on the same stretch of sand.

As well as letting you know the best beaches in Puglia - of the traditional sandy variety - we've also shared our picks for those destinations where the swimming is great and the sunbathing divine, but it's on a rocky outcrop, a pebble cove, or a concrete patch which has turned into summer central.

Until we spent several summers in Italy, we always thought this was a poorer option to spend a day by the water, but we now love it (and often choose them over a sandy option).

Top Tip // Whilst some of these beaches are accessible by public transport or on foot from towns, a number are either much easier or only possible to reach with your own rental car. We rarely go direct when hiring our road trip vehicles, instead preferring to use two popular rental aggregators to compare costs and find the best deal. The two companies we use are AutoEurope and RentalCars - both of which we have had excellent experiences with.

We’ve included a specific section on parking for Puglian beaches at the end of the best - be sure to give it a read before planning your visits, and also be sure take a look at 14 Things To Know Before A Puglia Road Trip.

MAP OF THE BEST BEACHES IN Puglia

If you scroll down, you’ll find in-depth descriptions of our favourite beaches in Puglia (including ideal bases from which to explore them and how to get there), but for a quick guide that’s useful when trying to plot out your itinerary, we’ve created this little map.

Please do note that this list is in no way exhaustive, and we have absolutely no doubt that every time we return to Puglia, we will find new swimming spots to include in the guide. However, we have personally visited so many, that we felt the most useful thing to do was curate it down to our very favourites, rather than point you toward those which we found underwhelming or not worth going out of your way to spend a day at.

Lastly, we’ve structured our recommendations in geographical order, starting on the east coast (the most common start point for trips as Bari and Brindisi airport are there) and working our way down and around to the lesser-visited west coast.

Cala Porto in Polignano a Mare

A handful of years ago, back when Puglia was yet to reach the imaginations of non-Italians, an image surfaced that forever changed the course of the region’s tourism; a photo of a small pebble beach edged by limestone cliffs, white-washed houses, and the most vibrant of aquamarine waters.

This was Cala Porto in Polignano a Mare (also known as Lama Monachile).

As foreign tourist numbers have increased, the crowds have marched south and west to discover alternative pockets of beauty across the region, but this little beach remains one of Puglia’s most iconic - and some world argue - its most beautiful.

Unfortunately, this fame does mean that even outside of the peak summer months (that is July and August), this beach is incredibly busy - somewhat unpleasantly so at times - making it one for a quick dip and a gander rather than a full-on day in the sun.

Best Beaches in Puglia | Polignano a Mare

Type of Beach | This is a pebble beach, so if you plan on being here for a while, be sure to bring something comfortable to sit on!

Parking | As this beach is located in Polignano a Mare’s historic centre (here on Google Maps), the nearest parking is a good 5-10 minutes walk from the beach. There are an abundance of parking lots (as well as the possibility to find on-street paid for and free parking) but for ease we’d recommend seeking out this car park first which charges €1.50 per hour.

Accessibility | To reach the beach from the centre of Polignano, you need to to take a steepish set of stairs down from the bridge - they’re easily identified on the left.

Facilities | There’s a small lido at the top part of the beach but prices are some of the highest we’ve seen across anywhere in Italy - expect to pay around €60 for two sunbeds and an umbrella.

Cala Porto’s location in the centre of a touristic town means you have the benefit of being within a couple of minutes’ walk to an abundance of excellent restaurants which cater to all budgets, as well as several takeouts and shops.

There are several public toilets in Polignano, with these new facilities being the closest.

Good Base | The popular Puglian summer hotspot of Polignano a Mare or nearby Monopoli as an alternative (which we actually preferred).

Top Tip // We actually much preferred the beaches and sunbathing spots that can be found if you trace the coast on foot ever so slightly north of the town centre. Still popular, they offer a more relaxed local experience with much more chance of getting a spot! You can find out more about our favourite swimming spots in Polignano a Mare in our main destination guide.

Keep Reading // A Short Guide to Polignano a Mare

Porto Marzano Beach

The town of Monopoli is one of our favourites on the east coast, and we often recommend it as a base. It’s got a couple of lovely little ‘city’ beaches, easily accessible on foot, which are definitely part of its appeal, and a good shout for a lazy day.

Another one of the reasons we believe this gorgeous little city is such a good base in Puglia is that you can head south from it, and hopscotch along the coast from sandy cove to sandy cove.

Along this stretch, there are number of lidos and spots to lay by the sea, but of the several that we visited in close proximity to Monopoli, one really stood out - especially if you have children.

Porto Marzano (Google Maps) is a little inlet that provides would-be sunbathers and water-frolickers with the best of both worlds; a protected little crescent of sandy beach edged by wave-free shallow water, and directly opposite, a rocky outcrop that is flat enough in parts to lay down a towel that sits above deep turquoise waters perfect for snorkelling.

Type of Beach | Offers both a sandy cove and a flat rocky area.

Parking | There is a large paid-for circular carpark (maps) that sits just behind the beach costing €5 for the entire day, but if you’re early or patient enough you can instead try your luck with one of the free parking spots that trace the circumference of the lot (gets filled up quickly though). Note that the narrow access road to access all the beaches along this little bit of coast is one-way, so you need to to turn left when departing.

Accessibility | A short walk to the two sections of beach, but note that you do not want to walk across the rocky part with bare feet - it’s very sharp!

Facilities | The beach is completely free and public (although there is a lido very close by; it’s called Marzá, and we didn’t love it).

There’s also a very small cafe here but we’d recommend bringing everything you need, alongside a parasol to protect yourselves from the harsh summer sun.

Good Base | The delightful city of Monopoli.

Keep Reading // If you’d like to learn more about Monopoli and the other nearby beaches nearby, be sure to check out A Short Guide to Monopli | A Base by the Sea in Puglia

Calette di Torre Cintola

If you’re very much of the belief that a good beach day requires sand, this is not the place for you.

However, for those of us that become enamoured with Italian love of rocky bathing spots and crystal clear waters, Calette di Torre Cintola is a wonderful spot.

Located atop the ruins of what was once a 16th-century coastal watchtower (and what looked to us like the remains of a quarry), this charming collection of calette stretch a few hundred metres with a variety of high and low, relatively smooth rocky outcrops surrounded by beautiful crystalline waters.

Best Beach Puglia | Calette di Torre Cintola

Type of Beach | Smooth rocks, both raised and at sea-level

Parking | The sunbathing rocks and area runs parallel to the road for quite a stretch, and there are several dusty parking areas on one side, all of which appeared to require a daily payment varying between €4 and €5. We managed to find a space in this free dusty parking area (maps), which was ideal but would fill up early on weekends.

Accessibility | From the various car parking spots it’s easy enough to access the rocky outcrops, but getting down to the water does need a decent level of mobility - plus sea shoes. Due to the rocks common across many of Puglia’s best beaches, the footwear is a summer staple amongst Italians (including the stylish ones), so not a bad addition to your suitcase. You can find lots here on Amazon.

Facilities | There are a couple of beach bars located at either end of the calette but if you’re planning on spending the day here, we’d recommend coming prepared with snack and drinks so you don’t have to abandon your spot if you get thirsty!

Good Base | At just 10-minutes from Monopoli and 30 minutes from Ostuni, both these charming towns would make an excellent base for reaching Calette di Torre Cintola on a day trip with your own car.

Keep Reading // Our short guides to Ostuni & Monopoli

Spiaggia di Torre Pozzelle

There are several proper sandy beaches to the east of Ostuni, one of Puglia’s most popular towns and bases. However, after spending the day travelling along this particular section of coast, it became obvious that the stretches of sand here had one thing in common - they were quite wild.

To some of you that may not love the Italian obsession with lidos or lying on rocks, this collection of quiet bays and longer sandy stretches, often backed by wild greenery may be absolutely ideal, especially in the peak summer months when other popular spots can become overwhelmingly busy.

In fact, should you visit before or after the peak August season (especially if you come on a weekday), you’ll often find yourself sharing the beaches with just a handful of other people.

We found some a little underwhelming, but the best for us was Spiaggia di Torre Pozzelle (maps), a fantastically wild little cove that feels much like being in a national park.

Best Beach Puglia | Spiaggia di Torre Pozzelle

Type of Beach | A half-moon of soft golden sand.

Parking | There is a car park a short distance from beach that is paid for via a meter - €1 for one hour, €5 all day. Find it here on Google Maps.

Accessibility | Easy peasy. Just park and walk the short distance to the beach.

Facilities | There’s a small bar near the beach selling drinks and simple plates but we’d recommend bringing everything you need with you - including a parasol as there’s absolutely no shade.

Base | The gorgeous white city of Ostuni.

Keep Reading // The Best Beaches Near Ostuni (published soon)

Torre dell’Orso

Fringed by pine forest, and enclosed by cliffs on both sides, the long stretch of sandy beach at Torre dell'Orso - so named for the the old watchtower overlooking the shore - is ranked by many as one of the best beaches in Puglia, with the village itself a popular holiday base.

We personally didn’t love the town (which shares the same name) but there’s no denying that the long expanse of powdery white sand is a wonderful place to throw down a towel for the day - or enjoy one of several lidos that have found a permanent home at the water’s edge. In peak summer, note that this beach does become more ‘packed’ than many others in Puglia, but may offer exactly what you want due to the number of facilities on it.

Note that at the southern point of Torre dell’Orso beach you’ll find Le Due Sorelle, a photogenic rock formation rising up out of the water. Watching sunset from the cliffs above this is a super popular thing to do, and something we definitely recommend if you’re visiting. You can find out more about how to do this in our guide to Torre dell’Orso.

Type of Beach | This is one of the few long, sandy beaches along the east coast of Puglia.

Parking | Torre dell’Orso has an abundance of paid street parking and a couple of car parks - just note that the one-way system means you may have to drive through and around the beach town a couple of times before you find a free spot (especially if arriving in the peak summer months, or later in the day).

If staying for the whole day, we recommend trying this carpark first which charges approximately €4 for the day.

Accessibility | There are three paths that you can take from the road that runs parallel to the sea, down to the beach. These are flat and easily accessed making them ideal for families or those with poorer mobility.

Facilities | As mentioned above, Torre dell’Orso is fairly evenly split between lidos and free beach meaning that you can easily choose to splurge or remain budget-conscious. The lidos charge around €15 for an umbrella and two sunbeds in the quieter months, whilst the prices increase significantly in the high season - expect to pay around €35 for the same set-up in August.

Lovers of watersports are well catered to here with options to hire a kayak, head out on a banana boat adventure and even try your hand at wakeboarding, whilst the conditions for swimming here in the azure waters are generally excellent (on days where the wind picks up, you may also be able to surf and bodyboard!)

Good Base | Torre dell’Orso has a wealth of accommodation options to suit all budgets and travel styles - you can find our pick of the best in our guide. It’s also just a half-hour drive from Lecce.

Tip | The nearby swimming hole of Grotta della Poesia is one of the most Instagram-famous locations in Puglia, but significant changes in the last three years mean we don’t recommend it as a beach destinaition. To find out why, check out our short guide to Grotta della Poesia.

Keep Reading // A Short Guide to Torre Dell’Orso.

I Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea

We first visited this rock formation back in 2017. Back then, we pulled up on the side of a dusty road, and the only others we encountered were Italian tourists, bodies bronzed from a summer in the sun.

A regret we always carried with us from that trip was spending just an hour laying atop the smooth rocks of I Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea, a bathing spot so named for the sea stacks that shoot up from the aquamarine waters that lap the eastern coast. So, when we returned to Puglia last summer, we knew this would have to feature on our itinerary!

This beach (if we can be so bold as to call it that), has grown in popularity since that first trip to Puglia. The dusty road now has a ticketed carpark and the bodies belong to a more international cohort, but I Faraglioni (maps) remains as special as we remember.

Best Beach Puglia | I Faraglioni di Sant'Andrea

Type of Beach | This beach is much more a collection of hewn-out crevices within the limestone stacks and coastline, worn smooth by waves over time and surrounded by the most beautiful kaleidoscopic blue water. We absolutely adore this place (and most people who visit love it too) but if you - or your back - value a flat surface, it may not be ideal.

Parking | There is a good-sized, designated car park (maps) for I Faraglioni which is ticketed and charges €1.50/hour.

Accessibilty | To reach the swimming / sunbathing area, you need to descend down some slippery steps carved into the stone. Unless you can carry your child, we wouldn’t recommend doing this with little ones, and it’s also not suitable for those with mobility issues (although we did see a determined older Italian gentleman with a cane refuse to be defeated!)

Facilities | There are a couple of restaurants a minute or so from the bathing area and a business savvy, perma-tanned local man has set up a little stand at the top of the steps selling cold drinks etc for a very reasonable price.

Good Base | I Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea are located just a 10-minute drive to Torre dell’Orso. If you fancy staying somewhere with a bit more going on, another great base for reaching this beach is Lecce or Otranto - both just a 30-minute drive away.

Keep Reading // Our guides to Torre dell’Orso, Lecce and Otranto.

Baia dei Turchi

Backed by dense pine forests, and a few kilometres from the designated car parks, of all the beaches on this list, Baia dei Turchi (maps) is probably the one you have to work the most to reach - which you’d think would make it a less popular option for those looking for a day out under the sun.

However this stunning stretch of sand located within the protected Oasis of Alimini Lakes (and boasting both the Blue Flag and 5 Sails awards) continues to be a firm favourite for those holidaying in the Salento region in Puglia.

Type of Beach | A beautiful soft, white sand beach.

Parking & Accessibility |With several access roads and parking options for several of the areas of beach and lidos which are on this gorgeous stretch of coast, it can be a little confusion to know which road to turn down and which car park area is right.

So, after turning off the main road, you will follow a narrow lane past vineyards and arrive at a large parking area (maps) from which you have three options to visit Baia dei Turchi:

- Park at the carpark. This costs €5 for the day, and includes a shuttle that will take you closer to the beach, but you’ll still need to walk around a kilometre.

- If you arrive early, you will be able to park along the road up to the carpark and then walk through the forest to the beach.

- Drive past the carpark, towards what looks like a dead end where you will be able to park amongst the trees, just a short walk to the beach. Note that we didn’t do this personally, but we have read lots of accounts of others giving this a go, successfully. Do note that the guys in the carpark will likely shout at you for attempting this, but apparently you just have to ignore them (as parking in Italy’s south is often left to interpretation and a bit of wheeze by some beaches, we don’t necessarily endorse this or advise against it).

Facilities | Facilities are very limited unless you are using one of the beach lidos, which cost around €25-€30 for two people, per day.

If you plan to decamp to the free beach, bring everything you need for the duration of the day.

Base | Otranto is an ideal base from which to visit Baia dei Turchi.

Otranto’s Beaches

Whilst the majority of Puglia’s coastal towns and cities have a beach (or at least access to the water), not every one is excellent and worthy of being added to this list.

One overwhelming exception to this however is the tranquil bay that wraps around Otranto.

Composed of several crescents of powdery soft sand, a variety of cement outcrops and man-made rocky wave-breakers, this wonderful town offers up some of our favourite swimming spots in Puglia.

Our preferred parts are lido-free and just under the town walls (maps) or a little further along the lungomare (maps), but you can find more ‘beachy beach’ areas about a 5-10 minute further along the front (i.e. Spiaggia dei Gradoni).

Type of Beach | All of them!

Parking | Being a large town, there’s plenty of both free and paid for street parking, as well as a number of parking lots. The only problem is that as the beach is in the historic centre, you’ll not be able to park near it.

Accessibility | The water, beach and sunbathing areas are located down a variety of small staircases that are accessible to almost everyone.

Facilities | Wherever you choose to throw down your towel, you’ll be close to restaurants and shops. Lidos are much more of a rarity in Otranto, but if you head to Spiaggia dei Gradoni you’ll find Lido Camillo renting two beds and an umbrella for €35-40 - do note that as this is just a slither of beach, it can feel a little cramped, with not much space between the beds.

Base | We love, love, love Otranto - it would make a very fine base for a few days in Puglia!

Keep Reading // Our Complete Guide to Otranto

Santa Cesarea Terme

Perched atop the tufo bluff and part of a protected coastal park, the ancient town of Santa Cesarea Terme (maps) traces a path between natural woods and the emerald waters of the Adriatic, its honey coloured buildings springing forth from the towering cliffs that mark the line between land and sea.

It has long been famous for its natural sulphur springs, but as is common in many of these spa towns, it wasn’t until the 19th century when the wealthy began to flock to the area in search of remedies and relaxation that Santa Cesarea Terme really began to thrive.

The monied of Lecce continue to visit the town, but the beauty now casts a much wider net, drawn in by the springs, the views, and the beauty of this prosperous town.

Beach-wise you have several options - the stunning Bagno Marino Archi lido (we found it reminiscent of the lidos found along the Amalfi Coast), the small, flat rocky outcrop of Cala Fontanelle, Cala Porticciolo and the swimming spots plus sandy bay around Porto Miggiano a minute or so drive from the centre of town.

Type of Beach | There are several different areas of beach and water-access in Santa Cesarea Terme, several lidos, rocky coves and even an old quarry.

Parking | There is limited paid street parking throughout Santa Cesarea Terme, but if you’re planning on visiting a lido in the centre of the town or one of the nearby bathing spots, we recommend this carpark charging €1.20 an hour.

Accessibility | Given Santa Cesarea’s cliff-side location, any time you’d like to access the water, you’re going to have to walk down! The only one that may be difficult to access however is the small sandy cove at Porto Miggiano.

Facilities | Besides the lovely lido, all other bathing spots are facility free but given that they are all in the centre (or nearby the centre) of town, you’re never too far from what you need.

Base | Santa Ceserea itself would be a pleasant enough base for a night or two (although we don’t think there’s enough going on there to stay there for longer than that). Alternatively Otranto or even the charming town of Castro would be ideal.

Piscina Zinzulusa

Whilst we may be taking the definition of a ‘beach’ to its extreme with Piscina Zinzulusa, when you discover an open-air swimming pool, perched atop a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea, it simply must make in on to your list!

So-named for the incredible cave system that sits beneath the pool’s foundations - the most famous Karst cave along the Puglian coastline and considered to be one of the most important examples of this geologic phenomenon in Italy - Zinzulusa (maps) provides a unique and truly exceptional way to experience coastal life and take a swim with an unbeatable view without the need to get sandy.

Location | Find it here.

Cost | The entrance is €6 per adult and €4 per child but note that this doesn’t include the use of a bed / umbrella which is charged extra, a €4 per each piece. It may seem a lot, but actually works out similar in price to a lido.

Parking | There is a car park by the ticket office, but unfortunately parking is not included in the entrance fee. Expect to pay €1 per hour or €5 for the day.

Accessibility | The car park is right by the pool, with a few steps down to reach it.

Facilities | There is an on-site restaurant across from the pool

Base | The largest town to Piscina Zinzulusa is Otranto, but the charming little towns of Tricase, Santa Cesarea Terme or Santa Maria di Leuca are also great options.

Visiting Grotta Zinzulusa // As we mentioned above, whilst the swimming pool provides all the views, it is the cave that gains the most accolades - and it remains one of the most popular things to do in this part of Puglia.

Visting is only possible with a guided tour, which leave at least once an hour and cost €6 per adult and €3 per child. The tours last 20-30 minutes and can contain up to 50 people in the peak summer season.

Cala dell'Acquaviva

This gorgeous little cove is one of our absolute favourites beaches in Puglia.

Located around a six minute drive from the little seaside town of Castro, if you didn’t know it was there, you could easily continue the lovely coastal drive and miss out.

However, park up and make the short walk down to Cala dell’Acquaviva (maps), and you’ll find bucketloads of la dolce vita and a beautiful setting. The only tough part is choosing which place to settle down and enjoy the best view for the day.

Type of Beach | All stone, with easy access to gorgeous shallow water.

Parking | We grabbed a space by the little road side car park (maps), but if we had carried on and round the bend, we’d have arrived at the larger car park (maps) which is less of a walk to/from the Cala.

Parking is charged per hour by meter from 15th June - 15th September, but I’m afraid we can’t remember how much it was.

Accessibility | To reach the beach you’ll need to follow a steep but well constructed stone staircase to a large-ish flat area of stone which provides easy access to the water. Alternatively, you can continue around the bay and upward to a variety of rocky areas overlooking the water - just don’t try and do it bare foot and carrying an entire family’s worth of beach gear!

Facilities | Cala dell'Acquaviva has a small kiosk with seating offering cold drinks, coffee and snacks etc but no proper restaurant. If you’re spending the entire day here, we’d recommend bringing some extra to keep you going.

Base | Santa Maria di Leuca

Marina serra

The cute little town of Tricase, with its warren-like maze of narrow streets, peeling walls and uber-photogenic signs and facades feels a little like a hidden secret in Puglia, but the real reason to head here is for the oh-so-Italian seaside experience you can find nearby.

Whilst the town’s official port (Porto Tricase) offers a charming bathing spot overlooked by a photogenic pink museum, we recommend instead that you head to Marina Serra, located a couple of minutes away (maps)

At one end there’s a small man-made harbour which has has found a new life as an open-air swimming pool, at the other a gorgeous piscina naturale, and between, craggy rocks that slope gently towards the sea. Each offers up a plethora of sunbathing spots dotted with brightly coloured parasols and bronzed bodies.

For sure, Marina Serra is one of the best beaches in Puglia!

Type of Beach | Another - at least in our eyes - gorgeous rocky beach. If you’d really prefer something flat, consider the area around the natural pool/harbour at the entrance.

Parking | Street parking lines the road above the sea, which is paid for by the hour (via a meter), and there’s also a small free car park here.

Accessibility | The bathing areas are easily accessible from the parking, but we’d recommend having some sea shoes or water socks with you as getting in and out of the water barefoot can be quite painful (and we speak from experience!)

Facilities | There are no lidos here but there are a couple of bars serving up drinks, snacks and simple meals.

Base | Tricase would be a lovely base for a couple of days, but if you’re looking to base yourself somewhere for a little longer on holiday mode and do day trips out to beaches, we’d recommend Santa Maria de Leuca.

Otranto is definitely a possibility but note that’s it’s a good 45-minute drive away.

Il Ciolo

This was an unknown beach to us during our first two visits to Puglia (indeed, it’s considered one of the region’s best secret swimming spots). However, upon spotting the curious little Il Ciolo beneath a bridge when driving to Santa Maria de Leuca last summer, we just knew we had to stop by!

Super deep, rainbow blue waters make this an ideal spot for a bit of cliff jumping (you’ll find plenty of people getting their adrenaline rush here, irrespective of when you visit), and whilst the beach itself is rather small, this is an ideal place to take in the incredible views, and a cooling dip.

Additionally, Il Ciolo is well-known as an area for climbers, with several excellent climbing routes within close proximity of the beach.

Type of Beach | There’s a very small sandy cove which you may be lucky enough to secure a spot upon if you’re early, but many people choose instead to climb up onto one of several rocky outcrops.

Parking | There’s a free, designated car park located here, or alternatively a small number of parking bays on the other side of the bridge, here. Do note that parking for this particular beach is much more limited than others on this list, so we really would recommend visiting early, especially in July & August.

Accessibility | To reach the beach area you have two options: take the dusty high path that passes behind the beach and then head down (offers up wonderful views like those in the photo above), or walk down the several flights of stone stairs from the bridge.

There also looked like there was a hiking trail in/out of the beach, but I’m afraid we don’t know more about it.

Facilities | There are no facilities at the beach per se, but within the car park there is a bar, a restaurant and - surprisingly - a tourist information office.

Base | Given Il Ciolo’s proximity to Santa Maria di Leuca, the town makes an idea base from which to visit.

Santa Maria di Leuca

If there’s one place we’d say sums up the Puglian summer holiday vibe, it’s the little seaside resort of Santa Maria di Leuca.

Located at the most southernly tip of the region, this coastal town has long been popular with vacationing Italians. Indeed, its 1920s coastal aesthetic of pale blue shutters, whitewash walls and simple summer pleasures seduced us during our first road trip here; we just knew it would make a wonderful base for a few days of slow living when we eventually returned to this part of Puglia.

That return happened in September 2022 and, whilst foreign visitors are becoming increasingly common, its still Italian that you’ll hear flitting through the air first and foremost.

Best Beach Puglia | Santa Maria di Leuca

Type of Beach | Sandy beaches are minimal in Santa Maria di Leuca, with just a small section in the centre (here on Google Maps), but there are abundance of lidos built atop the water, and a fabulous little part harbour / part fishing spot / part bathing spot under a bridge in the southern area of the town, which was where we chose to hang out during our time there. Near to there, in summer season, there’s also a couple of temporary lidos set up on the rocks too, with stairs down to the sea.

Parking | There is actually quite a lot of on-street free and paid-for parking throughout Santa Maria di Leuca, with the lungomare (maps) offering an ideal location.

Accessibility | All the aforementioned swimming spots are very accessible, with Santa Maria di Leuca’s developed seafront offering a flat and relatively wheelchair-friendly surface.

Facilities | As we’ve mentioned, there are an abundance of lidos here, the bulk of which were very much the sort of place we’d be happy to spend the day. You can find out more about Santa Maria di Leuca’s lido offerings in our destination guide.

The only spot we’d recommend coming prepared for is the one we mentioned as being our favourite as you’re a fair distance from shops etc (although you could grab beers and snacks from the little restaurant under the bridge).

Base | For those looking for a relaxed holiday base in Puglia, we think Santa Maria di Leuca is a good spot. However, it may not be the right sort of vibe for some travellers, so we’d suggest reading our guide to find out more.

Spiaggia di Pescoluse

Around a twenty-minute drive from Santa Maria de Leuca, the only beach along Puglia’s western coast to make it on to this list is famous Spiaggia di Pescoluse. Otherwise known as Maldive del Salento for its incredibly clear, Caribbean-like shallow waters and long stretch of soft sand beach, it has long been a popular holidaying spot for Italians, with the entirety of its four kilometre length being backed with holiday homes, guest houses and all manner of tourist facilities.

Offering a good mix of lidos and free beach, it’s ideally suited to families and those that just want an easy beach day, but do be aware that it becomes horribly busy during the peak summer months, especially on weekends when you’ll find yourself battling for space.

Also, we’ve been there twice in September, and it’s been windy each time.

Best Beach Puglia | Spiaggia di Pescoluse

Type of Beach | Spiaggia di Pescoluse his is absolutely ideal for lovers of a traditional sandy beach experience!

Parking | There are an abundance of car parks backing the beach, some of which you can pay for by the hour, and others where you pay a fixed daily rate of around €5. Alternatively, for those that arrive early in the day , there is street parking available but most of it is paid for by the hour.

Accessibility | Super easy to access, with flat paths from the car parks to the beach at regular intervals

Facilities | You will find literally everything you need for a beach day either on the beach itself, or from the shops and businesses just behind it, including a variety of watersports.

Possibly because of the sheer number of lidos here, the prices can be considerably more competitive than other Puglia beaches, charging a daily rate of around €25 for an umbrella and two sunbeds in peak summer.

Base | Given how busy this beach becomes, we really wouldn’t recommend staying nearby. Instead, Santa Maria di Leuca would make a great base, as well as the beautiful city of Gallipoli located further north along the western coast.

Keep Reading // Our guides to Santa Maria di Leuca and Gallipoli

Ginosa Marina

On our first Puglia road trip, we crossed over the border to visit the famous caves of Matera in the neighbouring land-locked region of Basilicata.

However, our third trip in Puglia led us to the wonderful off-the-beaten track canyon town of Ginosa in the Terra delle Gravine Regional Natural Park. On the far west of Puglia, it’s less than 25km from Matera and home to far less famous, but equally historic, cave homes and communities.

It’s also just a 25-minute drive from the sandy Ginosa Marina (maps) in the Gulf of Taranto.

Type of Beach | Attached to a relatively tired seaside resort town, the long Blue Flag stretch of beach has lots of lidos, good swimming, and offers up lots of wild-feeling spiaggia libera backed by pines. It’s not our favourite beach in Puglia, but it’s in a historical hiking area that’s far less known by tourists and the proximity to Matera makes it somewhere we think you should know about on the west coast.

Parking | Paid street parking on the street running parallel and perpendicular to the beach.

Accessibility | Super easy to access, with flat paths from the car parks to the beach at regular intervals.

Facilities | The lidos have everything for drinks, snacks, and simple meals, but there’s restaurants and supermarkets a short walk away in the town.

Base | This isn’t a beach to go out of your way to visit, but it’s a good option for the day if you’re based in Ginosa, Laterza, or Matera.

Keep Reading // A Different Side of Puglia | Caves, Hill Towns, and History By The Sea

A Note About Parking

There is an entire trade around the parking solutions for Italian beach-goers, and before you plan a day out at the seaside in Puglia, there are a few things of which you need to be aware:

Most beaches in Puglia will have at least one designated, paid-for car park.
Generally, this is charged on a per-day basis rather than by the hour. Expect to pay around €5 for the day with prices dropping a little outside of July & August, and sometimes increasing beyond this for super popular beaches.
These car parks are almost always manned by a parking attendant, and you will pay him in cash and be given a small voucher. Always a good idea to have change on Puglia road trips.
If you’re only planning on staying for a couple of hours, you may be able to negotiate a slight discount if you ask nicely (especially if you arrive later in the day) but this is absolutely not guaranteed - and will likely be refused outright at popular beaches in high season.
There will often be several 'unofficial’ official car parks set up in fields or scrubland, with numbers increased during the summer season.
Alternatively, there is often free or paid-for street parking in the vicinity, however if you arrive after about 10.30 am, finding one of these non-carp ark spots is damn near impossible (we have gained a new respect for Puglians who steadfastly skirt the car park system, by parking a mile from the beach along the side of a road you are not supposed to park at, or impossibly close to another car where they can).
As visitors, we don’t think it’s worth going too far out of your way to find free parking. From experience, this can cause more stress than it’s worth and eat into your time. It can also lead to unexpected parking fines for parking in resident’s areas.
The paid street parking meters usually accept card payments, whilst some use the easypark app too.

Even if you opt for a car park, there will almost certainly be no shade and in the summer, your car will become horribly hot upon your return. So, wherever you park, we recommend having something you can place inside the windshield to prevent the car heating up too much. Most rentals unfortunately don’t include this, so it may be worth buying one of the reflective / foil things you see locals use at the start of your trip.

Lastly, we’ve had no issues with our cars being damaged or broken into during three road trips in Puglia, but we still recommend leave valuables out of sight and / or bring them with you.

Find out more in Our Puglia Road Trip Itinerary + 14 Essential Tips For Driving in Puglia