The cone roofs of the trulli of Alberobello among cypresses and pines, Puglia
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Luxury in Italy

Puglia

The heel of Italy: fortified farmhouses turned into great hotels, olive trees older than the Renaissance, the trulli of Alberobello, white Ostuni and baroque Lecce.

The trulli of Alberobello, PugliaPhotograph: AXP Photography

Benvenuti

Olive groves and white towns

Puglia is the heel of Italy, a long, flat land between two seas planted with tens of millions of olive trees, some of them many centuries old. Its masserie, the fortified farmhouses of the great estates, were built with walls and towers against raiders from the sea.

Many of those masserie are now fine hotels, and near Fasano stands Borgo Egnazia, built new in the manner of a Puglian village and among the finest resorts in Italy. The trulli of Alberobello, round stone houses with conical roofs, are World Heritage.

White Ostuni stands on its hill above the olive groves, Lecce is a city of honey-coloured baroque churches, and Polignano a Mare hangs over the Adriatic on its cliff. The cooking is simple and superb: burrata, orecchiette, fish from two seas.

A few words of Italian
EnglishItalianSay it
HelloBuongiornobwohn-JOR-noh
PleasePer favorepehr fah-VOH-reh
Thank youGrazieGRAHT-see-eh
Good eveningBuonaserabwoh-nah-SEH-rah
The bill, pleaseIl conto, per favoreeel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh

Stay

Luxury hotels in Puglia

The finest hotels in and around Puglia: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

Savelletri di Fasano, Puglia

Borgo Egnazia

Built in pale local stone in the manner of a Puglian village, Borgo Egnazia sits among olive groves near the Adriatic between Bari and Brindisi.

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

  • La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi CorsoLecce

    A palazzo hotel in the Baroque old town of Lecce, with two MICHELIN Keys. Visit website ↗

  • Masseria Torre MaizzaSavelletri di Fasano

    Rocco Forte's restored masseria among the olive groves near the Puglian coast, with two MICHELIN Keys.

Cruises

Puglia by sea

How the ships arrive in Puglia, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships berth at Bari, beside the old town, and at Brindisi; the small ships also call at Monopoli.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Experience

Events and things to do in Puglia

The finest things to do in and around Puglia.

Health spas

Weddings and celebrations

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Puglia and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Puglia

Where is Puglia?

In the far south-east of Italy, the heel of the Italian boot, between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea. Bari and Brindisi airports take private jets; Borgo Egnazia and the masserie of Fasano are about 45 minutes from either.

What is Puglia famous for?

Borgo Egnazia and the masserie hotels, ancient olive groves, the trulli of Alberobello, white Ostuni, baroque Lecce, and its cooking.

Do you tip in Puglia?

Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.

What should you wear in Puglia?

Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.

Beyond Puglia

More in Italy

The rest of Italy, and the Mediterranean beyond.

ItalyLuxury Italy Holidays: Amalfi Coast & CapriExplore ItalyThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Puglia, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Puglia

How Italy does things.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the main coastal resorts; less so in the countryside.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting; cheek kisses among friends and family. Titles matter: dottore / dottoressa for anyone with a university degree, signore / signora otherwise.
Dress
Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch about 1–3 pm; dinner from about 8 pm, often 9.30 pm or later in the big cities and in summer. Book ahead for good restaurants. A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip. Ask for the bill; it will not arrive until you do.
Tipping
Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.
Good to know
Smaller shops often close for a midday break and on Sunday. Many towns fine people for sitting on monument steps or eating and drinking beside major churches and monuments; entering or bathing in public fountains is an offence in many cities, including Rome and Florence, and swimming in Venice's canals is banned. Taking sand, shells or pebbles from the coast is illegal.
Tourist tax
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days from April to July, from €5 booked in advance; guests staying overnight in the city are exempt but must register online.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.