Hello! My husband and I will be in Puglia the last 2 weeks in June. Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Otranto. I am ok to expect crowds during this time, but I do want to get some beach time in! Tell me all the tips? Best beaches, what not to do, parking situations, do we need to reserve spaces? Do y'all take little dry bags if you're both in the water at the same time, for your money/passports/etc.?
Thanks!
The best are in the Salento area (Lecce Province), which is where you will be. Take a look below, then google map the ones you like.
https://travel.thewom.it/italia/puglia/lecce/alla-scoperta-del-salento-e-delle-sue-spiagge-dal-mar-adriatico-al-mar-ionio.html
No need to reserve anything, parking varies depending on which you choose. They will not be crowded in June, except maybe for weekends.
You can buy those water proof containers for your documents and car keys, but there is always the risk they may not be very 'water proof'. I generally prefer to go in the water separately (one person guards the belongings while the other is in the water).
Following with interest...
Good to know about them not being busy at that time! Thank you! I'll check out that website. :)
My wife, my two sons 9 and 11 and I will be there in mid-June. So excited. We rented a Trullo in the countryside as a base and will do daytrips from there. If you see 4 sunburnt americans wave hello!
Also following this thread. There is a couple on YouTube that goes by Travel Beans that shows video of visiting some amazing beaches in Puglia. Would love to know how it goes. We are voting in September.
We visited Puglia but were a bit north of where you'll be, in Trani. Much of the shore is rocky. For example the beach at Polignano a Mare is barely 100 yards wide, so not a lot of space. Although in June you'll probably be ok. But there are flat beaches to be found. You can probably find beach listings online, we just drove along the coast and pulled into one we saw. I'd recommend a private beach which will have lounge chair and umbrella rentals, showers, and a restaurant. They are really pretty if you look online at the photos, all the matched umbrellas. When the umbrellas change colors that's the neighboring beach rental place. You can rent for the morning, afternoon, or the day.
We went in the start of Sept and many were already closed for the season. We found one that rented places to sit but their restaurant was closed. I've read the Italians take their vacations in July and August and it seemed to be true. We did a day trip down to Polignano a Mare and parked at their big lot which was completely empty! It was a warm and beautiful day, but nobody; you could almost sense the cars that probably filled it 5 days earlier. And when we went to the beach mentioned above it also had maybe 5 families using the place.
As for valuables, we just went in one person at a time.
I haven't been yet, but my family will be in Puglia this July. This was the advice I received from an old acquaintance who now lives in Carovigno (near Ostuni):
Beaches - A combo of rocky terrain and patches of sand. As you get further north, my impression is that the shoreline tends to get rockier. A lot of the coastline is sort of scalloped, so for some of the beaches there are strings of sandy enclaves divided by rocky terrain (e.g., Torre Pozzella, north of Santa Sabina). if you come upon a beach and it's too crowded, scramble over the rocks and see if there is another mini-beach. Tho sometimes all you find is more rock, so take a look at Google maps before you go. And mind your feet - they're not rolling rocks, more the slicing kind.
The beaches by me (i.e.,in Santa Sabina) are tiny and crowded - there are a few a bit north (like Mezzaluna) that aren't bad, but if you're looking for a proper beach, go further south. There are loads, but these stand out:
Pantanagianni - sandier than most
Torre Guaceto - also a nature reserve.
I've also been trolling Instagram, and while I realize IG is not real life, it's led me to compile this list of Pugliese beaches that look inviting:
Ionian Beaches/Towns:
Porto Selvaggio
Gallipoli
Punta Pizzo
Punta della suina (Gallipoli)
Punta prosciutto
San Pietro in Bevagna
Sant’Isidoro
Piri Piri Lido (beach club)
Santa Maria di Leuca (tip of heel)
Adriatic Beaches/Towns:
Castro / Grotta Zinzulusa
Santa Cesarea Terme
Otranto (Bastioni & Alimini beaches)
Conca Specchiulla (Otranto)
Baia Morrone (Otranto)
Grotta Sfondata - Baia Mulino d’Acqua (Otranto)
Adriatic Beaches North of Otranto & SE of Lecce:
Tricase
Marina Serra
Torre dell’Orso
Torre Sant’Andrea
San Foca
Grotta della Poesia
Grotta Verde Marina di Andrano
Roca Vecchia
Jess, please come back here and update us after your trip!
