Puglia home base

How many days do you have in total? You can get to all of those from Bari by train. I would want a car for Vieste unless I planned to get there, plop on the beach, and didn’t need to get anywhere else easily. It’s a long ride and you should go there first for best good weather chances.
If you drive in Tuscany, you’ll be fine in Puglia. If you keep the car for the total trip, I’d base somewhere smaller than Bari. Lecce can be a tad more difficult with a car, but no need to avoid it, just get a place with parking. Both coasts are great so ideal to have a car in the south as well as for smaller towns,

I would rent a car in Bari, if your train is to Bari. If you are interested in seeing Bari for a day or two, rent afterwards, after you leave the city, as Bari is not car friendly.

Vieste is too far and convoluted to visit on a day trip. You need to drive there and stay a couple of nights or even three nights if you want a day trip also to Peschici. It’s a beautiful area especially if you go during beach season, which you are. You can stay here if you wish. Not fancy but perfect.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KXjqFWPnh4VXyk3z6?g_st=ic

Monopoli, Polignano, on the coast, or Locorotondo, Alberobello in the interior, are all in the same area, so any of them can be used as a base to see the others. Even Ostuni, a bit further south, can be visited from those locations. They are all within 45 min drive from one another. You can also visit Matera on a day trip, but you need over one hour drive, depending on your departure point.
In Alberobello I stayed here.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/btsgDChgbLQ8QzZF8?g_st=ic

Otranto on the coast, or Lecce, slightly in the interior, are further south, and a bit too far to drive from the above, so I would have a separate base for those. Gallipoli is another place you can visit from either. In your shoes, since you are going in summer, I’d choose Otranto (I like beaches), however Lecce at night is magical. But it’s only 45 min away, so you could visit Lecce on a day trip from Otranto and drive back late after dinner. In Otranto I have stayed here a couple of times. They have underground parking on the premises, for a daily fee.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wPBFZS8Jodt1fuUQA?g_st=ic

I once rented from Hetz office in Bari near train station (from which it’s an easy quick ride out of town) and returned at the airport. Nice if you want to experience the old town but not trek back and forth each day.

Hi Vicki,

I am going back to Puglia soon for the third year in a row. I’ve always traveled solo there and also only by public transportation - didn’t want to rent a car. So, yes, it can be done without a car. But if you want to rent a car, it certainly opens up more options for exploring. Cisterino is one I would visit. Hint: this is a region not to be rushed. Embrace wherever you are - more is not more. : )

I don’t like to do day trips, so I have stayed in several small cities there, plus the larger ones. I will be staying in repeats again: Trani, Monopoli, Locorotondo & Lecce this time. For your question, I would definitely not stay in Bari. If you plan on day trips without a car,, pick a city where the train is close to the center of the city, so you don’t need to walk so far back & forth. Monopoli, Polignano a Mare and Alberobello are the best from your list. I loved sleeping in a small trullo in Alberobello, but if that’s not exciting to you, don’t choose it as it is very touristy there during the middle of the day.

If you have a car, I would pick two cities as bases - Polignano a Mare or Monopoli and Lecce. Or if you don’t want to go south of Lecce, substitute a place in the countryside such as Roberto mentioned for the non-beach location.

Just for reference of ideas during your trip:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/my-1-month-independent-trip-to-southern-italy-tribute-to-my-husband

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/3-week-italy-trip-to-puglia-plus-tivoli-rome-may-2025

Vieste is glorious; I would plan your beach time there but you should spend a minimum of three nights--the road from Bari (to a lesser degree the road from Termoli) is long and winding in parts..... Do not depend totally on the GPS--we did and ended up on a pitted dirt road in the middle of an olive grove, along with two others cars who also depended on their GPS!! Try to get good directions from locals along the way, as soon as you head into Gargano from the south.