Puglia beaches are so warm and welcoming that they spread their sands across both the Ionian and Adriatic Seas.
The heel of Italy’s boot may seem like a long journey until you realize that a high-speed train can tackle the distance between Rome and Bari in as little as 4 hours.
Strap on your sandals and lather on that sunscreen. The best beaches in Puglia are waving you over.
Image Credit: Getty Images, j-wildman. Image Location: Pescoluse, Puglia, Italy
Where are the best beaches in Puglia?
From iconic Italian to mistaken for Maldives, these are two of the best beaches in Puglia, Italy.
Spiaggia delle Maldive
Down in the town of Pescoluse, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were sunbathing along the Indian Ocean. Generous stretches of white sand and glass-like water make it undeniably one of the best beaches in all of Italy.
Spiaggia di San Menaio
So close to the tip of Puglia that the tide may pull you out of the region, Spiaggia di San Menaio’s private beaches have lured in landlubbers since the 1950s. Generally less crowded from a tourist perspective, this north-facing beach lets you watch the sun rise and set without you needing to move your beach chair a single hair.
Where are the best beach clubs in Puglia?
When every grain of sand and ray of sun must be perfect, trust one of the best beach clubs to make every bead of sweat a welcome release.
Guna Beach Club
If you’re gonna go to a beach club in Puglia, make it Guna. This beach club in Punta Penna seeks to connect your consciousness with the Torre Guaceto nature reserve. Holistic therapists in the wellness area take you by the hand on a relaxing journey of self-discovery while more adventurous visitors can discover the coastline while windsurfing or kitesurfing.
Coccaro Beach Club
Blue and white striped umbrellas, ruby spritzes, and all of the sushi you can savor: Coccaro Beach Club is the five-star private getaway you wish you knew about sooner. On the south end of Savelletri, this club has an all-day cocktail bar and kids club, meaning the whole family spends the day in an age-appropriate state of bliss.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Wirestock. Image Location: Punta Prosciutto, Puglia, Italy
Are there any sandy beaches in Puglia?
Bring your pail and shovel, you’d better believe that there are sandy beaches in Puglia.
Spiaggia di Punta Prosciutto
What it lacks in thin-sliced meats Punta Prosciutto makes up for in gorgeous fine white sand. Expect schools of swimmers and sun worshipers to fill the shoreline to the east, avoiding the rockiness of the western beachfront. Crystal-clear water and a shallow depth at low tide make it one of the best beaches in Puglia for little kids.
Cala delle Arene
If you don’t mind a boat ride on the Adriatic Sea—who doesn't?—the Tremiti Islands are across from Termoli on the northern coast of Puglia. Cala delle Arene is small but spectacular, set against bluffs and spilling over with dive spots.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Filippo Maria Bianchi. Image Location: Gallipoli, Puglia, Italy
Where is the best base in Puglia for beaches?
Whether you’re hoping to stay put in the sand or take day trips to nearby coastal towns, these two cities are fantastic bases in Puglia for beach trips.
Monopoli
Monopoli is popular, though not as crowded as nearby Polignano a Mare or as large as Bari. It’s an excellent choice for being on the “outskirts” of Bari yet still being able to cruise the coastline, visit some of the best beaches on Puglia’s Ionian shoreline, and make a spur of the moment decision to hop a train or boat in Bari to another awesome Puglia beach town.
Gallipoli
Sunsets in Gallipoli (specifically viewed from the Spiaggia della Purita) will convince you to stay every evening, but its location southwest of Lecce gives you awesome access to the west coast. That includes heading inland to see the San Lorenzo Astronomical Park and driving down to Pescoluse to see what the “Maldives of Italy” is all about.
What is the prettiest seaside town in Puglia?
The prettiest seaside town in Puglia? The number-one answer on the board is Polignano a Mare. Located a sweet 30-minute train ride away from Bari, Polignano a Mare has gorgeous beaches, Roman ruins, art museums, and medieval white houses clustered on the cliffside, no doubt the backdrop for an envy-inducing vacation selfie.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Roberto Moiola/Sysaworld. Image Location: Polignano a Mare, Puglia, Italy
Which Puglia beach is like the Maldives?
Pescoluse is one of the best beaches in the region and is known as the Maldives of Italy. Located on Salento’s Ionian Coast between Lido Marini and Santa Maria di Leuca, Pescoluse earned its nickname thanks to its crystalline water and fine white sand shoreline. You could take a train from Rome to Salve-Ruggiano and make it from the Colosseum to the coast in 9 hours.
Visit the best beaches in Puglia by rail
You bring the sunscreen, we’ll bring the cheapest train tickets available. Download the Trainline app, your instant connection to fun in the sun at the best beaches in Puglia. Also check out our guides to how to book your train tickets online in Italy and everything you need to know about trains in Italy.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Dave G Kelly. Image Location: Polignano a Mare, Puglia, Italy