Where to stay in Apulia, from the Salento to farmhouses and the Ionian coast

Where to stay in Apulia, area by area

Apulia makes more sense if you split it into four bases: the Salento between Lecce and the Ionian coast, the southern tip of the Salento, the Taranto area and the north with the Murgia. You will find twenty-three places here, almost all B&Bs and houses in the centre of villages. Choose the area first and then the place, as the pace and the distances change from one to the next.

Lecce, Gallipoli and the Ionian coast of the Salento

This is the most convenient part for anyone who wants Lecce's baroque, the sea at Gallipoli and Porto Cesareo, and a few inland villages, all in the same holiday.

• A Casa di Paola B&B Lecce, in Lecce. Rooms with a balcony and breakfast included, in the centre. Guests praise the cleanliness, the quiet and the hostess. Good for couples and anyone who gets around on foot, less so for those with heavy luggage who don't like stairs.
• B&B Marmur Luxury Room, in Lecce. Modern, spacious rooms, comfortable beds and an attentive manager, but reviews mention finishes and cleanliness that could be better. A good central base for anyone happy to overlook a few flaws.
• Tenuta Cavalieri, in Leverano. A farm stay with a garden, a seasonal pool, air-conditioned rooms and free parking. It suits couples, families and friends who spend their days on the beaches and return in the evening to a peaceful place.
• Villa Cristina, in Alezio. An elegant place in the centre of the village, with well-kept rooms, bright spaces, a Mediterranean garden and a breakfast area. Ideal for couples and families.
• Corte De Noie Appartamenti, in Gallipoli. Air-conditioned apartments in the old town, with a fitted kitchen and a terrace, not far from the Spiaggia della Purità. I recommend them to anyone who wants to leave the car behind and do everything on foot.
• Bed Anthos, in Porto Cesareo. Clean rooms with air conditioning, a private bathroom and Wi-Fi, and a very helpful host. I would choose it as a simple base by the sea, not for the breakfast.
• Vie En Rose B&B, in Porto Cesareo. Spacious rooms, some with a kitchenette, near a free public beach, and a much-liked breakfast. Suits couples, friends and families.

Otranto and the south of the Salento

Here the landscape becomes more rural and the villages are small. You need a car, but you sleep well and calmly.

• Hotel Pietra Verde, in Otranto. Air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, a bar and an Italian-style breakfast, a few minutes' walk from the sea and the old town. A comfortable base with a warm welcome, without expecting modern design.
• Palazzo Vigilarium, in Uggiano La Chiesa. A hotel in a restored historic palazzo on the square, with a panoramic terrace for aperitifs and a much-praised breakfast. For couples and friends who want to discover the Salento at a relaxed pace.
• B&B Le stanze di Brando e Nico-Tricase, in Tricase. Well-kept rooms with a balcony, a kitchenette, a garden, a terrace and a buffet breakfast that is highly praised. I can see couples and groups doing well here, as long as they make sure the booking is confirmed.
• Lamendolara B&B, in Specchia. Air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms and Wi-Fi, in a village in the Salento, and a breakfast that guests remember fondly. Suits couples and drivers who want peace and quiet.
• B&B Monteleo Salento, in Morciano di Leuca. Air-conditioned rooms, a private bathroom and a panoramic terrace, close to the Salento beaches. Read the recent reviews before booking.
• La Corte dei Mille, in Presicce-Acquarica. Studios and small apartments in a historic courtyard, aimed at those who drive between beaches and villages. Less suited to anyone seeking complete silence or reserved parking.

Taranto and the Ionian side

A less picture-postcard Apulia, with real cities, ceramics and villages along the coast. For those who prefer authenticity to showiness.

• Winning Apartments B&B, in Taranto. Air-conditioned rooms with a balcony and a private bathroom, in the centre, handy for the MArTA museum and the Aragonese Castle. There are few reviews, but they are excellent.
• B&B Corte Mopps, in Grottaglie. A modern bed and breakfast in the city of ceramics, with spacious, quiet rooms, a spa, a covered garage and breakfast in the brewery on the ground floor.
• LeTagghjate, in San Giorgio Ionico. Rooms and suites with balconies, air conditioning, a generous breakfast and private parking. I would choose it for families, couples and anyone travelling for work or a wedding.
• B&B la Tarentilla, in Lizzano. Spacious, air-conditioned rooms with a veranda, in the centre of a village on the Taranto coast, with the sea a few minutes away. For a quiet Apulia, not for luxury or nightlife.
• B&B Tenuta Canneddi, in Avetrana. Only eight spacious rooms with balconies, breakfast in the garden and a roof terrace with a view over the village. I recommend it to couples and families who want a warm welcome.

Murgia and the north of Apulia

Less touristy and more scattered. You choose it for a specific reason, whether that is a city, a pilgrimage or the countryside.

• Masseria Conti Filo B&B Altamura, in Altamura. A B&B in an old rural residence between the Murgia, Matera and Alberobello. For those seeking quiet, history and a carefully prepared breakfast, but you need a car; if you want nightlife, look elsewhere.
• B&B il Purgatorio Barletta, in Barletta. Air-conditioned rooms and apartments in the old town, with free Wi-Fi and the option to cook, close to the seafront and the castle. For those who get around on foot, less so for anyone wanting total silence.
• B&B MariLù, in Foggia. Clean rooms, some with a balcony, close to the station, the centre and the university, with very helpful owners. Good for work, study or a visit to the city without any pretensions to luxury.
• Le Stanze di Ricci, in Lesina. Rooms to let in the heart of the town, near the lake, with air-conditioned rooms and family apartments with a private bathroom. A simple base for one or more nights.
• Bike-Hotel Abete, in San Giovanni Rotondo. A three-star hotel on the road to Padre Pio's convent, with free parking, bike storage and hire, and a restaurant. For cyclists, pilgrims and anyone who wants a good dinner on site.

What kind of accommodation you'll find in Apulia

In Apulia the B&Bs in village centres dominate, often with breakfast and only a few rooms, followed by apartments, a few hotels, a villa and a farm stay. It is not a region of big resorts, but of small places run by people who live there.

B&Bs are the safest choice if you want a personal welcome and only need a clean room. Apartments, like those in Gallipoli, give more freedom and a kitchen. Country houses, like the masseria in Altamura or the farm stay in Leverano, are best chosen when peace matters more than being able to walk everywhere.

What to look for in reviews before booking

A high rating from a handful of reviews is worth less than a good rating from many. The clearest case is Taranto, where the top score comes from very few guests, while Bike-Hotel Abete and La Corte dei Mille have many opinions behind them.

I would read the most recent reviews carefully, especially for Monteleo, and trust those who mention the cleanliness and the host, which come up again and again. Where a description talks about quiet or stairs, take it seriously.

Which place to choose for your trip

For a couple who want baroque and walks, I would look at the centre of Lecce or Uggiano La Chiesa; for families, at places with a garden and space; for anyone working, at places near stations and main roads. The table sums up my choices.

When to visit Apulia and how to get around

The beach season is summer, but spring and early autumn are quieter, with emptier beaches and more pleasant villages. To get around, the answer is almost always the car: between villages, beaches and masserie, public transport is not enough.

The exceptions are cities such as Lecce, Gallipoli or Barletta, which are best explored on foot. If you stay in an old town, ask where to park, because in many cases the car has to be left outside the narrower streets.