The Luxury Travel Guide: Puglia, Italy

Inspired by Marisol

Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, is a region defined by luminous water, ancient olive groves, and architecture found nowhere else in the country. From the iconic trulli (stone houses topped with conical roofs) to tranquil coves and slow, soulful meals, Puglia is an ideal destination for travelers who love to get off the beaten path and unwind by the sea. It’s a place made for savoring life at a gentler pace.

Taylor’s tips: Renting a car is essential. Public transportation is limited and slow. Choose one hotel or masseria (a renovated farmhouse turned boutique stay) as your home base, then explore the region through relaxed day trips to nearby beaches, hilltop villages, and countryside experiences.

Where to Stay

Masseria Montenapoleone

A beautifully restored 17th-century farmhouse offering pastel interiors, retro charm, and sustainable design. Taylor highly recommends the focaccia-making class, along with wine and olive oil tastings, picnics, and magical dinners under the stars. Fun fact: this is the hotel where Tim and Taylor stayed when Tim proposed in 2022.

Villa Padalini

Taylor’s recommendation for families or groups of friends. This contemporary three-bedroom villa, owned by an Italian architect and fashion designer couple, was designed to bring the natural world indoors, creating a serene and design-forward home base.

Borgo Egnazia

A five-star icon of southern Italy. Designed like an authentic Puglian village using local stone and wood, Borgo Egnazia blends cultural immersion with refined luxury. Ideal for couples, families, and multigenerational travel. Sustainability is central here, from renewable energy and electric mobility to local supply chains and a plastic-free philosophy. The beach is just a five-minute drive away.

Masseria Palombara

One of Taylor’s favorite stays, and home to one of her favorite meals in Puglia. This rustic yet refined agriturismo features 16th-century rural architecture, a spa, pools, and a farm-to-table restaurant sourcing from its organic garden, including eggs from their own chickens. The property also hosts an ongoing conservation project of a 700 BC archaeological site.

Vista Ostuni

A five-star retreat in Ostuni, the famed White City of Puglia. Easily reached from Brindisi Airport, Vista Ostuni pairs historic elegance with modern interiors and locally sourced textures. Highlights include a rooftop plunge pool and proximity to beaches, UNESCO-listed towns, and centuries-old olive groves.

Where to Eat

Grotta Palazzese

Set inside a dramatic seaside cave perched above the water in southern Italy. Led by Michelin-starred, Apulian-born chef Martino Ruggieri, the menu celebrates Puglia’s flavors using ingredients sourced from local producers.

Masseria Palombara Restaurant

A standout dining experience and one of Taylor’s favorite meals in the region. The seasonal menu highlights produce from the masseria’s organic garden alongside carefully selected local products.

Due Camini

A one-Michelin-star restaurant located within Borgo Egnazia. Chef Domingo Schingaro works closely with local growers, embracing a “no seed to waste” philosophy and creating vegetable-forward dishes with refined presentation.

Things to Do

• Bike or drive through ancient olive groves that define the Puglian countryside
• Explore the UNESCO-listed trulli village of Alberobello
• Take a boat through the sea caves of Polignano A Mare
  • Taylor’s tip: Rent a private boat for the full day, explore the coastline, then end with a sunset visit to the caves
• Join hands-on cooking classes for pasta, burrata, or focaccia

Beaches to swim:

• Grotta della Cala Tre Buchi
• Lama Monachile
• Grotta della Poesia, also known as the Cave of Poetry

Puglia is not about rushing from sight to sight. It’s about settling in.

Here, beauty reveals itself slowly: through meals made with care, landscapes shaped by centuries, and traditions still lived daily. Whether you’re floating beneath limestone cliffs, wandering whitewashed streets, or sharing a long dinner under the stars, Puglia invites you to experience Italy in its most grounded and poetic form. A destination that stays with you, long after you’ve returned home.