# Puglia: trulli, white towns and the heel of Italy

> 5-day road trip of about 283 km (176 mi) with 7 stops, from Bari to Santa Maria di Leuca. About 3 h 55 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/puglia-trulli/

**At a glance:** 5-day road trip of about 283 km (176 mi) with 7 stops, from Bari to Santa Maria di Leuca. About 3 h 55 min of driving in total. Cliff towns, olive groves and cone-roofed trulli, then Baroque Lecce and the lighthouse at the tip of the heel.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 283 km (176 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 55 min |
| Suggested days | 5 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Bari → Santa Maria di Leuca |
| Countries | Italy |
| Updated | September 16, 2026 |

## Route description

From Bari, the SS16 follows the Adriatic coast south to Polignano a Mare, whose whitewashed houses stand on the edge of a limestone cliff above a tiny pebble cove. The terraces are best at sunrise, before the day trippers arrive.

Inland, in the Valle d’Itria, Alberobello is a town of whitewashed trulli with conical stone roofs, and you can sleep in one. The country roads between olive groves and dry-stone walls lead on to Ostuni, a white town on a hill above the plain.

Further south, Lecce is known for its Baroque churches and palaces carved from soft golden stone. On the Adriatic coast, Otranto has a castle, a cathedral with a large medieval floor mosaic and clear water below the walls.

The coast road south of Otranto runs along cliffs and coves to Santa Maria di Leuca, where the lighthouse marks the tip of the heel of Italy. Old town centres have ZTL limited traffic zones monitored by cameras, and August is very busy, so late spring and September are the best months.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Bari** (Italy)
2. **Polignano a Mare** (Polignano a Mare, Italy): Whitewashed houses on the edge of a limestone cliff above a tiny pebble cove. The terraces are best at sunrise.
3. **Trulli di Alberobello** (Alberobello, Italy): A town of whitewashed trulli with conical stone roofs. You can sleep in one.
4. **Ostuni** (Italy)
5. **Lecce** (Italy)
6. **Otranto** (Italy)
7. **Santa Maria di Leuca** (Italy)