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About Apulia

At first glance, the diversity of the beaches of the Apulia does not have a prominent distinctive feature. There is no clear predominance of mountain landscapes or crystal sea, on the contrary, everything seems balanced. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the flow of tourists continues to grow from year to year.

General information

Long straight beaches dominate the coast of Apulia. Large spaces mean you can always find a comfortable place to relax. That is why travelers appreciate these places so much. One of the disadvantages of this type of beach is the scarce natural shade, so if you choose to relax on the wild part of the coast, be prepared to be alone with the scorching sun without the opportunity to take cover in a cool shade.

Regarding location, Apulia is dominated by beaches outside urban areas in a natural setting. They may not be convenient for all categories of travelers (you can use filtering by access type or audience), primarily due to possible access difficulties. But they always give you extra points due to the amazing natural views, so isn't that why most of us go to the beach?

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Popular destinations

view the best beach places

Foggia

73 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Natural shadow

Taranto

46 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Barletta-Andria-Trani

17 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Natural shadow

Brindisi

50 beaches
Wild beach • Good for water jumping • Kite or windsurfing

Lecce

154 beaches
Picturesque • Cliffs • Wild beach

Bari

46 beaches
Gorge • Cliffs • Wild beach
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Apulia Best beaches

view the highest rated beaches in area

Kids friendly

Torre San Giovanni Beach

Torre San Giovanni 0.7 km

9.6
Large free area • Beach resort • Easy access • Bright fine sand • Blue pure water • Crowded in season
8.3 Amenities index
Senior friendly

Lido Macchia beach

Madonna delle Grazie 2.5 km

8.8
Beach resort • Picturesque • Easy access • Bright sand • Small free area • Crowded in season
6.7 Amenities index

Tremiti Beach (Arena Cove)

San Nicola 0.7 km

8.8
Beach resort • Easy access • Bright fine sand • Turquoise pure water • Small free area • Crowded in season
6.7 Amenities index
Kids friendly

Zaiana Beach

Peschici 2.3 km

8.8
Large free area • Beach resort • Easy access • Brown fine sand • Turquoise pure water • Crowded in season
7.8 Amenities index

Baia dei Mergoli Beach

Mattinata 8.7 km

8.7
Partly hotel beach • Picturesque • Easy access • Light fine pebble • Small open area • Crowded in season
7.8 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Vignanotica Beach

Mattinata 11 km

8.7
Large free area • Beach resort • Picturesque • Easy access • Light fine pebble • Crowded in season
7.8 Amenities index

Popular types of Apulia beaches

Calm, measured rest and the sound of waves are perhaps the most common associations that arise with the word "beach". This is not surprising, as relaxation is exactly what many beach travelers are looking for. If you associate your vacation primarily with such activity, choose one of the 386 beaches in the region.

To make your choice easier, we have prepared a list of the best beaches for relaxation in Apulia.

The beaches of Apulia can be a good choice for senior travelers, as there are 127 beaches equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay for this group of travelers.

In most cases, older travelers are looking for a quiet relaxing holiday and have high demands on infrastructure. This type of beach is the opposite of the party ones preferred by the younger generation. So if you are interested in this type, you can also explore the beaches for the seniors in the entire beach map of Italy.

Attraction and Infrastructure

As for the main features of the beaches of Apulia, they are as follows:

  • The region's beaches are mainly wide, quite short and have a high level of cleanliness. The most common surface is sand of bright color.
  • Usually, entry into the water is gentle, which is very good for kids. There are 223 such beaches.
  • The average distance from the road to beach in Apulia is less than 500 meters. 366 beaches are relatively easy to access, 10 beaches are difficult to access, which in most cases means that you have to walk a quite long distance, and 9 beaches are only accessible from the water. The latter include both island beaches and beaches with no land routes due to the natural borders.

The beaches in Apulia are used mainly by beach clubs (resorts), usually open to everyone but for a fee. These establishments offer a full range of amenities with limited operational hours. At the same time, you can still find a wild beach, use our filter for this.

Hundreds of beaches in Apulia attract every year not only relaxation lovers but also those travelers who prefer outdoor activities and, first of all water jumpers, kite surfers, kayakers.

So, let's see what activities you can do on the beaches:

  • Kite or windsurfing. We know firsthand how difficult it is sometimes to find the right place for your favorite activity, especially if it is kite or windsurfing. So if you are a fan of these activities, then Apulia may be the right choice for you, as there are over 30 beaches popular among kiters and windsurfers. There will be a fair wind, we are sure!
  • Sea kayaking is an excellent alternative to long walks along the coast. Instead of being bored on the beach, you can go for a leisurely journey and discover the beauty of the neighboring coves, inlets and wild beaches. Remember, the main gems are always accessible only from the water. Kayaking is an excellent active lifestyle solution for both professionals and beginners. About 30 beaches in Apulia can be interesting for kayakers, the most popular are: Zaiana Beach, Baia dei Mergoli Beach.
  • Jumping. If your body needs a little adrenaline, jumping is a great solution, cooling the body and ardor. There are about 32 places in Apulia that are popular with water jumpers. But be careful, this activity requires utmost skill and experience.

Do you love an active lifestyle but would prefer something other than water activities? Then on the beaches of Apulia you can actively spend time playing volleyball. Although this region does not have the privileged status of the volleyball capital of Italy, it may well compete for this title because there are about 48 beaches where you can play volleyball.

For campers, important information is the availability of campsites in the region. There are such places near the 50 beaches of Apulia. 10 of them are a kind of wild camp, formed spontaneously by lovers of this type of recreation and did not have an infrastructure. 40 of them are official campsites, with all the necessary (showers, toilets, shops, cafes).

Latest reviews on Apulia's beaches

Please note that lifeguards supervise 219 beaches in the region, but you should rely on more than just them, remember the elementary rules, as lifeguards are not on duty around the clock, even on equipped beaches!

Finding hotels in relative proximity to the beaches is usually fine. Many beaches have enough nearby accommodation, which gives good opportunities to choose the right place to stay.

The hottest month of the region is August - air temperature during this time warms up to 31°C and water up to 27.9°C. The coldest month is January - air temperature drops to 9.8°C and water to 13°C.

Do you know how many beaches there are in Apulia? In total there are 386 beaches and the most popular is Torre San Giovanni Beach.

Most viewed beaches of Apulia

The most beautiful beaches in Puglia are on the Ionian coast! But it's not easy to describe all the best beaches because the region has 860 km of coastline. Do you think there are many great beaches? Certainly a lot, on both coasts! In this article you'll find some of the most famous beaches in Puglia, but also some you wouldn't have been able to get to straight away. This is because they are in protected areas, in national parks or hidden in rocks and you can only reach them  by car or scooter, but you can't miss them because they are unforgettable memories of your holiday at the beach.

So, in Puglia there are 2 seas – the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea and about 860 km of absolutely different coastline: sand-high cliffs-buffs between rocks and low rock (like a stone coast). Pebbles are very rare. And the lower Salento part of Puglia is generally referred to as the Italian Maldives for the beauty and blue of the water.

There are miles of golden sand almost everywhere on the Ionian coast, and on some beaches it's white and fine, Almost Cuba. There are cliffs in the middle of the coastline, but you can also find sand in between.

Puglia's beautiful beaches and coves on the Adriatic Sea

Lama Monachile, Polignano-a-Mare beach

Polignano's beach, Lama Monachile, is probably the only pebble beach I've come across in Puglia. It's right next to the old town, you have to go down steps under the bridge and it is of course the most picturesque part of Puglia. But in the summer there's nowhere to go, so come visit the beach in May or late September for a comfortable swim and a nice shot. There's both a free (main) section and a small equipped beach club.

Cala Paradiso, Monopoli

Quite a large beach cove between rocks to the south of Monopoli, occupied mainly by beach umbrellas, with a smaller area of free beach. It must be said that the interval from Bari to Ostudi consists almost entirely of rocky coastline or cliffs with similar coves that are often occupied by beach clubs. So, feel free to get in your car and look for your favorite spot. 

Lido Sabbiadoro is a nice wide sandy beach just below Monopoli. But in August the price for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella goes up to 80 euros per day. In other months the price is lower.

Torre Guaceto, protected seaside area, Adriatic. Sandy beaches

Hardly any infrastructure as this is a protected area but the beaches are fine. If you like windsurfing and similar sports, this is an ideal place. Firstly the Adriatic sea is more open and more hectic than the Ionian. Secondly there are all kinds of sailing schools around.

Parco Naturale Regionale Dune Costiere Torre San Leonardo

There are some nice sandy beaches in the Ostuni area around the medieval tower of Torre San Leonardo. There are loose bits of sand as well as a couple of equipped beaches, such as Viar Beach.

Down below Brindisi and there's plenty of beauty!

Torre del Orso beach, behind it the beautiful cliffs of Sant'Andrea, Grotta della Poésia, where you just have to jump at least once. The beaches around Laghi Alimini are rich in nature, forests and the Alimini Lakes, which are just one kilometer from the Adriatic Sea. And you will see how nature is changing in this part of Puglia.

Torre Dell`orso beach

It can be described as a crescent between two rocks about 700 meters long and is located in the seaside village of the same name, about 20 km north of Otranto. The beach is divided into both equipped and uninhabited areas. In summer there is nowhere to drop an apple here either, but the water is just as crystal clear and beautiful. June and September are already comfortable in terms of the number of people here.

There are other famous sites around Torre del Orso in Salento - the natural pool of Grotta della Poésia, just to the north; the famous two cliffs of Sant'Andrea, slightly to the south. These are all natural attractions of natural beaches, outside any towns (between seaside villages), but definitely worth a drive.

Further down, the lower you descend, the more spectacular the views will be, as below the "heel" the coast is characterized by high cliffs and the beaches mostly need to be reached by car.

Baia dei Turchi

Located a couple of kilometers to the north, just before reaching Otranto. It is said that it was here that the Ottoman fleet landed and besieged Otranto in 1480, thus giving this piece of the Adriatic coast its name. What will you find here? Paradise on earth: walking through a pine forest you will find yourself on a white sandy beach with the magical color sea, surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.

How to get there. Drive to the coastal road leading from Torre del Orso to Otranto. In the area of the Alimini Lakes there is a landmark, a summer camp, which you will pass by a three-kilometer paved road. It is a tourist route that ends in a pine forest. But don't rush, after driving a bit further you can leave the car at 400 meters from Baia dei Turchi.

Porto Badisco

It is a small but very beautiful and popular among locals and tourists bay along the coastal road, which was formed after decades of "work" of the underground river that flowed into the Adriatic Sea. Until today, the bay has a small spring of fresh water - the last remains of that very river. The bottom of the bay is sandy at first, but after ten meters the sand stops and the depth increases sharply, so you can safely hop along the cliff.

Porto Badisco is located 9km south of Otranto in the direction of Santa Cesarea Tema. You can park right by the road where parking is allowed. And you go down the road from the bay.

Also, Porto Badisco is a small fishing village, one of those rustic ones that can't boast much. Except for its seafaring traditions, traditions you can breathe in while on the beach, at the table, passing out over delicious linguine with sea urchins fished early in the morning.

You can also go kayaking, canoeing and trekking from here.

Ponte Ciolo, Gagliano del Capo

This is the cliff under the bridge on the road to Santa Maria di Leucu where you have a view of the sea, pictured below.

The beaches of Puglia's Ionian Sea

It's a stretch here, so on the Ionian side – dozens of kilometers of sand and water of mind-blowing color.

Nature reserve Salina dei Monaci, Torre Colimena

Sandy beaches, with Mediterranean vegetation and even salt marshes all around.

Chidro beach, San Pietro in Bevagna

The sea here is wonderful! You can also see a unique thing - a small river flowing into the sea. The coolest thing is that the water in the stream is very cold and stays cool even in August.

Punta Prosciutto

It's like a small bay, the sea is calm most of the time and the water is aquamarine, almost like in Cuba, with white sand. There are both free and equipped beaches. Take Samana Beach as a guide. But there are a trillion people here in summer, until the first half of June and then in September it's fine.

Porto Selvaggio, Nature Park

Porto Selvaggio Nature Park belongs to the town of Nardo, located between Porto Cesareo and Gallipoli, and encompasses 432 hectares of coastline, of which 268 are covered with pine trees that surround the beach and make Porto Selvaggio Nature Reserve a unique and peaceful place. To reach the small cove, where the water is easily accessible, you must leave your car in the large car park (it's the only one), which costs 3€ for the whole day, walk 1km through the pine forest (about 20 minutes) and you'll reach the pebble beach. Breathtaking views, the bay, the color of the water and the nature - perfect for relaxing! And if you want to jump off the rocks, I suggest a little way off the beach, where the water is usually quite low.

A second option to get to Porto Selvaggio Bay is to come here by boat.

You will not see many people here because only lovers of biking and trekking go here.

The sea is very special! You can admire the beauty from above by going to one of the towers - Torre dell'Alto (you can type it into google maps), which you will see more than once on a ride along the coast of Puglia. There's a point on the other side of the park - the baia di Uluzzo.

Punta della Suina, Gallipoli

This is a gorgeous spot on the map of Salento, a 10-minute drive south from Gallipoli. Here you park your car too and walk 200 meters through the pine trees. Here, you quickly reach the sandy and rocky beach. The water here has a very special color, especially when the sea is calm. Of course in August, when it's crowded, the water looks like a public swimming pool.)

Apart from the fact that it is nice to relax here during the day, there are both free sections of the beach and equipped pay-per-view sections, there is also a cozy Bali-style bar or something like that. So stay here until sunset, grab a table, grab an ice cold beer or an April Spritz and rest your body and soul! After all, Ionica has the best sunsets in Italy!

Puglia's Blue Flag awarded beaches in 2022

A new list of Europe's best beaches was announced in May 2020. As for beaches in Italy, 195 communes (in 2019 it was 183) will develop Blue Flag in seaside areas. How to see it? When you enter such towns/towns you will be greeted by a sign saying that there are beaches with the award. By the sea itself a flag will be developing. But that doesn't mean that only where the flag is good. A specific beach or area/town is awarded.

The award is given according to 32 criteria for water purity (test results must be perfect for the last 4 years) sustainable tourism development, availability of infrastructure, etc.

In Puglia this year +2 new locations - the islands of Tremiti and the municipality of Melendugno. A total of 15 communes received an award.

Provincia di Foggia

Barletta-Andria-Trani

  • Margherita di Savoia
  • Provincia di Bari
  • Polignano a Mare ( Cala Paura, San Vito, Cala San Giovanni, Ripagnola/Coco Village, Cala Fetente)

Provincia di Brindisi

  • Fasano (Savelletri)
  • Ostuni (Marina)
  • Carovigno (Specchiolla)

Provincia di Lecce

  • Otranto
  • Castro (La sorgente, Zinzulusa)
  • Salve (Pescoluse)
  • Melendugno

Provincia di Taranto

  • Castellaneta (Marina)
  • Ginosa (Marina)
  • Maruggio (Campomarino)

These are both rocky/rocky beaches and sandy ones. The main thing to remember is that a good beach does not equal infrastructure and vice versa. That's the way it is in this region. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the main features of best beaches in Apulia?

When it comes to finding the best beaches in Apulia, the following aspects should be taken into account.

There are 386 beaches in total, of which about 53 can be called high-rated.

The best beaches in the majority:

They are also usually:

The best beaches in Apulia:

View all beaches in Apulia and create your selection by features

How to view only nearest to me beaches in Apulia?

To find the beaches closest to your current geolocation, click the Nearby Beaches icon in the search box. You will see the nearest beaches sorted by distance from you.

Note, that if you only want to see the beaches closest to you in Apulia, you must be in that area to get the correct results.

See also: View all beaches in Apulia and create your selection by features.

What are all easy accessible beaches in Apulia?

Most of the beaches located in Apulia are easily accessible, but there are also hard to reach beaches among them. Use the filter to sort the beaches by access details (parking, distance etc.).

Popular categories of beaches in Apulia by access:

See also the categories:

Top 5 popular beaches with easy access in Apulia:

View all beaches in Apulia and select by features

How to view all sandy beaches or beaches with other natural features in Apulia?

Use the "Main features" section of the filter in search results to see all the beaches with the feature you're interested in.

The most popular selections of beaches with natural features are listed below. Don't forget that you can create your own selection with any combination of features

Beach coverage and water

Natural scenery

Other popular categories

View all beaches in Apulia and select by features

How to find uncrowded beaches in Apulia?

The presence of crowds of tourists on the beach these days is becoming a mass character, and sometimes you want silence and solitude. Use the filter in search results to view the beaches in Apulia by occupancy.

Popular categories:

If the presence of a crowd on the beach is critical for you, pay attention to where you should not go in the season.

View all beaches in Apulia and select by features

Which beaches in Apulia are kid-friendly, good for relax, pet-friendly, naturist-friendly, camping-friendly?

How to view all beaches by amenities details in Apulia?

How to view all beaches by activity of interest in Apulia?

Use the "Activity" section of the filter in search results to view the selections of beaches by one or multiple activities. Below are a few popular selections that you can change as you like using our filter.

View all beaches in Apulia and select by activity

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