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.