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Puglia beaches

RachelP

10+ Posts
Hello all,
Researching our next trip and we are feeling quite fascinated by Puglia.
We enjoyed Sicily and Calabria last year and loved having some Italian beach time with our kids.
Kids are 16, 14, 11 and 7.
What I'm wondering is are there towns in Puglia that have beautiful beaches which are easily accessible from the town itself? For example, we loved Roccella Ionica in Calabria, as the little town is right on the beach, so no need for a car, and in the hot Italian summer we could wander back to the air conditioning and have our siesta before the evenings festivities! We don't mind paying for the private beach as the facilities make it way more enjoyable. In Roccella we paid 15 euro a day for two chairs and an umbrella, which was reasonable.
Any recommendations for a town like this in Puglia? (Or any other part of Italy for that matter if you have a little secret beach town you simply must share)
We prefer to experience the real Italy and do speak some Italian.
Thanks, Rachel
 
Most of the beaches we've visited in Puglia have been as daytrips from Ostuni, so I don’t know much about lodgings in the towns. But two on the west coast spring to mind: Porto Cesareo is quite a small town, but has a couple of really lovely beaches within the built-up area. A bit further south, Gallipoli is quite a lot larger (and a lovely town in its own right), but its one beach is a fair bit smaller.

On the other side, but much further north on the Gargano peninsula, Vieste has a big beach within the town's area. We never visited during the summer, but Google Maps shows several areas of serried ranks of (no doubt) private umbrellas.
 
Gallipoli has one or beaches right at the old town, easy access, but as Jonathan said they're kind of small. The longer beaches are to the north and south of the city. But Otranto might work well for you, it is really pretty and has beaches in town.

We love Polignano a Mare but the only beach right in town is wedged between cliffs and gets very crowded. You'd have to go a little north to get the bigger beaches.
 
Thank you Valerie! Will have a look at Otranto for sure. Not that we are against having a car, but being a family with 4 kids, cars cost us a bomb, so any time we can be without one is a bonus! We also enjoy being able to walk and not have to worry about parking.
 
Rachel, I understand. Plus, it's just convenient to walk outside and hit the beach! (Our favorite place for that is the Cilento coast!) But Otranto is a pretty town, and some great food to enjoy. Plus, there are some buses for getting around the area, and the town does a free shuttle to some of the other beaches (or did previously). http://www.nelsalento.com/blog/salento-come-muoversi-pullman/ And you can always rent a car for a couple of days as needed.
 
Thank you Valerie! Tell me more please about the Cilento coast? What are your favourite spots? I love to go on recommendations. :D
 
My favorite is Santa Maria di Castellabate, though next-door San Marco di Castellabate is also cute, and still an active fishing village. Acciaroli is also very pretty. We always rent through Summer in Italy in this area. I'm going to explore a bit more around Ascea Marina this year; we spent a day there with friends who are from there and they showed us some nice beaches. An advantage there is the train arrives right in town. But I don't know it well enough to make recommendations yet ;)
 
Thanks Valerie... I was having a look at Acciaroli today. will research the area some more and feel free to pass on anything you find out!
 
The Gargano is beautiful and the beaches south of Vieste fantastic, with view of the city jutting into the sea, calm waters, comfortable chairs and simple/delicious grilled fish to enjoy nearby. Even in the peak of summer it is not crazy-busy. We drove there from my wife's home town in the mountains about an 90 minutes away, but I would think you could stay in Vieste or close by and either walk or take a short, local bus.
 
Hi RacheIp, forgive my English. I see you have suggested some interesting destinations. I from Salentino, I could propose you a trip following these indications.

You can choose Lecce and its architectural and artistic beauties are a nice starting point. To stay you can choose the Zenit Hotel, clean and comfortable.

If you always prefer the hinterland and then move towards the beaches, you can choose Specchia, one of the 100 most beautiful villages in Italy. Here my advice is to choose Salento Hotels. If you prefer instead the relaxation of the sea, but also the tranquility I have to suggest two places: Alimini, near Otranto and Porto Selvaggio.

The first is a quiet and reserved area, and you can also stay in a hotel with a swimming pool, such as the Hotel Koinè. The second is truly a paradise of Salento. A protected area where the sea blends with breathtaking landscapes. If you choose this area, Porto Selvaggio Resort is the right place.
 
Hi there, Sadly our trip was being planned for 2020, so it didn't happen.Australian's still are not allowed to leave the country for tourism, so who knows when we will get there.*sigh
Sicily we went in 2018 and loved. We stayed with friends so it was a bit different. The City of Catania was absolutely stunning, with I would say, the best food I have eaten in Italy for sure. Worth it for the food alone, but the city is stunning also. We didn't move around much, but from our friends place near Pozallo, we visited Marzamemi, Noto, Ortigia.... all amazing. I guess it depends what you are looking to doas to where would be a good base, but I highly recommend Sicily. It's gritty... dirty in places, but it's heart beats like a drum.Can't wait to get back there. All the best with your planning.
 

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