All you need to know about beaches in Puglia
There are many reasons why you would go to Puglia, but surely the beaches would be near the top of many people’s lists. Look up pictures of beaches in Puglia and you will be taken to images of beautiful light sands and clear blue seas. What more could one ask for?
Well, you could ask for Blue Flag status too – and you’d be in luck. Pescoluse is a delight and one of the most popular Blue Flag destinations in Puglia. It’s long too, with over three miles of pure white sands to wander along and stake out your beach towel on.
Elsewhere you can also explore Polignano a Mare. This is very different from the Blue Flag option mentioned above. There are no large beaches here; instead, they are dotted around in between chunks of rocky coastline that are quite dramatic. The town of Polignano a Mare itself is also nearby, so when you tire of the beach or you simply need sustenance, you can head into town on foot to see what there is to eat.
The Salento region of Puglia is another delight if you’ve yet to find it. While most of it is inland, Gallipoli stubbornly pokes out to the sea to the west of the region. It’s not a large beach but it does make the most of a small inlet that makes the waters here calmer than they are elsewhere in Puglia. The beach sits lower than the buildings behind it, so there is a sea wall that curves around the back of the beach, perhaps providing a little shade too at certain times of the day.
Moving on, you can find all kinds of beaches between Manfredonia and Bari. Even beyond Bari (which in itself is worth a visit), you’ll find other opportunities to grab part of a beach for yourself for the day.
San Cataldo is another lovely find. Not only is the small town worth exploring for an hour or two, but it also has some superb beaches. If you tire of sunbathing there is a nature reserve right on the seafront, providing yet another great activity to do for the day.
It’s impossible to run out of beach options when you visit Puglia. Indeed, you should plan ahead to make sure you have some destinations in mind before you visit. By doing this you could save yourself a lot of time planning when you arrive in Puglia. After all, who wants to be exploring guide books when you really want to be stretching out on the sands of one of the aforementioned beaches without delay?
