Puglia is a beautiful Southern Italian region that has become a top destination for living and retiring in Italy, thanks to its lower cost of living, affordable real estate, sunny mild weather year-round, and beautiful coastline that mixes amazing beaches and spectacular rock formations. Some of the best cities to live in Puglia Italy are also among the prettiest in the entire country.
In addition to its stunning coastline, the Puglia countryside is dotted with dairy farms, olive orchards, and adorable trulli houses. One of the region’s best features is the pleasant weather, which stays warm and sunny for most of the year, with colder but sunny and snow-free winters.
At the same time, Puglia, like most of the South, is among the poorest and lesser developed regions of Italy. This is evident in its deprecated buildings and poorly maintained infrastructure. Moreover, Puglia’s healthcare network of hospitals is considered inferior to other parts of Italy. The unsophisticated cuisine of Puglia is hearty and delicious, based on locally-grown produce and dairy, but its traditional dishes are viewed by some as simple and bland.
Fortunately, all the less attractive characteristics of Puglia are mostly unnoticeable in its lovely cities. The region has several great urban areas to choose from, with Bari being the largest and the capital of Puglia.
Looking at the quality of life, architectural beauty, location, proximity to natural amenities, and academic and entertainment options, we selected the best places that the region has to offer.
Here are the top 5 best cities to live in Puglia Italy:
5. Monopoli: Best for entertainment seekers
Monopoli is a lovely seaside town of about 50,000 residents, located about 45 minutes south of Bari, and one of the best cities to live in Puglia. It is recognizable for its beautiful white buildings set against the background of turquoise sea water. One of the best features of Monopoli is the plethora of dining and entertainment options: great restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
Monopoli’s historic center is animated year-round, brimming with couples, families, and single people socializing and having a good time. The city has hundreds of great restaurants serving local and international dishes. Its popular city beach tucked between tall cliffs is another great attraction, along with the opportunity to rent a motorboat and enjoy a day on the sea.
4. Brindisi: Best for families
Brindisi is a mid-sized port city on the Adriatic Sea that offers a great mix of modern amenities and historic charm, one of the best places in Puglia to live in. Brindisi has a population of around 90,000, buzzing with activity in the spring, summer, and fall, and quieter in the winter without feeling empty or deserted.
The most popular part of town is its animated town center, with streets lined with palm trees, and lots of shops and restaurants frequented by a youthful crowd. Brindisi’s port side is also attractive and a gathering place for locals. At the same time, there is plenty of history and culture, with narrow old residential streets and a 13th-century Castello Svevo di Brindisi which houses the Museum of Medieval and Modern Art.
There is one international school in Brindisi called QSI International School of Brindisi. It’s a private institution that opened in 2005 and offers a high-quality education in English for preschool, elementary, and secondary students. The school is a popular and friendly community making it an ideal educational institution for foreigners looking for schools in English for their children.
3. Gallipoli: Best for waterfront living
Gallipoli is one of the best coastal towns in Italy, located on the west coast of the Salento Peninsula in Puglia. It’s relatively small in size, counting about 25,000 residents. It’s known for its beautiful port with a lovely waterside promenade and an interesting town center sitting on an island connected to the main city by a bridge, surrounded by centuries-old walls.
An important fishing hub, the city of Gallipoli is great for extra fresh seafood and many local fish specialties like Scapece Gallipolina. There are numerous outdoor restaurants and cafes selling fresh-caught fish and seafood that you can choose and have cooked on the spot. There is a wild variety of sea delicacies to satisfy all your cravings: mussels, clams, sea urchins, lobster, crawfish and so much more.
About half an hour south of Gallipoli lies one of the most popular beaches of Puglia, Marina di Pescoluse, a beautiful place to spend the day and swim in the blue Ionian sea waters.
2. Ostuni: Best for beauty and convenient location
Ostuni is an ancient town of 35,000, located in the province of Brindisi, and one of the top cities to live in Puglia Italy. Commonly called the “white city” because of its limestone buildings, Ostuni’s location is simply majestic, perched on top of a hill, visible from miles away.
It is accessible by car via steep uphill winding streets. The city is best enjoyed by walking through the maze of streets to discover charming hidden houses tucked on narrow alleys, unique entryways flanked by potted flowers, cute boutiques, and inviting little restaurants.
Besides being one of the prettiest cities in Puglia, Ostuni’s best quality is its location in the northern part of Salento. It is located one hour away from Bari and its international airport, easily accessed when traveling from other regions of Italy, minutes away from beautiful beaches, such as the wild beach preserve of Torre Guaceto.
As an added bonus, Ostuni is conveniently set within a half an hour drive to numerous pretty towns and villages of Salento, like Martina Franca, Carovigno, Locorotondo and Alberobello.
1. Lecce: Best overall for a fulfilling lifestyle
Lecce is the number one best city to live in Puglia Italy, a long-time favorite among English-speaking expats. This historic city is famous for its baroque architecture and gorgeous historic center, one of the largest in the region. Lecce is also known as “The Florence of the South” because of its elegant architecture, beautiful churches and ornate palaces.
Home to almost 100,000 residents, Lecce has a large city vibe without being overwhelming. It has lots of green spaces, walkable streets, plenty of dining options, as well as entertainment and cultural events. If you’re choosing Puglia for its mild winters, Lecce is one of the few places in the region that doesn’t feel deserted in the cold season.
Lecce has two international schools popular with expat families. The first one is British School of Lecce which offers a wide range of courses for children and adults. The school prides itself with great teachers and high achievements. The second one is Oxford Group Lecce which is a Montessori International School that offers courses for primary school students.
Best yet, Lecce is one of the few cities in Puglia where you have a variety of venues to enjoy arts and culture: Teatro Politeama Greco, Opera Lounge, Il Mercante d’Arte, Don Bosco d’Essai Cinema e Teatro, Teatro Antoniano, and Teatro Apollo 29.
Stunning natural sites are located approximately half an hour’s drive eastward from Lecce: Cave of Poetry, Torre dell’Orso, Torre Sant’Andrea, three examples of Puglia’s spectacular rocky coastline. Drive west for about one hour and you can enjoy the most beautiful stretch of sandy beaches in the entire region: Punta Prosciutto, San Pietro in Bevagna and Campomarino. These are just a few of the many reasons to choose living in Lecce.
Worst cities to live in Puglia
Unfortunately, poverty and neglect are present in some parts of Puglia. Cities to avoid when hunting for a place to live in Puglia are Foggia and Trani, located in the northern part of the region. These locations are notorious for higher crime and lower quality of life.
