Central Puglia is small enough to base yourself in one place and still reach most sights, but the character of your stay changes a lot depending on where you sleep. This guide compares the five bases we recommend, from the city to the hilltop, and explains who each suits.
Bari Vecchia, for first-timers without a car
Staying in the old town puts the Basilica di San Nicola, the cathedral, the seafront walls and the orecchiette lane on your doorstep, and Bari Centrale station is a walk away, which opens day trips by train to the coast, Alberobello and Matera. Palazzo Calò is our pick here: a boutique palazzo with studios and suites, a rooftop terrace and breakfast included, about two minutes from the cathedral. The trade-offs are that cars are awkward in the old town and some rooms involve stairs. Choose Bari if you want city life, food and easy transport.
Polignano a Mare, for sea views
This is the postcard choice, a cliff town with a small cove, lookouts and boat tours. Covo dei Saraceni is a four-star waterfront hotel with sea-view rooms, terraces and a restaurant over the water, about three minutes from the beach and ten from the station. Polignano is busy and expensive in summer, so spring and autumn are calmer. It suits couples and friends who want to walk everywhere and wake up to the Adriatic.
Monopoli, for a quieter harbour town
Monopoli has a working fishing harbour, a handsome old centre and fewer day-trippers than Polignano. Don Ferrante Dimore di Charme sits inside the seafront ramparts, with a rooftop jacuzzi, a seasonal pool, a spa and breakfast in a 16th-century gunpowder cellar. It is the most romantic of our picks, and the town has its own station on the coastal line. It suits couples who want charm and calm.
Alberobello, for a night in a trullo
Sleeping in a trullo is the signature Puglia experience, and Trulli Holiday Albergo Diffuso spreads its rooms across restored trulli near the UNESCO districts, with a free continental breakfast. The town is magical in the evening and early morning, when the day-trippers have gone. Remember that check-in has set hours and no after-hours option, and that old-town access for cars is restricted. Choose Alberobello for atmosphere, and consider one night rather than a long stay.
Ostuni, for hilltop luxury
La Sommità Relais and Châteaux crowns the White City, a couple of minutes from the cathedral, with terraces over the rooftops, a spa, a small pool, the Cielo restaurant and breakfast included. It is the splurge of the group, and the best base for the Itria Valley and the olive groves. Ostuni is quieter in winter, so check seasonal hours.
Choosing between them
If you have only a few nights, split them: one or two in Bari for food and trains, one on the coast and one in a trullo or Ostuni. If you have a car, the countryside bases are easy to link, and if you do not, stay in Bari or Polignano and use trains. Book early for summer and for weekends, since the best small hotels in this region have few rooms, and always confirm parking, check-in hours and breakfast before you arrive.
