5 Nights in Monopoli: Our Puglia Itinerary
Late September, I flew into Brindisi with my sister, met up with a couple of friends, and spent five nights based in Monopoli. No rental car, no packed schedule. Trains, one crowded bus, a lot of fried seafood, and more spritz than I’d like to admit.
This isn’t a “top 10 things to do in Puglia” list. It’s exactly what we did, where we ate, what was worth it, and what wasn’t. If you’re planning a trip to Puglia, you can copy this itinerary as is or steal the parts that fit your trip.
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Quick answer: Monopoli is one of the best bases in Puglia if you’re traveling without a car. It’s on the train line between Bari and Brindisi, Polignano a Mare is one stop away, Alberobello is under an hour by bus, and you can walk to small beaches from the old town. Five nights was enough to see it properly without rushing.
A reality check before you plan: Puglia is spread out. The places you see on Instagram (Polignano, Alberobello, Ostuni, Lecce) are not all next to each other, and public transport between them is decent but not frequent. Pick one base, do day trips, and accept that you won’t see everything. Late September was a great time to go: warm enough to swim, beaches not packed, but some things (like boat tours) depend on the sea, and the sea doesn’t care about your plans.
Good for walkers and runners: Monopoli is very walkable. If you’re the type who likes an early walk or run by the water, there’s a pedestrian and bike path heading south from town along the sea cliffs.
How to get to Monopoli
Monopoli sits between Puglia’s two airports, Bari and Brindisi. Only Bari airport has its own train station. From Brindisi airport, you’ll need a taxi or bus line AP to Brindisi train station first. Either way, pick whichever airport has the better flight.
From Brindisi airport (what we did). We landed around 7pm on a Friday. There’s no train station at the airport, so we grabbed a taxi from the rank outside to Brindisi train station. No meter. I had to negotiate with the driver, and we landed at about €30. Agree on the price before you get in, and if you don’t have cash, make sure the driver takes cards. From Brindisi station, the train to Monopoli took about 45 minutes.
On the way home we did it in reverse without the taxi: train from Monopoli to Brindisi, then bus line AP from Brindisi station to the airport. It’s about €2 and you buy the ticket on board, so have small bills ready (€5 or €10, not a €50). Much cheaper than the taxi, and easy once you know it exists.
From Bari airport (Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, code BRI). Bari’s airport is small, one terminal, and you can’t miss the train station: walk out the arrivals door and it’s on your left. You have four ways to get into Bari Centrale, where you switch to a regional train to Monopoli.
| Option | Time to Bari Centrale | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrotramviaria train | about 20 min | about €5 | Fastest, but runs only every 1 to 2 hours depending on the time of day. Buy tickets on the Ferrotramviaria site |
| Tempesta shuttle bus | about 30 min | about €5 | Run by Autoservizi Tempesta. Walk out the arrivals doors, follow the big “SHUTTLE BUS” sign and cross the road. Buy your ticket from the driver. It drops you at Piazza Aldo Moro (corner of Via De Cesare), right by Bari Centrale. Your backup if you just missed a train |
| AMTAB city bus 16 | about 1 hour | about €1.50 | Cheapest and slowest, with lots of stops |
| Taxi into Bari | about 15 to 30 min | fixed fare, about €25 to €30 | Unlike Brindisi, it’s a fixed fare. No negotiating |
From Bari Centrale, trains to Monopoli run often and take about 35 minutes. Door to door, plan on about 1.5 hours.
Landing late? The last train from the airport leaves around 11:30pm, and the shuttle bus stops running earlier, around 10pm. If you’re coming from outside the EU, passport control can be slow, so don’t count on making that last train. Taxis wait right outside arrivals, even late at night. Have your credit card ready. If you’re going straight to Monopoli, the fixed fare doesn’t apply, so agree on the price before you get in.
Takeaway: If you’re not renting a car, fly into whichever airport has the better flight. From Bari, the train leaves right from the airport. From Brindisi, take a taxi or bus line AP to Brindisi train station, then the train to Monopoli.
Where we stayed in Monopoli
We stayed at Civico 3 on Via Vittorio Veneto. Friendly host, good location, air conditioning. No complaints. Everything in this post, from breakfast spots to the beach to the Alberobello bus stop, was walkable from there.
Monopoli is small. You don’t need to obsess over location the way you would in Rome or Milan. Stay within a 10 minute walk of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and you’ll be fine. Staying near the train station is also less of a problem here than in big cities, since it’s about a 13 minute walk to the old town.
Other places to stay in Monopoli, by budget
We only stayed at Civico 3. These are picks based on location (all within the 10 minute rule) and what guests say in their reviews.
A note on reviews: some of what guests complain about is really Italy, not the property. Italian air conditioning usually isn’t as strong as what you’re used to. Street noise comes with staying in any Italian town center. And elevators aren’t a given in old buildings, especially in small towns like Monopoli. Set your expectations accordingly.
Fanfulla ($): 8.5 on Booking, 9.4 for location. Rooms with balconies and AC, between the station and the old town (about 7 minutes’ walk). Guests love the spacious, clean rooms and helpful host. No breakfast, and street-side rooms pick up bar noise.
Palazzo Mulini ($$): 8.8 on Booking, 9.7 for location. Old-town apartments with kitchenettes across from the cathedral, plus a rooftop terrace. Guests rave about the location and spotless rooms. Downsides: no elevator, steep stairs, and AC that struggles in peak summer.
HolidayMonopoli ($$): 8.7 on Booking, 9.7 for location. Apartments full of character on some of the old town’s prettiest lanes, with rooftop terraces and a simple breakfast included. Guests love Anita at reception. Expect steep, narrow stairs and small showers. Good for groups.
Santa Maria 24 ($$$): 9.6 on Booking, 10 for location. The splurge. Old-town apartments steps from the sea, a breakfast guests call the best of their trip, and a station pickup in a vintage Citroën 2CV. Extras add up (off-site parking, late check-in fees), and there’s no lift.
How I book places in Italy, here and everywhere else:
- Filter for reviews of 8+ on Booking.com
- Air conditioning if you’re going anytime from late spring to early fall. Late September was still warm.
- Private bathroom and free cancellation, because plans change
- Use the map view to check the walk to the places you actually want to be. I aim for 15 minutes max.
Don’t overspend on the room. You’ll be out all day and most of the night. Clean, safe, central. That’s the job.
Our Puglia itinerary, day by day
Here’s the whole thing. A full day in Monopoli, a day split between Polignano and Monopoli, one day trip to Alberobello, one beach day. Copy it or cut what you don’t care about.
Day 1 (Friday evening): arrive and eat
After the taxi and train from Brindisi, we dropped bags and went straight to dinner at Bavarotti da Francesco. It’s an odd one: Italian and German food on the same menu, because the chef lived in Munich for about 35 years. It works. My sister got the sesame-roasted octopus and loved it, the tagliata al rosmarino (sliced steak with roast potatoes) was good, and I got a salad. We finished with a homemade walnut brownie with ice cream and whipped cream.
Day 2 (Saturday): Monopoli on foot
Breakfast: Caffè Napoli. Standard Italian breakfast, with sweet and savory options. It’s busy, but it’s in a small, quiet piazza with plenty of tables and a staff that keeps up.
Morning: Walk. Monopoli’s old town is the kind of place where getting a little lost is the plan. Follow the walls along the sea and cut back through the alleys.
Pre-lunch drinks: The rooftop at BB Bellavista. Fantastic view, calm, friendly staff. The B&B underneath gets mediocre reviews, but you’re not sleeping there. You’re there for the bar.
Lunch: A sandwich at Gustavo. Heads up: there are two Gustavo locations in Monopoli, so check which one you’re navigating to.
Afternoon break: A salad and a spritz at Vini e Panini. Bresaola, shaved cheese and toasted focaccia on the side. We liked it enough to come back two nights later for tiramisù.
Aperitivo: Sottocoperta. Great outdoor terrace and very popular. Get there early if you want a table outside.
Dinner: Osteria Perricci. This was the best meal of the trip. I’ve eaten at a lot of places called “Osteria Something.” The word used to mean home cooking with a nonna in the kitchen. Most of them aren’t that anymore. This one felt close. No frills, basic room, fantastic food. Order the mixed cold seafood antipasto. That was the highlight of the whole trip for me.
Day 3 (Sunday): Polignano a Mare, then back to Monopoli
Breakfast: Caffè Letterario. If you’re craving an American-style breakfast (eggs, pancakes), they have it. Set your expectations low.
Polignano a Mare: One stop up the train line. We happened to be there during the Red Bull cliff diving event, which meant huge crowds. Fun to see, but every restaurant was packed, so we sat down wherever had a free table. That ended up being Enzo e Ciro. My sister had the mussels and loved them. My pizza was fine, nothing to write home about. Check the event calendar before you go: if Red Bull is in town, either lean into it or pick another day.
Drinks: Bellavista Tasting Emotion. Sea view from the top and cocktails piled with fruit, some with sparklers shooting out of the glass. Gimmicky, but fun.
Dinner (back in Monopoli): Pizzosteria L’isola che non c’è. Salad and fried seafood. Good, not amazing. 7/10.
Gelato: Gelateria Gasperini dal 1936. A historic, well-known spot. I was too full to have any, but my friends loved it.
Last round: Tato’s Cocktail Bar & Bistrot. We only had drinks, but the food menu looked good. Probably worth eating at.
Day 4 (Monday): day trip to Alberobello
Getting there: Cotrap bus route 584 from Piazza S. Antonio 6, Monopoli to Viale Aldo Moro (by Hotel Airone), Alberobello. About 55 minutes.
The bus was over capacity and we stood most of the way there. That sucked. Two lessons:
- Get to the stop 20 minutes early so you’re near the front of the line.
- Buy tickets online on the Cotrap site. The bus there had tap to pay. The bus back didn’t.
Drinks: Olives, taralli and wine at Trulli e Puglia Wine Bar on the main street.
Lunch: Corte dei Trulli. Really great. You can sit inside a trullo or out on the terrace. We took the terrace. Two other places we got recommended but didn’t have time for: Ristorante L’Aratro and Ristorante Il Pinnacolo.
Before the bus: One last drink at whatever table opens up on Largo Martellotta, then the (again crowded) bus back.
If we did it again: We wandered Alberobello on our own, which is easy enough. But a guide is a great way to actually learn what you’re looking at. This Alberobello history walking tour has 4.7 stars from 230+ reviews. It runs 1.5 to 2 hours through the two trulli districts and gets you inside a real trullo.
Dinner (Monopoli): Calamari & Liquori. The best fried anchovies of my life. Bigger than usual, lightly breaded. Also get the octopus puccia (the local sandwich). We finished with drinks and a fantastic tiramisù at Vini e Panini.
Day 5 (Tuesday): beach day
Morning: An 11:30 spritz at Ristorante Bar Pizzeria Porto Rosso. The kitchen wasn’t open yet, so food was the classic olives, chips and peanuts.
Beach: Porto Rosso. Small beach, not crowded (that’s late September for you). The water was cold at first, but you get used to it after a few minutes, and it was very clear.
Lunch: Meraki. Great view, lots of outdoor tables. My sister’s grilled tuna was great. I got the spaghetto allo scoglio in spicy red sauce. Good, but not actually spicy and swimming in oil. Keep that in mind.
Shopping: If you want hand-painted art, there’s a guy selling his work at Via Barbacana 50. No name, no sign, so I can’t promise he’ll be there when you read this. Worth a look. My sister bought a small piece.
Pre-dinner snack: Back to Calamari & Liquori for another round of fried anchovies. We were hooked.
Dinner: King Street Food. The braciole was great. Grilled chicken was fine (I was trying to balance out the bread I’d been eating all week). The fish and chips were clearly from frozen and nothing special, but the fries were great. The ham and cheese salad was okay. The real reason to go: the chocolate salame, still one of my favorite desserts anywhere.
Day 6: home
Train from Monopoli to Brindisi, then bus line AP to the airport (about €2, small bills, buy on board).
Historical sites worth your time in Monopoli
Monopoli’s old town is compact. You’ll pass most of its history just walking around, which is what we did.
What we saw:
- Castello di Carlo V. A 16th-century fortress on the waterfront. We walked by it and that was enough for me. I’ve been in plenty of castles in Italy, and once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen most. If castles are your thing, it hosts exhibitions and events inside.
- The sea walls and Bastione Santa Maria. Old cannons still pointed at the sea. This walk is the best free thing in Monopoli, especially near sunset.
- Porto Vecchio. The old harbor, still packed with blue fishing boats. You can’t miss it, and you shouldn’t.
If you have more time (we didn’t get to these):
| Site | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Cattedrale Maria Santissima della Madia | Baroque cathedral on a 12th-century foundation | Very ornate inside. Legend says the Madonna icon floated in on a raft in 1117 |
| Museo della Cattedrale | Small church-art museum on Piazza Cattedrale | About €2, limited hours, mostly evenings Thursday to Sunday |
| Santa Maria Amalfitana | 12th-century church built by Amalfi merchants | One of the oldest buildings in town |
| Rock churches | Byzantine cave churches outside the center, some with frescoes | You’ll need a car, taxi or guide |
Want the history behind all of it? The walking tour in the next section covers the old town with a local guide.
Tours: the boat trip that didn’t happen
We had this shared boat tour booked. It got cancelled because the sea was too rough. That’s normal at this time of year, and it’s the one thing in this itinerary you can’t control.
The classic trip from Monopoli is on a gozzo, a traditional wooden fishing boat, up the coast to the sea caves at Polignano a Mare. Shared tours run about 2.5 hours and cost around €50 per person. If you’d rather have the boat to yourselves, this private boat tour is the one I’d look at. Expect to pay several hundred euros for the group.
How to not lose it like we did:
- Book it for early in your trip. If it’s cancelled, you have days left to rebook.
- Pick a tour with free cancellation. Weather calls are often made the morning of.
- Have a backup. Ours was easy: more time at the beach and more fried anchovies.
Walking tour. If boats aren’t your thing, or the sea cancels yours, this walking tour of Monopoli is led by a local who knows the city’s history. The sites in the table above make a lot more sense with someone explaining them.
Cooking class. Orecchiette is Puglia’s pasta, and this hands-on orecchiette cooking class in Monopoli teaches you to make it by hand, along with other local food. We didn’t have time for it, but it’s the one I’d add on a longer stay.
Key takeaways
- Base yourself in Monopoli if you don’t have a car. Trains to Bari, Brindisi and Polignano, a bus to Alberobello, beaches you can walk to.
- Buy Cotrap bus tickets online and show up early. The Alberobello bus is the weak link in this trip.
- Eat at Osteria Perricci and Calamari & Liquori. If you only do two meals from this list, do those.
Alternative day trip: If you want to skip the beach day or swap out Alberobello, a day trip to Lecce is worth it. The train from Monopoli is easy, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Final thoughts
Monopoli is the perfect base for Puglia. It’s small, everything is walkable, and in late September the weather was perfect: warm enough for the beach, comfortable enough to walk all day. The best parts of the trip were the simple ones: a cold seafood antipasto at a no-frills osteria, clear water at Porto Rosso, and going back for the same fried anchovies twice.
One thing to know going in: Monopoli was full of American tourists, myself included. If you want to be surrounded by locals, small beach towns in Italy are not the place. They mostly cater to tourism. Go for the food, the sea and the easy logistics, and you won’t be disappointed.
The mistake I see most when people plan Puglia is trying to stack Polignano, Alberobello, Ostuni, Matera and Lecce into four days without a car. You’ll spend the trip on buses. If you’re building your own Puglia plan, test it with the [Itinerary Builder] before you book anything. Or send it to me for an Itinerary Review and I’ll tell you what to cut.