3-days itinerary in Apulia: Salento

In this 3-days itinerary in Apulia we will focus on the Salento area, the southernmost area of ​​Puglia, famous for its heavenly beaches touched by two seas: the Adriatic and the Ionian. In this 3-day itinerary we will start from Lecce and then move along the Adriatic coast and visit its picturesque towns, to conclude on the Ionian coast with some places considered “the Maldives of Salento”.

For this itinerary, those arriving by plane should carefully consider Brindisi airport, much more convenient and closer to dedicate yourself exclusively to exploring Salento. From Brindisi to Lecce you can use public transport or book a convenient transfer service.

For this itinerary, public transport is highly discouraged as it does not cover all areas, so renting a car or a rental with driver is highly recommended.

Day 1: Lecce and the Baroque

The first day of our itinerary is dedicated to Lecce, known as “the Florence of the South” due to its Baroque buildings. To visit Lecce in one day, it is definitely essential to start from the Obelisk and Porta Napoli, one of the three gates that were in the historic center. Once you have crossed Porta Napoli, you will enter an area closed to traffic: the real old city.

Here you can visit the Duomo with its bell tower, Piazza Sant’Oronzo, and the famous Roman Amphitheater. The emblem of the Baroque style is certainly the Basilica of Santa Croce with its fascinating rose windows.

During your visit to Lecce, you cannot avoid tasting the rustico leccese, a “walking” gastronomic tradition, and the pasticciotto, a typical shortcrust pastry filled with custard.

Many of the best clubs, bars and pastry shops in the city are concentrated in the historic center where, among other things, the famous shopping street is located: via Trinchese. We tell you more about Lecce in this article.

For your stay, we recommend some excellent accommodations in this article.

Day 2: the Adriatic coast (Santa Cesarea Terme and Castro)

The second day of our itinerary is dedicated to discovering some villages overlooking the Adriatic Sea. We are talking about Castro and Santa Cesarea Terme. From Lecce, just continue south. From here, the first place you will reach will be Santa Cesarea Terme, famous for its thermal springs, which you can visit briefly in the historic center. The second place is Castro. Here you can dive into clear, blue waters and visit the suggestive Zinzulusa Cave, one of the largest karst phenomena in Salento. You can also book a boat tour of the sea caves in this area of ​​the Adriatic coast, and then end the day by returning to Lecce, the base of your trip.

Day 3: the Ionian coast (Porto Cesareo and Punta Prosciutto)

On the third day of your itinerary, we will focus on the Ionian coast. In particular, we will head southwest and reach the town of Porto Cesareo. Here there is a series of beaches and bathing establishments, which have become very popular in the summer and are frequented by tourists and non-tourists alike. A little more “uncomfortable” because it is “wilder” is the area of ​​Punta Prosciutto, one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Salento. Here you can book boat tours to discover the Ionian coast and Porto Selvaggio, snorkeling activities, a sunset boat trip with an aperitif, happy hour and much more. Enjoy the evening in Porto Cesareo, in one of its famous waterfront venues and enjoy a dinner based on fresh fish.

Finally, return to Lecce. Your 3-day weekend in Puglia has come to an end.

If you have more days available, you can follow our itineraries and add other stops to your trip!