Unique luxury villa with direct access to the seaN°001
Cala Moresca, Italy
Sea viewWaterfront
From $24,919 per night
Whitewashed towns between two seas
Puglia is the heel of Italy, where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas frame whitewashed towns, olive groves and white-sand beaches. Renting one of our more than 230 luxury villas in Puglia gives space, privacy and a private pool within easy reach of Baroque Lecce, trulli villages and the Salento coast.
- More than 230 luxury villas with private pools across the Salento coast and countryside
- Two coastlines where the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea
- UNESCO-listed trulli of Alberobello and Baroque Lecce within easy reach
- Renowned cuisine built on seafood, vegetables, olive oil and local wines
- Private beach clubs by day, atmospheric osterie and cocktail bars by night
Known forWhite-sand beaches, trulli houses, Baroque Lecce, olive oil and seafood
Best time to visitMay to early October, with June and September ideal for warm, quieter coastlines
Nearest airportBrindisi (BDS) and Bari (BRI) international airports
Ideal forFamilies, groups and couples seeking beaches, food and authentic Italian culture
Luxury Tuscan Escape With Pool ViewsN°002
Italy (other), Italy
Private poolHot tubSauna
From $14,448 per night
Luxe Tuscan Villa Near The Historic Area Of LuccaN°003
Tuscany, Italy
From $12,314 per night
Beautiful Masseria in Polignano a MareN°004
Puglia, Italy
Private pool
From $11,628 per night
Stunning Italian Villa With Great Mountain ViewsN°005
Tuscany, Italy
Private pool
From $11,512 per night
Magnificent Tower Villa Surrounded by NatureN°006
Tuscany, Italy
Private pool
From $10,727 per night
623homes available
1–18bedrooms
up to 36guests
240with a pool
2book instantly
Puglia in pictures
Events not to miss in Puglia
- Early May
Festa di San Nicola
Bari honours its patron saint with historical processions, a sea-borne icon and fireworks over the old town, the region's grandest religious festival.
- Early July
Luminarie di Scorrano
For the feast of Santa Domenica, Scorrano in the Salento raises cathedral-sized arches of light, the most spectacular display of Puglia's luminarie tradition.
- July to August
Locus Festival
Locorotondo's summer music festival brings international jazz, soul and electronic acts to squares and masserie amid the Valle d'Itria's white towns.
- Late August
La Notte della Taranta
Europe's largest folk music festival culminates in a vast free concert at Melpignano, where tens of thousands dance the pizzica until dawn.
Puglia through the seasons
- Spring (March – May)
Wild orchids and whitewashed towns
The Valle d'Itria and Salento are green and flower-strewn, ideal for cycling between trulli and exploring Lecce and Ostuni without the heat.
- Summer (June – August)
Adriatic and Ionian beach life
Puglia's twin coastlines deliver everything from Polignano's cliff coves to the Maldivian sands of Pescoluse, with masseria pools as the midday refuge.
- Autumn (September – October)
Harvest season in the olive groves
The vendemmia and then the olive harvest animate the countryside, the sea stays warm for swimming, and trattoria tables are easy to come by.
- Winter (November – February)
Baroque cities to yourselves
Lecce's golden stone, Bari's old town and orecchiette-making nonnas carry on without tourists, and mild days suit slow villa-based touring.
The Area
Puglia forms the heel of Italy's boot, occupying the south-eastern corner where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet. It is one of the country's most beloved seaside regions, lined with kilometres of white-sand beaches and rocky coves. Centuries of Greek, Roman and Norman rule have left a layered cultural heritage, visible in the flat-topped, whitewashed architecture that defines its towns. Inland, olive groves and vineyards roll across a landscape so fertile it supplies fruit and vegetables to much of Italy. Smiling House's luxury villas in Puglia span coast and countryside, including quieter corners such as Leverano, Maglie, Cannole and Corsano, offering the freedom and space to settle into the unhurried rhythm of the Italian south.
Where to Stay
Puglia rewards travellers who choose a base and explore outward. The Salento peninsula at the region's tip is prized for its beaches, with Baia Verde near Gallipoli a favourite for clear water and beach clubs. Coastal hamlets like Arigliano and Corsano offer cliff-edge calm, while inland towns such as Maglie, Cannole and Leverano place you among olive groves, vineyards and authentic village life within a short drive of the sea. A private villa here means generous living space, a pool and the privacy a hotel cannot match, ideal for families and groups. Smiling House's concierge can arrange chefs, transfers and excursions so the holiday flows effortlessly.
Things to Do
Puglia rewards exploration year-round. Polignano a Mare clings to the cliffs with restaurants carved into the rock and dramatic sea-view terraces. Alberobello enchants with its hundreds of trulli, the conical whitewashed dwellings unique to the region, and nearby lie the Grotte di Castellana, a karstic cave system descending some 60 metres underground. Lecce, the Florence of the South, dazzles with exquisite Baroque facades and two millennia of history. Gallipoli, the Ionian Pearl, wraps its old town in sea on three sides. In winter, the Putignano Carnival, among Europe's oldest, builds from 26 December to its grand February float parades.
Dining & Nightlife
Eating well is one of Puglia's great pleasures. This is agricultural country, its tables built on sun-ripened vegetables, fruit, olive oil and just-landed seafood from the clean Adriatic. Seek out an osteria, the most authentic kind of Italian eatery, for handmade orecchiette, burrata and grilled fish paired with local wines. By the coast, private beach clubs hire out sunbeds and umbrellas through the day, then transform after dark into atmospheric restaurants and cocktail bars. Inland the evenings are slower: the passeggiata around the piazza, a gelato in Lecce's floodlit centre, an amaro under the plane trees before the drive back to the villa.
When to Visit
Puglia enjoys a long, generous summer thanks to its southern latitude. The sweet spots are May to early October, when the sea is warm and the countryside fragrant with citrus and herbs. June and September deliver near-perfect beach weather without the peak crowds, ideal for relaxed villa stays. July and August are hottest and busiest, lively along the Salento coast and perfect for beach-club days. Spring brings wildflowers and excellent walking, while February offers the colour and spectacle of the Putignano Carnival. Outside high summer, towns like Lecce and Gallipoli feel calmer and more authentic, rewarding travellers who linger.
Getting There
Puglia is served by two international airports, Bari to the north and Brindisi to the south, both with connections across Europe and onward links throughout the region. Brindisi is the closest gateway to the Salento and the southern coast, while Bari suits the central trulli country and the Adriatic towns. A hire car is strongly recommended to reach villas and quieter inland villages such as Maglie, Leverano and Cannole, and to explore the coastline at your own pace. Smiling House's concierge can arrange private transfers from either airport, so you arrive at your villa ready to begin the holiday.