As with all travel, there are multiple ways to get to your destination. The most important thing to keep in mind - other than safety, is how you want the journey to feel. Here, we’ll explore three different ways to get to Puglia, Italy from the United States.

To note: the Italians refer to the region as Puglia (pronounced POOL-yah), while the English name for Puglia is often written as Apulia. I remember thinking they were two separate places while booking my first trip to Puglia, so I wanted to clarify :)

Arrive with ease, fly directly into popular Puglia airports Bari or Brindisi.

There are two main airports in Puglia that flights from the USA frequent: BARI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BRI) & SALENTO AIRPORT in BRINDISI (BDS).

Think of these as “minor international” airports. They service international flights but may have less ideal arrival and departure times available. I recommend flying from your largest international airport in the U.S. to Puglia if you are the sort of person who wants to get where they’re going or if you’re short on travel days. I’ve flown in and out of both Bari and Brindisi with ease. You’ll want to set price alerts for these two airports leaving from your closest international airport.

Bari and Brindisi airports are about 1.5 hour apart, with Bari sitting about 1.5 hours North of Brindisi along the Eastern Coast of Italy. Which you chose to fly into depends on your destination within Puglia. I have flown into Bari and worked my way down the coast via rental car, stopping at some of the most beautiful towns on the way: Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Alberobello, Ostuni, Martina Franca and Fasano. If you have your heart set on more southern towns like Lecce, Brindisi would be the best airport.

Cliffside scene in Polignano a Mare, Puglia. A great town for dining, sightseeing and strolling.

If you’re coming to our 2023 retreat in Puglia at La Rosa dei 4 Venti Wellness Center, Bari airport is 1.5 hours away and Brindisi airport is 55 minutes away. You can rent a car from the airport and drive yourself to La Rosa dei 4 Venti OR the retreat offers a shuttle that can pick up guests at either location for a small fee. Final price is based on how many people share the shuttle. If renting a car, make sure you choose a car large enough to fit your luggage - standard European cars tend to run on the smaller side. Also, make sure to book an automatic vehicle if you’re not 100% comfortable driving a manual stick shift car.

Option Two: Fly into Rome, Train to Puglia

Hiring a private driver to wait for you at the airport is worth every penny. International airports can be fast paced and confusing, having someone take your luggage and show you around is a great investment.

Rome is a beautiful pit-stop when making your way to Puglia. The Trastevere district of Rome gives off a less touristy, more local feel and Airbnb’s are abundant.

A very popular and affordable way to get to Puglia is to fly into Rome (FCO), take the airport rail to Termini train station, and then train to Puglia.

If you have time and you’ve never seen the city of Rome, it’s worth spending a night or two in there. You can take the airport rail into Rome proper or hire a taxi / private driver. The airport is about 60 minutes from the city center and the area is well known for traffic and detours. Driving in Rome is kind of like driving in NYC, so do a reality check of how comfortable you are driving in a forge in country before opting to rent a car. When you fly into Rome, you can: hire a private driver to escort you into the city for $50-80 Euro, take the bus to the city center, or waive a taxi.

The train from Rome to Puglia hugs the scenic coastline and is a relaxing way to get there.

For the second leg of travel Puglia bound, you can take the the high-speed train from Termini Station in Rome Southbound to Bari Centrale or Brindisi in Puglia. The ride is anywhere from 4-5 hours and $50-100 per person, the rates change based on availability and time. You can book your train ticket from Rome to Puglia months in advanced, or wing it and purchase the ticket when you arrive at Termini Station. Some people like to plan ahead and have an itinerary to follow, while others may not want to be married to a specific departure time. Either way, make sure you book a direct or high-speed train, as the local train with stops can take up to 9 hours from Rome to Puglia.

I love this option and have done this multiple times. Rome is a beautiful city with LOTS to see, you could spend a good amount of time exploring Rome itself. I like to fly into Rome, hire a private driver who is waiting at the airport and stay in an Airbnb in Trastevere for two nights before taking the train to Puglia. This option allows me to explore a bit, rest and shake off my jet lag before making my way south.

Pros of this option: affordable, nonstop flights from USA into Rome. Great travel times, you can book an overnight flight out of America, sleep on the plane, and wake up in Italy with a whole new day ahead of you. The train ride down to Puglia is scenic and gives you time to read, rest or journal.

Cons: While you may save money on the initial flight, you may be adding more expenses to your trip with transportation, nightly accommodations and train fare.

Similar to larger international airports with the United States, the pace at FCO is fast - the movement, the language, the people. My first time traveling to Italy I pre-purchased a train ticket from FCO into the city center of Rome. As a seasoned traveler, I was confident in my navigation skills HOWEVER - it did not work out. I remember being so exhausted trying to find the correct rail, showing my ticket to people asking for help in broken Italian. I was tired, jet lagged, lost. I finally caved and took a taxi for about 50 euro, which worked out to be a great option. The driver was kind and got me exactly where I was heading within the city. Had I taken the train, I would have been at the mercy of a taxi cab driver from Termini Station, who may not have been as friendly or helpful. Even years after this experience (and a lot older) I still to this day will make sure I have a driver waiting at the airport because of this experience.

Option Three : Fly into Europe, domestic transportation to Puglia

In 2016, I added a trip to Florence to my Puglia travel plans, the flight from Brindisi to Florence was only $28.

Another great way to get to Puglia is to spend a few days in a European town of your liking and take a domestic flight or rail line into Puglia. You could explore Portual, France, Greece, the UK, another area of Italy, then fly or train into Puglia. When flying from within Europe, you will have the option to fly into smaller airports like Taranto, Salento, Lecce, etc. These smaller airports may be closer to the towns you plan to stay in within the region. This options gives you a chance to scratch multiple places off of your bucket list by combining trips and if you’re savvy, maybe even save some money in doing so! The rail system is far better in Europe compared to America, I was blown away with the comfort, availability and price of train rides during my first trip to Europe.

Give Yourself Time

Once you get to Puglia, rent a Vespa and explore the narrow, whitewashed cobblestone streets.

Give yourself time to mess up, get lost and detour. Give yourself time to get around. Your plans may look perfect on paper, but you’ll want to give yourself some time to stray from scheduled programming and MAKE MEMORIES. Don’t stack your travel plans so tight that you feel like you need a vacation after your vacation.

If you’re traveling for a retreat, especially a Caya retreat where we can get into some heavy emotions, give yourself a few days after the retreat to emotionally digest before whisking off to the airport and rushing home. Even just a day will work wonders. It’s in this space that you’ll be able to ingrate the things you’ve learned about yourself while on retreat.

Getting There: Puglia, Italy

Option One: Fly into Puglia

Option Two: Fly into Rome, Train to Puglia

Option Three : Fly into Europe, domestic transportation to Puglia

Give Yourself Time

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