Puglia - solo with teens

icameonholidaybyaccident · 2023-04-14T15:54:10+00:00

Hi. I'm dying to go to Puglia for a week this summer with my kids (15,17 and 20). We used to live in Singapore so are fine with heat as long as bedrooms are cool at night. Im assuming an apartment will be cheaper than hotel as we need 3 bedrooms. We definitely want a great beach and prefer a location that's more popular with locals. I'm 'ok' driving overseas but would prefer not - I'd that possible in Puglia? Please bombard me with your tips. Thank you thank you!

So1invictus · 15/04/2023 06:26

I live in Puglia. It will be upwards of 35-40 and humid as hell from June onwards so you'd definitely be reminded of Singapore. 😂 I'm guessing any accommodation will have air-con.

You're probably looking at the Salento if you want beaches and locals (Italians from the north rather than locals tbf) My favourite holiday area though is the Gargano, but that will have more Germans.

You can get away with not driving (I don't)but public transport isn't brilliant in all honesty. Trains really just connect the coastal towns and you'd want buses for anything else.

So1invictus · 15/04/2023 06:30

Look at Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli, Otranto, Castro Marina for the Salento.
Gallipoli has become the Rimini of the south (on a much smaller scale) for teenagers and nightlife. All my students tend to be allowed to go there for their first holiday without parents and it's got probably the most famous nightclub (Praha) in the area that they flock to.

Original poster

icameonholidaybyaccident · 15/04/2023 15:59

So1invictus · 15/04/2023 06:26

I live in Puglia. It will be upwards of 35-40 and humid as hell from June onwards so you'd definitely be reminded of Singapore. 😂 I'm guessing any accommodation will have air-con.

You're probably looking at the Salento if you want beaches and locals (Italians from the north rather than locals tbf) My favourite holiday area though is the Gargano, but that will have more Germans.

You can get away with not driving (I don't)but public transport isn't brilliant in all honesty. Trains really just connect the coastal towns and you'd want buses for anything else.

Many thanks that's really helpful - and lucky you living there!

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Original poster

icameonholidaybyaccident · 15/04/2023 16:00

So1invictus · 15/04/2023 06:30

Look at Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli, Otranto, Castro Marina for the Salento.
Gallipoli has become the Rimini of the south (on a much smaller scale) for teenagers and nightlife. All my students tend to be allowed to go there for their first holiday without parents and it's got probably the most famous nightclub (Praha) in the area that they flock to.

That's brilliant- thank you very much!

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Oriunda · 16/04/2023 16:16

You need a car, tbh, to reach the best beaches. You will also need swim shoes, and some of beaches have rocks.

DH is Italian; we have a house in Lecce but spend all summer at the beach near Santa Caterina. We go to the same lido north of Gallipoli each year, but also go to Santa Maria, Santa Caterina, Leuca and Sant’Isodoro.

We also spend a week at the Trullo in Santa Maria; no beach, but lovely swimming and diving off the rocks. V popular with teens, and they can walk into Santa Maria to the piazza for gelato etc. Santa Maria actually wouldn’t be a bad bet for you all; walking distance to both the sand beach and swimming off the rocks, plus a buzzing night scene in the piazza. There are some super aperitivo bars along that stretch of coastline, walking distance from the Quattro Colonne, that your children will love. There’s a bus service that services the lidos down to Gallipoli. For chicer evenings, Santa Caterina is posher.

The stretch of beaches from Gallipoli down to Leuca are stunning. Some are more suited to teenagers than others (we go to a family friendly one in Padula Bianca). Further down near Leuca, you have Torre Vado where you can do boat trips and have an aperitivo on Gregorio beach. Some lidos like Maldives are super luxe and very swish! Expect to pay between €25-40 per day for 2 sun beds and an ombrellone if you go to a lido. There are public areas, but tucked away and you’ll need the full kit of chairs, umbrella etc. It’s seriously hot and you cannot think of not having a sun umbrella.

I also love Porto Selvaggio; definitely go one day. Quite a walk down there, and you’ll need to bring your own packed lunch, but the water is pristine.

My view is that you need a car in order to fully explore the amazing beaches.

Original poster

icameonholidaybyaccident · 17/04/2023 16:50

Oriunda · 16/04/2023 16:16

You need a car, tbh, to reach the best beaches. You will also need swim shoes, and some of beaches have rocks.

DH is Italian; we have a house in Lecce but spend all summer at the beach near Santa Caterina. We go to the same lido north of Gallipoli each year, but also go to Santa Maria, Santa Caterina, Leuca and Sant’Isodoro.

We also spend a week at the Trullo in Santa Maria; no beach, but lovely swimming and diving off the rocks. V popular with teens, and they can walk into Santa Maria to the piazza for gelato etc. Santa Maria actually wouldn’t be a bad bet for you all; walking distance to both the sand beach and swimming off the rocks, plus a buzzing night scene in the piazza. There are some super aperitivo bars along that stretch of coastline, walking distance from the Quattro Colonne, that your children will love. There’s a bus service that services the lidos down to Gallipoli. For chicer evenings, Santa Caterina is posher.

The stretch of beaches from Gallipoli down to Leuca are stunning. Some are more suited to teenagers than others (we go to a family friendly one in Padula Bianca). Further down near Leuca, you have Torre Vado where you can do boat trips and have an aperitivo on Gregorio beach. Some lidos like Maldives are super luxe and very swish! Expect to pay between €25-40 per day for 2 sun beds and an ombrellone if you go to a lido. There are public areas, but tucked away and you’ll need the full kit of chairs, umbrella etc. It’s seriously hot and you cannot think of not having a sun umbrella.

I also love Porto Selvaggio; definitely go one day. Quite a walk down there, and you’ll need to bring your own packed lunch, but the water is pristine.

My view is that you need a car in order to fully explore the amazing beaches.

Thank you very much that's so helpful!

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