Polignano a Mare is a small town on Italy’s southern Adriatic coast. It is not one of the most popular Italian vacation destinations, but it has many reasons to be! We were very pleasantly surprised with how much this charming town had to offer. The beaches (while not the most comfortable) were beautiful, the town was packed with amazing restaurants and cafes, and the nightlife was surprisingly thriving for such a small town. We had such a great time here and would love to go back one day!

 

WHERE TO STAY: 

We chose to stay at B&B Malu during our time in Polignano a Mare. It is family owned and run and in a perfect location (3 min walk to the beach and all main attractions). The staff was very friendly and homemade breakfast was served every morning on the terrace-which has great views of the beach and town!

B&B Malu

 

WHAT TO SEE AND DO: 

As mentioned above, we were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to do here and also by how many restaurants/bars were within the town square. I have recommendations on things to do and where to eat and drink below.

1. Beach day- (the most popular beach is Lama Monachile Beach- pictured above. It certainly is picturesque. However, it is EXTREMELY crowded and there are no options to rent sun beds. The beach is very rocky and quite uncomfortable if you do not have a chair to sit in. A less crowded beach is Lido Cala Paura. It has sun beds you can rent and a small market with drinks you can order for the beach. While the scenery is not quite as impressive, we enjoyed this beach much more).

2. Rent a  paddle boat  (you can rent a paddle boat at Lido Cala Paula by the hour. This is a great opportunity to tour this place by sea- be sure to check out the caves and stop somewhere to jump off and go for a swim)

3. Stroll the town center/markets

4. Book a boat tour to the caves

5. Road trip to the town of Ostuni & Alberobello (We spent one night in Ostuni and thought it was great. The town comes to life at night with plenty of swanky bars and restaurants to choose from. I do not think you need more than a day here. Alberobello was charming, but in my opinion- it was far too crowded. It is worth the stop if you are driving through, but I would not plan for too much time here and would recommend coming early to beat the crowds)

 

WHERE TO EAT: 

1. Grotta Palazzese -(this restaurant is built into a cliff with sweeping views of the ocean. It is one of the more unique dining experiences we have had during our travels. It is a bit expensive, but worth it for the experience. Be sure to book ahead!)

2. Antiche Mura

3. Mint- (this place has vegetarian/healthy options and is run by a husband from Italy/ wife from Brazil. It was a refreshing change from all of the pizza & pasta. In addition, everything we ordered was incredible)

4. La Foccaceria Di Delle Noci Marco- (casual focaccia stand- very tasty!)

 

WHERE TO DRINK:

1. La Casa Del Mojito- (cocktail bar serving several different types of Mojitos. We made a stop here both nights during our stay and really enjoyed it. It can be a bit crowded, but they will give you to-go cups if you wish to order your mojitos and take a walk)

2. Moonshine