Polignano a Mare is a beautiful town in Puglia in Italy, with a picturesque old town, views over the Adriatic, seafood restaurants and vibrant cultural scene. Whether you enjoy relaxing on a beach, spending time with the family, visiting historical sites, indulging in local cuisine or doing daredevil activities, chances are there is something for you in Polignano a Mare. What activities can you enjoy in Polignano a Mare?
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- Discovering Polignano a Mare: Why It's Worth Visiting
- Where is Polignano a Mare?
- A Brief History of Polignano a Mare
- How to Get to Polignano a Mare: Tips for Travelers
- The Best Ways to Travel from Rome to Polignano a Mare
- How Many Days to Spend in Polignano a Mare
- Map of Must-See Attractions in Polignano a Mare
- 14 Things to Do in Polignano a Mare
- 5 of The Best Polignano a Mare Beaches
- Dining in the Caves: Experience the Unique Cave Restaurant in Polignano a Mare, Italy
- Top Restaurants in Polignano a Mare: Where to Eat
- Where to Stay in Polignano a Mare: Accommodations for Every Budget
- The Best Guided Tours in Polignano a Mare: Enhance Your Experience
- Here's What to Read Next:
Polignano a Mare hugs the coastline of the Valle d’Itria like an exquisite wedding ring, a living love letter to just about everything that’s right and fine about Italian life by the sea: the irresistible frisson of the place, lived in and loved, a town defined by the way in which its history and attraction to clear water play off each other. Beautiful Polignano, you’ve been discovered – and you’re a living postcard!
Discovering Polignano a Mare: Why It's Worth Visiting
Perched on the edge of cliffs that plummet straight into the crystal waters of the Adriatic, Polignano a Mare is a breathtaking natural wonder. The views here can knock the wind out of you. Wander through the maze-like old town’s cobbled alleys, head to the Grotta Palazzese for dinner in a – literal – cave, or simply people-watch in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II over a coffee or an aperitivo.
There’s culture too in the poetry scratched onto stones thousands of years old, and the more contemporary stenciled modern art that pops up in unexpected places. Movies and TV shows are filmed here and the entire town seems to be featured in the ‘Most Instagrammed Places in Europe’ list because everywhere you look it seems like a postcard.
Where is Polignano a Mare?
The town of Polignano a Mare is located on a promontory situated on a ravine with flight of caves in Apulia (Italian region, region of Puglia) of southern Italy. Polignano is a part of the Metropolitan City of Bari and is located on Adriatic Sea, at 34 km south of Bari. The town is located on a limestone cliff showing stunning geological make up with seaside views.
A Brief History of Polignano a Mare
This picturesque small town, existing since at least prehistoric times, has lived through successive transformations, at the hands of the ancient Greeks, the Normans and Aragonese.
The Greeks might have founded the town in the 4th century BC, under Dionysius II of Syracuse. It profited from its convenient location along the Via Traiana, the Roman road built in the 2nd century, that connected Rome on the west with southeast Italy, and later with the city of Brundisium by the Adriatic Sea to the east. The Byzantines later left their mark on its early municipal structures in the 6th century.
And while still fairly insignificant in tourist terms (compared to Rome, Florence, Milan etc.), it is a town of long-standing Italian cultural capital as the birthplace of Domenico Modugno, the creator of ‘Volare’, memorially celebrated in a statue of himself gazing out over the sea.
How to Get to Polignano a Mare: Tips for Travelers
It is super easy to get to Polignano a Mare: either from within Italy or internationally. Here’s how to do it.
From Bari:
By train: Take a train from Bari Centrale to Polignano a Mare. It’s a 30-minute journey and often a service runs every half an hour. Tickets start at €3 and go up to €6.
By bus: A bus will take you from Bari in around 40 minutes; FlixBus operates this line, with prices from €5 to €8.
By car: Driving from Bari takes about 29 minutes, covering 36 km.
From Bari International Airport:
By train and bus: First, take the metro or the bus to Bari Centrale, then reach Polignano a Mare by train or bus.
Taxi: from the airport to Polignano by taxi it must cost between €75 and €95.
By rental car – rent a car for flexibility and to be in charge of your own time.
For international travelers:
Nearby large airports are Bari Palese Airport and Brindisi-Salento Airport. From any of these airports, you can reach Polignano a Mare by any of the local means of transport mentioned above.
Tip for a scenic journey: take the train from Bari for epic views of the Adriatic Sea, especially from the seat on the left.
The Best Ways to Travel from Rome to Polignano a Mare
Traveling from Rome to Polignano a Mare? Here's how you can get there!
Train: Board a train for the scenic 4.5-hour route (from €46) which has a change at Monopoli, served by Trenitalia and ItaloTreno to Brindisi and two daily departures.
Bus: Budget-conscious travelers should head for FlixBus, whose direct lines take 5 hours 55 minutes and cost between €40 and €60, with no transfers involved.
Car: Relax, eventually you’ll get here. Driving the 534km will take you 5 hours – depending on traffic, of course. It’s a great way to discover the area at your own pace, pulling over and stopping when you feel like it.
By Plane and Taxi: The fastest way is to fly to Bari Airport, then take a taxi to Polignano a Mare. The journey takes about 2 hour 10 minutes, and costs around €100. Fast and all, but not the cheapest way to get there.
How Many Days to Spend in Polignano a Mare
Day Trip: Stopping over? Make the most of a day here. Tour the historic center, splash at the beach, and dine overlooking the Adriatic. Ideal if you’re based in Bari or Alberobello.
2-3 Days: Stay longer to explore all the major sights in an unhurried fashion. Take in the dramatic cliffs, savor the flavors, wander the historical site, snooze by the sea. Just right for taking in the local festival or going on a boat tour of the sea caves.
3–4 Days: Three to four days for a meaningful immersion into daily life. This is the moment to truly connect with the culture, perhaps even trying some cliff-diving or visiting other scenic spots by the coast.
More than 5 Days: Time for the deep dive? Over five days you can see the best of Polignano and head off on day trips around Puglia.
Map of Must-See Attractions in Polignano a Mare
14 Things to Do in Polignano a Mare
Polignano a Mare has one of the nicest towns and beaches in Puglia. You can find a location in this town that will fit everything you want from your vacation, whether it’s history, nature or the local culture, relaxation or adventure – pick what you want and enjoy!
1. Centro Storico di Polignano a Mare:
As you start trailing back off the main roads and into the Centro Storico, the village is a knot of sottoportico, of tight passageways, where each new turn throws up the gleaming whitewashed surfaces, a dream for any artist or wanderer looking for simplicity and grace.
2. Tan at Lama Monachile Beach:
Lama Monachile, also known as Cala Porto, is a pebble-strewn slip of beach clinging to towering cliffs in Polignano a Mare. It’s as beautiful as any place that nature can wreak and bruise, and almost as tranquil. The water is clear and intense, one of those tableaux that travel brochures only dream of.
What makes it unusual is that you cross an ancient Roman bridge to reach it: it adds the right amount of historical drama. It’s a popular spot, especially in the heat of summer, and at the end of the season it’s the dramatic setting for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, where the divers leap off the edge and electricity buzzes in the air.
3. Grotta Palazzese:
It’s just a breath away from the sea, Grotta Palazzese is a cavern sculpted out of rock, offering perhaps the most photogenic setting of any restaurant in the world, one that’s pulled crowds since the 1700s (read more about this restaurant below). It’s not just about the food here — though the menu skews strongly towards Apulian tradition, taking in fresh-off-the-boat seafood, homemade pasta and more.
Dinner won’t come cheap. Be prepared to shell out as much as $500 per head. But then again, where else are you going to be able to dine in a cave overlooking the sea? The detractors disagree, arguing that the food doesn’t quite justify the wallet-hit, but the setting? You can’t beat that. It’s bucket list stuff for a reason.
4. Ponte Borbonico di Lama Monachile:
The Ponte Borbonico di Lama Monachile acts as a picturesque portal to Lama Monachile beach (Spiaggia La Lama Monacchile) tucked between the rocky cliffs. It is a historically valued bridge that looks out to the breathtaking Adriatic Sea. Visitors often descend from the bridge to the pebbly beach below in order to take pictures of the quaint old town that lies along the coastline beneath it; the views are unparalleled.
5. Chiesa Matrice di Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo:
The Chiesa Matrice di Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo sits in the main square (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) of Polignano a Mare. It was consecrated here in 1295, but built directly on the site of an old pagan basilica.
The church is plain and unassuming, by Italian florid standards, and decorated with a 15th-century polyptych by Bartolomeo Vivarini and sculptures by Stefano da Putignano. It’s a sturdy piece of the local spiritual infrastructure, part of the area’s ancient artistic and historical backbone.
6. Statue of Domenico Modugno:
In Polignano a Mare, the statue of Domenico Modugno, the Italian singer-songwriter who sang ‘Volare’ is a tribute to one of its most famous sons. The statue of Modugno, unveiled in 2009, shows him standing in a dynamic and lively position, his arms outstretched in a pose evoking the flight that was the central theme of ‘Volare’.
The statue is looking out to sea and over the town. It is a suitable and fitting homage to a great musician, song-writer and actor – and it could not be more appropriately sited in Polignano a Mare.
7. Abbazia di San Vito:
To the north of Polignano a Mare, in Puglia, lies the Abbazia di San Vito, a mashup of sweeping Baroque swirls and Romanesque heft that feels like a genuine historical heavyweight.
Built by the Benedictines in the 10th century, once they’d muscle-rolled their way into town, by the 1600s and ’70s a couple of centuries’ worth of 17th-century makeovers and 18th-century repairs had given the place the look of a good story as well as a cool aesthetic.
There’s even the legend of the Princess of Salerno and St Vito, to imbue its spiritual mojo with a little mystique. Sold to private owners, the abbey opens its doors to the Sunday masses, and its sea views are otherworldly enough for anyone who’s looking for a good shot, not just a good story.
8. Pietra Piatta:
Pietra Piatta is your classic balcony on the Adriatic and the ancient bones of the town. A wide open space, it is not elbow to elbow with fellow rubberneckers.
The joint’s a photographer magnet and an outdoors-person’s paradise due to the quality of the water and the wild cliffs. And the nearby beach is "Blue Flagged", which means it’s in the top percentile for environmental quality and cleanliness, which is serious good prestige, and a damn fine place to visit.
9. Go on a Boat Tour:
A boat tour of Polignano a Mare’s dramatic coastline is your best way to literally dive right in. Think of a patchwork of rocky, unforgiving cliffs and watery caves that create an almost hypnotic effect.
You might feel a visceral connection to nature, like a raw canvas, and some of the world’s most evocative sea caves are on show here. There are more than 20 caves along this stretch of coast, including the Grotta Palazzese and Grotta Azzurra, the latter of which is only accessible by boat.
These excursions aren’t your typical float. You’ll be encouraged to swim in the Adriatic’s crystal clear waters and sip on local Prosecco while you go. Expect the tour to last around two hours and for things to be kept intimate and small scale – think small groups, not tourist crowds.
10. Tuk-Tuk Ride:
A tuk-tuk ride is the ideal way to explore the higgledy-piggledy alleyways of Polignano a Mare. The driver will not only know the most scenic viewpoints but will also tell you the stories of the town’s past and present as he zigzags across town. You’ll see panoramic views, secretive alleys and great monuments, and you’ll come out with a deeper understanding of where you’ve been.
11. Try a Mojito at La Casa del Mojito:
Pay particular attention to La Casa del Mojito, a cheerful bar specialising in spiked-up, homemade mojitos, and with a mojito menu ranging from tropical flavours and native herbs to turn your beverage into a fresh, vivacious mix. If you fancy sipping your drink while surrounded by locals and other travellers in a lively atmosphere, this homage to a classic cocktail has the credentials to be your drink-spot of choice.
12. Try the famous coffee at Il Super Mago del Gelo Mario Campanella:
Il Super Mago del Gelo Mario Campanella, a café renowned for its innovative takes on coffee, serves its ‘special coffee’ (cream, lemon zest and amaretto), as well as granita and ice cream that will satisfy even a connoisseur on a warm day.
13.Breakfast or Lunch at Serafini:
Visit the local bakery and cafe, Serafini, for a great start to the day or an unhurried lunch. Their array of pastries, fresh sandwiches and local specialties made from quality ingredients will win you over.
Try them with a perfectly brewed espresso or cappuccino, and accompanied by local titbits like focaccia or cornetti. The cafe’s atmosphere and outdoor seating make this the place to sample Polignano a Mare’s real tastes.
14. Sunset at Belvedere Terrazza Santo Stefano:
End the day on a spectacular high by strolling up to Belvedere Terrazza Santo Stefano to catch the sunset. From this rocky promontory, which juts into the Adriatic Sea, you’ll enjoy stupendous views of the coastline, including the old town’s bleached-white buildings, scattered down the steep hillside like a pile of white blocks.
As the sun’s rays disappear beneath the horizon, the sky fills with vivid hues of orange and pink, bathing the coastline below in an ethereal glow. Give in to the cinematic pleasure of the moment: take some photos or just sit back and take it all in.
5 of The Best Polignano a Mare Beaches
Polignano a Mare is full of beautiful sandy beaches and stunning cliffs, bordered by crystal-clear turquoise water with a Mediterranean vibe. The following will help answer all your questions about beaches in the area, including what amenities they have available, how to get there, and the best time of day to go to them.
1. Lama Monachile:
The pebbled stretch of Cala Porto, a small cove tucked between the cliffs and the deep blue of the Adriatic, is lapped by clear, turquoise waters that look almost too inviting for swimmers and snorkelers. As previously mentioned, the acrobatic high-dives of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series also take place here.
To get there, you walk through the old town, across a Roman bridge and through time, as much as over water. In peak season, the beach is so packed with people that the only hope of finding a spot is to get there early. A series of cafés and restaurants are just steps away.
2. Cala Paguro:
Cala Paguro in Polignano a Mare is a typical fisherman’s bay, a secluded cove that you find off the main tourist drag. The sea is clear and deep blue, and its calm waters beg you to swim. A concrete jetty juts into the sea, a promenade of sorts, where locals lie in the sun, dive into the cool waters. The beach is more pebbled inlet than sandy shore, and it charms in a different way — a rugged, gritty way. You can reach it along the road or along the coastal path.
3. Lido Cala Paura:
Lido Cala Paura is no soft sand or cosy crescent. Instead, the town presses you against a jagged cliff backdrop, with homes clinging above and threatening to topple into the sea.
It’s a great spot to lounge, with umbrella rentals, pedal boats and canoes available, as well as nearby bars and pizzerias. The pebbles might call for sturdy beach shoes, but they’re a small compromise to attain a slice of peace away from the town’s busier beaches.
4. Spiaggia di Ponte Lapilli:
Between Polignano a Mare and Monopoli, Spiaggia di Ponte dei Lapilli is a land of pebbly crevasses and rugged reefs, and beginners’ snorkelling territory. Tucked away under a rock, it’s a quiet beach for people who like their sunbathing off the beaten track, natural and preferably peaceful.
If you’re coming from the direction of Via San Vito, you don’t have to go past the heaving tourist tread to get here; and, while it’s not so out of the way that you can’t stroll off to a nearby café or trattoria if the mood takes you.
5. Cala Sala (Port’Alga):
Cala Sala, which the locals might call Port’Alga, is a little tranquil place, with rough rocks and almost transparent water, a relatively safe bet to avoid the usual tourist traps. The beach has a rocky surface with some sort of concrete pier, which makes it a good spot for those looking for a quiet time at the coast. Also, there’s a small outdoor library, a nice touch for bookworms who like to turn pages with the sea in the background.
Beach Amenities
Facilities are generally minimal, most of the beaches in Polignano a Mare being of the natural sort, but you might find a few local vendors renting out deck chairs and parasols in the height of summer. Otherwise, be prepared to bring your own water, snacks and sun protection.
Best Time to Visit Polignano a Mare Beaches
The best times to see these beaches are early in the morning or later in the afternoon in the summer or off-season (late spring or early autumn) to avoid the crowds and more severe weather.
Dining in the Caves: Experience the Unique Cave Restaurant in Polignano a Mare, Italy
Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare, Italy, is set deep within a picturesque cave that looks out on the Adriatic. The restaurant has maintained the charm of its old cave, and adds sophisticated cuisine to create a unique dining destination.
Dining Experience
Walking into the Grotta Palazzese feels like entering a different planet. The journey there is marked by steep steps and soft illumination. Backgrounds are blue and warm; torches and candles flicker. Sea waves ebb and recede. It’s a place for seduction or a celebration.
Menu Highlights
Menu reflects Puglian tradition and reverence for fresh seafood and local ingredients, as well as traditional, seasonal recipes using spicing typical of the region. Price-fixed menus vary from €200 to €500. Highlights include scallops, ravioli, sea bass and classic desserts such as Tiramisu and Doppio Babà.
Reservations
It's recommended to book a table in advance, especially in the summer months, and their website lets you do this a few weeks in advance, or you can phone in to book your table. They also offer some accommodation, and so planning ahead for your visit and relaxing on the day will be a lot easier.
Additional Notes:
The place makes a fantastic setting — some would argue that the food doesn’t quite live up to the price tag, but the ambience usually does. You won’t really get away with casual wear — this is a smart place. You dress up for the evening.
Top Restaurants in Polignano a Mare: Where to Eat
Here’s our pick of where to eat in Polignano a Mare, from some of our favorite haunts to one or two from family and Italian friends:
The cuisine of Antiche Mura consists of Italian and Mediterranean meals. Order some monkfish, prawns and tuna carpaccio. Complete your dinner with good desserts and espresso or lemonade drinks.
Cucina di Ventura is within reach of the Blue Grotto, serving authentic Italian dining. Enjoy octopus and salmon, along with house wine and limoncello. Get comfy in a relaxed setting with friendly staff.
Antica Trattoria Comes, a restaurant from 1926 that prepares straightforward, unadulterated meals such as grilled fresh seafood and homemade mushroom ravioli.
Jamantè is perfect for its Italian and Mediterranean food served with fine wine. It is in the centre of the town but has a cosy atmosphere. This restaurant is ideal for a chilled breakfast.
Hidden in the historic district is La Locanda Porta Picc, a restaurant combining Apulian culinary tradition with modern techniques: try their creative tuna, prawns and seafood pasta.
At Goffredo Ristorante in Terrazza, the Italian seafood is equally acclaimed, and the views are just as stunning – an excellent option when planning a unique special-occasion dinner.
Where to Stay in Polignano a Mare: Accommodations for Every Budget
One of the best websites to find a hotel in Polignano a Mare, Italy is Booking.com it's so easy, you just have to put in the names of the place of your destination, in this case Polignano a Mare, Italy, and then you can compare the prices, check the hotels into the map, see the real photos and the reviews of other travelers: Here are a few great places to stay:
Hotel Grotta Palazzese: This mythical hotel is located on a cliff overlooking the sea, offering breathtaking views and rooms. It also boasts a restaurant set in a natural cave.
Borgobianco Resort & Spa - MGallery Hotel Collection: Situated slightly out of the city centre, this 5-star hotel is a spa sanctuary with an outdoor pool and larger than average room sizes.
San Lorenzo Boutique Hotel SPA: Rooms and spa facilities are stylish and the perfect place to unwind. The decor is beautiful; it is perfect for relaxation.
Malù bed and breakfast: Cute and charming B and B rated very high in comfort and location, loved for its hospitality and homeliness, used by frequent visitors.
Dimora Valmar Luxury Charm: Modern luxury in a typical atmosphere. Beautiful rooms. Excellent location and service.
The Best Guided Tours in Polignano a Mare: Enhance Your Experience
Hiring a local tour guide in Polignano a Mare really enhances your experience. We definitely recommend you checking out these local tours!
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