Puglia on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Puglia works on a budget: a careful day costs about €95 per person (bed €45, food €30, sights €10, transport €10). Using trains, eating street food and staying in Bari or Lecce B&Bs keeps it there.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €45 | €85 | €220 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €50 | €100 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €25 | €50 |
| Local transport | €10 | €30 | €60 |
| Per person, per day | €95 | €190 | €430 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Puglia day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Basilica of San Nicola in Bari Vecchia
- Strada Arco Basso, where orecchiette is made by hand
- The Lungomare seafront in Bari
- Lama Monachile and the cliffs of Polignano a Mare
- The trulli of Rione Monti and Aia Piccola in Alberobello
- The passeggiata in Lecce's old town and Piazza Sant'Oronzo
Cheap eats
- Panzerotto with tomato and mozzarella, about €2–3
- Focaccia barese slice, about €2–3
- Rustico in Lecce, a few euros
- Pasta plate in Bari's old town, about €10–14
- Pasticciotto with caffè leccese for breakfast, a few euros
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in B&Bs in Bari and Lecce, at about €70–120 a double (roughly €35–60 each when sharing), using the trains to reach other towns.
Getting around cheaply
Trenitalia trains link Bari, Polignano, Monopoli, Ostuni, Brindisi and Lecce cheaply. The Ferrovie del Sud Est network reaches Alberobello and the Salento slowly. Both airports have bus and train links to the city centres.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Bari Vecchia and the Basilica of San Nicola (free)
- Lunch: Panzerotto and focaccia, about €6
- Afternoon: Train to Polignano a Mare (about €3) and a swim at Lama Monachile
- Evening: Train back and pasta dinner in Bari's old town, about €18
- Total: about €95 including a shared B&B room
More ways to save
- Travel in May, June or September for warm sea and lower prices.
- Buy orecchiette and local products at markets rather than tourist shops.
- Rent a car only for the Itria Valley and Salento days.
- Visit churches in Lecce in the morning or late afternoon, as they close at lunchtime.
- Bring water shoes for rocky coves and skip paid lidos.
- Check tourist tax rules: most towns charge about €1–4 per person per night.
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Common questions
Can I visit Puglia on a budget?
Yes: about €95 a day per person, using trains, street food and B&Bs in Bari and Lecce.
Can I see Puglia without a car?
Yes for the coast towns by train; the Itria Valley and Salento coves are much easier by car.
What is free in Puglia?
Bari Vecchia, the Basilica of San Nicola, Polignano's cliffs, Alberobello's trulli lanes and Lecce's old town.