Just a short 30 minute drive down the coast from Bari, you can get to both Poligano a Mare and Monopoli. Make sure to visit Polignano earlier in the morning as it becomes very crowded as the day goes by. For an extra rewarding experience, wake up to watch the sunrise over the cliffside town. As the sun continues to come up, explore the tight streets and enjoy some cliff jumping around the famous Lama Monachile beach cove. Around midday, when the crowds can become overwhelming, make your way to Monopoli for a more quiet and cultural experience. Enjoy some fresh seafood at one of the many outdoor cafes and explore the historic port. Spend the rest of your day relaxing with an Aperol spritz or a glass of wine at one of the secluded beaches, such as Spiaggia di Porto Verde.

After a sun-filled day of beaches and cliff jumping, make your way to the beautiful hilltop town of Ostuni for a delicious and authentic meal at one of the many Pugliese restaurants. Explore the sparkling streets at night or enjoy an outdoor cafe with, yet again, another bottle of wine.

Take a slow morning to experience a little more of Ostuni in the sunlight to have a full understanding of its nickname, “Città Bianca” before making your way to Lecce. Spend the rest of the day walking around the Baroque, white stone streets of Lecce.

Like Bari, make sure to try as many of the local delicacies in Lecce as possible. Thanks in large part to an influence of different cultures, some different dishes can be found here that are not as common across the rest of the country. For example, horse meat might be a shock to see on the menu in Lecce. However, it is quite common in Southern Italy. Love of horses aside, the meat is quite tasty when it is slowly cooked in a sauce. For the less adventurous eater, the most popular foods in Lecce come from the bakeries. Rustico, mostly seen as a street food, is made with two layers of puff pastry filled with a combination of bechamel sauce, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. This addicting savory snack is perfect for any time of day.

Don’t forget your camera as you will want to capture the gorgeous and unique architecture in every direction, especially in the Piazza del Duomo. As evening falls, soak in the local atmosphere, making your way into one of the many wine bars throughout the city center for an aperitivo and a glass of wine. Make sure to try some of the different varietals of grapes the Salento area has to offer, such as Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia.

Morning in Lecce means one thing: Pasticiotto. Start your day off at an outdoor cafe in the gorgeous streets of the historic city center with the iconic pastry and a cappuccino. But don’t eat more than one— its beach day! Hop in your car and head out to the coast to relax along the shore of one of Puglia’s incredible beaches. The Otranto area is one of the more popular areas for the surrounding beaches as it is many Italians’ favorite summer destination. Explore the sea caves such as Grotta della Poesia and get a little adrenaline rush with some cliff jumping. After you’ve had your fill of sun and sand, make your way back into Lecce for another evening of indulging in the best cuisine that the city has to offer.

This will be your longest day of driving, and there are many stops along the way. Get up early and first make the drive to visit Alberobello. The limestone cone-shaped buildings known as trulli are scattered across Puglia, but you will find the highest concentration of them here in Alberobello. It is the most touristy destination of the region, but this UNESCO World Heritage Site is worth seeing for an hour or two. However, if you want to actually enjoy it, go as early as possible or you will be fighting the crowds in this very small destination.

Next, it is time to stuff your face across the Itria Valley while exploring some tiny, less-visited towns. Make sure to stop in Gioia del Colle for a caseficio, such as “Caseficio Milano”, for the freshest burrata and mozzarella you have ever laid eyes on. Take a pit stop in a local winery to enjoy some different Primitivo to make a comparison to those from the Salento region around Lecce. Azienda Agricola Plantamura is an excellent option. Head into Martina Franca to walk off some of that wine and cheese before eating your way through a plethora of meats at a local macelleria such as La Locanda del Macellaio. Lastly, take a stroll through Locorotondo, another white hilltop town similar to Ostuni.

You cannot visit Puglia without heading to Matera in the neighboring region of Basilicata. Considered the oldest, continuously inhabited town in the world, Matera is drowning in history and culture. The scenes are otherworldly as it feels like you’re stepping back thousands of years. The narrow, steep streets are a hike on their own, but make sure to head across to the other side of the gorge and climb up the hill and into the caves. The views are incredible around every turn, but some of the best include Belvedere di Piazza Giovanni Pascoli, Convento di Sant’Agostino, Chiesa Rupestre di Santa Maria di Idris and Belvedere Murgia Timone.

One of the most unique things to do in Matera is to stay overnight in a cave. Many of the caves, known as sassi, have been fully renovated into hotels, spas, AirBnB’s, shops and restaurants. There is something very special about sleeping in a place that people have been using for around 9,000 years as shelter.

Lastly, indulge in the local culture and atmosphere. The cafes and restaurants here in Matera are extraordinary. Basilicata is actually the poorest region of Italy. But the regional Lucanian cuisine makes use of simple recipes and embodies an extremely rich culture around food. A lot of the time less is indeed more. La Lopa is a great restaurant to try out some different Lucanian dishes and each meal is followed by a visit downstairs to the cave cinema, which shows scenes from every movie ever filmed in Matera.