Looking to visit this beautiful, rustic regione of southern Italy? You'll need a good map of Puglia to help you plan your holiday. Here are some great options for Puglia maps:
Map of Puglia: getting around
Going abroad is not what it used to be. I mean that in the sense of technology - back when I started visiting Puglia in 2010, data roaming for your phone was limited, so it wasn't always possible to use Google Maps to navigate your way around. That made it slightly challenging.
Thankfully, many mobile/cell phone providers now allow you to use your home country data when you're on holiday, which is great news for knowing where you're actually going. I 100% rely on Google maps when I visit Puglia now.
That being said, there's still a place in our collective hearts for alternative maps of Puglia, so here's a few that you might want to consider.
Google map of Puglia
As you can see from this map of Puglia - it's a pretty big region of Italy, and according to online sources, sizes up roughly in the middle of all regions of Italy.
The areas most visitors to Puglia like to visit are located to the south of Bari, from Matera (in Basilicata) down past Taranto to Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli and Lecce (in the Salento) and then everything north of that. However, north of Bari you'll find Trani, a cute little fishing town, and the Gargano National Park, which is very beautiful.
Road map of Puglia
There are a couple of excellent classic road maps of Puglia which I'd consider. First is the Michelin Local Map 363.
At a scale of 1/200,000, it's a great companion to fully explore Puglia, providing star-rated Michelin tourist itineraries and attractions, as well as impressive 3D relief mapping. It shows extensive coverage of cycling paths and nature trails, and its detailed coverage is perfect for fully exploring the area. Plus, you get Michelin selected itineraries and must-sees of the area, cycle paths and trails, star rated tourist sights and attractions cross-referenced with the famous MICHELIN Green Guides.
View the Michelin Local Map of Puglia on Amazon, price £6.99
The other great road map of Puglia you might consider is the Marco Polo Apulia Road Map. Marco Polo are renowned map makers, and this one is perfect for the big trips and little detours!
It's a highly durable, detailed, touring map of Apulia: it folds away easily and is always on standby to help when you're stuck.
Perfect touring map - the scale is 1: 200 000 ideal to help you tour the region by car or campervan.
Easy to use - the super clear mapping in strong colours and clear text will help you navigate the region like a local.
Includes 7 city maps - detailed street maps of Bari, Gallipoli, Lecce, Lucera and Matera plus more are also included.
Apulia highlights - major sights and key points of interest are marked on the map by numbered stars and these are listed in the index booklet with a brief description to help you pick the best places to see en route.
Extensive index - the thorough index is fully cross-referenced to the map to help you pinpoint your destination quickly.
View the Marco Polo map of Apulia on Amazon, from £10.95
Puglia Travel Guides
If you're looking for some handy travel guides for your Puglia holiday, here are a few suggestions.
First off is the renowned Lonely Planet Guide to Southern Italy. OK, so it's not specifically and solely about Puglia, but Puglia is included here - and you'll get information about lots of other places to inspire you for future Italian adventures! Lonely Planet prides itself as being the world's leading travel guide publisher, so you'll be mad not to consider taking a look.
Find the Lonely Planet Guide to Southern Italy on Amazon from £15.99
Next up is the The Mini Rough Guide to Puglia, which has lots of great reviews on Amazon.
This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Puglia. It covers top attractions like the Tremiti islands, the Gargano peninsula and Otranto, as well as hidden gems, including Alberobello - the centre of Puglia's famous trulli, the quaint, conical-shaped houses - Castel del Monte, a unique medieval masterpiece, and Lecce, Puglia's Baroque gem, packed with lavish architecture and fanciful facades. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating region.
View The Mini Rough Guide to Puglia on Amazon, from £7.13 (with free eBook!)
The third Puglia travel guide is Moon Southern Italy: Sicily, Puglia, Naples & the Amalfi Coast. From the pastel rooftops of Positano to the soaring peak of Mount Etna, immerse yourself in la dolce vita with Moon Southern Italy. Inside you'll find:
Flexible itineraries for exploring the best of Southern Italy, including Sicily, Puglia, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and more, that can be combined for a longer trip
Strategic advice for foodies and oenophiles, art lovers, hikers, history buffs, beach bums, and more
Must-see highlights and unique experiences for any season
View Moon Southern Italy Travel Guide on Amazon, from £12.89.
Finally, another Southern Italy travel guide, this time by a very happy looking chap, author Francesco Giampetruzzi Petrù. This Southern Italy Travel Bible promises an unforgettable journey through the hidden treasures of Sicily, Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata and Campania. Francesco has put together this wonderful guide so you can easily plan an unforgettable trip to this fascinating region: your ultimate companion for discovering the lesser-known gems of Italy's southern regions.
View Southern Italy Travel Bible on Amazon from £23.65
Decorative map of Puglia
Maybe you're not looking for a usable map of Puglia, but something to make your home look pretty - and remind you of your wonderful Puglia holiday.
Designed and printed in Puglia, this beautifully crafted dark blue map of Puglia is shaped out of the names of hundreds of cities towns and villages located in the heel of Italy. No special computer program was used - it was created by over 100 hours of manual input. It's very well protected and packaged with a blank message card included.
Plus, a portion of each sale is donated to a local animal welfare charity which finds new homes for abandoned cats and dogs - and it's available in gray.
View this decorative map of Puglia on Amazon from £19.90.
Food map of Puglia
If you're a foodie - and you probably are, if you're going to Puglia - then consider more of a food map of Puglia.
There are loads of great Puglia food books out there, but one of the best sellers is this one by chef and TV personality Gino D'Acampo, 'Gino's Italian Adriatic Escape: A taste of Italy from Veneto to Puglia', available from Amazon from £8.80 (hardback) or £4.99 (Kindle ebook).
Sophie Grigson is a fantastic author, and this book is one of her best. A Curious Absence of Chickens: a journal of life, food and recipes from Puglia, was shortlisted for the Fortnum & Mason Food Book Award, and includes this quote from Prue Leith (of the Great British Bake Off):
"Sophie Grigson has written twenty odd excellent cookbooks, but I think this is the best of them. It is her first book for a decade and was obviously driven by a real love of her subjects, which are Puglia, people and food. It is witty, informative, fascinating and stuffed full of recipes you want to cook."
Check out Sophie Grigson's A Curious Absence of Chickens on Amazon from £10.97.
Bonus item: Puglia notebook for your holiday memories
This Is Puglia is a stylishly illustrated little notebook. This journal has been created especially for you to fill with stories and pictures of your adventures and experiences in this beautiful region of Italy. From shopping to sightseeing to your favorite foods, restaurants and everything in between you can log it all here in one handy place that you can return to time and time again to bring back those special memories of your visit. The inner pages are half blank and half lined giving you plenty of space for sketching and writing.
Pick up this cool little travel journal on Amazon from £6.99.
Puglia travel guides
Inspired by all this talk of maps of Puglia? Check out some of the top-rated accommodation and places to stay.
What next?
Read some of the other Puglia-related blogs on this site, below, or check out the 7-day Puglia holiday itinerary for visitors flying in and out of Bari.
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