Bienvenido a Monopoli!
Monopoli is located in the Puglia region of Italy, an area known for its many beautiful coastal towns. We absolutely love this little city and can’t wait for you to love it too!
We’ve put together a small travel guide to make your journey a little easier! We hope this helps!
Getting to Monopoli
While you can’t fly directly into Monopoli, there are a few airports within a car or train ride away. While you don’t need a car in Monopoli, we do recommend renting one so you can explore the broader Puglia region!
Bari International Airport (BRI)
50 minute drive south to Centro Storico, Monopoli
38 minute train ride from Bari to Monopoli (note the Bari train station is not at the airport and does not drop off in Centro Storico)
Brindisi Airport (BDS)
52 minute drive north to Centro Storico, Monopoli
45 minute train ride from Bridisi to Monopoli (note the Brindisi train station is not at the airport and does not drop off in Centro Storico)
Naples Airport (NAP)
3 hour and 38 minute drive to Monopoli
Rome Airport (FCO)
5 hour and 33 minute drive to Monopoli
5 hour train ride from Rome Airport to Bari
Where to Stay
We highly recommend staying in Monopoli’s Centro Storico, the mostly pedestrian historical district. All events will be within walking distance of Centro Storico, with the exception of the wedding. We’ll have a shuttle going from just outside Centro Storico to the venue.
There are very limited accommodations in this area so we highly recommend booking as soon as you can. We recommend renting an airbnb or apartment. Here are our favorite resources for booking something in Centro Storico:
Don’t worry about parking, cars aren’t allowed in Centro Storico! If you do get a car, there are a lot of parking options just outside the pedestrian area. (Look for white lines on the curb, you can park there for free!)
Pro tip: make sure your apartment has air conditioning as that isn’t always the case in Italy!
Visiting Monopoli
We are so excited to have all our loved ones in the charming town of Monopoli for our wedding! The Centro Storico is filled with cute boutiques, delicious restaurants, and incredible cappuccinos. Here are some of our favorite spots in town!
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry:
Every single restaurant and bar in Monopoli is fantastic. You really can’t go wrong anywhere, but here are some of our favorites!
Don Ferrante - delicious food and views overlooking the Adriatic sea. One of the more expensive restaurants in town and you’ll likely need a reservation to get in!
Calamari & Liquori - a great spot for a quick lunch! Their seafood salad is delicious.
Munz Munz Biostrot - an incredible vegan restaurant on a quiet street in Centro Storico!
Pugliami - affordable and delicious local Puglian food!
Trattoria Il Brigante - lots of outdoor seating and amazing local food!
Caffe Roma - our favorite coffee and gelato shop!
Carlo Quinto - delicious food right on the water! And the bar next door is also really good!
Other activities:
Visit a beach club! There are A LOT of really fun beach clubs right around Monopoli! We definitely recommend taking a day to enjoy the water!
Take a boat tour around the region! We think this is the best way to explore! There are so many caves and hidden nooks along the coastline and the water is smooth and clear.
Go wine or olive oil tasting! There are a lot of wineries and olive farms in the region.
Day trip to other cities! Monopoli is centrally located making it easy to quickly pop over to other towns.
Take a cooking class. The food in Puglia is AMAZING! There are a ton of cooking classes offered at different masserias. A fun and family-friendly way to spend an evening!
Go fishing! Monopoli is known for its delicious seafood. Spend a day on the water and catch some fresh fish!
Exploring Puglia
Puglia is a gorgeous region in Italy, known for its incredible food, crystal clear water, and kind people. Here are some of our favorite places to visit in the region!
Grottaglie - if you like ceramics, you NEED to visit Grottaglie. It’s basically an entire town dedicated to ceramic artisans. The town itself is clean, beautiful, and super walkable.
(1 hour drive from Monopoli)Alberobello - known for its trullis, the historic buildings of the Puglia region. Alberobello is a cute little town, but you’ll only want to spend a couple of hours here.
(30 min drive from Monopoli)Locorotondo - a beautiful town with lots of boutiques and beautiful views! A great spot to spend an afternoon!
(30 min drive from Monopoli)Cisternino - known as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, Cisternino dates back to Medieval times. It’s a picturesque town to stroll through and explore.
(36 min drive from Monopoli)Ostuni - known as The White City, Ostuni is a gorgeous town with a lot of shopping, a fun market, and (of course) incredible food.
(40 min drive from Monopoli)Taranto - a grittier, seaside town on the western coast of Puglia. The city goes back to 700 BC and has some incredible seafood. We’d recommend pairing a visit here with another town (like Grottaglie!).
(1 hour and 11 min drive from Monopoli)Lecce - known as the Florence of the South, Lecce is filled with baroque architecture, colossal churches, and Roman ruins. A fun city to visit in the southern area of Puglia!
(1 hour and 20 minute drive from Monopoli)Matera - not technically in Puglia, but a must-visit location. Matera is a complex of cave dwellings built into a cliffside. Lots of history, fantastic architecture, and a truly unique destination.
(1 hour and 30 minute drive from Monopoli)
This website has a list and quick description of cities to visit in the area. And this blog has a ton of more detailed Puglia travel guides.
