Polignano a Mare's historic centre is a spectacular medieval town balanced on a limestone promontory directly above the sea, its narrow whitewashed streets, tiny piazzas, and cave-embedded houses jutting out over sheer cliffs that drop to the Adriatic below. The main square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, features a statue of singer Domenico Modugno — composer of Volare — the town's most famous son. Hotels in Polignano old town provide a theatrical setting unlike almost anywhere else in Italy, with the sound of waves audible from the streets.
The most iconic hotel in Puglia — possibly in Italy — Grotta Palazzese has its celebrated restaurant set inside a vast sea cave in the limestone cliff, accessible only by a stone staircase cut from the rock face. The hotel rooms have terraces directly over the cove, and waking to the sound of the Adriatic surging into the cavern below is an unforgettable sensory experience.
A beautiful boutique hotel perched on the old town's cliff edge with rooms that have glass panels in the floor revealing the sea below. The roof terrace is one of the most dramatic in Italy, and the kitchen serves seafood crudo and Puglian grilled dishes with exceptional quality and local sourcing.
A stunning 18th-century masseria just inland from Polignano, with a pool surrounded by olive and almond trees, a full wellness programme, and a kitchen garden that supplies the extraordinary dinner table. The white-domed trullo suite is one of the most romantic rooms in the whole of Puglia.
A centuries-old palazzo in the labyrinthine old town converted into an intimate boutique with rooms that feel genuinely lived-in and historical. The stone-vaulted breakfast room, the terrace with Adriatic views, and the welcoming owners make it feel more like staying with Puglian friends than checking into a hotel.
A contemporary resort on the beautiful Cala Paura bay with direct access to the sea, a well-designed pool, and a beach restaurant specialising in the day's catch. The rooms are clean and modern, the staff are friendly, and the views from the sea-facing terraces are exceptional.
An exceptional value guesthouse in a medieval building in the old town with rooms featuring original stone floors and vaulted ceilings, and a roof terrace with views of the castle and the sea. The owner's homemade sfogliatelle at breakfast are reason alone to stay here.
