How to Master Driving in Puglia, Italy

Driving in Italy has a mixed reputation. While there are rumors of everyone in Italy driving like race car drivers, there are also the peaceful drives throughout the Tuscan countryside that you see in movies. So, which is it? Honestly, there is no distinct answer because it actually does heavily depend on where you are in Italy. However, after driving in Puglia multiple times and now living in Italy, we wouldn’t refer to the driving as difficult. But, it is an orchestrated chaos that you must blend into or at least, be aware of.

In this guide, we’ve included essential guidelines and expert tips that will make you confident about driving in Puglia (even as a first timer!).

Is Driving in Puglia Safe?

Compared to other parts of Italy, driving in Puglia is rather relaxed, which might surprise those who have preconceived thoughts about what it’s like to drive in southern Italy. If we’re talking about Naples, it would be a completely different story. In fact, we’ve never recommended anyone to drive in Naples. But driving in Puglia is not like driving in Naples; it’s not even close.

A majority of the driving which occurs in Puglia is along country or local roads. This means it is generally calm, remote, and not chaotic. The way Puglia is laid out makes it easy to navigate without ever being stuck in traffic, and it’s the perfect place to take a slow road trip. South of Bari, much of Puglia also lacks a major motorway, which is another aspect you don’t have to worry too much about – driving at high speeds.

The only time when driving in Puglia can be deemed as unsafe is when you enter the city centre of any major town or big cities like Bari, Brindisi, Monopoli, and Lecce. Still, unsafe isn’t the correct word to describe what it’s like to drive in cities; it’s just something that’s not easy to do if you aren’t used to driving in Italy. Avoid entering the belly of the beast (aka city centres) and you’ll be completely fine while driving in Puglia.

🚙 Read More: Puglia Road Trip Route and Itinerary

Have the Required Documents for Driving in Puglia

As a foreigner, there are very few requirements for driving in Puglia or in Europe for that matter. This often surprises people who have never rented a car abroad because they tend to think it’s much more complicated than it really is. Aside from a valid driver’s license that’s issued in your home country, you need just one more document!

The only document that’s officially required for driving in Italy is an International Driver’s Permit, known as an IDP. This goes hand in hand with your existing valid driver’s license because the IDP is essentially a translated travel document of your license. In this case, the IDP would be translated into Italian so Italian rental car companies and law enforcement can understand your driver’s license.

The kicker is, the IDP seems to only apply to American citizens and it must be obtained in the U.S. before you arrive in Italy. When renting a car in Italy, you are likely to be asked for the IDP by the rental car company as part of their own internal requirements for letting you drive off in their car. If you get pulled over while driving in Puglia, an officer will likely want to see your IDP.

→ 🚙 Start browsing rental car options in Puglia ←

Rent a Car in Puglia Like a Pro

Where to Pickup a Rental Car in Puglia

Anyone who is flying to Puglia will have the easiest time by reserving a rental car directly at the airport. Depending on the airport you’re flying into, you can pick up a rental car from Bari Airport or the smaller airport in Brindisi (Salento Airport). If you are planning on spending time in Bari or Brindisi before exploring the remainder of Puglia, wait to pick up your rental car until your first day of driving. This will eliminate having to drive in the city and finding parking.

Alternatively, it’s also possible to book a rental car in cities like Monopoli or Lecce. Neither of these cities have an airport but there are a handful of car hire agencies within the centres.

→ 🚙 Book a rental car to pick up in Monopoli or Lecce ←

Choose a Small Car

When creating your rental car reservation, opt for a smaller car, also known as an “economy” or “compact” class vehicle. This tip applies nearly anywhere in Italy but especially on the narrow and sporadic rural roads of Puglia. Driving a smaller car not only makes it easier to squeeze through any skinny situations, but also makes life easier when having to turn around or find parking. Additionally, compact vehicles perform better on curvy roads and around corners because they are more nimble.

If you need a little extra room, select a hatchback or crossover but try to keep away from large SUVs.

💵 During shoulder season, it’s possible to reserve a compact car in Puglia using Discover Cars for around $100/week.

Don’t Expect the Exact Car You Reserved

After you rightfully select a smaller vehicle during your rental car reservation, cross your fingers and say a little prayer. The reality is, if you book during the summer season, it’s a 50/50 toss up of what car you’ll actually end up with when you go to pick it up. Fortunately, you will likely never get downsized and I’ve never heard of people getting a lesser car than what they already paid for. But, it is very likely that the agency will rent you whatever is left on their lot during peak season. Regardless of which rental car company you booked with, don’t get your hopes for a specific type of vehicle.

Get to Know Your Car

One of the top mistakes that travelers make when renting a car is that they hop right in and drive off. Before you get too excited, take five minutes to understand a couple of key components of your rental car. Do you know how to open the gas tank, hood, and trunk of the car? How do you lock all the doors? Do you know how to activate the parking brake or change the radio station? And most importantly, do you know what type of fuel the car takes? If you’re unsure about anything, ask the car hire agency before leaving with the car.

The two most popular types of fuel in Italy are gas and diesel. However, they are not always called gas and diesel so you must know what to look for at gas stations.

• Gas or Petrol = Will be labeled as benzina in Italy (usually a green pump handle)
• Diesel = Will be labeled as diesel 99% of the time in Italy. Rarely, you may see it as gasolio (usually a black pump handle)

Select Insurance for Your Rental Car

If you did not book your rental car with a credit card that offers insurance (like the Chase Sapphire Reserve) on car rentals, do select the option for extra insurance with the car hire agency. There are instances where we don’t believe additional insurance is necessary but Puglia isn’t one of them. The reason behind this doesn’t even really have to do with the driving itself but rather, the parking. Parking can be very disorderly in Puglia and without even realizing it, you may end up with a few dents upon returning to your car. Additional insurance is better have so you stay over protected rather than unprepared for the unknown.

Pro Tip: If you have yet to purchase travel insurance for your trip, you can select a plan which includes coverage for a rental car. Additional car insurance includes adding another insured driver and physical damage to the rental. Purchasing a bundle with a travel insurance provider like VisitorsCoverage is often cheaper than buying policies separately.

Visit During the Best Time of Year for Driving in Puglia

One of the top reasons for driving in Puglia is to visit its many extraordinary beaches that are spread out throughout the region. If this is what interests you most, you’ll clearly want to plan on renting a car for the summer. This also happens to be the best time for uncomplicated driving in Puglia because the roads and weather are clear.

To minimize any possible hitch in your Puglia road trip, avoid renting a car in July or August. The amount of traffic will noticeably diminish in September – November, and the weather is surprisingly still warm enough for going to the beach. Keeping away from Puglia during the peak summer months also makes it drastically easier to find parking essentially everywhere. The less obstacles = the easier it is to drive in Puglia.

→ ✈️ Search for shoulder season flights to Puglia ←

Know the Basic Road Rules for Driving in Puglia

1. Master the Roundabout

American tourists in Puglia are likely to have the hardest time adjusting to the countless roundabouts on just about every street. They are a pivotal piece of the roadway system in Italy and you must know their official guidelines.

First, whichever driver(s) is already in the roundabout, has the right of way. Similarly to a stop light, you will allow the driver on the right to enter the roundabout before you. When exiting the roundabout, you should use your turn signal but can’t always expect everyone around you to do the same so keep your eyes wide open. Lastly, the beautiful thing about a roundabout is that you’re allowed to make mistakes when it comes to missing your exit. So, take it slow and ignore the other folks spinning around you.

2. Recognize Italian Road Signs

There are a handful of road signs in Italy that are exactly the same as ones you’d follow in North America, including the “stop” and “yield” signs. Next, there are round speed limit signs which have a number on them and are pretty self-explanatory.

The most important road signs to be mindful of as a foreigner driving in Puglia are the “do not enter” signs. These are white circle signs with a red border and restrict access to non-residents, especially rental cars. Similarly, a red circle with a white horizontal line means you cannot drive on a pedestrian street.

Lastly, be aware of one-way streets which are marked by blue rectangular signs with a white arrow. These are not suggestive of which direction you should turn onto the street, it’s compulsory you follow the correct direction of traffic.

3. Remember the Speed Limits

Unlike driving in the U.S., speed limits may not be actively posted on every road, street, or even motorway. Similar to most European countries, you are expected to know the speed limit based on the type of road you are driving on. Each category of road has a set speed limit that applies anywhere you are driving, unless specified otherwise. Naturally, you should always look out for any speed limit signs in case they are present and adhere to them. If not, you can remember these general speed limit guidelines that are applicable in Puglia.

• Motorways (typically toll roads) – 130km/h
• City streets – 50km/h
• Major rural roads – 110km/h
• Minor rural roads – 90km/h

4. Avoid ZTLs and Traffic Tickets

A ZTL (zona a traffico limitato) is a limited traffic zone. This means, you cannot drive in a specific zone as a tourist during certain times of the day. It is a legitimate violation and a relatively expensive traffic ticket. ZTLs are 99% only found within city centres, particularly historic neighborhoods.

If you’re inexperienced with driving in Italy, your chances of entering a ZTL on accident are unfortunately quite high if you don’t know to look out for the signs. Honestly, the signs are not usually apparent and Google Maps doesn’t do a fantastic job of highlighting the zones. So, you must keep an eye out for the posting of a ZTL while driving to ensure you don’t mistakenly enter when you’re not supposed to.

5. Win the War of Parking in Puglia

Parking in Italy can be a painful or opportunistic experience, depending on how much of a risk-taker you are. As with everything, it depends on where you are in Italy to determine how seriously parking rules are enforced. If you are in the city center of Rome, you 100% need to adhere to all parking guidelines. While searching for parking in Puglia specifically, the regulations are far more relaxed but it’s probably best to follow them if you’re traveling in peak season. In a nutshell, this is your cheat sheet for parking in Italy:

• Areas for parking are called parcheggio and labeled by a blue sign with a white “P” in the middle
• White lines = Free public parking (unless stated that it’s reserved for residents only)
• Blue lines = Paid public parking (use a machine or the EasyPark app to pay)
• Yellow lines = Reserved for handicap, service, bus, etc. Never park within yellow lines.

Specifically in Puglia and near beaches, it is normal to see a lot of dirt parking lots. Unless you see any signs about a parking fee, these are usually free and public.

Since Puglia is comparatively laid back, it’s not technically always necessary to pay for parking. Whenever we came to a street that was lined with blue parking spots and none of the other cars had a ticket on their dashboard, we may or may not have just decided to skip paying at the ticket machine.

Pro Tip: Read the actual parking meter to determine when a parking fee applies. For example, there are parking lots where you only have to pay after 2pm (true story from Gallipoli) or just on certain days. Do not assume that all paid parking is made equal. You may end up needlessly paying for parking.

6. Know the Difference of Toll Roads vs. Local Routes

Tolled routes are pretty clear to spot while driving in Puglia. They are only applicable on major motorways known as the autostrada and never on local or country roads. Fortunately, there are not many toll roads in Puglia, and you will only have to worry about paying tolls when driving north of Bari.

Tolls in Italy are collected at a physical toll booth. You do not pay a flat fee for a vignette like you would in Austria. Italian toll fees are calculated based on the length you drive. Upon entering the motorway and the toll station, you will grab a ticket (biglietto). Do not lose this ticket! When you exit the motorway, you’ll go through another toll station where you submit the ticket and pay the fee, which is calculated based on where you entered and where you exited.

Study Up on Expert Tips for Driving in Puglia

1. Learn a Little Italian

English is not widely spoken in southern Italy, which includes the region of Puglia. It may or may not surprise you, but it’s not entirely uncommon to meet your Airbnb host who only speaks Italian. For this and many other possible scenarios, it’s recommended to come to Puglia with some Italian words and phrases learned ahead of time. While driving, knowing even a little Italian will help you with things like getting directions while lost in a small town, asking whether or not you can park somewhere, and while getting gas.

Furthermore, download the Italian language in the Google Translate app, which will help you translate your conversations.

2. Embrace the Unexpected

Navigation provided by Google Maps is pleasantly accurate in southern Italy but even Google can’t anticipate the uncertainty of Puglia’s roads. It’s not rare to come across abruptly closed streets, dirt roads that aren’t feasible for a rental car or an entire town that’s blocked off for a festival. The point is, things are bound to come up and depending on how you look at them, they either add adventure or time onto your trip. If you are seriously working with a schedule or tight itinerary while driving in Puglia, account for plenty of extra minutes for any unplanned exploits.

3. Don’t Drive in City Centres

We’ll continue to harp on this until it’s crystal clear. This is a crucial tip to follow if you want to successfully drive in Puglia, especially if you’ve never driven in Italy or abroad. While you may feel confident driving on the motorway or local roads, entering city centres in Italy is a different ball game if you’re inexperienced. Without realizing it, you may end up driving on a pedestrian road, in the wrong direction, or at the top of a staircase. Not to mention, the roads can be wide enough for only a Fiat Panda from 1985 and nothing else.

When visiting city centres in Puglia with a car, look up a parking lot just outside of the center before you arrive. Almost always, you’ll find large lots that are designated for visitors, which are uncomplicated to get to and don’t require any driving throughout city mazes.

4. Download Areas on Google Maps

While you drive through some very rural areas of Puglia, you may experience a lack of cell service and, therefore, have no internet access. It is very common to experience this in Puglia while driving in the countryside. To continue using Google Maps so you know where you are going, download a mapped area of Puglia before you arrive. Downloaded maps in the Google Maps app allow you to continue using navigation, even when offline. We can’t even begin to describe how helpful this feature is when you’re driving in a new place and you go through a dead zone.

It takes a few minutes to complete, will save you any potential panic and works as it should.

Pro Tip: Road signs in Italy will not have cardinal directions (north, east, south, west) written on them. Instead, you’ll see the names of cities, towns, or motorways. If you want to navigate the old-fashioned way, it’s surprisingly possible to find your destination by just using physical road signs in Puglia.

5. Always Stay Fueled Up

Getting gas in Italy can be very tricky for Americans or any traveler using a credit card to pay for fuel. Much of the problem has to do with the fact that Europeans don’t really use credit cards. They stick to debit cards. The payment machines found at many Italian gas stations are intended to accepting debit cards so when you do use a credit card, it doesn’t know how to process it.

This isn’t applicable to every gas station chain but that’s the thing, you never know which one you’ll come across when you really need fuel. Furthermore, many gas stations in Italy will have an attendant that processes payment, but they could close midday after lunch. Looking for gas at 2pm? You could be out of luck. So, don’t put yourself in a position where you’re driving on a low fuel light for too long and seize the opportunities of getting gas whenever possible.

There are two ways to help ensure you’re always able to fuel up at a gas station in Italy.

1. Pay in cash. Most payment machines at gas stations will accept bills. 
2. Try using Apple Pay. This works 90% of the time for us on payment machines.

6. Have Cash (And Coins) on Hand

Aside from being able to always pay for gas, cash is king in Italy. In general, you should not expect every place of business to accept cards as payment in Puglia. Many small shops, and particularly bars, will, in fact, only accept cash. For the reason alone of being able to pull over for a quick espresso while driving in Puglia, you should have small bills or coins on hand. In the event of driving through a toll station and your card isn’t accepted, it’s good to have cash as a backup. Many parking meters also only accept coins.

7. Keep Your Cool

If it’s your first time driving in Puglia or Italy, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you will be passed. Even while driving on a narrow two-way street or one-way road, an Italian will pass your car because you are going too slow or, more likely, don’t know where you’re going. When this happens, it’s important to remember that it is not personal. Do not react, stay focused on the road and keep driving.

In Italy, we’ve found that this style of driving is better than the alternative of constantly being followed closely. Italian drivers don’t tend to tailgate and instead, just pass you.

Don’t Miss These Scenic Drives in Puglia

1. Polignano a Mare – Torre Canne: Following the SP90, you can take this non-motorway route that runs in parallel with the coastline. It goes through the exciting seaside town of Monopoli before you enter the row of Puglia’s best beaches.

2. Valle d’Itria (Itria Valley): Beginning in the northern town of Putignano, you must experience the inland side of Puglia as much as the coast. The Itria Valley is home to some of the most picturesque towns in the region including the famous Alberobello, charming Locorotondo and the Baroque themed Martina Franca. The ending destination for this scenic drive should end in the gorgeous white washed city of Ostuni.

👍 Read More: The Best Towns in Puglia Worth Visiting!

3. Taranto – Porto Cesareo: The SP122 local road runs along the western shoreline of Puglia, from the city of Taranto towards Porto Cesareo. This drive is an absolute must for those seeking beach towns and long stretches of sandy beaches.

4. Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca: Riding along the SP358 on the Salento peninsula shows a different side of Puglia. The scenery gets dramatic with elevated panoramic views, rocky cliffsides, and turquoise beach coves.

Final Thoughts: Is Driving in Puglia Necessary?

For efficiently exploring more than one corner of Puglia, yes, getting around by car is the best way to go. The region of Puglia is vast and lacks a good public transportation system. This makes the some of the most beautiful parts of Puglia inaccessible unless you drive there. We’re not talking just about beaches but gorgeous masseria farm stays and secluded Airbnbs too! With the combination of its relaxed country roads, lack of paid toll roads and inexpensive rental car prices, we can’t think of a reason to not utilise a car while visiting Puglia.

→ 🚙 Start browsing rental car options in Puglia ←

Travel Resources for Driving in Puglia

TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Agoda

CAR RENTALS: Rentalcars.com or Discover Cars

TRAINS, BUSES, FERRIES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Hostelworld or Trivago

ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator

---

Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that some links found in our posts are affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.