From the trulli of the Itria Valley to the Sassi of Matera, departing from Bari, Brindisi and Matera
Campervan hire in Puglia and Matera opens up the heel of Italy's boot: the trulli of Alberobello and the white villages of the Itria Valley, the cliffs of Polignano a Mare, the baroque of Lecce, the beaches of Salento and the Gargano, then the Sassi of Matera, just across the border in Basilicata. Our rental partners are waiting for you in Bari, Brindisi and Matera, from vans sleeping two to family motorhomes sleeping six.
The three depots are close together: Matera is about an hour's drive from Bari, Brindisi less than an hour and a half. You can link the Murgia plateau, the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea without long drives, in one week for the highlights or in three to head down to Santa Maria di Leuca and back up to the Gargano forest.
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
The Itria Valley holds Puglia's best-known images: Polignano a Mare perched on its cliffs, the harbour of Monopoli, the stone-roofed trulli of Alberobello, then the whitewashed lanes of Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ostuni, the "white city". Stages are short, between ancient olive trees and dry-stone walls, leaving time for a swim every day.
Finishing in Brindisi means a one-way hire, which depends on the rental company: otherwise, the loop returns to Bari via the Castellana caves.
South of Brindisi, the Salento peninsula makes a natural loop: the baroque churches of Lecce, the ramparts of Otranto, the clifftop road down to the cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, then the lower, sandier Ionian coast from Gallipoli to Porto Cesareo. The rocky coves of the east contrast with the long beaches of the west, where the sun sets over the sea.
In August, beach access points are packed: arrive early at parking areas or book your campsite.
From the Matera depot or from Bari, this inland loop links the Sassi, cave dwellings listed by UNESCO, with the limestone plateaus of Alta Murgia National Park. Along the way come the bridge-aqueduct of Gravina in Puglia, the famous bread of Altamura and the octagonal castle of Castel del Monte, before reaching Trani cathedral on the edge of the Adriatic.
Gravina and Altamura each take half a day; at Castel del Monte, vehicles stay in a car park below, from where you walk or take a shuttle up to the castle.
North of Bari, the Gargano promontory forms Italy's spur: a national park where the Foresta Umbra, with its beeches and oaks, towers over white cliffs riddled with sea caves. The road runs via Trani and Manfredonia, climbs to the sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo, then follows the coast to Vieste and Peschici, two villages clinging to the rock.
Between Mattinata and Vieste, the coast road is narrow and winding: a van or compact motorhome handles it more easily.
The best times to combine art towns, countryside and swimming: in Bari and Brindisi the sea already passes 23 °C in June and is still at 26 °C in September, the olive groves and fields of the Murgia bloom in spring, and coastal parking areas free up again once the summer holidays end.
The height of summer: dry heat, very little rain and a sea at 27 °C. Italians go on holiday around 15 August, Ferragosto, and the beaches of Salento and the Gargano are then packed. Plan visits for the morning and evening, especially in Matera, where the stone of the Sassi radiates the heat.
Out of season, Puglia is quiet: baroque towns without crowds, soft light and the olive harvest in full swing in late autumn. November is the wettest month, though, and Matera, on its plateau, has cold nights close to 2 °C in January. Many coastal campsites close in winter: check opening dates before you go.
Bari for the Itria Valley, the Murgia and the Gargano, Brindisi to head straight into Salento, Matera to start with the Sassi and the interior. As the three depots are close, the choice depends mainly on your flight and your route.
Several models come with a manual or automatic gearbox, such as the Adria Matrix or the Carado T-447: check the transmission, then the cooking equipment and bed linen, the insurance cover and the actual number of berths, which sometimes differs from the number of seats.
First secure your summer nights on the coast, when the campsites of Salento and the Gargano are full, then keep some flexibility inland, where it is quieter. With short distances, two nights in the same place let you explore on day trips.
Depots are often outside town centres: in Brindisi beside the SS16 Adriatica, in Matera near the SS99. Check the address and opening hours in your confirmation, and bring your driving licence and a credit card in the main driver's name.
Alberobello, Locorotondo, Ostuni and Polignano a Mare have old centres with narrow lanes, often closed to traffic. Look up car parks open to motorhomes at the entrance to each village in advance, some paying and some with height limits, and finish your visit on foot.
Some masserie, the fortified farmhouses surrounded by olive groves, and some agritourism farms welcome motorhomes for the night. It makes for a quiet stop, often with farm produce on sale: ask each farm about its conditions before you arrive.
The A14 motorway, which runs down the Adriatic to Bari and then on to Taranto, is a toll road. The expressways ("superstrade") towards Brindisi, Lecce and Salento are generally free: compare routes, as the time difference is often small.
In summer, fill up the fresh water tank whenever you can: service points are scarcer outside campsites. In the villages, many shops close in the early afternoon for the midday break and reopen in the late afternoon: do your shopping in the morning.
Three cities host our rental partners: Bari, with Anywhere Campers and Motorhomes Italy, Brindisi, with Anywhere Campers and McRent, and Matera, with McRent. Some depots do not publish a precise address in advance: the exact pick-up location is sent to you with your booking confirmation.
Anywhere Campers operates in both Bari and Brindisi: if you plan to return the vehicle in the other city, check that one-way hire is offered and on what terms. When searching, choose a different return city to see whether any offers accept it. It is a handy way to travel down the Itria Valley without retracing your steps.
A van slips easily through the approach lanes of the villages and along the coast roads of the Gargano. For families, the Adria Matrix sleeps five and the Sunlight A70 six, with a shower and full kitchen: welcome comfort for stays at a masseria or campsite, in exchange for trickier parking in the old towns.
Salerno is only 184 km from Bari as the crow flies and Naples 221 km, putting the Amalfi Coast within reach; Catanzaro, in Calabria, is 224 km from Brindisi. Ferries also link Bari and Brindisi to Greece and Albania, but boarding a ferry and leaving Italy require the rental company's consent: check before booking.
One week is enough for Bari, the Itria Valley and Matera. With two weeks, you can add Salento down to Santa Maria di Leuca, and three weeks let you include the Gargano and the Murgia at a relaxed pace, or continue into inland Basilicata and the Ionian coast of Calabria.
Good availability to get information, clear website, and interesting prices.
Good and quick communication, easy to book and easy to follow all the instructions.
Cooldrive was very attentive and very responsive in all situations. We received valuable assistance in the steps to be taken. I highly recommend it.
Rental motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes, which covers most models, can be driven with a car licence (category B). For a licence issued outside the European Union, Italy may require an International Driving Permit or an official translation: check before you leave. The minimum age and years of driving experience are set out in each offer's conditions.
The coast has many campsites, especially in Salento and the Gargano, and towns provide motorhome parking areas ("aree di sosta") with water and waste disposal. Overnight parking elsewhere depends on each municipality's rules and is often restricted by the sea in summer: ask locally and follow the signs.
Motorways are mostly toll roads. The historic centres of Bari, Lecce and Matera are ZTLs, limited traffic zones monitored by cameras: never enter without authorisation, as the fine may arrive months later via the rental company. A bike rack that sticks out at the rear must carry a red and white striped sign.
All the offers we surveyed from Bari and Brindisi include unlimited mileage, leaving you free to make as many detours as you like between the Gargano and Salento. Still check the wording in the details of your chosen offer, as conditions can change from one rental company or season to another.
As early as possible for July and August, several months before departure, when Italian demand adds to that of foreign travellers, as well as for Easter and the May and June public holidays. From October to April, booking a month ahead is often enough, and you enjoy the region without the crowds.
Not in the vehicle itself: the Sassi are a maze of steps and lanes, mostly reserved for pedestrians. Park in a car park or motorhome area in the modern town, then walk down to the Sasso Caveoso and the Sasso Barisano. Allow at least a day, and come back in the evening to see the districts lit up.
Puglia brings together two seas, plateaus covered with olive trees and towns with an outstanding heritage, from the trulli of Alberobello to the baroque churches of Lecce, all within a compact area. A motorhome lets you go from a Salento cove to an Itria Valley masseria in the same day, sleep facing the Adriatic and reach the villages before the coach parties arrive.
With three depots close to one another, in Bari, Brindisi and Matera, it is easy to build a tour to suit you: the coast and white villages for a first week, Salento and the Gargano to go further, and Matera, European Capital of Culture in 2019, for a dive into one of the oldest inhabited places in Europe. The region's simple cuisine, from orecchiette to burrata, goes with every stage.
