An hour and a half from Bolzano to the heel of the boot. From Brindisi, two seas each lie half a drive away — and between them, olive groves, white towns and Trulli.
Direct flight from Bolzano to Brindisi (1h 30min) + hotel + 15-minute transfer. The airport opens up the Salento — the heel of the Italian boot — with the Adriatic to the east, the Ionian Sea to the west, and Lecce as the baroque capital.
- Direct flight from Bolzano
- Best price guarantee
- EU-protected package holiday
- Just 15 minutes' transfer on arrival
What can you reach from Brindisi?
Brindisi is the gateway to the Salento: the Adriatic and Ionian coasts each lie around 30 minutes away, alongside Lecce and the Trulli of Alberobello.
Brindisi lies on the Adriatic in Apulia (Puglia) and has been a port city since antiquity — this is where the Via Appia, the road from Rome, ended. The city itself is manageable; its importance for travellers lies in its location as the gateway to the Salento, the heel of the Italian boot. The Salento is a narrow, roughly hundred-kilometre-long peninsula between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, densely dotted with historic towns, beaches and olive groves.
What makes the region distinctive: it is narrow enough that both coasts are reachable in a day. To the east lies the Adriatic with rocky bays and clear water; to the west the Ionian Sea with long, flat sandy beaches — the beaches around Gallipoli and Porto Cesareo are among Italy's best-known. In summer the water regularly reaches 25°C.
Inland lie the towns Apulia is famous for. Lecce is called the Florence of the South for its exuberant baroque; Ostuni shines as the "white town" on a hill above the olive groves; and in Alberobello stand the Trulli, cone-shaped stone houses with dry-laid roofs, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Add to that Matera in nearby Basilicata — the cave city, also on the UNESCO list — reachable in around an hour and a half from Brindisi.
Which beaches and places can you reach from Brindisi?
From Brindisi you have a choice of two coasts and one hinterland. The Adriatic to the east is rockier and closer; the Ionian to the west has the flatter sandy beaches. Lecce, Ostuni and Alberobello lie between 30 and 80 minutes away. For a week's stay, a hotel in Ostuni or on the Adriatic coast between Brindisi and Lecce is a good base — from there both coasts and the towns are within reach.
Adriatic coast
Very clear water, less built up than the west
Ionian coast and Salento
Fine sand, very crowded in August
Which flights are available from Bolzano to Brindisi?
SkyAlps flies direct from Bolzano to Brindisi (summer only) — flight time 1h 30min. All prices are per person and include return flights plus nights at the booked hotel.
When is the best time to visit Apulia?
The season runs from May to October. May is pleasantly warm, though the sea is still cool. June is one of the best months: swimmable and still quiet. July and August regularly bring over 35°C and the largest crowds — especially in August, when it's Italian holiday season and beaches, restaurants and coastal roads fill up. September is our recommendation: warm sea, mild days, noticeably fewer visitors. In October the temperatures drop, cultural excursions to Lecce and Alberobello come into their own. From November to April SkyAlps does not fly the route.
Frequently asked questions
Practically indispensable.
The Salento thrives on the fact that you can switch between two coasts and several towns, and public transport is thin. Distances are moderate — Lecce is around 40 minutes from Brindisi, Ostuni about the same, Alberobello and the Ionian coast an hour to an hour and a half. Roads are good; parking in the towns is regulated but manageable. Book your rental car in advance in summer, since demand outstrips supply in August. The airport has all major providers.
Ready for your Brindisi beach holiday?
Direct flight from Bolzano to Brindisi, a hotel in the Salento and the transfer – all in one booking. Book online now, securely, flexibly and at the best price.