Polignano a Mare is a town in Apulia built on limestone cliffs above the Adriatic Sea. Its old town looks over sea caves and a small beach, Lama Monachile, between the cliffs. Balconies give dramatic views of the coast. It hosts the Red Bull cliff diving competition, and a statue honours the singer Domenico Modugno, born here.

Alberobello in Apulia is famous for its trulli, white stone houses with cone-shaped roofs built without mortar. Over 1,500 trulli fill two of its districts, many marked with painted symbols on their roofs. Some are now shops, homes and hotels. The trulli of Alberobello have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Castel del Monte is a 13th-century castle in Apulia built by Emperor Frederick II. It stands alone on a hill and has a perfect octagonal shape, with eight octagonal towers at the corners. Its purpose is still debated. The castle appears on the Italian one-cent euro coin and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Sassi di Matera are ancient cave dwellings carved into the limestone of a ravine in Basilicata. People have lived here for about 9,000 years. By the 1950s the Sassi were seen as a symbol of poverty, and residents were moved out. Since then the area has been restored with hotels, restaurants and rock churches. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lecce is a city in southern Apulia often called the Florence of the South. Its historic centre is filled with Baroque churches and palaces carved from the soft local stone, which glows golden in the sun. The Basilica of Santa Croce has a richly carved facade. A Roman amphitheatre lies half uncovered in the main square.