
Driving in Puglia: all you need to know (driving, parking and car rental tips)
All you need to know about driving in Puglia: driving documents, Puglia roads, driving in Puglia towns, tips for safe driving with kids.
Puglia is one of the most beautiful regions in Italy and an area best discovered by car.
While parts of Puglia have the train, most of Puglia’s prettiest towns and best beaches do not have a train station nearby, and this means the lack of a car can limit your options greatly.
Thankfully, driving in Puglia is easy!
Puglia is one of the easiest places to drive in Italy, one of the best even for your first Italian driving adventure.
I know that driving in Italy sounds scary but if you bear with me, I am confident I can set your mind at easy and take away most if not all the fears you may have about it.
I am an Italian mama from Rome and have driven in Puglia many times (I LOVE it! Puglia is one of my favorite places!).
I have done it on my own, with my kids and with the grandparents, so I know how daunting it can be to be the one in charge of figuring out everything from the rental process, to the car seat laws, to finding the way and pay tolls.
Today, I want to help you tackle all this sharing all my knowledge and tips based on my own travels. I hope it is helpful!
Happy travel panning!
Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, we might make a small commission.
In this post you will find:
- Why drive in Puglia
- Documents required for driving in Puglia
- Renting a car in Puglia
- What to expect from the roads in Puglia
- How not to get fined when driving in Puglia
- Driving in Puglia with kids
- The best places to visit in Puglia by car
Why drive in Puglia
Driving in Puglia is necessary if you want to explore the region and enjoy its most beautiful attractions, namely sandy beaches, scenic stretched of coastline, rural restaurants and small towns.
The train serves parts of Puglia but, just like in Tuscany, once you are in your town of choice, you need own transport to see anything outside the town limits.

Local buses exist, but the network is not as capillary as a tourist may wish, especially in the south of the region.
Private car services here are rare and extremely high priced too.
So, unless you have an very generous budget that gets you a driver at your disposal (think in the thousands of euro even for shorts stays) having your own car is paramount.
I recommend you drive in Puglia if you want to:
- Explore areas of natural beauty such as coves, Gargano and Salento
- Have the widest choice of towns to visit in your own time
- Experience country restaurants, olive groves, stay in a masseria (country stay)
- Bring the kids to local water parks and Fasano Zoo
Without a car you can visit some towns on the train line near Bari and Lecce (town, once there you’ll need a car)
Documents required for driving in Puglia as a tourist. Do I need an international driving permit to drive in Puglia?
To legally drive in Puglia as a tourist you need to be of legal driving age in Italy (18 years old) and in possession of a full, valid driving license.
If your driving license is not from the EU and the UK there is also a high chance you need an international driving permit too.
An international driving permit is a document you need to get before you come to Italy and that you need to show to the authorities in addition to your driving license if shopped for a check (yes, random checks on the roads do happen).
Need to know: an international driving permit is a legal requirement, not a car rental agency one. The web is full of stories of people who ‘weren’t asked’ and ‘were able to collect the car without one’ but this does not mean the authorities will not fine you should be found without.
Some official resources to help you understand the requirement and how to get hold of am international driving permit are below:
Fur US driving license holders, find here >>> official info from the US Embassy and Consulate
For Australians, find here >>> official info from the Consulate in Melbourne
For Canadians, find here >>> official info from the Canada Government website
As well as driving license and international driving permit, standard car documents such as road worthiness, insurance etc must be valid and in the car at all times.
If renting a car, the agency will provide all car documents as required by the law. You are however responsible for all the documents relating to you: ID, driving licence, additional permits etc.
Renting a car in Puglia
For most visitors, the best places to rent a car in Puglia are Bari, Brindisi and Lecce.
These three cities are among the biggest centers in the region and have car rental options in town and, in the case of Bari and Brindisi, at the airport.
In terms of options and ease of driving, I recommend the following locations for rental pick up/ drop off:
Bari Airport: several international car rental companies such as Hertz, Avis, Europcar, and Sixt, have desks at the airport. Find here >>> car rental options from Bari Airport
Bari Centrale Train Station: several car rental agencies available. Slightly less convenient than the airport if you want to avoid city driving. Find here >>> car rental options for Bari Train Station
Brindisi Aiport: Avis, Hertz and additional international companies have desks here. Find here >>> car rental options from Brindisi Airport
Lecce has car rental stations inside the town.
While driving here is not difficult, picking up in Lecce means starting driving on small streets and trafficked area. It is therefore less convenient that picking up in an airport, should you be evaluating both options.
You can check here >> car rental options in Lecce
Good to know: it is usually possible to rent a car in one location and drop it off in a different one for an extra charge. If dropping in a very small town, please consider the opening hours of the rental office may be limited: do not assume you can drop a car at weekends or outside office hours, always check what is available at your location of choice before settling on a plan.
Documents Needed to Rent a Car in Puglia
To rent a car in Puglia, you need to match all legal requirements to legally drive in Italy and present specific documents, which depend on your specific situation.
These usually include:
- Valid Driver’s License and International Driving Permit (see above)
- Passport: A valid passport is required for identification purposes.
- Credit Card: Usually you cannot rent without one. However, Discover Cars offers the options to filter by companies that accept debit cars for deposit.
Good to know: companies may have a minimum / maximum age for renting. Always check rules of each company especially if planning for drivers younger that 25 years of age or over 80.
Car Rental Tips for Puglia
Renting a car in Puglia is very much like renting anywhere else. I recommend you:
- Book in Advance – Especially if traveling at busy times such as Easter or summer, book several months ahead for the best selection of cars and best price
- Choose a mid-size car: a tiny car will have you cramped for space, but a massive one can be tricky on smaller roads and problematic to park. A standard size city car is ideal.
- Be aware that cars bigger than a 9 seater require a different type of driving license
- Understand Insurance Options: Car rental agencies offer different types of insurance. It is a good idea to read their websites carefully to make sure you only pay for what you need.
- Check the Fuel Policy: Rental agencies often have different fuel policies, such as full-to-full or full-to-empty. Full-to-full is generally preferred but be aware: if you agree to return and full tank and you do not, the cost can be in the hundreds of Euro!
- Manual vs. Automatic: Automatic cars are becoming more and more common but they are not the default. Always check car types when booking.
- Electric cars – electric cars are becoming more and more common but the infrastructures are not yes as capillary as one may wish. If opting for an electric car, I’d ensure you have a charger at your accommodation.
- Be compliant with car seat laws and legal requirements: it is your responsibility to comply with all legal requirements including those about the use of car seats. See below for laws regarding driving with kids.
- Inspect the Car: Thoroughly inspect the car for any pre-existing damage and ensure it’s documented by the rental agency. Take photos or videos for your records. Do the same as you return the car, unless you have insurance that covers all damages
You can find here >>> all my tips for renting a car in Italy
What to expect from the roads in Puglia
In general, Puglia roads are well kept and with low traffic.
You will encounter several types of road:
Autostrada (toll road): These are large, long distance, fast roads, comparable with a freeway, interstate road or motorway.
Driving on toll roads in Puglia is no different than driving on an equivalent road in the US, Canada or the UK (I say this based on my own trips, it’s genuinely very similar!)
The main autostrada in Puglia is A14 and it is a toll road.
As you enter it, you collect a ticket at booth (from the car) and you pay at the exit booth, at your destination of choice.
To help you visualize what an Italian motorway looks like and learn how to pay the toll charge, read here >>> all about Italian toll roads.
Road signage for motorways in Puglia and Italy in general is white writing on green background.

Another type of road you’ll encounter are strade statali: these are mid-size roads, no toll and comparable to a smaller highway in terms of driving.
The maximum speed limit is lower than autostrada (usually around 90km/k) but always check local signage as road conditions and terrain make it vary.
Road signage for strade statali is white writing over blue background.
Once you leave autostrade and strade statali, you are on smaller roads.
These are the roads that usually worry people who have never been to Puglia but they are easier to handle than you may think, you just need to go slow.
The issues people usually have in Puglia is when they try to drive inside towns.
Town centers in Italy are not made for cars and driving here can be a real headache and require great maneuvering skills.
The best way to deal with those is: do not enter towns with a car.
Instead, look for parking signs and leave the car immediately outside.
Town are equipped with parking areas outside of the center as it is in their interest to keep inner city traffic to a minimum and they want to make it easy for you to ditch the car and explore without.
Parkings are usually well marked, easy to find and close enough to the center to make for easy sightseeing.
As you get close to a town center, look for P signs: these are usually blue road signs with a large white P on them. The ones closest to the town center are usually marked with a large P and then a series of concentirc circles
You can read here >>> all you need to know about parking in Italy.

How not to get fined when driving in Puglia: all about ZTL areas
There are four main situations that trip tourists up when it comes to getting driving fines in Italy:
Not having the right documents (see international driving permit above)
Speeding (always check local signage)
Parking in no-parking areas
Entering ZTL areas. I’ll explain about this now.
In Puglia, most towns have their city center closed to general traffic.
These areas are called ZTL which means Zona a Traffico Limitato (Area of Limited Traffic) and they are marked by signs and, sometimes, traffic lights: red when the limitation is active and green when the restriction is not operational.
The limitation applies to anyone except habitual residents: this means that if you are visiting for a day but also if you are staying he night in the town, you cannot enter by car.
Need to know: Signs for ZTL areas are not always obvious to spot: make sure you look for them. Popular tourist towns now tend to have easy-to-see traffic lights to make it easier but the more local towns may only have a sign like the one in the photo. As you approach a town center, as you see roads get narrower, pay extra attention to the street signs.

Permits are given to residents only so it is paramount that you do not enter a ZTL area as a tourist: this is the single most common reason to get a traffic fine in Italy so it’s a good one to be aware of!
Top tip: Italian traffic fines follow you home and increase with time. If you are caught in the ZTL and find a fine notice on your windscreen, even if it was a genuine mistake on your side, it is wise to pay quickly as it will be cheaper and easier on location. Instructions are usually on the fine slip itself.
To avoid parking fines, the best way is to follow P signs and park in explicitly designated parking areas.
Parking wise, it is good to know that in Italy:
Blue lines = paid parking (pay and display)
Yellow lines: Parking reserved for people with disability (and with relevant parking permit)
White lines: free parking.

Basic Italian driving rules to keep in mind
Aside from the situations above, if you abide the rules of the road you’ll be ok!
Below, you find an overview of the most common rules of the road you need to know.
These are an overview only and do not replace official information, please do not trust blogs for things like road rules, always go to official sources! I am writing these only to give you ideas about what type of rules may differ from home!
Make sure you get hold of official driving rules info before your trip!
- We drive on the right side of the road
- Speed Limits: Always check local signage as these vary even within the same road due to local conditions. The speed limit on highways (autostrade) is usually 130 km/h (81 Mph), on main roads (strade statali) it’s 90 km/h (56 mph). In urban areas, it 50 km/h (31 mph) or, more and more often, 30Km/h, 19Mph. Pay attention to road signs, as limits can vary.
- Seat Belts: Wearing seat belts is mandatory for all passengers, both in the front and back seats.
- Kids’ car seats: compulsory up to 12 years of age / 150 cm height
- Mobile Phones: Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited
- Alcohol Limit: rules on these change often and edging more and more towards a zero tolerance policy.
- Headlights: Use dipped headlights during the day on highways and main roads.
- No right turn on a red light
- Use hazard lights to signal slow traffic ahead: turn them on as you slow down, so the car behind you doesn’t overtake you
- ZTL Zones: See above.
- Parking: see above
Petrol / Gas Stations in Puglia
In Puglia, you’ll find both manned and unmanned gas stations, unmanned being the most common.
Some of them require you to pay first: in this case, you park the car beside your pump of choice, put money in (cards are accepted) and then fill up the tank.
In others, you fill up the car first, then go inside the station and tell the person at the till the pump you used (check the number on the pump), and pay them.
Usually, green pumps are for unleaded fuel and black ones for diesel. This is usually specified on the hose.
Driving in Puglia with kids
By law, The use of child car seats is compulsory in Italy up to 12 years of age and 150 cm height. Both criteria must be met to stop using car seats.
Car seats must be EU regulations compliant, suited to the size of your child and, in the case of young kids, need to also be equipped with an anti abandonment device (you can purchase it separately, it is a small and rather inexpensive object)
You can read here >>> all about children car seats in Italy
Top tip! A great way to get hold of a compliant car seat is to rent locally from a specialized agency like Babonbo.com, which can drop the seat off to you. Usually this is a more reliable way of getting good quality seats than by renting from the car rental agency.
Useful apps to drive in Puglia
I use google maps as my GPS in Puglia.
I find it accurate on all bigger roads: as mentioned above, I recommend not to drive inside towns.
Please be aware that apps are not usually accurate at spotting ZTL areas: always look for local signage.
I hope you found this overview and tips for driving in Puglia useful. Safe driving!
All you need to know about driving in Puglia: pin this!

need more tips? Find here >>> over 100 tips for first time travelers to Italy!

