Over the past year, we've had the opportunity to meet more and more first-time visitors to Puglia from the States. We've been asking them a simple question: what do you wish you'd known before you arrived that would have made your vacation better?

The answers have been remarkably consistent. And many of them are not understood by US-based travel advisors, which doesn't help your expectations either!

So, rather than simply telling you what we think you need to know, we've built this episode of the Puglia Podcast around what those travellers told us: the things they wished they'd understood before arriving, the expectations that didn't quite match reality, and the small pieces of local knowledge that would have made their trips easier and, ultimately, better.

This is what nobody told them.

Access the companion guide by the Puglia Guys here - Nobody Told Us: Puglia for Travellers from the USA.

Buying a house in Puglia and not sure how to go about it or what to expect? We're often contacted about buying property in Puglia — where to buy, how the process works, and what foreign buyers should know about buying a house or home here. But as travel writers, rather than property professionals, that's a little outside our comfort zone.

So, we decided to speak to the experts at Engel & Völkers Salento known as a leader in high-end residential real estate here in Salento (the southern part of Puglia), and let them answer the questions we're most often asked.

This isn't legal advice. It isn't an investment guide. It's a conversation intended as a practical introduction for overseas buyers considering buying their first property in Puglia. Please take independent professional advice.

Ferragosto, Italy's national summer holiday, is upon us. In this episode, we're joined by Puglia travel planner Luca of Puglia With Locals to explain why August can be such a busy (and sometimes surprising) time to visit Puglia and Italy.

At the centre of the month is Ferragosto on 15 August. For Italians, it's a time for family, barbecues and days at the beach. For visitors, however, it can come as a surprise. Some businesses close for their annual holidays, restaurants may operate reduced hours or be fully booked well in advance, and much of the country seems to pause as locals head to the coast.

If you're visiting Puglia in August, planning ahead is essential, particularly around Ferragosto. For more information on the best time to visit Puglia, see our Puglia Guys Puglia by Season guide.

Plus, we look at Puglia's official Top 20 destinations of 2025 and see how they are shaping up this year.