Polignano a Mare day trip from Bari
A day trip to Polignano a Mare from Bari: Monopoli Cathedral and the Castle of Charles V, the Pino Pascali Museum, Polignano's historic centre, Lama Monachile and the Ponte Borbonico viewpoint, then the old town and old port of Monopoli. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Polignano a Mare in 1 day
Day 1
Monopoli Cathedral
Baroque cathedral of the Madonna della Madia in Monopoli's old town, with a rich marble interior and paintings.
Castle of Charles V (Monopoli)
16th-century seafront castle on the edge of Monopoli's old town, used for exhibitions, with walls rising from the rocks.
Pino Pascali Museum
Contemporary art museum on the cliff in Polignano, named after the local artist Pino Pascali, with changing exhibitions and a sea view.
Historic centre of Polignano a Mare
A walk through whitewashed lanes to terraces on the cliff edge, the Matrice church and the statue of the singer Domenico Modugno.
Lama Monachile
Small pebble cove between high limestone cliffs at the foot of the old town, used for swimming and sometimes cliff-diving events.
Ponte Borbonico viewpoint
The 19th-century bridge over Lama Monachile, giving the classic view down into the cove and up to the old town on the cliffs.
Statue of Domenico Modugno
A bronze statue of the singer of 'Volare', born in Polignano, standing with arms flung wide towards the sea.
Cala Paura
A tiny fishermen's cove at Polignano with boats pulled up on the rocks, where locals swim from the rocks.
Old town and old port of Monopoli
A walk through Monopoli's white old town, along its sea walls to the old port with its blue fishing boats.
Watch: Polignano a Mare
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
Regional trains on the Bari-Lecce line take about 30-40 minutes from Bari Centrale to Polignano a Mare, whose station is a short walk from the old town; Monopoli is the next main stop, a few minutes further. By car it is about 40 minutes from Bari.
Staying in Bari? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Polignano a Mare
May, June and September bring warm weather and sea for swimming with fewer visitors; July and August are hot and Lama Monachile is very crowded. Spring and autumn are good for walking the cliff-top lanes, while winter is mild but quiet, with some places closed.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Polignano a Mare on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Polignano a Mare on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Polignano a Mare on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Polignano a Mare
- Regional trains from Bari stop at both Polignano a Mare and Monopoli, a few minutes apart, so the two towns are easy to combine in one day.
- Lama Monachile is very crowded on summer afternoons; come in the morning for photos and a swim, and bring water shoes for the pebbles.
- Boat trips to the sea caves below the cliffs leave from the ports of Polignano and Monopoli in calm weather; book them in summer.
- The old towns of Polignano and Monopoli are closed to most traffic; drivers should park outside them and walk in.
- Bring sun protection and water in summer, as the cliff-top lanes and terraces have little shade.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Cala Paura: Luca Margheriti, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Castle of Charles V (Monopoli): Jules Verne Times Two, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic centre of Polignano a Mare: Luca Margheriti, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lama Monachile: Calogero77, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Monopoli Cathedral: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old town and old port of Monopoli: The original uploader was Monopoli91 at Italian Wikipedia., CC BY 3.0
- Ponte Borbonico viewpoint: Lucamato, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Statue of Domenico Modugno: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
