Best car hire in Puglia and what to avoid (Important)

Puglia is the kind of region where a car transforms the trip from “nice beaches and a few towns” into “I cannot believe this place exists.” The Valle d’Itria, the Salento coastline, the Gargano — none of it is reachable properly without your own wheels. The trains connect the major centres, but the trulli-lined lanes, the masserie in the countryside, and the coastal coves are all car territory.

But before you even look at a rental supplier, you need to answer a more important question: which airport do you fly into? Puglia has two main airports — Bari in the north and Brindisi in the south — and picking the wrong one can add hours of unnecessary driving to your trip.

Below is my breakdown of each airport, the suppliers I actually trust, and the one mistake that costs people money every summer.

Bari vs Brindisi airport

This is the question I get most often about Puglia, and the answer depends entirely on what you want to see.

Airport	Best For	Drive to Valle d’Itria	Drive to Lecce	Flight Competition
Bari (BRI)	North Puglia, Gargano, Matera	1 hour	2 hours	Excellent — major hub
Brindisi (BDS)	Salento, Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli	1.5 hours	35 minutes	Good — mainly low-cost

Bari Karol Wojtyla is the main airport of Puglia and one of the busiest in southern Italy — nearly 8 million passengers and growing. That size brings real advantages: a wider selection of rental cars, more competitive pricing from operators fighting for the same travellers, and the most comprehensive airline connections in the region. Ryanair and Volotea use it as a focus city, and you also get easyJet, Transavia, Wizz Air, Lufthansa, and even seasonal United flights from Newark.

The airport sits about 8 kilometres northwest of Bari Old City — a 15-minute drive or a direct train from the terminal to Bari Centrale. If you want to explore the Gargano promontory, the Valle d’Itria (Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino), or Matera just over the border in Basilicata, Bari is the natural starting point.

Brindisi is smaller, quieter, and often overlooked — which is exactly why it can be the smarter choice. The airport is 6 kilometres from town, and the city itself has a beautiful harbour and Roman history worth half a day. But the real advantage is geography: if your trip is focused on the Salento peninsula — Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli, the dramatic coastline down to Santa Maria di Leuca — Brindisi puts you there immediately. Flying into Bari for a Salento-focused trip means an extra 90 minutes of driving each way that adds nothing to your experience.

Bari is more in the centre of the region, and a great starting point for a road trip of Puglia that includes both the north and the south.

My tip: check both airports when you book. Sometimes the flight price difference covers the fuel for the drive, or vice versa. One-way rentals between Bari and Brindisi are available through most operators, but factor in the fee before you assume it is worth it.

Global vs Local providers in Puglia

In Puglia, as in most of southern Italy, local operators consistently offer better value. The price gap with the globals is real — sometimes significantly so. That said, global brands give you the peace of mind of a known process, a modern fleet, and English-speaking staff who handle international visitors every day. In case of any matter, you have an international support line that can handle any issue in English or any other language. This doesn’t always happen with a local where they may not speak proper English.

The way I cut through the noise is simple: I book through DiscoverCars, my favourite comparison platform that works as a sort of Airbnb for car rentals. Every supplier is rated between 5 and 10 stars by verified customers who actually completed a rental — not like Google Maps where anyone can post a review. I filter above 8, usually 9 to shortlist the most trusted operators, and book from there.

Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before pickup, so locking in early costs nothing if your plans shift. And honestly, booking early for July and August is a must in Puglia. The best cars and rates disappear fast.

My Top Suppliers by Airport

Important disclaimer: this guide has NOT been sponsored by any car rental mentioned in this guide.

Bari Karol Wojtyla (BRI)

Locauto is my first recommendation, and honestly, once you have used them in Italy, it is hard to go back. They are one of the most consistently well-rated operators across the entire country, and Bari is no exception. Their desk is right in the arrivals hall on the ground floor — exit baggage claim and you are there. No shuttle, no waiting outside, no confusion.

The fleet is turned over regularly, the process is transparent, and there is no pressure on extras at the desk. In southern Italy, that is not something you can take for granted. They also offer a zero-deposit option, which is genuinely useful if you want to keep your credit card limit free during the trip.

Alamo is my solid global backup for Bari. Their desk is also in the arrivals area. If you want the consistency of a global brand — same process, same standards wherever you have rented before — Alamo delivers. Usually more expensive than Locauto, but predictable and well-maintained. A good option if Locauto is sold out or if a global name gives you more confidence for a first trip to the region.

Brindisi (BDS)

Locauto again. Same recommendation, same reasons. Present at Brindisi, same reliable process, same good cars, same no-nonsense approach.

VivaRent is my second pick for Brindisi — a family-run Italian operator with a genuinely personal approach that you notice from the moment they pick you up. Their office is a short shuttle ride from the terminal, about five minutes. This is not a corporate machine; it is a small business that takes its reputation seriously. Competitive pricing and well-maintained cars.

My personal tip: always cross-check current ratings on DiscoverCars before confirming. Conditions change, companies change, sometimes subcontracting the service and the quality too. A fresh 9-star rating is always more useful than any name I can give you in this guide.

Full Insurance: Sort It Before You Arrive

I say it every time because it matters every time — and Puglia is no exception. The roads here range from fast dual carriageways to narrow trulli-lined lanes in the Valle d’Itria, where passing another car requires genuine optimism. A scratch costs the same as anywhere else in Italy: €300 to €500 at drop-off without coverage.

Your credit card or travel insurance might technically cover you, but check the excess. If it is €700, like mine, it is essentially useless for the small damage most likely to happen.

Counter insurance at the desk runs €30 to €50 per day. It works, but it is expensive and it may not include everything, like rims and tyres.

I usually add my full coverage directly on DiscoverCars for €8 to €10 per day during the booking. Zero excess, roadside assistance, tyres, rims — everything I need. It takes about 30 seconds, and the peace of mind for the whole trip is worth every cent.

Insurance Option	Cost	Excess	My Verdict
Credit card coverage	Free with card	~€700	Useless for small damage
Counter insurance	€30–€50/day	Zero	Works but overpriced
DiscoverCars full cover	€8–€10/day	Zero	A real bargain

What to Avoid in Puglia

There are many things to know when renting a car in Puglia; however, three really stand out in this region.

First, do not trust Google Maps reviews blindly. A company with a handful of five-star reviews where several reviewers have only ever left one review in their life tells you very little. Friends, family, the owner’s cousin — Google Maps allows anyone to post.

Second, photograph everything at pickup. All four sides, the roof, the undercarriage, the interior, the windscreen. Do that at drop-off too, so you have a full before-after documentation. Puglia has operators with a pattern of pre-existing damage claims. Five minutes of photos is your complete defence.

Final Word

Five takeaways before you book.

Locauto is the consistent choice across both airports — better prices and equally good service. Bari works best for northern Puglia, the Valle d’Itria, and Matera. Brindisi saves you significant driving time if Lecce and the Salento are your focus. Sort full insurance before you arrive — not at the counter. And verify the latest rating on the comparison website DiscoverCars before you confirm.

With a car, Puglia opens up in a way that public transport never will. The trulli at sunrise, the olive groves that have been there for a thousand years, the coastline that makes you pull over just to stare.