Brindisi Airport

Brindisi Airport "Salento" (BDS) serves Brindisi and the Salento peninsula—Italy's heel. Located 3 km north of Brindisi city center, it's the gateway to Puglia's beautiful coastline, white hill towns, and increasingly popular tourist region.

The airport has a single terminal handling domestic and European flights. Growing rapidly as Puglia becomes a major destination.

Key airlines: Ryanair (largest), easyJet, Volotea, British Airways, Lufthansa, and various European carriers.

BDS serves Puglia's Salento region:

• To Brindisi city center: 3 km, 10 minutes
• To Lecce: 40 km, 40-50 minutes
• To Ostuni: 40 km, 40-50 minutes
• To Alberobello (trulli): 70 km, 1 hour
• To Gallipoli: 80 km, 1.5 hours
• To Otranto: 90 km, 1.5 hours

Uber does not operate in Puglia. Use taxis or rental cars.

Taxis from the rank:

• To Brindisi center: €15-20 (~$16-22 USD)
• To Lecce: €60-80
• To Ostuni: €70-90

STP Bus

STP Brindisi buses to the city:

• Route: Airport → Brindisi station/center
• Journey time: 15-20 minutes
• Cost: €1.50
• Limited frequency

Shuttle services

Private shuttles to Lecce, Ostuni, and other destinations available—book in advance.

Car Rental

Rent a car: Highly recommended for exploring Puglia. Multiple agencies at the airport.

Type	Daily Rate	Notes
P1 (Terminal)	€15/day	Adjacent
P2 (Long-term)	€8/day	Shuttle available

BDS has basic dining:

Terminal:

• Italian café
• Quick service
• Limited options

Better dining throughout Puglia.

Network: BDS Airport WiFi

• Cost: Free
• Speed: Good
• Easy connection

SIM cards from:

• Limited airport options
• Buy in Brindisi or Lecce

ATMs in the terminal.

Currency: Euro (€)

Cash useful in smaller Puglian towns.

• Duty-free (limited)
• Puglian products (olive oil, wine)
• Basic retail

Lounge

• Access: Priority Pass, business class, or walk-in
• Amenities: Snacks, drinks, WiFi

Small lounge facilities.

Hotels in Lecce, Ostuni, or coastal areas. Brindisi itself is a transit point for most visitors.

Puglia is Italy's new darling—stunning coastline, whitewashed towns, incredible food, and ancient olive groves in Italy's heel:

Key destinations (with travel time from airport):

• Lecce: 50 min—"Florence of the South," Baroque architecture
• Ostuni: 50 min—"White City," stunning hilltop town
• Alberobello: 1 hour—UNESCO trulli (cone-roofed houses)
• Polignano a Mare: 1.5 hours—dramatic cliffs, Domenico Modugno's town
• Gallipoli: 1.5 hours—old town on island, beaches

Trulli & Valle d'Itria:

• Alberobello: Over 1,500 trulli, UNESCO World Heritage
• Locorotondo: Circular white town, excellent wines
• Martina Franca: Baroque architecture, opera festival
• Stay in a trullo: Unique accommodation experience

Salento coastline:

• Otranto: 1.5 hours—easternmost town, cathedral mosaics
• Santa Maria di Leuca: 2 hours—Italy's heel tip
• Grotta della Poesia: Natural pool, Bronze Age cave
• Porto Cesareo: Marine reserve, beaches

Lecce (the Baroque gem):

• Piazza del Duomo: Stunning square
• Basilica di Santa Croce: Over-the-top Baroque facade
• Roman Amphitheater: Right in the city center
• Pasticciotti: Local custard pastries—essential

Food & drink (Puglian cuisine is exceptional):

• Orecchiette: Ear-shaped pasta with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe)
• Burrata: Creamy mozzarella—Puglia is the birthplace
• Focaccia Barese: Tomato, olive oil, potato—different from other focaccias
• Bombette: Meat rolls from Martina Franca
• Primitivo & Negroamaro wines: Puglia's reds
• Taralli: Savory ring-shaped crackers

Local tips:

• Rent a car: Essential—distances are significant, public transport limited
• Beach season: June-September; August is peak Italian holiday
• Masseria stays: Converted farmhouses—the Puglian agriturismo experience
• Olive trees: Puglia produces 40% of Italian olive oil; ancient trees everywhere
• White towns: Ostuni, Cisternino, Locorotondo—visit multiple
• Less crowded than Amalfi: Puglia is still relatively unspoiled
• Pugliese hospitality: Warmth and generosity are genuine
• Sagre (food festivals): Summer festivals celebrating local products
• The region was poor historically; now a top destination
• Brindisi was the end of the Via Appia from Rome