Puglia in winter: mild days, Christmas lights and a hosted New Year in Salento

Puglia in winter is mild rather than warm. Long-term averages for Lecce and Bari give daytime highs of 13 to 14°C at the turn of the year, around five degrees above London, with cool nights and some rain. It suits someone who wants the old towns and food of southern Italy at an easy pace, out of beach season. That is how Spice Escapes runs New Year in Puglia with WingsItaly, a hosted break in Salento for people travelling on their own.

Read on for the averages against London, what stays open, local life and the pace of the days.

Puglia weather in December: 14°C days, 5°C nights, some rain

The World Meteorological Organization publishes the Italian Air Force's long-term averages for two Puglia cities. Lecce, a short transfer from our hotel, averages a December high of 14°C and a low of 5°C, with rain on seven or eight days. Bari, the regional capital, is within a degree of that, and January is about a degree cooler in both.

London's Met Office figures on the same service give December a high of 8°C and a low of 3°C. Lecce has fewer rainy days but a higher monthly total, so pack an umbrella and a proper coat. These are averages, not a forecast.

What is open in Puglia in winter: our hotel, and the towns' Christmas programmes

The hotel is, and every room is ours. Hotel Tesoretto is a four-star hotel five minutes' walk from the centre of Poggiardo, with two bars and a walled courtyard, decorated for Christmas and New Year.

Beyond the hotel, winter here runs on the local calendar. So the provisional programme leaves one day open until the town councils confirm their Christmas programmes, and chooses the New Year's Day outing nearer the time, to catch local festivities and seasonal openings.

Lecce is lit up for Christmas, with nativity scenes in its old courtyards. Italia.it, Italy's official tourism site, also picks out Surano's Christmas market for pittule, small balls of fried dough, though it is not on our programme.

Why winter shows Salento at its most local

Italia.it describes Salento, in southern Puglia, as known for its beaches. Take the beach season away and the rest of its description remains: olive trees, dry-stone walls, Baroque towns, masserias and villages a thousand years old.

Poggiardo is a village of courtyard houses a few kilometres from the sea, with an 18th-century façade on its Mother Church. Romina, the hotel's owner, has welcomed a Spice Escapes New Year group before. On New Year's Eve the locals hold their own party in the room next to the group's gala, and last time guests drifted between the two.

How the hosted New Year is paced: slow mornings, the arranging done

• Arrival: WingsItaly meet you at the airport for a private transfer, then a welcome aperitivo and a Puglian dinner with local wines. Your host, Claire Dymond, and Andrea Dal Moro stay with the group from there.
• Lecce: a leisurely breakfast, then a short transfer into the city.
• The open day: left for the towns' Christmas plans.
• New Year's Eve: a private aperitivo, a five-course gala dinner with a bottle of wine each, and dancing.
• New Year's Day: a relaxed morning, a traditional lunch out, back to the hotel in the afternoon, then a light-hearted evening around an Italian game.

Groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty. Most people book on their own, so the company starts at the welcome dinner. A room to yourself carries a single supplement.

The break is 5 nights, 28 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027, from £1,139. See the dates and book online on the New Year in Puglia page.

New to this? Our first-time solo travellers page explains how it works, solo holidays to Italy over 50 covers more of Italy, and our over-50s solo holidays cover the rest of the year.

If New Year will not work: Fuerteventura sun or a Seville city break

All Inclusive Fuerteventura Winter Sun & Fun is the winter sun choice, a chillout week in the Canary Islands: 7 nights, 30 Jan 2027 – 6 Feb 2027, from £1,199, hosted by Steve Dell, at an adults-only hotel by Jandía Beach with all meals and drinks included. Places now: 3 places left.

Surprising Seville is a city break of 4 nights, 4 Mar 2027 – 8 Mar 2027, from £549, hosted by Jackie Whyte, with a hop-on hop-off bus ticket included.

Questions people ask

Is Puglia worth visiting in winter?

Yes, if old towns, good food and mild days matter more to you than a beach. Expect highs around 13 to 14°C, cool evenings and Christmas lights.

What is the weather like in Puglia in December?

Mild by day and cool at night. The WMO's long-term averages for Lecce give a December high of 14°C, a low of 5°C and rain on seven or eight days, and Bari is within a degree of that.

Will things be open over Christmas and New Year?

Our hotel is, and the group has every room. For the rest, the open day waits for the town councils' Christmas programmes, and the New Year's Day outing is chosen nearer the time to catch local festivities.

What should I pack for Puglia in winter?

A warm coat for the evenings, layers for the day and an umbrella. Comfortable shoes for stone streets matter most, plus something smart for the gala dinner.

Ready for Puglia in winter? See the dates and book online

See the dates and book online on the New Year in Puglia with WingsItaly page. Places today: 16 places left.

Claire Dymond hosts the break with WingsItaly. For a question before you book, she or anyone on the team can help through our contact page, or ask Rosie, the chat on the holiday page.