Salento, expensive holidays: from 17 euros for a frisa at the beach to 100 euros for a day at the beach.

You can be a tourist even while staying at home. This is happening in Salento , where summer 2025 is proving to be a bittersweet season for those who experience it every day and for those seeking a budget-friendly stay. This is reported by an investigation by Repubblica Bari , which documents how the widespread price increases , driven by the long wave of mass tourism , are transforming the heel of Italy into an increasingly less accessible destination.

Record-breaking friselle and pucce: street food goes gourmet

No longer humble fare, but luxury beach food . At the Malibù beach in Torre San Giovanni , a frisa with aubergines, tuna, mozzarella and cherry tomatoes can set you back 17 euros . And this isn't an isolated case. At other beach resorts on the Ionian coast, a stuffed puccia can cost over 14 euros .

Even street food at popular festivals isn't what it used to be: a glass of wine or a bag of chips easily costs 5 euros each. For many families, an "informal" dinner costs 30 euros per person . Pizza—once a safe haven for those on a budget—is no longer immune: at the "Antiche Delizie" pizzeria in Castrignano del Capo , a simple margherita has gone from 6.50 to 7.50 euros . And customers are protesting: "I've never seen a price increase like this," says Davide Martella , a tourist from Brindisi.

Beach and umbrella? Up to 100 euros are needed.

High prices also affect the beaches. At Togo Bay, during high season, you can pay almost 100 euros a day for a beach umbrella and two sun loungers. At the Eco Resort in Gallipoli , prices start at 80 euros . And in Torre Lapillo , according to Repubblica Bari , rates can skyrocket by 20 euros on weekends , with an average cost of nearly 40 euros even at the smaller beaches .

Parking is also a major issue: in Porto Cesareo , Gallipoli , and Melendugno , rates reach 5-6 euros per hour , often in makeshift parking spaces. During the " Sagra te lu Purpu " in Melendugno, some streets were cordoned off to create mandatory paid parking, prompting protests on social media: "We're at rock bottom," "You're even paying for a village festival."

Aperitifs and evenings out? Increasingly for the few

The sunset aperitif, an essential summer ritual, is becoming a luxury. In Otranto , at the Maestrale pub, a rosemary gin and tonic costs 13 euros . "We can't afford it every night," admits a tourist from Bari, "but we treat ourselves at least twice a week."

Nightlife , on the other hand, has maintained more stable prices: between 15 and 30 euros for a night at the club, but prices can reach up to 60 euros for events or concerts with famous guests. And if you consider a week of nightlife, prices easily exceed 100 euros , not including drinks and transportation.

“Salento is expensive, Croatia is better”

An analysis by Repubblica Bari highlights how the entire Salento region, even on the once cheaper Ionian coast, has seen its prices rise steadily . Maurizio Rampino of Udicon Lecce confirms this: "Since spring 2025," he explains, "price increases have also reached locations considered low-cost 'refuges.' Prices at the beach resorts have risen by as much as 10 euros."

So many tourists are changing their strategy : free beaches at dawn, returning by 10 a.m. to avoid crowds and costs, or escaping inland. Some are even looking abroad. " I'd rather go to Croatia ," says one girl. "For ten euros you get into a nightclub and a drink is included."

What was once a last-minute compromise has now become a destination to be planned and carefully evaluated , because even in Salento, today, vacation no longer rhymes with saving money .

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