Cozze

Cozze (trulli by the beach and "Freak Beach")

Just south of Mola Di Bari and north of Polignano a Mare is an amazing landscape that combines trulli, rocky beaches, sandy coves and prickly pears on the coast side of the autostrada. Turn off the autostrada, head to Cozze and take the coastroad towards San Vito. There's a free parking spot on the left just south of the Conversano/Cozze turnoff on the autostrada. There's a lovely walk along the coast, with a pretty well-defined path and amazing views north to Bari and south along a very unspoiled coastline. As you move away from the beaches/rocks closest to the carpark and where there's a more "family" type vibe the shore quickly becomes emptier and more nude. More broadly there's an alternative feel to the shoreline - some people build structures out of driftwood and stay in them according to one article in La Reppublica (http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2017/08/08/i-trulli-sul-mare-quando-licona-si-nasconde-nel-paesaggioBari10.html). Walk back from the coast through the prickly pears and fig trees about 100m towards the coastal road and you will see the trulli that scatter the fields. More info about the beach here: http://beachoo.com/beach/freak-beach-pietra-egea

If the walk doesn't appeal, at least a detour off the autostrada to drive down the parallel coastal road give you a chance to stop and admire the view. You can head on south and drive through San Vito, a lovely dinky little sea-front hamlet set around a picturesque, tiny harbour with seafront restaurants/cafes against a backdrop of a 10th century abbey (https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Vito_(Polignano_a_Mare)).