Puglia Discovery - 9 Days

Welcome to Bari, capital of the Puglia region of southern Italy, located in the 'heel' of Italy's 'boot'! Arrive in the city independently and meet your Tour Leader at the hotel for our 15:00 walking tour with an expert local guide.

We discover the charming narrow alleyways of the historic city centre, and admire the Basilica of San Nicola, an important pilgrimage destination for Christians. We also see the 12th-century Norman-Swabian Castle, surrounded by a moat and known for its impressive Aragon walls. We'll see the castle from the outside and there is free time to explore inside the castle and enjoy the panoramic views offered if you choose (own expense). We also see the Column of Justice in Piazza Mercantile before enjoying dinner and an evening at leisure.

Please note: Our walking tour of Bari commences at 15:00 so make sure you arrive in Italy in plenty of time on day 1 or before, to avoid missing the tour!

Bari - Trani - Castel del Monte - Alberobello. After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Bari by coach and travel to Trani, known as the 'Pearl of Puglia'. We'll explore the vibrant Jewish Quarter and see the historic 12th-century cathedral, made from beautiful white stone.

After our stop in Trani we continue to Castel del Monte, a 13th-century citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This octagonal castle features on the Italian one-cent coin and is shrouded in mystery, as its exact historical purpose remains unknown.

Our final destination today is Alberobello, best known for its traditional conical houses made from local limestone - these are called Trulli. The village has a true fairy-tale feel!

We visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site today with a day trip to Matera. The historic centre of this city is known as Sassi di Matera and is unique due to the large number of cave dwellings that were carved into the canyon created by the Gravina River, around 9,000 years ago! In this long history, Matera has been occupied by Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, and many other groups.

Many of the caves are still used today, as houses, pubs, hotels, and other businesses. We'll enjoy sightseeing with a local guide to take in the best of the cave dwellings. And we will also see the Roman Catholic cathedral which overlooks the city. We then transfer back to Alberobello for dinner.

Alberobello - Locorotondo - Ostuni - Lecce. Today we visit two of the iconic 'white towns' of Puglia. Our first stop is Locorotondo, a town of around 14,000 people perched on a hill. There's free time to explore this small town and enjoy the view over the surrounding countryside, including the Trulli pointing upwards.

Then we reach Ostuni, a coastal town popular with Italian tourists in summer. Ostuni is known for its ancient olive trees as well as its whitewashed buildings - many of the trees have been carbon-dated and are known to be more than 3,500 years old. Despite this age, they still produce the famous Ostuni olive oil. If you find a restaurant for lunch, you are sure to be served dishes that use this delicious local product!

After visiting these two towns, we reach Lecce, in the heart of the Salento region.

This morning we enjoy a 3-hour guided sightseeing tour of Lecce with an expert local guide. Known as the 'Florence of the South' thanks to its treasure trove of Baroque architecture, highlights of our tour include the historic Old Town and the 12th-century cathedral. We also see the beautiful Basilica di Santa Croce and Piazza del Duomo, the city's main square.

After our tour we depart for Otranto, a city known to have been ruled at times by the Greeks, Romans and Turks. Because of this, Otranto has a wonderfully diverse mix of cultures, and there is free time to explore the town and find somewhere for lunch. We recommend visiting the iconic cathedral to see its well-preserved mosaic floor, and the bones of 813 martyrs eerily displayed behind the altar.

Tonight a special dinner takes place tonight in the town of Maglie. We will be dining at Masseria L’Uliveto, a rustic farm and restaurant that is Puglia at its finest. Learn more about the food and history of the region before enjoying a dinner made using the finest local produce. Then it's back to Lecce for the evening.

Today we visit the coastal town of Gallipoli, unrelated to its Turkish namesake! The town has good beaches and historic outer walls, and there are always some nice yachts to see in the port. We enjoy some free time to explore before returning to Lecce for an evening at leisure.

Lecce - Bari. Today we make the return journey to Bari, with plenty of sightseeing enroute. We see the town of Martina Franca, home to a number of beautiful Baroque churches. There's free time in the town, we also recommend taking a look at the Cathedral and perhaps enjoying a coffee in the urban focal point, Piazza Plebiscito.

We drive through the olive groves and vineyards of Valle d’ Itria and enjoy lunch in a local "masseria" farmhouse where you can also taste the home-produced organic extra virgin olive oil, which is packed with health benefits! Arriving in Bari, the evening is at leisure.

Departing Bari after breakfast we make our first stop in the fortified citadel of Monopoli. This town developed rich trading links with Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Our second stop of the day is in Polignano a Mare, an idyllic clifftop town known for its beautiful coves, bays and beaches. There's free time to explore and do any last minute shopping before we return to Bari for our final night.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel before our tour comes to an end.