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 14:00 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 14:00 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.
As it is the last evening of our tour, 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 final night of our trip.
Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel before our tour arrangements come to an end.
