Itinerary
- Day 1
Bari
You'll touch down in Bari with the afternoon and evening ahead of you. There's a welcome meeting at your hotel at 6pm if you arrive in time, though you can connect with the tour leader later if that doesn't work. Bari Vecchia, the old town, sits right by the harbour with its narrow winding streets and the historic Basilica of San Nicola worth checking out. If you get there early enough, a walk along the Lungomare seaside promenade is a nice way to settle in.
Optional Activities
- Walk along the Lungomare seaside promenade
- Explore Bari Vecchia old town
- Visit Basilica of San Nicola
- Dinner out in Bari
Landmarks/POIs Basilica of San Nicola Lungomare seaside promenade - Day 2
Bari to Altamura to Matera
Leave Bari heading to Altamura to try the region's famous Pane di Altamura bread along with taralli, focaccia, pizza and local wine. After that, you'll get a guided tour of Castel del Monte, an impressive octagonal medieval castle that's UNESCO-listed. From there it's on to Matera just across the border in Basilicata, where you'll stay in a traditional cave dwelling hotel in the ancient Sassi district for the next two nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Food tasting in Altamura - bread, taralli, focaccia, pizza and wine
- Guided tour of Castel del Monte (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landmarks/POIs Castel del Monte Sassi Quarter - Day 3
Matera
A local guide leads you through the Sassi Quarter on foot, showing you both Sassi Caveoso and Sassi Barisano with the cathedral positioned between them. You'll walk the cobbled lanes, see rock-carved churches and ancient caves tucked into the hillside. This afternoon you can wander more of Matera on your own or catch a train to nearby Gravina to walk around the historic town and explore Gravina Sotterranea with its underground passageways and rock-carved churches.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Sassi Quarter (Sassi Caveoso and Sassi Barisano)
Optional Activities
- Train to Gravina - journey approximately 45 minutes each way
- Explore Gravina historic town
- Visit Gravina Sotterranea underground network
Landmarks/POIs Sassi Quarter Gravina Sotterranea - Day 4
Matera to Alberobello
Head out to a traditional country agriturismo farm for cheese tasting, where you'll watch how cheese gets made and sample fresh braided mozzarella and other homemade items. Next is a guided tour and wine tasting at Cantina Albea Winery and Museum featuring award-winning Puglian wines. Then you'll drive to Alberobello to walk through the trulli, those unique round houses with whitewashed dry stone walls and pointed tiled roofs. Check into your trulli hotel for two nights and join your tour leader for a walk through town learning its history.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cheese tasting at agriturismo farm
- Guided tour and wine tasting at Cantina Albea Winery and Museum
- Walking tour of Alberobello trulli with tour leader
Landmarks/POIs Alberobello Trullo Sovrano Trullo Church - Day 5
Alberobello
This is your free day among the trulli or to venture out. A quick 10-minute train ride gets you to hilltop Locorotondo with its distinctive tall narrow buildings and tiled gable roofs. Or you could take about 35 minutes by train to Castellana Caves for an English-speaking guided tour of stalactites, stalagmites and fossils underground. Monopoli, a coastal town about 30 minutes by taxi, offers defensive sea walls, a cathedral, castle and sandy beaches if you prefer the seaside instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Train to Locorotondo - journey approximately 10 minutes each way
- Explore Locorotondo
- Train to Castellana Caves - journey approximately 35 minutes each way
- English-speaking guided tour of Castellana Caves
- Taxi to Monopoli - approximately 30-minute drive
- Explore Monopoli coastal town, beaches and swimming
Landmarks/POIs Locorotondo Castellana Caves Monopoli - Day 6
Alberobello to Otranto to Lecce
Leave Alberobello and visit Masseria Frantoio Ipogeo to see an underground olive press in natural limestone caves that monks originally created. You'll drive to Otranto, a historic seafront town, to see the cathedral with its striking 'tree of life' mosaic floor and take an orientation walk through narrow alleys. After lunch there's an optional rugged coastal walk to an old bauxite quarry lake with turquoise waters surrounded by red earth walls and swimming spots along the way (about 1 hour each way, 7 kilometres total). Later, drive to Lecce, called the 'Florence of the south' for its Baroque heritage.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Masseria Frantoio Ipogeo underground olive press
- Visit Otranto cathedral - 'tree of life' mosaic floor
- Orientation walk through Otranto
Optional Activities
- Rugged coastal walk to old bauxite quarry lake - approximately 1 hour each way, 7 kilometres
- Swimming or paddling along the coast
- Explore Otranto town
- Relax on sandy beaches
Landmarks/POIs Otranto Cathedral Bauxite quarry lake - Day 7
Lecce
Start with a guided walking tour seeing the richly decorated Basilica di Santa Croce with its ornate facade and rose window, then Piazza del Duomo cathedral square and the cathedral itself. The rest of the day is yours to explore Lecce's Baroque heritage and historical sites like the Roman amphitheatre, statue of Saint Oronzo and the Triumphal Arch. The Museo Faggiano offers deeper insight into the city's history if you want that kind of detail.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Lecce
- Visit Basilica di Santa Croce
- Visit Piazza del Duomo and cathedral
Optional Activities
- Explore Roman amphitheatre
- Visit statue of Saint Oronzo
- Visit Triumphal Arch
- Visit Museo Faggiano
Landmarks/POIs Basilica di Santa Croce Piazza del Duomo Roman amphitheatre Statue of Saint Oronzo Triumphal Arch - Day 8
Lecce to Bari
Tour wraps up after breakfast at your Lecce hotel and you're free to leave whenever suits you. Bari International Airport (BRI) is just over 2 hours by train. You can depart with the tour leader around 6am for an early flight or travel independently whenever you prefer. The hotel has luggage storage available if you need it.
- Meals
- Breakfast
