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Best price guarantee Learn More
- Platinum Operator
- Exodus Adventure Travels
- In-depth Cultural
- Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
- Group Tour
- Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
- Fully Guided
- An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
- Low Intensity
- Travelers can expect some light physical activities
- Guided in English
- Group Size 4 - 16
- Age range 16 to 99
Places You’ll See

Highlights
- Stroll the streets of Lecce and see its Baroque heritage
- Explore Otranto - one of Puglia's most charming cities
- Enjoy an olive oil tasting & a cooking class in masseria
- Visit the Castellana Caves, Italy's biggest cave system
- Go sightseeing in amazing Matera, a historic hilltop town
Itinerary
- Introduction
- Day 1 Start Matera
- Day 2 Full day of sightseeing in Matera, including a tour of the Sassi District; overnight in Matera (breakfast)
- Day 3 Drive to Alberobello via the fishing town of Polignano a Mare; wine tasting (breakfast)
- Day 4 Free day. Visit the Castellana Caves or Monopoli by the Adriatic Sea (breakfast)
- Day 5 Explore the hilltop town of Ostuni; olive oil tasting and pasta-making demonstration in traditional 'masseria' (breakfast,lunch)
- Day 6 Transfer to Otranto; visit the historic centre; afternoon optional coastal walk or relax at the beach (seasonal); transfer to Lecce (breakfast)
- Day 7 Morning free time; afternoon guided tour of baroque Lecce (breakfast)
- Day 8 End Lecce (breakfast)
What's Included
- Accommodation
- Flights
- Guide
- Meals
- Transport
- Free eSIMTourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.
What's Not Included
- Insurance
- Optional
- Additional Services
Customer Photos

Operated by
Exodus Adventure Travels
Number of tours
444
Age Range
16 to 80 years old
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
80%
For almost 50 years Exodus has been a pioneer of active small group adventure...
Read moreSustainability Initiatives
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Customer Reviews
- Overall RatingGood
- ItineraryExcellent
- GuideExcellent
- TransportExcellent
- AccommodationExcellent
- FoodGood
- Nnatasha· July 16th, 2023Gabriel, our guide was well organized, funny, very knowledgeable and helpful. The tour itself had an excellent balance of activities and free time. The only negative was that it was 35+ degrees, but even then, there was enough shade and indoor things to see to balance out the heat. My daughter and I really enjoyed the tour and our small group of 20 made it a more intimate tour. Thank you!!Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewOur local team will be thrilled to hear that Gabriel was such a good guide for you! Thank you for taking the time to let us know you had a great adventure on Puglia: Discover the Heel of Italy tour. We always appreciate hearing back from our travellers.... Show moreTrip date: July 2023
- RWRosina· June 19th, 2023Although I have traveled often this was my first experience with an organized/guided tour. The tour was exactly as described. Our guide Gabriele was an outstanding host. He ensured we were well informed of all details throughout our journey which made it stress free and fun. He went above and beyond organizing a few group dinners. The one that stands out in my mind was our dinner in Lecce in a piazza under a star and moonlit sky. It was like a dream. Accommodations were characteristic of the town, clean and with friendly staff. Daily breakfast were fresh , abundant with plenty of variety. My personal favourite Apricot Crostata! If you take this trip here a few tips; - wear comfortable shoes with good treads. It would be difficult to navigate Materra and Alberobello in flip flops. - arrive hungry saving room for a gelato or two - be prepared to pay a small city tax to each hotel. It’s minor but in my opinion it would be more convenient for staff and guests if it were included. - take lots of pictures Pulgia…you won’t be disappointed. The tour was busy yet somehow I returned home relaxed. Buon Viaggio!!Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewWe are so happy to hear that you had a great time on our Puglia: Discover the Heel of Italy tour and we really appreciate you sharing your thoughts and providing us with feedback and photos. We are thrilled that you had such a good experience on your... Show moreTrip date: May 2023
- L· June 14th, 2023This was my first organized week long tour, so I had a lot of questions.The website is very easy to use and when we called with specific questions we got a very polite and knowledgeable person. She handled our needs and I will use tour radar again for searching and booking a tour and have recommended it to friends I know. Thanks for a great holiday.Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewThank you so much for letting us know about how great the booking process went! We are so happy you enjoyed Discover the Heel of Italy tour. We hope that you will continue to tell others about your amazing adventure and we hope you will choose Exodus... Show moreTrip date: May 2023
- jaydee· June 24th, 2022@ExodusTravels #exodustravels We won't use Exodus again. I booked the wrong holiday and was offered the tiniest credit to switch. wouldn't even let us use the airport transfer we had paid for! Not valued despite nearly £20k spent . Now enjoying a great trip with Cycle Puglia.Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewWe would like to thank you for your feedback, John, although we are very sorry to learn of your disappointment regarding your recent booking experience with Exodus. In circumstances where a client wishes to cancel their existing booking and join a new... Show moreTrip date: June 2022
- PHPamela· June 4th, 2022Poor Communication: This review is emailed to me but it is in someone else's name - again! My name was wrong when I tried to check in at the first hotel and also on the tour guide's trip manifesto. Too many emails - confusing. Slow to answer pertinent questions. Some info rather late and some non-existent. I need to knwo when and where our tour is meeting so I can make plans for my days travelling prior to the tour. My friend wanted to join the tour. No one ever sent a definitive answer so she made other plans. Turns out there was room for her to share my room.Show moreTrip date: May 2022
- DJDavid· April 20th, 2022The tour provided transportation and accomodations. The content of the tour was was often shallow. One local guide in Lecce was very good. The guide in Mattera was rushed and drowned out by church bells--he did not pause. The tour guide often gave confusing directions and seldom had good local maps as the afternoon of the day was usually free time. Higlights of the tour was a visit to the olive grove. TRhe wine tasting in Alberello was also good.Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewWe would like to thank David for his review, although we regret that he was did not feel that enough information was given at times on his trip. We have received very positive feedback on this itinerary in the past, and we note that the Exodus tour... Show moreTrip date: April 2022
- RDRoslyn· October 28th, 2019The tour was interesting and worthwhile. Guide Damiano was a really lovely guy with lots of excellent information. I would have liked a lot more info on local food each night at dinner time and evening meals includedShow moreTrip date: September 2019
- RDReeta· May 30th, 2019The tour was fine. The highlight was staying in a trulla for 2 nights. In fact, that is why I chose this tour. Giuseppe was terrific—good sense of humor, knowledgeable, aware of traveller’s needs. Most breakfasts were delicious, the few dinners were great. The towns were beautiful and as described. Sadly the weather (rain and chilly) kept some of us from fully exploring the town. The description of “gentle walks” was a bit misleading since 3 1/2 miles (each way) required that some of us take a taxi instead. The one suggestion I would make is to take more advantage of the time in the bus to give an education on the area, —history, geography, and any interesting tidbits that could b added. It seems the perfect time to enhance the travelers knowledge of the area.Show moreTrip date: May 2019
- LWLinzi· May 28th, 2019overall the tour was very good, our guide Christina could not have been better. I have one complaint which I hope you rectify, our first nights accommodation was not what we paid for. We paid for single occupation in the rooms for the hotels, however the first night we had to share, as we had paid I am expecting a refund for that night.Show moreTrip date: May 2019
- MSMarilena· September 10th, 2018The tour guide was very knowledgeable . Saw puglia as an introduction but thought it was an expensive tour for what you got .. dissatisfied with only breakfast included in the meals for whole week , the accommodation was disgusting and not always in the center of town . Don’t know where my money went ? Won’t do an exodus tour again ..Show moreExodus Adventure Travels commented on this reviewWe would like to thank Marilena for her feedback, although we regret that she did not enjoy her tour in Puglia and that it did not meet her expectations. We are sorry that she was disappointed with the accommodation; the hotels used on the trip are all... Show moreTrip date: September 2018
Dates & Availability
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- From Saturday21 Jun, 2025To Saturday28 Jun, 2025From:$3,950
- From Saturday6 Sep, 2025To Saturday13 Sep, 2025From:$4,170
- From Saturday13 Sep, 2025To Saturday20 Sep, 2025From:$4,170
- 2 Other Unavailable Departures
- From Saturday20 Sep, 2025To Saturday27 Sep, 2025EnglishAlmost Sold OutThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$4,390
- From Saturday4 Oct, 2025To Saturday11 Oct, 2025EnglishAlmost Sold OutThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$4,060
- From Saturday18 Oct, 2025To Saturday25 Oct, 2025This departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureFrom:$4,060
- Instant Confirmation-6%From Saturday1 Nov, 2025To Saturday8 Nov, 2025EnglishFilling FastThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,949$3,730
- Instant ConfirmationFrom Saturday21 Mar, 2026To Saturday28 Mar, 2026EnglishFilling FastThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,840
- Instant ConfirmationFrom Saturday4 Apr, 2026To Saturday11 Apr, 2026EnglishFilling FastThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,840
- Instant ConfirmationFrom Saturday25 Apr, 2026To Saturday2 May, 2026EnglishFilling FastThis departure date is available and will 100% departGuaranteed departureMultiple Room TypesFrom:$3,840
Best price guarantee Learn More
What our customers ask about this tour
The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.- D
Don
Asked on February 10th, 2025is a guaranteed same gender room share with another guest available to save on cost?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written February 2025
If you sign up in a twin share room and you are traveling solo you will be paired with someone of the same gender. The single supplement is optional.
- D
Don
Traveler•Written February 2025which airport should I fly into and return from? Is airport/hotel transfer included and if not, at what price can it be arranged?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written February 2025
The designated arrival and departure airport is Bari Airport (BRI). A scheduled group transfer is available on arrival and departure. Private transfers can be arranged: Arrival transfer to Matera: $220 USD, Departure transfer from Lecce: $410 USD.
D2 more answers - F
Fernando
Asked on January 23rd, 2025What should I do if I have not received joining instructions?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written January 2025
If you haven't received your joining instructions, please check your email or contact customer service for assistance.
- L
Luisa
Asked on January 4th, 2025What is the cost of the tour?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written January 2025
The tour is priced at US$2179.00 per person for two people sharing.
- E
Evelyn
Asked on November 13th, 2024Does the tour include flights from London?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written November 2024
Flights from London are not included, but we can help you get a quote for them. We can only book flights from London, UK, to the tour destination. You will need to arrange your travel to London in time to catch the flight to Bari Airport (BRI). Many of our North American traveler's book flights directly to the tour destination for convenience, but if the London option works better for you, we're happy to assist.
- C
Carl
Asked on October 6th, 2024How do I find out the exact group size for my tour?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written October 2024
We currently have 8 people booked on this departure, with ages ranging from the 50s to 70s.
- L
Lynn
Asked on October 3rd, 2024What is the check-in time on the first day of the tour?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written October 2024
You can arrive at any time, and there will be a welcome briefing in the evening.
- M
Mike
Asked on August 7th, 2024Do we make our own way to rail/ bus stations??
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written August 2024
Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. From the rail or bus station, you need to make your own way. You can reach the start hotel relatively easily using taxis or public transport. A cab from the airport costs approximately €80 and should take 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can catch the bus, bookable on Aeroporti di Puglia, which will cost approximately €4 and take 1hr 15min. You will be dropped off in Piazza Matteotti in Matera and from there, you can take a taxi or walk about 10 minutes to reach your hotel. On arrival at the hotel, please make the reception staff aware that you are part of an Exodus group and they will have more details on meeting with your leader and group.
- B
Belinda
Asked on July 6th, 2024What would the check in time on Day 1 Matera for the start of this tour
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written July 2024
Our tour begins in Lecce. Start hotel: Eos Hotel. You can arrive at any time. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
- Z
Zahie
Asked on June 30th, 2024How do I join the group for the airport transfer?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written July 2024
You will receive details on where to meet the transfer in your Final Joining Instructions sent before your trip.
- S
Sophie
Asked on June 10th, 2024what time must we be at the hotel in Matera to meet the tour on Oct 12? I am coming from Rome. I need to be in Naples on the 19th by 4pm to meet another tour. Can I arrange a transfer to a bus or a train station to get me to Naples?
- Exodus Adventure TravelsOperator•Written June 2024
Oct 12, 2024 is a Reserve Puglia itinerary so the start is in Lecce, not Matera. There is an included group arrival transfer that leaves Bari airport around 5:20pm to go to the start hotel in Lecce. Are you able to get a flight into Bari airport that would arrive before 5:20pm on Oct 12, 2024? We can also arrange a private transport Bari Airport to Lecce for $392 USD, if needed. Our included group departure transfer will get to Bari airport from Matera around 4:20pm. We could arrange our private departure transfer Matera to Bari Airport for $158. Otherwise you are free to arrange a transfer to a bus or a train station.
Good to Know
Tour ID: 88588
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