Discover Puglia

Itineraries

• Day 1 UK – Bari
• Today you'll fly to Bari, and on arrival, we'll transfer you to your hotel near the historical town of Ostuni. Get to know your travelling companions over a drink before dinner this evening.
• Day 2 Ostuni – Cisternino
• Our day begins with a visit to the beautiful town of Ostuni, which dates back to the 1st century AD, when it was an important Greco-Roman city. It's a lovely place to visit and is a picture-perfect Apulian town, with its whitewashed houses, meandering lanes and a colourfully tiled Gothic cathedral at its heart. We'll visit an olive-oil producer and see how the oil is made before sampling the final product. Then we'll head to the town of Cisternino, which boasts a well-preserved charming Old Town.
  Explore narrow, shady streets lined by whitewashed houses, historic churches and the elegant central piazza, which opens out onto a series of panoramic viewpoints from which you can take in exceptional views of rolling hills, dry stone walls and white-tipped conical trulli roofs dotting the landscape.
• Day 3 Locorotondo & Masseria lunch
• After a morning visit to the town of Locorotondo, we will head to the beautiful five-star Masseria Torre Coccaro, where you will be served a delicious meal – the philosophy of the masseria means that produce is always sourced locally. The setting for this fortified manor house is spectacular, as the scenery stretches out across the bourgainvilia-adorned terraces to miles of idyllic countryside.
• Day 4 Matera
• Matera is a fascinating city, famous for the Sassi stone houses that decorate the landscape. Carved directly into the calcarenitic rock, these ancient cave dwellings, thought to house some of the earliest human settlements in Italy, were originally home to Turkish monks. To learn more about these fascinating houses we take a walking tour through. You will be accompanied by a knowledgeable Local Guide, who will be able to tell you more about the history of the area and answer any questions you may have.
• Day 5 Alberobello & Martina Franca
• The fascinating Valley of Itria presents plenty of opportunities to see the attractive Trulli houses that epitomise the region. Cylindrical in shape and topped by a conical roof, these ancient buildings line the streets of Alberobello, one of the towns we visit today. We will also discover the narrow lanes and whitewashed buildings of hilltop Locorotondo and Martina Franca, an evocative town filled with medieval palaces, churches and balconied houses. 

  This evening enjoy an al fresco dinner under the stars in the rustic setting of local farm & restaurant Masseria Madonna dell'Arco, nestled within 23 hectares of fields, vineyards, olive groves, pastures and woodland. The majority of produce served at the restaurant comes directly from the farm, including a variety of meats, cheeses and vegetables. You will be treated to a mozzarella-making demonstration before dinner, and there is a farm shop where you can purchase produce.

• Day 6 Ostuni – at leisure
• The pretty coastal town of Monopoli is just a short distance from our base in Selva di Fasano, so why not join an optional excursion here. With its medieval centre, pretty Baroque cathedral, bustling market square and inviting beach promenade, it's sure to be a truly memorable visit. 
• Day 7 Ostuni – at leisure
• Today you are free to explore at leisure, or maybe you'll choose to enjoy the hotel's facilities and the glorious Italian sunshine. Alternatively, you can join an optional tour to Lecce with a Local Guide. It is a charming town with a wealth of history, fine architecture, high-end boutiques and sophisticated cafs. The Roman amphitheatre is particularly notable - it was excavated in the 1930s and has seating for up to 15,000 spectators. We will also see the intricately carved facade of the Church of Santa Croce, which features gargoyles, dragons and a large rose window adorned with sculptures of flowers and cherubs. It is a fine example of the town's impressive Baroque architecture, which has given rise to its nickname 'The Florence of the south'. This evening we will meet at the hotel for a farewell get-together. 
• Day 8 Bari – UK
• We'll transfer to the airport for our return flight to the UK today.