Tour Details
Puglia is a region with so much to offer even seasoned travellers. Puglia offers unique sights, such as the trulli conical stone houses, and the nearby cave town of Matera. Stunning landscapes, such as the very photogenic town of Polignano A Mare which is poised on the rocks high above the turquoise sea. Amazing food – the creamy burrata cheese, the ripe figs. Each day includes organised activities, visits to all the key sights and a progressive discovery of the local Puglia cuisine. We enjoy long lunches, taking time over the multiple courses to enjoy the atmosphere and to relax.
This itinerary can be arranged at a time to suit you. We organise the guided visits and the activities, accommodation, and a driver to take you to all the destinations. We provide detailed information on the locations that are self-guided. We also we provide on-call support, in English, both before and during the trip.
Our tours are a balance between being informative (examples of the culture and lifestyle, historical details) as well as having everything that makes for an enjoyable trip (long lunches in good restaurants, a relaxed pace). We plan the itinerary in the way that you would plan to travel yourself, or with a group of friends.
Accommodation:
There are 3 accommodation options for this tour itinerary:
ACCOMMODATION OPTION A: MONOPOLI
In Puglia we stay in the charming town of Monopoli. The historic centre is lined with elegant old buildings, evocative lanes amongst the whitewashed buildings, and piazzas with the traditional ‘passeggiata’ in full swing each evening.
Alongside the town centre is a small swimming beach. You stay at the Albergo Diffuso Monopoli, a boutique accommodation provider with a personal touch (rated 4.5 / 5 by Tripadvisor with a ‘Certificate of Excellence’). The rooms are located in a collection of historic buildings in the centre of town . We’ve chosen this central type of accommodation so that you can really get a feel for the lifestyle of a town in Puglia.
ACCOMMODATION OPTION B: MASSERIA BORGO SANTURI
During this tour you stay in traditional ‘massseria’ accommodation. A ‘masseria’ is a large farmhouse, and previously these were fortified, largely self-contained rural centres. The masseria where you will stay, Masseria Borgo Santuri, has been tastefully renovated as a boutique hotel (see www.borgosanturi.it ).
By staying in the masseria you will be directly experiencing Puglia’s history. Set amongst olive groves and fig trees, the buildings were constructed in the 17th century.
But we don’t forget the needs of the present! The masseria offers all you would expect during your time here, such as wifi, air conditioned rooms, and a swimming pool. They have their own excellent restaurant.
ACCOMMODATION OPTION C: MASSERIA IL MELOGRANO
The Masseria Il Melograno is a 5 star hotel featuring all the amenities that you’d expect…..and more! (see www.melograno.com ).
As well as their large outdoor pool, they have an indoor pool, spa treatments and a sauna.
A short ten minute drive (by complementary shuttle) is their own private beach club. Enjoy their cocktail bar overlooking the clear turquoise waters of the Adriatic. They have a superb restaurant serving local fare with a modern twist.
Price depends on how many in your group.
Cost and Inclusions
- All Accommodation includes breakfast.
- All transport during the tour is included. Travel is with a professional driver and is solely for your party (no other passengers). Vehicles are sanitised daily.
- We provide transport to all the destinations as detailed in the ‘Itinerary – Puglia Food and Wine’.
- We include a guided visit in Matera, plus all the food/wine/cooking sessions.
- In other locations that are self-guided we provide information, maps and details of the place visited. On-call support for the duration of your time in Puglia.
There are 3 accommodation options for this itinerary:
- A) Stay in the vibrant coastal town of Monopoli. – Cost €1950 pp (twin share basis) …..$3160.00AUDPP based on today’s exchange rate at the time of going to print.
- B) Stay at the historic estate Masseria Borgo Santuri, enjoying their pool and homegrown produce. – Cost €2100 pp (twin share basis)…..$3410.00AUDPP based on current exchange rate at the time of going to print.
- C) Stay at the 5 star resort Masseria Il Melograno, with their private beach facilities nearby. – Cost €2600 pp (twin share basis)……$4120.00PP based on current exchange rate at the time of going to print.
- Puglia Highlights with accommodation option A
- Albergo Diffuso Monopoli
- Puglia Highlights with accommodation option B
- Masseria Salamina
- Puglia Highlights with accommodation option c
- Masseria Il Melograno
Prices are per person, based on twin share. Some entry fees must be paid in cash at the time of the visit, therefore are not included in the Puglia Food & Wine package price. These are listed for each day on the itinerary.
Notes: This tour is fundamentally based around walking at each location we visit. Typically, we arrive somewhere, then walk around to see the points of interest. Traffic restrictions often mean we need to be dropped off at a point 10 – 15 minutes walk from the town centre. Some days in Italy can be hot and sunny, and we walk in these conditions (bring a hat). This can make the walking more difficult than normal. Due to the historic nature of places we visit, there are often steps/stairs, as well as cobblestones and uneven ground. For clients to enjoy our tours they do need to have a reasonable level of fitness.
We require Covid vaccinations.
Highlights:
- The UNESCO World Heritage sites of Alberobello (with its conical trulli houses) and Matera (with its cave houses)
- Key locations such as Ostuni, Polignano A Mare, Lecce, Trani, Monopoli, Egnazia and Locorotondo
- Discover how the range of civilisations that have settled in Puglia have all left their mark. For example, within walking distance you can find a Spanish palazzo, a Byzantine church and a Roman amphitheatre
- A culinary focus – we try recipes handed down through the generations and allow you to connect with this ancient wisdom. Match this with Puglia’s wonderful burrata cheese, and with wines found only in this part of Italy – this is a food-lovers’ dream. Later in a masseria (a 16th century farmhouse), a chef helps us cook a fantastic final meal together
- Experience ‘living traditions’, such as visiting a 4th generation olive oil producer, and a convent where the nuns make biscotti in a centuries’ old manner (which we sample of course)
DAY 1 – BUONGIORNO PUGLIA!
You will be picked up in Bari from your arrival point and taken to your accommodation.
For your time in Puglia you stay in the picturesque seaside town of Monopoli. The historic centre of Monopoli is a gem: it is lined with elegant baroque palaces of the noble families, evocative lanes amongst the whitewashed buildings, as well as a charming seafront and cute piazzas with the traditional ‘passeggiata’ in full swing each evening.
Over the next few days you’ll have plenty of time to explore Monopoli at your own pace, enjoying the sea views and being immersed in the local lifestyle.
Note: If selecting accommodation options B or C you will travel directly to those accommodation locations on the first day.
DAY 2 – ALBEROBELLO AND POLIGNANO A MARE
You will be picked up and driven to your first stop, Alberobello. The picturesque Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a unique town with streets lined with ‘trulli’. In fact it is known in Italy as the “Capital of trulli”. Trulli are small stone houses with a distinctive conical roof, built 300-400 years ago. You will be fascinated by the magical and fairytale atmosphere of this place. A guide will spend 45 minutes showing you around Alberobello and explaining the background, after which you will have time to wander around independently.
Your driver will then take you to the town of Polignano a Mare. Polignano a Mare is an impressive town clinging to a promontory suspended above the Adriatic’s turquoise waters. With a history spanning back to the 4th century BC as a Greek settlement, Polignano A Mare is a charming town centred around the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele – the perfect place for a coffee or Aperol spritz. The town was on the ancient Roman Trajan’s Way, and you can still see the remains of this route. Polignano A Mare encircles a pebble beach, which is popular for swimming.
DAY 3 – LECCE AND OSTUNI
You will be picked up and driven to Lecce. Lecce is a city that flourished in the 17th century when extravagant and elegant baroque buildings were built by the ruling classes. The baroque style features ornate decorations covering the facades of churches and palaces.
In Lecce you will meet a local expert guide to have the key sights explained during your private two hour walking tour. The baroque style here is distinct from that in other parts of Italy, both stylistically and in the use of the beige coloured local stone.
As well as the architectural and historical features, Lecce is an elegant town in which to indulge in more modern pleasures. There are many interesting boutiques and cafes, and the piazzas are full of life in this important southern Italian centre. Your driver will then take you to the town of Ostuni, known as “la città bianca” (the white town). Ostuni is a cluster of whitewashed buildings perched on a hilltop overlooking the coast. Walking through the narrow streets of Ostuni is like being in a forgotten time, evocative and ancient, looking out over an expanse of olive trees. We advise keeping your camera at the ready!
Note: some churches charge for entrance in Lecce, this is to be paid in cash at the time (€5-€10)
DAY 4 – MATERA
You will be picked up and driven to the town of Matera in the neighbouring Basilicata region. Visiting Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is like a step back in time. In fact this is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in the world. The oldest cave dwellings go back to the Bronze Age. In Matera you will meet a local expert guide to have the key sights explained during your private two hour walking tour. The town consists of houses carved out of the rock face along the side of a steep ravine.
Visit the ‘sassi’ cave area, and enter one of the typical houses built into the rock, showing the difficult existence in these conditions. Also visit a cave church hewn out of the rock, featuring Byzantine frescoes and with interesting histories as their usage has evolved and adapted over the years.
Note: some churches and museums charge for entrance in Matera, this is to be paid in cash at the time (€2-€3).
DAY 5 – ARRIVEDERCI PUGLIA
Today is your last day in Puglia, we organise private transfers for you to your departure point in Bari.
Make an enquiry
Complete the form to enquire about this tour. One of our friendly staff will get back to you as soon as possible!