8 days tour

Puglia: Discover The Heel Of Italy - Reverse

Puglia: Discover The Heel Of Italy - Reverse

This tour includes:

Meals

All breakfasts, one lunch/cookery demo and one wine tasting A selection of food on offer includes: bread from the Murge; durum wheat pasta; olives; the pasta delicacy orecchiette, which is served with a sauce of turnip-tops or fresh tomato and sheepโ€™s ricotta-cheese; cavatelli with pulses; aubergine (eggplant) and parmesan bake; grilled fish and seafood; burrata (soft mozzarella and cream cheese); plus excellent wines. This region is a food loverโ€™s paradise and the abundance of delicious vegetables makes it a perfect destination for vegetarians. On this trip, there are many opportunities to taste local specialties, in particular during the wine tasting and pasta-making demonstration.

Guide

A local tour leader is with the group throughout. However, due to Italian legislation, tour leaders are not allowed to guide groups in some cities, museums and churches; therefore, a licensed local guide accompanies the group in Matera. On other days, you can sightsee with your tour leader or at your own pace.

Transport

We use a private air-conditioned minibus for all transfers during the week.

Others

Airport transfers for group flights

Accommodation

We mostly stay in renovated traditional buildings, which give a real taste of classic Puglian architecture. We spend our first two nights in a modern hotel near the historic centre of Lecce, one night in a four-star hotel in Ostuni, two nights in authentic trulli houses (dry-stone dwellings) in Alberobello and two nights in a three-star hotel in the historic centre of Matera. Below are the hotels normally used: Lecce: Eos Hotel (nights 1-2) Our first two nights are spent at this contemporary 30-room hotel. It has a bar for a pre-dinner drink and the main Lecce highlights (plus some excellent bars and restaurants) are around a 20-minute walk or 10-minute taxi ride away. Ostuni: Hotel La Terra (night 3) In the White City, we stay in Hotel La Terra, which takes over a 13th-century building in the historic centre. This unique property has a bar and restaurant but is also close to the Ostuni highlights. Alberobello: Trulli houses (nights 4-5) Trulli are the symbol of Alberobello (perhaps all of Puglia) so a chance to stay in one of these traditional dwellings is often a highlight for our travellers. They donโ€™t offer the same type of facilities or luxuries as youโ€™d get at a hotel but do offer an insight into these old Unesco-listed buildings. We have a trio of accommodations we use depending on availability, namely Trulli Holiday, Trulli e Puglia or Charming Trulli. Matera: Hotel Sassi (nights 6-7) Opened in 1996, Hotel Sassi took over a series of dwellings, some of which date to the 1500s. Thereโ€™s an Italian spread for breakfast (most of the produce locally sourced) and wonderful views of Matera from the terrace.

Not included:

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Others

โ€” Travel insurance โ€” Single accommodation โ€” Visas or vaccinations โ€” Local city taxes (approx. โ‚ฌ15)

Flights

International flights are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Puglia: Discover The Heel Of Italy - Reverse

  • Day 1 Day 1: Start Lecce
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Start Lecce

      Our tour begins in Lecce, a city of ornate baroque buildings โ€“ a spectacular starting point to our adventure and a chance to see some of the finest architecture in Italy. We properly explore the historic centre tomorrow; this afternoon/evening, we have our welcome briefing and, typically, the group gathers together for dinner. Accommodation: Eos Hotel (or similar)

  • Day 2 Day 2: Guided Tour Of Lecce (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Guided Tour Of Lecce (Breakfast)

      Explore the magnificent historic centre of Lecce on a guided walk helmed by our tour leader. See the highly decorative barocco leccese (Lecce baroque) style in churches and palaces, and particularly at the Basilica di Santa Croce, the Piazza del Duomo and the 12th-century cathedral itself โ€“ all masterpieces in baroque. Enjoy free time this afternoon, perhaps sipping the local caffรฉ Leccese (iced with almond syrup) or eating the ear-shaped orecchiette pasta, which you find across Puglia. Accommodation: Eos Hotel (or similar)

  • Day 3 Day 3: Transfer To Ostuni; Visit Otranto En Route (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Transfer To Ostuni; Visit Otranto En Route (Breakfast)

      Bid arrivederci to Lecce and take a private transfer (1hr 15min) to Ostuni, a whitewashed city spread over three hills. Before our arrival, stop in the seaside town of Otranto to wander through the compact streets of its fortified medieval centre and visit the Spanish castle and cathedral; at the latter, we see one of the largest and best-preserved medieval floor mosaics in Europe. If the weatherโ€™s nice, you have free time to swim in the Adriatic or join the tour leader for a walk along the coast, before completing the transfer to Ostuni with free time to explore. Accommodation: Hotel La Terra (or similar)

  • Day 4 Day 4: Farm Visits And Pasta-Making Demonstration; Arrive In Alberobello (Breakfast,Lunch)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Farm Visits And Pasta-Making Demonstration; Arrive In Alberobello (Breakfast,Lunch)

      Take a private transfer (50 minutes) to Alberobello this morning, a town almost entirely formed of trulli, fairytale-like dwellings with conical grey-stone roofs. The origin of these UNESCO-protected limestone houses is obscure; however, local farmers claim they were originally built to evade taxes. When the tax inspectors were nearby, the dry-stone walls could easily be dismantled by removing the keystone above the door, and quickly rebuilt after the inspection. Our journey takes us through the countryside, so we take the chance to learn more about the local agriculture (and most importantly the local produce!) by visiting two typical farms, which are surrounded by olive trees, some of which are more than 1,000 years old. Here, we have an olive oil tasting and a pasta-making demonstration, plus some delicious food for lunch. Then continue to Alberobello, where we visit a local winery for a tasting and stay in traditional trulli. Accommodation: Trulli houses

  • Day 5 Day 5: Free Day. Visit The Castellana Caves Or Monopoli By The Adriatic Sea (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Free Day. Visit The Castellana Caves Or Monopoli By The Adriatic Sea (Breakfast)

      Today is free to choose among several local activities. You may choose to take a day trip to the scenic port town of Monopoli or visit the Castellana Caves, the most important and biggest cave system in Italy. At the entrance of the Itria Valley, these caves began to form about 90m years ago. There is a tour that takes you more than 200ft (60m) deep and allows you to see stalactites, stalagmites, concretions, incredible shapes, fossils and canyons. Accommodation: Trulli houses

  • Day 6 Day 6: Visit Polignano A Mare; Arrive In Matera (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Visit Polignano A Mare; Arrive In Matera (Breakfast)

      Today we transfer (1hr 10min) to the cave town of Matera, which is thought to have been inhabited for around 10,000 years, making it one of the oldest towns in the world. Along the way, we stop in Polignano a Mare, a town perched atop a limestone cliff rising from the Adriatic. We can wander through the historic centre, a warren of alleys winding among typical white houses and small courtyards and leading to terraces with stretching views over the Adriatic. After, continue to Matera, where we have free time in the afternoon to explore and enjoy the incredible views throughout the town. Accommodation: Hotel Sassi (or similar)

  • Day 7 Day 7: Guided Tour Of Matera (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Guided Tour Of Matera (Breakfast)

      Enjoy a guided tour of Matera this morning. James Bond fans may recognise the city as the scenic background for a thrilling car chase in No Time to Die (2021), while scenes for Wonder Woman (2017) and The Passion of the Christ (2004) were also shot here. Its crumbling beauty is undoubtedly a lure for film directors and location scouts, but itโ€™s the ancient Sassi districts, formed of ancient cave dwellings dug into the limestone, that are the true star here. Accommodation: Hotel Sassi (or similar)

  • Day 8 Day 8: End Matera (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: End Matera (Breakfast)

      The tour ends in Matera after breakfast and free time. If you wish to spend longer in this endlessly fascinating city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay. Otherwise, begin your return journey home.

+5
Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 16 / Max: 80

Age range allowed for this experience.

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