Tour Highlights Of Puglia From Rome - 9 Days

Meals

8 breakfasts & 5 dinners

Transport

Airport arrival transfer on day 1 and departure transfer on day 9 Transportation in Puglia by deluxe coach with Wi-Fi and audio headsets Private transfers to and from train stations in Rome, Bari and Lecce

Guide

Escorted by an English-speaking Italian tour leader with specialist guides for some sightseeing (please note you will be unescorted in Rome and on the trains) Guided sightseeing with local guides in Bari, Matera & Lecce

Accommodation

6 nights 4 star hotels & 2 nights in a boutique Trulli in Alberobello Note: Touring is operated in conjunction with other tourist groups, not solely On The Go. You will join travellers who booked through other operators for sightseeing each day, some staying in different hotels, and spend your evenings at leisure. The maximum group size on this tour is 15 travellers

Others

2nd class train tickets from Rome - Bari and Lecce - Rome Entrance tickets to the Castel del Monte

Not included:

Flights

Others

International flights and visas Airport departure transfer Additional meals and drinks unless specified Entrance fees not mentioned in Inclusions Tipping - an entirely personal gesture City tax of €1 - 6 per person per night (tax varies by city), to be paid directly to the hotel at check-in/out. See Trip Notes for details. Please note we recommend paying your city tax when checking in or in the evening during your stay to save time on check out!

Insurance

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To Rome!
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Welcome To Rome!

On arrival in Rome you will be met and transferred to the hotel. The rest of today is free for you to head into Rome and explore at leisure.
Day 2 Day 2: Rome To Bari
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Rome To Bari

Rome - Bari. After breakfast you will be transferred to the train station and will travel unescorted to Bari, where you can make your way to the hotel. Meet your Tour Leader at 14:00 to commence our walking tour. We discover the charming narrow alleyways of the historic city centre, and admire the Basilica of San Nicola, an important pilgrimage destination for Christians. We also see the 12th-century Norman-Swabian Castle, surrounded by a moat and known for its impressive Aragon walls. We’ll see the castle from the outside and there is free time to explore inside the castle and enjoy the panoramic views offered if you choose (own expense). We also see the Column of Justice in Piazza Mercantile before enjoying dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day 3 Day 3: Trani, Castel Del Monte & Alberobello
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Trani, Castel Del Monte & Alberobello

Bari - Trani - Castel del Monte - Alberobello. After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Bari by coach and travel to Trani, known as the ’Pearl of Puglia’. We’ll explore the vibrant Jewish Quarter and see the historic 12th-century cathedral, made from beautiful white stone. After our stop in Trani we continue to Castel del Monte, a 13th-century citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This octagonal castle features on the Italian one-cent coin and is shrouded in mystery, as its exact historical purpose remains unknown. Our final destination today is Alberobello, best known for its traditional conical houses made from local limestone - these are called Trulli. The village has a fairy-tale feel and our hotel tonight sees you sleeping inside an unusual Trulli - a unique experience!
Day 4 Day 4: The Cave Dwellings Of Matera
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: The Cave Dwellings Of Matera

We visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site today with a day trip to Matera. The historic centre of this city is known as Sassi di Matera and is unique due to the large number of cave dwellings that were carved into the canyon created by the Gravina River, around 9,000 years ago! In this long history, Matera has been occupied by Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, and many other groups. Many of the caves are still used today, as houses, pubs, hotels, and other businesses. We’ll enjoy sightseeing with a local guide to take in the best of the cave dwellings. And we will also see the Roman Catholic cathedral which overlooks the city. We then transfer back to Alberobello for dinner and another night in your magnificent Trulli.
Day 5 Day 5: White Towns’ & Lecce
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: White Towns’ & Lecce

Alberobello - Locorotondo - Ostuni - Lecce. Today we visit two of the iconic ’white towns’ of Puglia. Our first stop is Locorotondo, a town of around 14,000 people perched on a hill. There’s free time to explore this small town and enjoy the view over the surrounding countryside, including the Trulli pointing upwards. Then we reach Ostuni, a coastal town popular with Italian tourists in summer. Ostuni is known for its ancient olive trees as well as its whitewashed buildings - many of the trees have been carbon-dated and are known to be more than 3,500 years old. Despite this age, they still produce the famous Ostuni olive oil. If you find a restaurant for lunch, you are sure to be served dishes that use this delicious local product! After visiting these two towns, we reach Lecce, in the heart of the Salento region.
Day 6 Day 6: Lecce Sightseeing & Otranto
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Lecce Sightseeing & Otranto

This morning we enjoy a 3-hour guided sightseeing tour of Lecce with an expert local guide. Known as the ’Florence of the South’ thanks to its treasure trove of Baroque architecture, highlights of our tour include the historic Old Town and the 12th-century cathedral. We also see the beautiful Basilica di Santa Croce and Piazza del Duomo, the city’s main square. After our tour we depart for Otranto, a city known to have been ruled at times by the Greeks, Romans and Turks. Because of this, Otranto has a wonderfully diverse mix of cultures, and there is free time to explore the town and find somewhere for lunch. We recommend visiting the iconic cathedral to see its well-preserved mosaic floor, and the bones of 813 martyrs eerily displayed behind the altar. Tonight, a special dinner takes place in the town of Supersano. We will be dining at Masseria le Stanzie, a rustic farm and restaurant that is Puglia at its finest. Learn more about the food and history of the region, see how pasta is made the Italian way, and visit the farm’s medieval tombs before enjoying a dinner made using the finest local produce. Then it’s back to Lecce for the evening.
Day 7 Day 7: Return To Roma
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Return To Roma

Lecce - Rome. After breakfast you will transfer to the train station to travel unescorted back to Rome. There is a transfer to the hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 8 Day 8: Free Time In Rome
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Free Time In Rome

Today is free for you to explore Rome independently. You could visit the legendary Colosseum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Or you could tick another country off your list with a trip to the Vatican City. It’s up to you!
Day 9 Day 9: Rome
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Rome

Today our tour comes to an end after breakfast and check-out. Safe onward travels!

9 days tour

Highlights Of Puglia From Rome - 9 Days

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Highlights Of Puglia From Rome - 9 Days

Day 1: Welcome To Rome!

Day 2: Rome To Bari

Day 3: Trani, Castel Del Monte & Alberobello

Day 4: The Cave Dwellings Of Matera

Day 5: White Towns’ & Lecce

Day 6: Lecce Sightseeing & Otranto

Day 7: Return To Roma

Day 8: Free Time In Rome

Day 9: Rome

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania