Classic Puglia
Round trip 8 days / 7 nights
Arrival at Bari or Brindisi airport. Transfer to the hotel in or near Lecce. Check-in, welcome cocktail, dinner, and overnight stay.
Drive to Lecce, known as the “Florence of the South,” admired for its ornate Baroque architecture carved from warm, golden limestone. Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and Piazza Sant’Oronzo with its Roman column and amphitheatre. Continue to Otranto, the southernmost port of Apulia. Enjoy a traditional Apulian lunch with local wine, then visit the Cathedral with its magnificent mosaic floor, crypt and the Byzantine Church of San Pietro. Free time by the sea before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Drive to Gallipoli, the “beautiful city” on the Gulf of Taranto. The old town, set on a rocky island, is linked to the modern part by a bridge. Visit the Cathedral and the Castle before continuing to Manduria to see the ancient Messapian walls and the Pliny Spring. Explore the San Pietro Mandurino complex with its small church, crypt and Hellenistic tomb. View the exterior of Palazzo Imperiale, the Church of Matrice and the nearby Jewish quarter with its distinctive chimneyed houses. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Drive to Brindisi, an important historic port city. Visit the Church of Santa Lucia with its Byzantine crypt, the Norman Church of San Benedetto and the Cathedral with its 12th-century mosaic floor. Continue along the harbour to see the Trajan Column, marking the end of the ancient Via Appia. Proceed to Ostuni, the famous “White City,” to admire its Gothic cathedral and charming medieval old town. Visit Cisternino, the “Balcony over the Itria Valley,” then stroll through Alberobello, the UNESCO-listed town of trulli houses. Travel to your hotel in the Alberobello or Torre Canne area for dinner and overnight stay. Tip: Rustic lunch in a traditional Apulian butcher’s shop, where guests can select meats grilled over an open fire, served with local starters and full-bodied wine – or wine tasting and lunch in a masseria surrounded by olive groves.
Drive to Bari, the vibrant capital of Apulia. Stroll through the old town and visit the Romanesque churches of San Nicola, San Gregorio and the Cathedral. View the Byzantine-Norman castle, later expanded by Emperor Frederick II. Enjoy a traditional Apulian lunch in a local trattoria before continuing to Bitonto to admire the magnificent Cathedral of San Valentino, a perfect example of Apulian Romanesque architecture. End the day with a visit to the three-domed Church of Ognissanti in Valenzano, beautifully set among almond trees and vineyards. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Drive to Matera, the fascinating rock-hewn city famous for its “Sassi” – ancient cave dwellings carved into the soft tufa stone. Visit the districts of Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, along with the cave churches of San Pietro Caveoso and Santa Maria de Idris. Enjoy lunch with a panoramic view of the cave city before continuing to Altamura, known as the “Lioness of Apulia.” Visit its magnificent Cathedral, built under Emperor Frederick II, renowned for its ornate façade. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Drive to the famous Castel del Monte, Emperor Frederick II’s octagonal hunting lodge, admired for its perfect symmetry and considered one of Southern Italy’s most striking monuments. Continue to Trani for a seaside walk and visit the Romanesque Cathedral of San Nicola with its splendid bronze doors, followed by an exterior view of the Swabian Castle. Proceed to Barletta to see the Church of San Sepolcro and the colossal bronze statue of a Byzantine emperor. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay. Tip: Optional seafood lunch at Trani’s romantic harbour.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Bari or Brindisi airport and return flight home.