6-Day Apulia Region Tour

DAY 1: ARRIVAL – This Tour Starts in Alberobello and ends in Lecce

Your tour begins with your arrival at the airport in Bari, independent arrival to the hotel or add our optional airport transfer where you will be met by a private driver and transferred to your hotel in the small town of Alberobello. Check in and relax. The evening is free.

DAY 2: ALBEROBELLO, LOCOROTONDO & CISTERNINO

After a relaxing breakfast at your hotel, your private driver and guide will meet you and begin your tour of the Val d’Itria, full of picturesque countryside, golden olive groves and lush vineyards.

Your first stop is Locorotondo, a beautiful little town that is most famous for the interesting circular structure of its historic centre. As well as exploring the winding, whitewashed streets of the town and its ancient architecture, Locorotondo is also a perfect place to stop for a drink at a cafe, admiring your surroundings and taking photos. You will also get to experience a wine tasting session in Locorotondo, and sample some of the region’s delicious alcohol.

After this, our second stop of the morning will be the territory of Cisternino, whose inhabitants have been traced back right to the Middle Palaeolithic period. You can still see traces from these ancient people on display in the area, with the remains of weapons and tools on display for visitors.

The town centre of Cisternino is charming and well worth a visit, with winding little streets, quaint churches and incredible panoramic views from its central square. From here you can admire the surrounding countryside, and spot the conical trulli hut roofs popping up amongst the green fields.

After these visits comes a brilliant gastronomy experience; an olive oil and cheese tasting session in an old-fashioned farmhouse specific to Apulia known as a Masseria. This is followed by a delicious lunch at the venue, where you will be able to sample some of the delicacies of the region.

Once you have finished lunch you will have time to explore Alberobello on your own, and get a better look at the trulli you might have spotted whilst in Cisternino. Each of these dry stone buildings is built without any cement and has an iconic pointed roof, the design of which is so unique they have given the town the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can choose where in the town you want to eat dinner, and then spend another night in your hotel.

DAY 3: OSTUNI, POLIGNANO AND MONOPOLI

Your third day begins with visiting Astuni after breakfast, better known as the ‘White Town’ and spread across three small hills that are 218 above sea level. The most iconic sight in Astuni is its Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, which was built in the fifteenth century and features an incredibly rare and beautiful glass window.

Next, you will take a trip to the small, ancient town of Polignano, a beautifully quiet beach destination surrounded by dramatic cliffs. As well as dipping your toes in the sea, you can also walk around the historic town centre, sample the fresh seafood in a beachfront restaurant and visit the caves that are just along the coast from Polignano.

Finally, you will visit Monopoli, known for its Baroque cathedral that has a museum in its crypt. This is a beautiful place to spend a relaxing afternoon, with a variety of churches and historic buildings to visit and a wonderful local atmosphere that makes wandering its streets and sitting by the sea a delight.

You will return to Alberobello in the evening, and spend your last night in the hotel here.

DAY 4: MATERA

As you travel from Alberobello to Lecce, you will stop off for the day in the ancient city of Matera. Matera is thought to be the third oldest city in the world, and is overflowing with history and stories to discover.

In Matera, you can see how both man and the elements have shaped the limestone Sassi rock, with crevices in the stone carved by the wind and incredible underground caves. The amazing series of carved dwellings and intriguing water systems are two of the reasons that the city has been named a World Heritage Site, as well as its collection of beautiful churches, pedestrianised streets and peaceful plazas.

You will arrive in the city of Lecce in the evening at your new hotel, and choose where you want to enjoy dinner.

DAY 5: LECCE

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your Lecce hotel before being met by your personal guide in the afternoon for a tour of the area. Lecce is known as ‘the Florence of the south’, with a long and diverse history of different inhabitants.

Architecture fans will love spotting all of the Baroque designs that the city is home to, and wandering between the three ancient gates that ring the historic centre of Lecce. After exploring the city, you can choose where to enjoy the last night of your Apulian tour.

DAY 6: DEPARTURE

After your final hotel breakfast, the tour ends you can add an optional airport transfer back to Bari airport or because this tour ends in Lecce and we can help you with extensions to other parts of Italy or Europe.