puglia travel companies

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Small group and private guided tours in Puglia

Discover puglia with us...the heel of italy.

We are specialized in customized and guided tours in Puglia for individuals, families and small groups. We will personally accompany you in discovering the Puglia region, not only its artistic treasures, natural beauties and culinary delights, but also the experience of its everyday lifestyle. Away from the mass tourism, we can show you sites and other hidden treasures of Puglia only a local knows!

This tour is ideal for those who want to make an unforgettable vacation living the Italian lifestyle!

Discover the best places of Puglia in a five-day experience!  This trip is ideal if you want to combine a holiday in Puglia with other Italy's top destinations.

The best way to discover the soul of Puglia is on a guided wine tour.

9 days self-drive tour designed for travelers who want to experience Puglia region with freedom and flexibility, following a detailed itinerary created by a local expert.

Private guided tours and luxury experiences in Puglia.

Travel with us 

EXPERIENCE ITALY LIKE A LOCAL Our tours are designed by local people for travellers who desire to enjoy Puglia with authentic local flavour, away from the tourist crowds!  

SMALL GROUPS   BIG EXPERIENCES Our small group tours are perfectly sized to offer you a more intimate and comfortable travel experience.  It's the best way to enjoy the Italian lifestyle " la dolce vita "!  

TRAVEL WITH FLEXIBILITY AND PEACE OF MIND Plan your holiday with Peace of Mind. Book your trip with flexible and secure payment. In case you need to change your travel plans, you can modify your reservation with no fees.  

ESCORTED TOURS WITH HANDPICKED TRAVEL SERVICES Amazing itineraries, authentic food&wine experiences, knowledgeable local guides, hand-selected hotels, comfortable transportation are some of our travel services that offer you the best experience in Puglia!

Why choose us?

• Small group tours designed for people who want to experience Italy as a local.
• Away from the mass tourism, we will show you sites and other hidden treasures of Puglia that only locals know
• Flexibility and customization.
• Sample authentic Apulian and Italian dishes during select meals at featured local restaurants.
• Carefully selected accommodation.

Arrivederci Puglia Travel was born from our love for our Region, a land rich in family values and traditions. We want to put our passion and experience at the service of our guests, to offer them an unforgettable vacation in Italy, while experiencing the fantastic Italian Mediterranean lifestyle.

For us, our clients are not simply customers. We like to consider them special friends or a part of our family. We are pleased to facilitate your experience living as a true Italian! Take advantage of our knowledge of Puglia, the land where we live, to gain preferred entrance to most famous sites.

Puglia, the heel of Italy…is located in the Southern Italy and it is fast becoming Italy’s new hot destination. Nature, art, history, ancient traditions, beautiful beaches, excellent food and wine, as well as the proverbial hospitality of its people, are the qualities of Puglia!

Best Experience! We wanted to see the Puglia region and booked this 8 day, seven night tour at the recommendation of one of our friends. We usually travel on our own and book private tours of certain cities that interest us. This tour was just outstanding and we are glad that we used them to visit Puglia. They are very easy to work with and can and will customize your experience. They are very knowledgeable of the area and gave us some very unique experiences that we just wouldn't have been able to do without them. They handled all of the transportation, accomodations and actually location tours. All 1st class!

Beautiful Puglia....an Italian treasure! We are leaving Puglia with an understanding of the history and an appreciation for the beauty and culture of this part of Italy. Our trip was busy but with a pace so we never felt rushed. The care taken to be sure each lunch experience was true to the region visiting was appreciated by the 5 of us. We loved this trip and encourage anyone visiting Puglia to use Arrivederci Puglia Travel. They are a joy to spend time with and become family. Our enthusiasm for this part of Italy was so strong, we returned for a second visit with Arrivederci Puglia.

DIANNE & LOU Boston, USA

We spent a wonderful week with Antonella and Sandro, exploring their delightful home province.  They shared with us their in depth knowledge and love of Puglia, they were always professional, thoughtful and courteous. Can’t recommend Arrivederci Puglia highly enough. It’s a wonderful part of Italy, previously unknown to us, we are so happy to have visited!

FEDERICO & KAY Sydney, AUS

Nothing but the BEST!! We had an absolutely wonderful time in the Puglia region with our wonderful tour guides Sandro and Antonella. They have put together a great balance of places to see and learn about. Sandro and Antonella are highly educated and knowledgeable about their country. The professionalism and attention to detail was fantastic. We would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to learn, taste and explore the Puglia region!

SUZY Oregon, USA

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A Week In... Puglia

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• 2024 Small Group
• 2025 Small Group

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Uniquely Tauck

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

ALL SMALL GROUP DEPARTURES averaging 24 Tauck guests – A small group size means a more personal travel experience highlighted by stays at chic smaller hotels in fabulous locations

A two-night stay in Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Basilicata, with sightseeing by tuk-tuk and guided exploration of the Sassi cave-dwelling settlement

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

Two nights in the Baroque city of Lecce, known as the "Florence of the South"

Lunch at a winery known for Puglian Primitivo wine A visit to Alberobello's famous limestone  trulli  houses

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included, and hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk two to three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.

Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.

Along Europe's Scenic "Yellow Roads"

Explore the long heel of Italy's boot to discover sights, tastes, and gorgeous seascapes you'll find nowhere else... like Matera, where the Sassi houses are caverns and the streets are sometimes the roofs of other houses... Trulli houses, tiny fairy castles made of limestone slabs, built without mortar...

Baccanti ristorani, matera, explore polignano a mare, discover the cliffside grottoes and seaside charms of polignano a mare on the adriatic.

If you're of "a certain age," you might remember an Italian pop song from the late 1950s that crossed the Atlantic and became an international hit. Its actual title is "Nel blu dipinto di blu", but it's better known around the world as "Volare" ("To Fly"). It was co-written and performed by Italian singer, songwriter, actor (and, later in life, politician) Domenico Modugno, and is closely identified with his hometown, Polignano a Mare, perched on the Adriatic Sea near Bari in Puglia. Spend some time exploring this seaside town known for its cliff diving and the deep blue grottoes that inspired the song.

The "Sassi" cave dwellings of Matera

Ride a tuk-tuk amidst the "sassi" cave dwellings of matera, a unesco world heritage site.

Hop aboard a tuk-tuk for a ride through the winding streets of Matera in Basilicata, where you'll see a series of rock or cave dwellings that date back to Paleolithic times. Known as Sassi (for "stone"), these dwellings, piled atop one another across a steep ravine, were once natural caves and grottoes that over the centuries were adapted by human settlers as homes. Devoid of residents since the 1960s, the Sassi of Matera are now preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which you'll explore with a local guide who will share insights on the site, which served as a location in the Mel Gibson film "The Passion of the Christ."

Spend two nights at five-star Borgo Egnazia

The picturesque piazza is the beating heart of the borgo's life....

Your two-night stay will be memorable – In the words of the hotel itself..."The architecture of the Borgo expresses ancient wisdom and beauty of an authentic Puglian village: through the tuff stones cut by hand, the blue windows that awake memories and the gardens adorned with olive trees. The Puglian tradition is sitting in every corner and the closer you get to admire it, the more you become part of it... Walking through the narrow stone alleys is like being carried away on a journey into the past, suspended in a timeless dimension..."

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All the information you need for this journey at your fingertips – day-by-day details, map, hotel descriptions, key highlights and more.

Where you stay is an important part of your journey – with Tauck, accommodations have been handpicked and carefully selected for their location and ambiance, enhancing the destinations you explore. Download accommodation details and your travel plans begin!

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Overnight Accommodations

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Palazzo gattini.

Matera, Italy

Risorgimento Resort

Lecce, Italy

Borgo Egnazia

Savalletri di Fasano, Italy

Your Journey

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About Booking This Tour

Travel Documents

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Italy; however, you do not need a visa for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of Italy to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

How to Book a Tour

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 800-468-2825 to make a reservation.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready for all members of your party:

• Tour Name and Departure Date
• Traveler's Name: First and last names as they appear on your passport or driver's license
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Email Address*
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)*
• Emergency Contact Information: Please provide the name and phone number  of a relative or friend (not travelling with you) whom we could contact during the tour in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection plan (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares

* Required Fields

Deposits & Final Payment

Deposits and fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking.

The deposit amount is $600 per person

Final Payments:

Final Payment is due to Tauck  60  days before departure for lands trips, and  120  days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Travel Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Tauck's Guest Protection

Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.
• Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection is: $449  per person

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 1, 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL .

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person 

Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan :

60 days or more before departure = $600 per person

59-8 days before departure = $900 per person

7-1 days before departure = $1500 per person

Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note:  All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Air Information and Luggage Restrictions

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.

Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com , by clicking here .

We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly. 

VACCINATIONS  

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Italy. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here .

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact an embassy or consulate of Italy to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Italy is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, some dating from antiquity. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture will present difficulties for some guests with physical disabilities. You will encounter cobblestone streets, narrow passageways, and some steep and winding staircases. For the most part, however, the amount of walking you do at the various sites and towns is at your discretion.

In addition, coach travel along the many "Yellow Roads" on this tour are very windy and may cause you some discomfort if you are prone to motion sickness. If you are, we advise bringing motion sickness remedies or medication with you.

PLEASE NOTE: We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list  here.

Puglia enjoys a comfortable Mediterranean climate with hot sunny summers and mild winters. Summer lasts from June until September, and is hot and sunny with rainfall increasing after July, to a peak in September and October. The average summer temperature is not too hot and ranges between 26°C (79°F) and 30°C (85°F), and remains warm through September with an average of 26°C (79°F). The beaches along the Adriatic coast benefit from being sheltered and the average water temperature of between 20°C (68°F) and 26°C (79°F) makes it comfortable for bathers for the whole summer season. Because of Puglia's southern position on the Italian peninsula, it has long summer days with as many as 14 hours of sunshine per day at the height of summer.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

When packing for your trip to Italy, it is important to keep in mind the time of year you are traveling and the current weather conditions for that time. The weather in Italy is temperate and unpredictable. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but certainly be comfortable.

Most Catholic churches in Italy require that your knees and shoulders be covered when you enter, even during the hot days of summer. This is particularly important when you visit St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where shorts and tank tops are not allowed.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. By law in Italy, irons and ironing boards are not made available to guests at the hotels. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to Italy:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

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Ready for the Best Puglia Travel Experiences Imaginable?

Experience the true essence of puglia.

There is something magical about Puglia. The tradition, culture, beautiful beaches, breathtaking nature, unforgettable cuisine, and laidback pace are just a few of the reasons why we fell in love with the Puglia.

At Travel Puglia, we’re dedicated to providing you with the very best Puglia travel itineraries – all thoughtfully designed for your enjoyment and ease-of-mind. We believe in joyful, effortless, and worry-free travel. We know your time is precious, so our amazing team will take care of every detail before and during your trip, to ensure that you’re comfortable and looked after throughout your entire journey.

Ready for your once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Puglia, Italy? Learn more by reaching out to our friendly team of Puglia travel experts. We will be thrilled to provide information about planning holidays, day trips, accommodations, or weddings in Puglia. Curious about the best beaches in Puglia? The best Puglia hotels?  The most authentic Masseria in Puglia?

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At Travel Puglia, we are obsessed with all the details that go into creating meaningful and memorable travel experiences. We are passionate about finding and sharing the best of the best that Puglia has to offer: culture, history, nature, cuisine. We pride ourselves on continuing to discover the coolest, most delicious, most authentic, and most beautiful places in Puglia, so that we can then share these insider gems with our amazing clients.

We know your time is precious, so our expert team will take care of all the detailed planning before and during your trip to ensure that you feel comfortable, looked after, and supported 24/7. Our hosts, fluent in both English and Italian, will be with you every step of the way.

We are committed to investing in our local communities by working with small local businesses. Whether you are wine-tasting at a small producer vineyard or a having a long, delicious meal at a family-run restaurant, you’ll know that your presence will be helping to support the authentic local traditions, culture, and economy.

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A Photographer’s Dream: Capturing Puglia’s Natural Beauty

A Taste of Tradition: Experiencing Authentic Puglian Cuisine

Understanding Puglia: A Look at the History and Culture of Southern Italy

Old and New: Exploring Puglia’s Ancient Sites and Modern Marvels

Local Flavors: An Oenophile’s Guide to Puglian Wines and Wineries

Hitting the Trails: Hiking and Nature in Puglia, Italy

Relax and Unwind: Spa Retreats in Puglia, Italy

Five-Star Puglia: The Region’s Most Luxurious Hotels and Resorts

Cycling Through Puglia: Bike Tours of Italy’s Rustic South

Cruising the Coast: Sailing Trips Along Puglia’s Dramatic Shores

A Bird’s Eye View: Seeing Puglia’s Landscapes from Above

Off the Beaten Path in Puglia: Italy’s Best Undiscovered Destinations

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What? Tour Alberobello Tour Altamura Tour Barletta Tour Brindisi Tour Lecce Tour Matera Tour Ostuni Tour Otranto Tour Private Bari Tour Private Gallipoli Tour Santa Maria Di Leuca Boat Tour Taranto Tour Vieste Tour

Bespoke Luxury Tours of Puglia

Let our experts design you a puglia vacations of a lifetime.

Classic Regional Tours by Bellarome Travel is a luxury tour provider offering complete and bespoke tours of the Italian regions.

To experience the best of Puglia, it pays to have a local expert arrange the finer details and make suggestions you may not have ever thought of. With Classic Puglia, you will come away with an historically and culinary enriching experience you could only dream of.

Every aspect will be taken care of and you will be the VIP guests of our local drivers and guides who make it their mission to ensure you have an unforgettable stay in this enchanting region.

Visit our Other Regional Microsites

Why Travel To Puglia ?

Puglia is the much-adored heel of Italy’s boot. A long region of the south which is widely visited by Italians from all over, and for good reason.  The expansive coast – which covers the Adriatic Sea on one side and Ionio on the other – boasts some of the clearest waters and spectacular sunsets. Pristine cities with baroque architecture and a fascinating history are waiting to be discovered. As are the iconic white Trulli villages backing on to mountainous landscapes.

Not to mention that just like Sicily, Puglia has its own unique cuisine which varies from city to city. There are many dishes you will only find in Puglia served by proud locals who love to show off their regional dishes. Always book Puglia travel guides before to never miss any part of Puglia.

If Travel On Your Mind? Discover Our Awesome Small Group Tour Package Of Puglia!

Exploring Italy is definitely incomplete without witnessing the quaint region of Puglia. It is delightful, amazing and more. The towns here smell of the cultural past, the churches will simply make you fall in love with their ancient vibe and the food here is simply delicious. So, basically your visit to Puglia is a complete package of happiness in itself.

Trust us, if you want to experience the true essence of travel then there cannot be a better option than traveling to Puglia also known as Apulia. For booking Luxury feel Puglia tours choose Classic Puglia for an memorable travel booking experience. If you are planning for small group tours of Puglia or a romantic honeymoon trip talk to our travel experts and customise your private tours of puglia.

Our Popular Tours

Use our popular itineraries as inspiration for your own tailor-made Puglia vacation

Puglia Road Trip 14 Days (or Customized)

Immerse yourself in Puglia in this comprehensive road trip which is action packed and leisurely at the same time.

Puglia Grand Tour 12 Days (or Customized)

This Grand Tour of Puglia is perfect for groups or couples looking to come away with truly bespoke authentic experiences.

Best Beaches of Puglia 8 Days (or Customized)

Experience the best beaches of Puglia on this 8-day journey covering popular beaches and hidden gems of Puglia.

Authentic Puglia 9 Days (or Customized)

Tour Puglia's authentic locations to enjoy the unique and sublime local culture while learning about its history.

Unforgettable Puglia 11 Days (or Customized)

Take an epic journey of Puglia's most sublime locations starting from the centre to the south ending in neighboring Basilicata.

Puglia Family Trip 10 Days (or Customized)

Discover the best beaches on this 8-day coastal journey covering as many hidden gems and popular beaches as possible.

Laidback Puglia 13 Days (or Customized)

Get a chance to discover Puglia's most iconic destinations at a relaxed pace, with excursions and cooking classes included.

Puglia Food Discovery 7 Days (or Customized)

Indulge in the savory delights of Puglia, Italy, on a gastronomic journey that will awaken your taste buds and immerse you in the rich culinary heritage of the region.

Tailor-make Your Dream Vacation

Let us handle the hassle

View some of our popular Puglia destinations below or visit our 'Destinations' page to discover the region of Puglia using our interactive map. We can arrange a personalized private tour to your exact tastes and preferences.

Vieste Tour

Taranto Tour

Santa Maria Di Leuca Boat Tour

Private Gallipoli Tour

Private Bari Tour

Otranto Tour

Ostuni Tour

Matera Tour

Brindisi Tour

Most amazing trip ever thanks to bellarome:, “this trip was amazing and i will remember for the rest of my life, vittorio went above and beyond and organised absolutely every single detail to perfection, all the stress was taken out of travelling and each hotel was exactly where i had asked. i can’t thank or rate bellarome highly enough and will use them for my next trip to italy without a doubt. ”.

– Karen P.

Puglia Small Group Tours

A Way to Rejoice. Explore. Discover

Want to explore something new? A place that is refreshing and bold at the same time. Then do consider taking Puglia's small group tour. Make new friends, rejoice in the company of others, explore, relish the excellent taste of local cuisine and everything in between. You won’t regret it. Our travel experts at Classic Puglia will help you with all the essential aspects of traveling so that your trip to Puglia is no less than a dream come true.

So, if you are looking for something out of the box and have not explored foreign destinations then why not start with Puglia? Everything about this place will fascinate you right from its rich history to its undiscovered landscapes and its really amazing architecture. All of this indicates you choose Puglia as your next holiday destination.

Private Puglia Travel Guide

Places You Can Visit During Your Trip to Puglia, Italy

As a tourist destination in Italy, Puglia is one of the best offbeat places to explore. If you are planning on visiting Puglia, then the months of April and May would be great fit to discover this beautiful region. You will find several amazing places to visit in Puglia and relish your senses. From the gorgeous beaches to handmade pastas, quaint villages everything here will make you fall in love with Puglia. Plus, experiences like wine tasting, cheese tasting to even olive oil tasting will make your guided trip to Puglia truly mesmerising.

The Classic Puglia Advantage

Choosing us to book your Puglia tour comes with quite a few perks. 

Bespoke Tours – We offer you tailor made travel tours that resonate with your objective of traveling. Our top priority is your happiness and always will be. 

Best in industry prices – With Classic Puglia, you get the most genuine rates no matter where you want to go! Our travel experts prepare the best itinerary suited as per your travel objective. 

Customer Support – Our customer support team is always there to help you in every situation. From preparing the most sorted travel itineraries to solving your problems we have got your covered every step of the way. Plan small/large group tours of Puglia with you and enjoy the beautiful sites of Puglia. That will be unforgettable for you.

Flight bookings

Travel transfers, accommodation, local bookings.

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AuthenticPugliaTours

Planning an unforgettable trip to puglia has never been easier, puglia tailor-made, we hand-pick only the best accommodations and experiences to create exceptional vacations., bespoke luxury tours, self-drive tours, incentives & team building, active holidays & outdoor activities, unique experiences, why book with us.

• Meet Cindy and Vincenzo , the husband and wife behind AuthenticPugliaTours
• Everyone on our staff grew up and lives here, so we know our Puglia inside out .
• Each accommodation, restaurant and partner has been thoroughly vetted .
• Our itineraries include no tourist traps, just places we locals would visit ourselves .
• We take care of every detail and practical aspect, from start to end .

Your unforgettable holidays with us

Hidden gems, off-the-beaten track excursions, top-rated accommodations and exclusive experiences: all of these and more await when you book a trip to Puglia with us . Entirely hassle-free, so everyone can enjoy themselves and make memories that will last a lifetime .

A great option for anyone wishing to channel their inner Kerouac and explore our region by car , following fantastic itineraries that pack Puglia’s top highlights .

Outdoor & Active Tours

Puglia’s spectacular beaches need no introduction, but other natural riches can be found here. From caves to forests , boredom won’t even be an option: bike tours, hikes, kayaking and more activities to pick from can be enjoyed here.

Reward top employees with awesome holidays, or bring the whole team together in Puglia for enriching adventures you simply won’t experience anywhere else.

Daily Activities

Apart from our all-inclusive packages, we also offer day tours that can be booked separately . Each one is more special than the other and includes guided visits, tastings, interactive experiences and cooking classes .

Testimonials

We recommend AuthenticPugliaTours. They took care of us, curated and made the arrangements for our trip so we didn’t have to worry about the quality of our concentrated time in the region. Utilizing their expertise saved us a lot of research time and directed us to experiences we never would have found otherwise. High quality all the time!

The team you have put together for our weekend was really wonderful and I will be sure to let our Travel Agent know. We will be back for sure and I will make sure personally I recommend all my friends and people I know to you guys . The experiences were absolutely the best we have ever had in Europe!

Extremely enjoyable holiday. I would recommend AuthenticPugliaTours and the variety of experiences that suited our families well.

My client and the participants were very happy and pleased! Compliments to you and your brilliant guides. Everything went according to schedule, so perfect.

Great company with very professional tour guides!

I am pleased to have worked through AuthenticPugliaTours for my customers, I look forward to the next time, it was a pleasure!

We are back to work and have wonderful memories of a remarkable trip to Puglia. We loved every day and everything was perfect with AuthenticPugliaTours. Thanks!

It was the best wine tour that we have experienced. We really enjoyed it, thank you!

We had a perfect experience with AuthenticPugliaTours. They are very professional, thoughtful, friendly and we strongly recommend this travel agency! You will have an unforgettable trip!

We had a great time in Puglia. Despite it was super hot we liked the mix between beaches and little towns. The food was amazing and we really liked the bike tours you provided to us. The Wine Tasting & the Sassi Tour were also very interesting. Great accommodations as well!

The best choice to discover the highlights and hidden gems of the wonderful Puglia!! Highly recommended!

The villa and hosts were absolutely incredible. They exceeded our expectations. We will recommend AuthenticPugliaTours to our friends and hope to stay in Puglia again in the future.

You are really great at offering authentic experiences. And you understand the need for finding accommodation with great price-quality and a nice location!

The balance achieved between visiting some amazing places and discovering delicious genuine food, was just excellent.

Great way to explore Puglia off the beaten path...recommended!

We have chosen AuthenticPugliaTours as a partner in Puglia to arrange a road trip for our customers. Very satisfied with their service and selection of tours.

Great experiences with the kids and very interesting comments by the guides and very nice persons. The accommodation where we stayed was gorgeous!

Communication was excellent from the start and when needed on our tour. The digital map was a blessing and the rustic accommodation was perfect!

My husband, three year old son and I just returned home from an amazing week in Puglia. Authentic Puglia Tours was incredibly helpful with all of our planning, from the car rental to perfect activities that were good for our toddler and us (definitely not an easy task!)

AuthenticPugliaTours was highly responsive and helped us before, during and after the holiday with all those small issues that could easily have reduced our enjoyment. The digital map was new to us. We found it very helpful indeed and liked the additional information it carried. Thank you AuthenticPugliaTours, our holiday experience was definitely enhanced by your seemingly 24/7 personal support.

AuthenticPugliaTours took all the hard work out of organising our road trip in Puglia. The digital map was really useful and it was nice to have a curated list on hand.

Just returned home from a fantastic couple of days in Puglia. AuthenticPugliaTours was able to plan the perfect combination of activities and to show us hidden gems that we never would have discovered on our oww. They truly created a unique experience for us.

It was a beautiful trip. Highly recommended, as very varied activities and places to visit.

I know how much work goes into planning these types of activities and AuthenticPugliaTours made it look effortless. There was a great balance in terms of sites and experiences. We learned so much about the local culture through food, art, nature and the people. It was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a trip of a lifetime.

This really showed the culture and how they live which is so different from us. ... [We visited a] farm where we made cheese. It was incredible to really see how it was made and learn how nothing is wasted and how everything is made/used daily. I also really enjoyed interacting with the animals. ...[I really appreciated] being given the opportunity to take some photographs. Vincenzo just pulled over to a group of trullis to let me take pictures, I did not even have to ask. I was very grateful and appreciative that he did this just because he already knew it was important to me...I really enjoyed everything.

Travel ideas & tips

Driving in puglia: tips for your road trip.

When in Puglia, it’s easy to find inspiration right outside your car window, as your day unfolds in a thousand shades of white, blue, green.

Fiat 500 hire in Italy!

Cute as a button, tiny but comfortable, easy to maneuver, Instagram-worthy: these are only a couple of reasons why we chose this car for all the Puglia road trips we offer.

Best Beaches in Puglia!

If you take a selfie at some of the most iconic beaches in Puglia and don’t tag your location, people may ask you if you’re at the Maldives or Seychelles, such is the beauty of this part of Italy.

WELCOME TO  EXPERIENCE PUGLIA TOURS

Small group and private guided tours in puglia in southern italy.

Come and visit Puglia in a private o small group tour. Our unique itineraries will transport you through this charming corner of Southern Italy. Moreover we customize our puglia tours to enable travelers to enjoy and appreciate the history of the towns, their traditions, food and wine. With us you’ll experience what real life in Puglia is like.

A perfect balance of sights, tastes and learning about an area as you walk its streets with a passionate and  professional guide . In addition each tour includes food tastings directly from the producers, relaxing walks around the most popular cities of Puglia and  “off-the-beaten-path”  itineraries.

No need for you to hire a car in fact we can pick up you from the airport or train station, allowing you to relax and safely enjoy the whole tour. We take you to each location, guide you through each town and take care of your accommodation. In conclusion we’ll be more than pleased to lead you through a fantastic discovery of the beautiful places, landscapes and extraordinary gourmet  food of Puglia .

Please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions:  [email protected] We offer a guided tour  giving the possibility to unite culture, art, history, good wine and delicious food in an intact and still unexplored corner of Italy.

In other words this trip will allow you to get to know the very authentic essence of Puglia and Italy: the Mediterranean’s sparkle, charming romantic villages  far from the touristy roots , a savory bite of true pasta with a glass of good wine.

Take a look to  all our offers  to have a complete idea of all our services. We look forward to welcoming you to  Experience Puglia .

Select your tour

Espressino Travel stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement and against racism. Read our full statement here.

Discover this spectacular corner of Italy on our award-winning culinary tours

Based in the beautiful baroque town of Lecce, our Puglia tours explore the places, people and flavours of this wonderful Southern Italian region.

After the sun sets in Lecce, the city comes alive. Join us as we discover Lecce by Night, encountering local culture and street food in the Florence of the South.

espressino travel puglia tours

Unique, boutique culinary holidays in italy.

Join us for incredible, unforgettable tours in Puglia, the fascinating heel of the Italian boot. Espressino Travel will be your personal guides on weeklong Puglia culinary tours and day tours from our home in the stunning city of Lecce.

As we travel the region, you will partake in hands-on cooking classes, interact with locals, dine at amazing restaurants and explore the cuisine and culture of Southern Italy's last great undiscovered destination. With our team's insider local knowledge of Puglia, we provide authentic, exciting and engaging vacations that independent travellers simply can't find on their own. Visit for a week; be changed for life. Andiamo in Italia!

Featured in:

Awards and Accolades:

Our award-winning Puglia tours visit the region's best sights while immersing you in the incredible local cuisine, wine and culture. Everything is included in the cost of our weeklong Puglia tour: luxury accommodation, all meals including wine, cooking lessons, excursions, guided tours, transfers, culinary experiences and entry fees. All you need to do is book your travel to Puglia; we will do the rest for you.

Espressino Travel was founded on a passion for Puglia. After countless vacations, and an unforgettable summer in Lecce, we became part of an amazing community of friends, teachers, chefs and hosts. Inspired by our experiences, we realized that the region, its people and its culture were too good not to share with the world. Join us on our Puglia tour and we believe you'll fall in love just like we did!

our inspiration

Guidebooks call Lecce the Florence of the South. The reality is even better. A city of baroque treasures and culinary delights, Lecce has somehow remained unspoilt by tourism. Lecce may be the jewel in Puglia's crown, but the region is bursting with undiscovered gems full of amazing food and wine. But above all, it is the warmth and kindness of the locals that makes the region the perfect place for our Puglia tours.

Benvenuti Tutti : Everyone is Welcome

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our core values at Espressino Travel. We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences: whether it’s age, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, religion or sexual orientation. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our guests; where everyone can comfortably be themselves and experience the beauty of Italy.  

To give thanks to our wonderful host country and the communities in which we work, we support worthy local causes including post-Earthquake rehabilitation work in Central Italy and life-saving support work for immigrant families and refugees in Southern Italy. For more information please contact us. 

Tours of Puglia - Welcome to the Heel of the Italian Boot: Guided Tours and Shore Excursions of Puglia and the Mediterranean

• Puglia & Basilicata
• Alberobello Trulli
• Castel del Monte
• Brindisi Express
• Matera & Sassi
• Otranto & Salento
• Customize It
• Mediterranean
• Best of Puglia
• Southern Italy
• Italy in One Week
• Venice to Athens
• Puglia in 4 Days
• Best of Sicily
• Italy & Swiss Alps
• Shore Excursions
• Reviews/Photos

TOURS OF PUGLIA - WELCOME TO ITALY'S HEEL: whitewashed buildings, secret castles, genuine food, baroque architecture, crystalline Mediterranean sea...

Whether you want to enjoy a several days trip or just be guided for a few hours to get the best of Puglia and Basilicata regions, you have just chosen the right website. With our experienced and licensed English, German, Spanish and French speaking Local Guides and Tour Managers, you will receive superior personalized service. Let us show you the seldom traveled sites of our area in the comfort and privacy of a luxury vehicle, with a driver and a guide at your service. Let us tell you authentic, yet almost forgotten, stories of the heel of Italy's boot. Let us lead you through the whole Italian peninsula and the most popular European regions, such as Greece, France, Spain and so on. Never have these Mediterranean areas been so close! Our expert team works individually with each guest to provide informed, personalised recommendations and ensure that every experience is personal, authentic, and extraordinary from start to finish.

...create your own shore excursion experience...

We regularly offer personalized shore excursions to accommodate cruise passengers and private yacht travellers who are visiting the ports of Bari, Brindisi, Gallipoli, Monopoli, Otranto and others Apulian harbors for only a few hours and want to maximize their time to take back home the best memories from Puglia. In cooperation with our partners we are able to offer shore excursions from the major ports of Italy and the Mediterranean. Your experience will be personal and interactive, you won't sit on a bus filled with strangers and listen to annoying announcements. NEW!!! We can tailor combined tours, your cruise company can't! See more in less time! Choose 2 Shore Excursions from Our Tours

"and you will decide When, Where and How"

Our services are suitable for families with children of every age, small and big groups, couples and solo travellers... We will focus all our attention, effort, and passion to provide you the best experience of touring historical sites, hearing local legends, tasting food and wine, enjoying countryside adventures... Stop being a tourist and become our guest. That's our philosophy! We are your friends in Europe to take you under our wing and show you what only the insiders know. We will unlock the secrets of our history and culture.

Get 15% Off Book On Line Now

• ALBEROBELLO TRULLI
• BRINDISI EXPRESS
• OTRANTO & SALENTO
• BEST OF PUGLIA
• SOUTHERN ITALY
• BEST OF SICILY
• VENICE TO ATHENS
• PUGLIA IN 4 DAYS

see the complete list...

"Why should I take a tour and not exploring on my own?" - You don't waste your time at each site standing in line to enter a monument or museum. - You don't wait for ages the public transport or get lost following road signs or your GPS. - You get the insider tips from our up-to-date knowledgeable local guides. - You receive personalised service - means "only you". Our tours are not open to strangers!!! - You are inspired the way we love our regions & cultures and want to share this love with you. - You maximize your experience, see more in less time. - No more queues! Skip the line! Not enough? Read the reviews provided by our previous guests.

Come and experience our personalized service for the best possible vacation! Contact us and tell us about your travel wishes, we will do our best to please you.

Home | About Us | Our Tours | Itineraries | Shore Excursions | Reviews/Photos | Contact Us | Site Map

Experience Puglia through the eyes of the locals!

Connect with people and get to know the culture of southern italy firsthand, go on vacation where italians go..., go off-the-beaten-path, apulia slow travel is a tour company run by passionate locals offering tailor-made tours for solo travelers, and small and medium-sized groups. we introduce visitors to southern italy – particularly the “heel” of the italian boot, puglia—in a friendly environment and in harmony with nature., one week tour: apulia.

• Deutsch ( German )
• Italiano ( Italian )

Your Puglia trip 5 days guided tour small groups, slow pace

AWESOME SMALL GROUP TOURS OF PUGLIA 2024-2025 - 1090 € pp

Are you a solo traveller, a couple or a small group of friends who want to experience the best of Puglia but you've never been to the region yet? Then our small group tours Puglia are perfect for you. We run escorted tours of Puglia region in small groups at slow pace to give you a more intimate experience of our wonderful region. Everything is already figured out for you, from airport pick-up, to guided tours and transportation. All you need to do is get in touch with us. As for the booking, a deposit won't be required and you can cancel at any time and free of charge.

But who are we?

My name is Pietro, tour company owner and local guide. I was born and raised in Puglia. Myself and my team are local and passionate tour guides with much experience escorting private tours around the beautiful towns and villages of Puglia. By touring with us, you’ll get the feeling of travelling with a friend.

I've designed for you a tour that covers most of the must-see places of the region combined with a few food experiences! Myself and my team don't like rushing, and are always willing to hear what you want from your trip and to make recommendations on how to make your trip perfect. During one of our small group tours of southern Italy, you’ll get insider views from ourselves on how to spend your leisure time on your trip.

Please feel free to get in touch with me. I'll be more than happy to assist!

Tour price and dates

Our small group tour of Puglia is available on different dates for 1.090 € per person (details at the bottom of the page):

WHAT OUR GUESTS ARE SAYING...

ARRIVAL DAY IN OSTUNI

  Day itinerary:

  Pick up at the airport

  Transfer to your accommodation

The first day will see your arrival to the heel of the boot of Italy, Puglia. You’ll arrive at either Bari or Brindisi Airport or at one of the train stations in the Puglia area. Our friendly private driver will pick you up wherever you arrive and take you to your accommodation in Ostuni* for the week. For the rest of your day you can relax and enjoy some leisure time in Ostuni. If you like, we can give you some recommendations on where to have a delicious dinner in the evening.

Ostuni will be your base for the week and there is no better place in the whole of Puglia to give you that perfect introduction to the region. Known as the White City, Ostuni is considered to be one of the prettiest and most vibrant towns in Puglia and there is certainly much here for you to discover and explore. The city gets its name from the myriad whitewashed buildings which fill its many winding streets and alleyways, and they provide a beautiful contrast to the surrounding green landscape.

If you are arriving in Puglia in the days before the start of the tour, we can arrange other transfer services for you as well as advise you on accommodation options and how you can spend your time. If you are arriving from other regions within the country such as the Amalfi Coast or Naples, private transfers can be arranged through us as an additional service. If you need help arranging your transportation to Puglia from other destinations in Italy, please do not hesitate to contact us; we are more than happy to assist you with any transport queries you have.

*We ask you to base yourself in Ostuni for the duration of the trip. Please contact us if you’d like some recommendations on hotels in the town.

DAY 1: WALKING TOUR OF OSTUNI AND A VISIT TO AN OLIVE OIL FARM WITH OLIVE OIL TASTING

  Meet your guide at your accommodation

  Walking tour of Ostuni

  Visit of an olive oil farm and oil tasting

On our very first day of the tour we will take a walking tour of the town you’ll be based in – Ostuni. With its quaint medieval centre and surrounded by ancient olive trees and the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, Ostuni is the perfect introduction to the Puglia region. We will visit the old town, a labyrinth of alleyways, arches and stairwells, where you will see the late Gothic 15th century cathedral sitting atop the town’s highest point.

While strolling around Ostuni and just enjoying the city’s ambience, there are many things to see which will be included in our itinerary of day one of your trip. Highlights include: the late 15th century Gothic cathedral with its intricately carved rose window and impressive doorway; the 16th century Bishop’s Palace, which is connected to the cloisters of the cathedral by a bridge; and the Church of San Vito Martire, one of the most ornate churches you will see in Puglia.

On this day, we will also get to visit one of the regions many olive oil farms. Extra virgin olive oil is one of Puglia’s biggest exports; the region produces almost half of the Italian production of the country’s ‘green gold’, and you’ll get the chance to taste this wonderful product. You probably use olive oil regularly in your daily cooking, but do you know much about how it is made? Olive oil is a product which is incredibly important to Puglia, so it is definitely one of the best places to find out more about how green gold is produced.

On your visit to the olive oil farm, you will get to meet a small local producer who will introduce the farm’s centuries-old traditions and answer all of your questions regarding how olive oil is made in Puglia. You will get to learn how to taste olive oil in a professional way and how to distinguish a good olive oil from a bad one – it is certainly one of the most interesting things to do in Puglia as you will get to discover many things which you would not have the opportunity to if you were travelling by yourself.

DAY 2: MATERA

  Drive to Matera

  Walking tour of Matera UNESCO

  Leisure time in Matera

  Drive back to Ostuni

The second day of our tour gives you the chance to explore one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the whole world as well as another region of Italy in addition to Puglia. The city of Matera lies within the neighbouring region of Basilicata, so you get two regions of Italy for the price of one! Designated European Capital of Culture 2019, the stunning city of Matera is one of the must-see places in Puglia. Evidence of this can be seen in the sassi, cave houses dug into the limestone rock which are dotted all around the city. They create one of the most unique landscapes in the world and we will spend this day discovering these amazing structures. You’ll also get to enjoy some leisure time in this great city.

With a history dating back 9,000 years, Matera is predominantly famous for its Sassi, cave dwellings caved into the rock, which give the city its unusual appearance. The Sassi are now a popular tourist attraction and it is possible to visit some of these houses which have been kept in their original state and turned into museums; as part of our tour of the city, we will visit one of these houses so you can see how people lived in millennia gone by as well as a rock church. Matera is also famous for its many Rupestrian churches. There are around 150 in the city, the oldest ones dating back to the Middle Ages, and they blend perfectly with the surrounding Sassi. Matera’s churches are well-known for their beautiful frescoes in the Byzantine style, which we will also get the opportunity to see during our trip.

Due to its importance as a historical and cultural monument, Matera was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1993, the first town in southern Italy to have the honour. As such an unusual place, Matera has captured the attention of many film directors over the years, and the town’s unique landscape has been the location of many movies, including Ben Hur (2016), Mary Magdalene (2018), The Passion of the Christ (2004), and Wonder Woman (2017).

DAY 3: CHEESE TASTING, STREET FOOD MARKET IN LOCOROTONDO AND ALBEROBELLO

  Drive to Locorotondo

  Walking tour of Locorotondo , visit of a street food market

  cheese tasting

  Guided tour of Alberobello UNESCO site

You probably already know that cheese forms a huge part of Italian cuisine, so what better way to spend part of your time in Puglia than to visit a local cheese farm. The cheesemaker that we visit is not a big business owner or industrial-sized firm; this is a typical, family-run, small business where you can see the old traditions of cheesemaking at work. Here you will get to sample some of the freshest mozzarella and burrata you will taste in your life as well as finding out how these iconic cheeses are made.

Next on our itinerary is the charming town of Locorotondo, famous for its wine and circular historical centre. In fact, the name Locorotondo itself is derived from this very feature of the town; translated into English, the name means ‘round place’. As you stroll the town’s streets, you will see more of the typical whitewashed houses Puglia is so well-known for and, as the town is perched upon a hill, it is possible to view the surrounding olive groves and countryside. As part of our visit, we will also head to the local food market, where you can see the wonderful array of locally-grown fruit and vegetables which are available here. You’ll get to experience one of the most authentic Italian experiences you could ask for. The produce of the land is very important to the local Puglian people and there’s no better place to see all the fantastic fruit and vegetables that are grown in the region than the markets where they are sold.

Finally, we will visit Alberobello, the iconic town of trulli. Trulli are characteristic conical-roofed houses typical of the region, built from local limestone, and many people comment on how a visit to Alberobello is like walking into a fairy tale. Because the trulli are of such cultural importance to the region, the town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. We will spend our time here strolling the streets and discovering all its hidden corners.

Pros of joining a shared small group tour with Puglialy

You might be wondering what benefits there are by joining a small group tour over travelling independently. The answer is very simple: plenty.

During your week’s trip with us, you’ll be based in the beautiful, gleaming white town of Ostuni, giving you the chance to get truly acquainted with this typical southern Italian town.

Unlike some other tours on the market where guests switch hotels every couple of days, at the end of each day of your tour, you’ll get to relax in the same place and experience the true Puglian lifestyle, meeting the local people and possibly making friends.

Another great thing about joining a small group tour is that you’ll get to meet like-minded travellers like yourself. Travelling on your own can get lonely, but on one of our tours you’ll automatically have new friends to share your Puglian experience with. You’ll visit the sights together, explore together and then, if you like, head out in the evening to sample some of the area’s delicious wine.

Puglia is a fantastic area to visit but if you really want to get off the beaten track and see some of its delightful villages and rural areas, it can be quite difficult on public transport. By joining one of our small group tours, you’ll have your own private driver who can take you to all the hidden corners of Puglia that you may not get to see otherwise.

Best of all, our tour guides are highly experienced and have a vast amount of knowledge about the Puglian region. So not only will you get to see all the great places Puglia has to offer but you’ll also learn a lot about our history and culture.

DAY 4: LECCE

  Drive to Lecce

  Guided tour of Lecce historic centre

  Leisure time in Lecce

Nicknamed the ‘Florence of the South’, Lecce is located in Southern Puglia and is considered to be one of the must-visit destinations in the region, if not the whole country. Lecce is primarily famous for its stunning Baroque architecture, mostly made from local Lecce stone, a form of limestone, which gives the buildings their characteristic colour. The city has an abundance of sights to see, and on our tour here we will visit plenty of them. Highlights include: the Basilica di Santa Croce, one of the most beautiful churches in the city with an awe-inspiring facade; the Cattedrale dell’Assunzione della Virgine with its highly decorative northern facade and impressive bell tower; and the Roman amphitheatre dating back to the second century AD.

After our sightseeing tour, you will get the chance to spend some free time exploring Lecce. In addition to all the beautiful sights there are to see, Lecce also has numerous museums for you to visit, including the Jewish Museum - Museo Ebraico which details Lecce’s Jewish history, and the Castello of Lecce, once the main defensive fortification in the city. For those of you who prefer to have a break from history and sightseeing, Lecce has a fantastic choice of shops and boutiques, so you can stock up on souvenirs or treat yourself to something special.

In the afternoon we will head back to Ostuni where you will be free to enjoy Ostuni and all its delights.

DAY 5: BARI AND POLIGNANO A MARE

  Drive to Bari

  Walking tour of Bari historic centre

  Walking tour of Polignano

Another splendid Pugliese city, Bari is the capital of the region and is known for its gorgeous Romanesque architecture. The perfect mix of city and coast, Bari’s long history makes it one of the most interesting places to visit in Puglia. During our tour here, we will visit the Basilica of San Nicola with its majestic gold ceiling and intricate facade as well as the tomb of Saint Nicolas himself, and the medieval district surrounding the church. We will also take a stroll through the old town, which is incredibly well-preserved despite its age, and the modern Murat quarter with its Liberty-style palazzi.

In the afternoon we will make our way to the seaside town of Polignano a Mare, one of Puglia’s hidden gems. Perched upon a cliff edge, Polignano has a wonderfully preserved old town and we will spend some time exploring its whitewashed streets and visiting sights such as the Porta Vecchia gate and Chiesa Matrice, one of the many beautiful churches you can find here. Afterwards, we will take a walk towards the coast so you can admire the magnificent views across the pristine Adriatic Sea. When in Polignano, you should also take the time to try some of the local gelato, definitely some of the best the region has to offer.

DAY 6: FREE DAY OR EXTRA DAY TOUR

  Leisure time

  You can add an extra day tour

Day six of our trip is a free day, giving you the chance to relax and unwind or see something new – there are lots of options available to you. You could decide to spend the day in our base town of Ostuni, exploring the parts of the city we may have missed on day two of the tour or catching up on some shopping. As we mentioned previously, Ostuni has plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars to enjoy, so you may choose to spend your time just relaxing and making the most of the glorious weather.

Alternatively, there are many tours you can take which can add that little extra special something to your Puglia trip. If you are interested in the culinary traditions of Puglia, why not take a cooking class and learn how to make some of the region’s most popular dishes? Or perhaps you want to visit some of the local wineries and learn all about Puglia’s wine-making culture. For the active travellers among you, you should consider taking a bike tour around Puglia’s rural landscapes, taking in millenary olive groves, ancient farmhouses and green pastures as far as the eye can see.

But please don’t feel restricted to these ideas. If you feel like doing something different or want to know what else is on offer, just ask us for more suggestions. However you decide to spend your free day, don’t feel like you have to organise everything yourself. If you want to add a bespoke tour to your itinerary, don’t hesitate to ask us to arrange it for you. If you would prefer to leave Puglia to head home or to continue your Italy vacation in another part of the country, there is also the option to leave on this day; if you decide to do this, you are still able to make use of the transfer service we offer.

DEPARTURE DAY

  Pick up at your accommodation

  Transfer to the airport/station

This is the final day of the tour and the day we make our farewells. Our private driver will transfer you to one of the airports or train station. If you plan to spend a few more days in Ostuni, we can postpone your transfer until you’re ready.

Just because we are finishing our tour today does not mean that you have to end your exploration of Puglia. If you are planning on extending your stay, we can help you organise some more activities and day trips, such as those proposed for day six. If you have arranged to spend the next part of your vacation in another area of Puglia or further afield in Italy, we can help to provide a private transfer for you to your next destination.

OUR TOUR OF PUGLIA IS AVAILABLE FOR 1.090 € pp:

Included in the price:.

  Private transfer with private driver on your arrival/departure dates from airport to accommodation and viceversa.

  Transportation, driver and English speaking tour guide for the day tours mentioned in the itinerary.

  Olive oil tasting and cheese tasting on day 2 and 4.

  Entry tickets for the visits in Matera (cave house and rock church) and Lecce (Basilica).

PAYMENT CONDITIONS

Pre-book with no obligation. No deposit is required. You will pay the whole sum at the end of the tour here in Puglia - we accept all sorts of credit/debit card payment.

CANCELLATION

You can cancel the booking anytime and free of charge. Since we have reserved a space for you, we would highly appreciate a prompt communication of the cancellation.

Pick-up times: in order to let you enjoy a relaxing breakfast with no rush at your accommodation pick-up times for almost every day tour is at 9:30 am and some day at 9:00 am.

Accommodation: we do not provide accommodation, but we require to base yourselves in Ostuni for the whole trip. We are happy to send you hotel and B&B recommendations.

Transfers: Private transfers from/to airport are included. In case you arrive earlier than the tour begin or you depart later than the tour end you will still have your private transfer service Ostuni-Airport and viceversa.

IMPORTANT NOTES

While it might seem that there is much going on during our week-long tour of Puglia, we would like to remind you that we are big advocates of slow travel. This means that during our visits to the different places on the itinerary, we take a slow pace; after all, we want to enjoy everything the region has to offer, so there is no need to rush. We are mindful of the fact that some of our clients may have health or mobility issues; if this is the case for you, please let us know and we can adapt the tour accordingly, such as choosing routes with flat terrain, taking shorter routes, or slowing the pace down further. As this is a small group tour, we can be extremely flexible and the tour can easily be adapted to suit everybody’s needs.

Please note that our tours have a maximum of 10 participants - if we reach more than 6 participants we use 2 separate minivans. Using minivans instead of a bus also helps us reaching historic centers more rapidly and easily therefore maximising our time at each place we visit. Minivans are allowed to enter historic centers (buses are not). This allows us to plan drop-off and pick-up points in very central areas of each place we visit.

  Tour dates (arrival day):

  May 2024 (19th, 26th)

  June 2024 (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th)

  July 2024 (7th)

  August 2024 (25th)

  September 2024 (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th)

  October 2024 (6th, 13th, 20th, 26th)

  November 2024 (3rd, 10th)

  March 2025 (23rd, 30th)

  April 2025 (6th, 13th, 22nd, 28th)

  May 2025 (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th)

  June 2025 (2nd, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th)

  July 2025 (6th)

  August 2025 (24th, 31st)

  September 2025 (8th, 14th, 21st, 28th)

  October 2025 (5th, 12th, 19th, 26th)

  November 2025 (2nd)

PUGLIA TOURS WITH PUGLIALY

Countryside

Arte Wine Travel di Pietro Calabrese

Via Abate Angelo Tamborrino 28

72017 Ostuni (BR)

P.I. IT 02577710748

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Puglia Small Group Tours

Uncover new and exciting adventures in Puglia by taking part in our small group tours. Go sightseeing at your own pace surrounded by travellers like you. Provided by top tour operators & travel companies, our small group tours in Puglia will offer you the perfect balance between spending time on your own and group activities. View all small group tours .

48 Puglia small group tours with 266 reviews

• Food & Culinary

Taste of Salento-Authentic Culinary Experience

Just got done with Taste of Salento with Emilio and Carla. Fantastic tour. If your looking for a small group experience or solo tour that is relaxed and eating fantastic food then this tour is for you. Family oriented , professional and friendly. They really went above and beyond. taking you to many different places

Discover Matera and Taste of Salento Tour

Great Tour ! We were able to visit a new area of the Apulia region each day with the assistance of Emilio, a superb guide and chef. The lovely olive farm then treated us to his culinary delights each evening. Cosimo was the most knowledgable guide,friendly and extremely helpful. Matera is also a wonderful and fascinating place! It was also very easy to get in touch with Omar. Always available even at late evening. What an amazing journey. I would strongly advise using this business.

• In-depth Cultural

Premium Puglia

Seductive Southern Italy

TourRadar trip was fabulous from start to finish. Every hotel was excellent. Any meal which was included in tour was great. Every guide along the way was extremely informative and friendly. Our tour leader Francesco was absolutely amazing from the first moment we met him in Naples until our departures in Lecce. Francesco was genuinely caring, considerate towards every person in our group, highly amusing and entertaining... the perfect tour leader!

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Christmas & New Year

Puglia and Matera tour 5 days from Bari: special price

Best of Apulia region - 9 days (Small Group)

The destinations and hotel accomodations were excellent. We did this trip during the late May and early June timeframe. Our tour was promoted as a 14 person max tour which was not exactly true. There were 2 groups of people split by English Speaking and Spanish Speaking. There were 2 seperate groups but touring the same places, hotels and restuarants. More people then to deal with and figure out logistics and wait time. Overall fairly smooth but room for improvement by decreasing wait time staying on schedule. The tour left a little late each morning so we had less time to see the sights and our free time to explore on our own. Our guides English comprehension was limited and difficult to understand the English with her heavy Italy accent. The tour would be much better just having a group of 20 or less and a better guide that could explain the sights better.

Puglia: Discover the Heel of Italy

Although I have traveled often this was my first experience with an organized/guided tour. The tour was exactly as described. Our guide Gabriele was an outstanding host. He ensured we were well informed of all details throughout our journey which made it stress free and fun. He went above and beyond organizing a few group dinners. The one that stands out in my mind was our dinner in Lecce in a piazza under a star and moonlit sky. It was like a dream. Accommodations were characteristic of the town, clean and with friendly staff. Daily breakfast were fresh , abundant with plenty of variety. My personal favourite Apricot Crostata! If you take this trip here a few tips; - wear comfortable shoes with good treads. It would be difficult to navigate Materra and Alberobello in flip flops. - arrive hungry saving room for a gelato or two - be prepared to pay a small city tax to each hotel. It’s minor but in my opinion it would be more convenient for staff and guests if it were included. - take lots of pictures Pulgia…you won’t be disappointed. The tour was busy yet somehow I returned home relaxed. Buon Viaggio!!

• Wine tasting

Highlights of Puglia

The guide sonia was wonderful. The only thing I would change is pre departure and arrival communication from the company. I had a not so great experience at the train station but this is not a reflection of the company but it wouldve been nice to have a welcome person at the station giving the fact the hotel was down the street from the train station

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Private 6 days tour Unesco Wonders of Puglia and Matera

We had a great tour guide, through GoInItaly and visited all the places we were told and more. HIstory knowledge was good, and accommodation and dining was excellent. Recommend Gaetano.

Cycling Puglia & Matera

Highly recommend. Unique tour of Puglia, we really enjoyed all aspects of the tour. Region is spectacular and full of surprises. Christina was an excellent skilled cyclist and knowledgeable guide. She was very generous with her time, considerate and friendly. Support driver provided excellent back-up, organising our luggage, snacks etc.

• Sightseeing

Explore Southern Italy (from Amalfi to Bari)

• Self-Guided Cycling

Cycle Puglia

The accommodations were outstanding on this bike tour. Friendly and comfortable

Puglia Tour

This was the best tour I have ever done. Everything about it was top notch and Puglia is amazing. Gaetano had so much knowledge to share and was highly organised. His focus was his clients and he made it very special for me. Can't fault it!

Magical Apulia region - 6 Days (Small Group)

Angela shared many great places with us and was very flexible with changing needs. Alberobello hotel was maybe 3 star, not 4 star like Bari and Lecce hotels. Salvatore was a great driver.

• Coach / Bus

Puglia Tour - the perfect combination of lifestyle, culture, history and cuisine

Malcolm and Antonella from Italy with Pleasure organised and hosted an amazing tour of Puglia. The locations they brought us too were fantastic and our meals were superb. Both of their knowledge with regard to this region is incredible. I cannot recommend this tour and them highly enough. Ricardo who they brought on the trip to help host us was very helpful too. My wife and I will be availing of their other tours in Italy in the coming years.

Reviews of Small Group tours to Puglia

Continued.. Besides both Carla and Emilios own knowlege and history of each place they had Profesional guides to take you around to the other places. Nice to be in a private car. Great food like I said before. Emilio really takes care and you can see the passion in every dish he makes. Very well put together tour. Loved my stay at the farmhouse learning about the olive trees. Overall a Wonderful experience during my week in brindisi. Will visit again! Crystal

A terrific experience made up of 2 parts. Salento meant being with Emilio and Clara and their family on the farm/ restaurant and visiting some amazing places in the area. We loved their company and the fascinating places we saw there. We appreciated the flexibility and particularly the unique experience of being part of their family ( including Pongo the dog) . There were many gastronomic highlights as well. Matera was an eye opener in many ways with its incredible history and we have never stayed in a luxury cave before.

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The Perfect 7 Day Puglia Road Trip Itinerary

We always knew that we would fall in love with Puglia, but after diving deep into the region on an extended Puglia road trip, it’s safe to say that we’re near-obsessed with it.

From exploring whitewashed hilltop villages to dipping (again and again and again) into the sparkling Adriatic Sea, and from devouring endless plates of orecchiette to sleeping in one of the region’s famous trulli , Puglia is awash with delightful Italy travel experiences.

Longtime readers know that we have a tendency to fall in love with certain corners of Italy and return to them repeatedly, and, well–let’s just say we expect to have plenty of opportunities to continue updating this Puglia blog post over the years.

Located on the “heel of the boot”, Puglia (sometimes called Apulia) is known primarily as a beach destination to Italian and other European travelers.

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It’s less popular with North Americans (so far), but that balance seems to be shifting a bit more each year.

With a hidden gem as absolutely sublime as this one, though, it was only a matter of time until the secret got out.

If you’re looking to spend a week exploring a laid-back and beautiful corner of Italy, where the food is fresh (fun fact: around 40% of Italy’s olive oil comes from Puglia!), the driving easy, the and the swimming sublime, this Puglia road trip itinerary is for you.

(And, I didn’t even mention yet that Puglia is significantly less crowded and less expensive than hotspots like the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre ).

Here’s how to make the most of 7 days in beautiful Puglia, Italy!

Table of Contents

How We Structured This Puglia Itinerary

Renting a car for your road trip (+ traveling to puglia), can this puglia itinerary work without a car, other destinations to add to your itinerary for puglia, the best time of year to visit puglia, italy, what to pack for a 7 day puglia road trip, one week puglia travel itinerary map.

With a region as large and diverse as Puglia, narrowing down the best places to visit on a 7 day Puglia road trip is quite the challenge!

Unlike many of the itineraries on Our Escape Clause , we’ve structured this Puglia itinerary as a point-to-point trip leading (loosely) from Bari to Lecce, rather than as a loop.

However, as Lecce and Bari are less than 2 hours apart by either train or car, you’ll easily be able to return to Bari at the end of your trip if needed.

We designed this trip to Puglia around visiting whitewashed villages, historic cities, and–of course–lots of beaches and seaside landscapes.

It’s a fairly fast-paced itinerary in the sense that it packs a lot in and involves visiting many beautiful towns, but to drive this route straight through without traffic would actually take less than 5 hours!

You’ll drive a bit more than that, counting day trips and such, but the bottom line is that it’s a very doable distance in a week, even at a relaxed pace.

In other words, you have more time for beach time than you might think at first glance!

However, try as you might, it’s impossible to explore all of the best places to visit in Puglia in a week, so some (very worthy) destinations have been cut.

Because of this, in addition to the detailed 7 day itinerary for Puglia that we’ve outlined here, we’ve also made notes of several more incredible places in the region that you can add or swap in, depending on your travel style, the season, and how much time you have to enjoy the heel of the boot.

This Puglia travel guide is quite long, so feel free to use the table of contents above this section to navigate to the most important parts for you if you wish!

For most people, of course, taking a Puglia road trip will require renting a car

We recommend renting a small car through  Discover Cars , which will allow you to compare the prices and inclusions of multiple companies at the same time and choose the best car for you from there.

For the purposes of this itinerary, we recommend picking up your car in Bari.

To get to Puglia itself, you can either fly into Bari (Brindisi, to the south, has an airport as well, but Bari is more convenient for this itinerary), or take the train there.

If you’re coming from outside of Europe, there’s a good chance it will be more affordable to fly into Rome or Venice, and then take the high-speed train to Bari to start your road trip in Puglia.

If you’d like to investigate flying into a major city and then taking a train to Puglia, we recommend checking the train schedules and prices through Omio (bear in mind that tickets for high-speed trains can dramatically increase as the trip gets closer).

Check rates & book your rental car for Puglia today!

This Puglia itinerary is specifically designed as a road trip, and we do strongly believe that driving is the best way to visit the heel of Italy’s boot!

From offbeat villages to quiet, out-of-the-way beaches, your trip to Puglia will absolutely be enhanced by having your own set of wheels.

That being said, if you can’t or would rather not drive, you can still cover the vast majority of the sights included on this Puglia road trip itinerary through a combination of public transportation and guided tours.

If you’re not planning to drive, you can still follow the bulk of this itinerary by train.

However, you’ll likely need to cut some of the smaller towns in the Itria Valley (as you won’t be moving as quickly), as well as stick to beaches/swim spots within walking distance of town.

You’ll also want to be sure to choose lodging that’s within walking distance of the train stations.

And, if you’re not attached the idea of sleeping in a trullo (though I’ll be the first to say it is a delight), you may consider spending longer based in Monopoli and visiting the interior towns via day trips.

If you want to structure your itinerary for Puglia without a car, we highly recommend using  Omio  to check exact ticket schedules and pricing for trains and buses in the region.

Check schedules and shop train and bus tickets in Puglia  today!

Day 1: Arrive in Bari and head to Monopoli.

Bari, Puglia’s capital and largest city, is the perfect launching pad for your road trip whether you arrive in the region by train or plane.

While Bari has several attractions worth exploring, for the sake of time, we won’t dedicate much time to Bari on this itinerary.

If you arrive by train and are a completionist at heart, it’s about a 15-minute walk from Bari Centrale to the heart of the old town, if you’d like to take a quick spin around the city’s central sights like the Basilica San Nicolo and the Cathedral of San Sabino.

Once you wrap up, though, it’s time to pick up your rental car and zip off to Monopoli!

It’s about a 45-minute drive between the 2 cities, depending on traffic, so you’re not in a rush.

After checking into your hotel (ideally in or near the historic center–more on that in a minute), it’s time to start exploring.

While Monopoli’s historic center has some interesting churches and such to check out, the Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi is definitely worth a peek (as is the Bella Blu Gelateria right on it), what you’re most likely looking for is the sparkling Adriatic Sea!

Head to the Porto Antico (Old Harbor) to start your stroll past the Castello Carlo V and along the Lungomare.

As you head further away from the historic center, you’ll notice more and more people with their towels spread out on the rocks, going for a dip–and yes, this is highly recommended!

Where to Stay in Monopoli, Italy

We loved our stay at La Maison dello Zio : the property was clean, spacious, and very quiet (extra impressive considering its location in the heart of Monopoli’s small historic center).

We’d be happy to stay again!

Other popular, well-reviewed options in Monopoli include Corte Sant’Angelo or–if you’re looking for a splurge complete with incredible views–the stunning Hotel Don Ferrante .

We recommend staying in Monopoli for 2 nights.

Check rates & book your stay in Monopoli!

Day 2: Visit Polignano a Mare and explore Monopoli.

On the second day of your road trip in Puglia, head just 15 minutes north or so along the coast to the famous town of Polignano a Mare.

You’ll likely recognize Polignano a Mare’s picture-perfect beach: the views of this beach from above are some of the most iconic images of the region!

While the beach itself is small and very rocky (you’ll definitely want water shoes if you plan to swim there), the water is gorgeous and the views of the coast from above are well worth the trip.

Polignano a Mare is one of the most popular–read crowded–towns in Puglia, so we recommend getting an early start if you can.

Don’t miss the opportunity to wander through the old town, seeking out stunning views of the Adriatic along the way.

Terrazza Santo Stefano in particular is a must-see!

If you want even more unique views of the coast, joining one of the popular Polignano a Mare boat tours is a fantastic option (and will also give you an opportunity to swim away from the crowds at the beach).

Want a bucket-list dining experience while in Puglia?

The picturesque cave overlooking the sea found at Hotel Grotta Palazzese has been used as a restaurant since the 18th century (today, you’ll definitely need reservations if you plan to eat lunch there).

After wrapping up your morning exploring, eating, and possibly swimming your way through Polignano a Mare, head back to Monopoli and enjoy the afternoon and evening there!

To swim, check out Cala Porta Vecchia, or keep walking along the water until you hit Cala Cozze or Porto Bianco.

There are plenty of lidos (paid Italian beach clubs with umbrellas and chairs) around Monopoli, but for less than a full beach day, we prefer to stick with free swimming spots.

Day 3: Head inland to Alberobello and nearby whitewashed towns.

As difficult as it can be to leave the coast behind, it’s worth it to see another side of Puglia during your week in the region!

Puglia is famous for trulli –the dry, stone, conical buildings typical of the area, and the buildings are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

You can find them across the Itria Valley, but no town has a higher concentration of them than the famous–and stunning–Alberobello.

After Polignano a Mare’s central beach, the trulli of Alberobello are probably the most recognizable image of Puglia.

However, today won’t just be about Alberobello, but about the surrounding villages.

The nearby small towns of Locorotondo and Martina Franca are both also well worth visiting, and while they have fewer trulli , they’re beautiful and will be far less crowded.

We recommend saving Alberobello for the end of the day, and spending the night there–ideally in a trullo !

The crowds of day trippers that swarm Alberobello throughout the day can be downright overwhelming, making this down best enjoyed in the evening and the early morning (and if you’re visiting in the summer, this will help with the heat, too).

If you want to make sure you don’t miss any of the most iconic trulli , this popular walking tour is a great addition to your time in Alberobello.

Book your walking tour of Alberobello today!

Where to Stay in Alberobello, Italy

For a memorable stay in the Itria Valley, you can’t beat spending the night in a trullo!

We can’t rave enough about our stay in the Miratrulli Apartment & Trullo –everything from the structure to the location to the hospitality of the owner was flawless.

If it’s booked, though, Trulli Holiday Albergo Diffuso and Trulli Soav e also get excellent reviews.

We recommend spending 1-2 nights here.

Check rates & book your stay in Alberobello today!

Day 4: Continue exploring the Itria Valley or head to Matera.

As you hit the mid-point of your Puglia road trip, it’s time for a decision!

Option one: stay in the Itria Valley, continue exploring whitewashed hilltop towns, tasting wine, sampling olive oil, and enjoying trulli .

With this option, you may want to head over to the gorgeous city of Ostuni, a longtime favorite in the region that features magnificent views from its hilltop as well as plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.

Alternatively, you can head west to the fascinating city of Matera.

Matera, though located in the region of Basilicata rather than in Puglia itself, is a popular addition to Puglia itineraries.

Matera is an endlessly interesting place, known for being populated since the prehistoric area, its incredible views, and its Sassi area–the area populated by cave dwellings dating back thousands of years.

In the 1950s, Matera gained international notoriety for the poor living conditions in the Sassi, and was nicknamed the “Shame of Italy”.

The population was forcibly removed the the “new” (still quite old) town surrounding the Sassi, and the historic cave dwellings were abandoned.

Fast forward several decades, though, and Matera has achieved new life as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a popular filming location (for films ranging wildly from “The Passion of the Christ” to “James Bond: No Time to Die”), and a European Capital of Culture.

Many of the formerly shameful Sassi have been converted into popular boutique cave hotels.

Matera is absolutely, without a doubt, worth visiting–but it is also incredibly hot during the summer months, even by the standards of southern Italy.

If that sounds like a fair trade, or you’re enjoying 7 days in Puglia outside of summer, Matera is a great idea.

If you don’t have a high heat tolerance, consider sticking around the Itria Valley instead, where it still gets quite hot, but is easier to cool off.

Where to Stay in Matera, Italy

Unfortunately, as beautiful as the views from our balcony were, we can’t recommend the cave hotel we stayed in when visiting Matera.

However, Conche Luxury Retreat and Il Belvedere are both beautiful properties that get excellent reviews!

Matera in general is extremely affordable by Italian standards, making it a wonderful place to splurge on a memorable place to stay.

If you choose to visit Matera, we recommend spending one night there.

Check rates & book your stay in Matera today!

Day 5: Make your way back to the sea in Otranto.

Whether you’ve been exploring the Itria Valley or Matera, if you’re visiting Puglia during the summer, one thing is certain: at this point, you’re going to be ready to get back to the sea!

Make your way to Otranto (despite this being your longest drive of the trip, getting from Matera to Otranto is still likely to take you only about 3 hours), where you can enjoy wide, sandy beaches and plenty of coastal charm again.

Choosing a favorite between Monopoli and Otranto would be very, very difficult, but Otranto’s wide, sandy beaches located right next door to the center are definitely a plus.

(Monopoli has plenty of swimming near the center too, of course, but not as many sandy stretches quite as conveniently located).

While in Otranto, be sure to pay a visit to the gorgeous Duomo, the Castello Aragonese, and the tiny Church of St. Peter.

Walking along the town ramparts is also a must, but without a doubt, a good portion of your time in Otranto should be dedicated to beach time!

Where to Stay in Otranto, Italy

We loved our stay at the spacious Marimar Apartments , located a short walk from Centro Storico and an even shorter walk from the sea.

B&B Palazzo Marzo and Palazzo de Mori are both excellent options as well!

Otranto’s small size and location hugging the Adriatic make it simple to find places to stay near the water, a big advantage for a beach town.

We recommend staying in Otranto for 2 nights and wrapping up your 7 days in Puglia here.

Check rates & book your stay in Otranto today!

Day 6: Explore Otranto and visit the Cave of Poetry.

While we’ve tried to leave plenty of room for afternoon swimming in this 7 day itinerary for Puglia, today is the only day that is dedicated almost exclusively to it!

Other than perhaps a bit of sightseeing (gelato in hand, of course) in Centro Storico, today is all about the water.

We recommend taking a drive out to the Cave of Poetry (in Italian, Grotta della Poesia ) to enjoy one of the most stunning swimming holes we’ve ever had a chance to enjoy!

Featuring crystal-clear water, jaw-dropping views, a cave to swim through, and even some nearby ruins to explore, it’s a remarkable sight.

And, if you’re feeling particularly daring, you can even join the locals for a bit of cliff-jumping.

Looking for something a bit different, either as an alternative or an addition to your day?

The Bay of Turkey ( Baia dei Turchi ) is also nearby and boasts what is widely considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Puglia.

If you happen to be visiting Puglia outside the swimming season and are looking for an alternative away from the water, you could substitute a visit to Gallipoli and/or Lecce here.

Day 7: Make your way home, possibly stopping in Lecce on the way.

As you wrap up your 7 days in Puglia and prepare to head home, there’s one final stop we recommend making on the way: Lecce, the “Florence of the South”.

This university city is packed with stunning Baroque architecture and long history with ties to Ancient Greece and Rome.

It’s gorgeous and well worth a visit, but since it’s located inland in the southern part of Puglia, it doesn’t draw nearly as many visitors as the coasts.

If you have time, spend some time exploring the best things to do in Lecce’s Centro Storico, including the remains of the Roman Amphitheatre, the Basilica di Santa Croce, and the Piazza del Duomo and Duomo itself.

This well-reviewed walking tour can help you efficiently cover the highlights of the city in just a couple of hours!

If you don’t want to drive back to Bari to drop off your rental car (it’s about a 2-hour drive), consider checking prices for a one-way rental that you drop off in Lecce.

That’s what we did on our Puglia road trip, and it ended up being very affordable!

Lecce is home to a well-connected train station that can easily whisk you off to your next destination in Italy if you’re planning to continue your travels within the country.

If you’re flying home from Bari, though, it’ll likely be easiest to drive back yourself.

While this itinerary covers quite a bit of Puglia in 7 days, no one trip could hope to cover it all!

In addition to the choose-your-own-adventure modifications we’ve included throughout the itinerary, here are a few more stops you might consider adding on with more than a week in Puglia.

Located on the western edge of the Salento region of Puglia, Gallipoli is located more or less opposite Otranto on the peninsula.

Featuring the beautiful seaside Castello Aragonese, a charming center, and plenty of surrounding beaches, Gallipoli makes for a delightful seaside base in southern Puglia.

Gargano National Park

This itinerary for Puglia doesn’t stray further north than Bari, so sadly doesn’t pass through Gargano National Park.

However, if you’re looking for rugged, wild beaches, offbeat small towns like the gorgeous Vico del Gargano, and even a forest (the Forest Umbra is stunning), Gargano National Park has you covered.

Unless you have an exceptionally long time to spend on your Puglia vacation, this part of the region is probably best visited on a separate trip.

Tremiti Islands

This small archipelago, made up of 5 main islands, is known for its magnificent beaches, sea caves, cliffs, and brilliant turquoise water.

The Tremiti Islands are part of Gargano National Park, but you’ll need to hop on a boat–or, if you’re feeling like a splurge, a helicopter–to get there!

Castel del Monte

The mysterious Castel del Monte dates to the 13th century and was built by King Frederick II.

Its unusual shape has caused some to speculate over the centuries that it was never meant to be a defensive fortress at all!

Today, it is known as one of Puglia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is located just outside of Bari.

Located right on the Adriatic Sea and featuring a beautiful Duomo, charming Centro Storico, and the remains of once-important defensive structures, Trani has quite a bit in common with towns like Monopoli and Otranto!

Too far north to fit into this 7 day Puglia trip, it is nonetheless well worth a visit with more time in the region.

Grotte di Castellana

This stunning karst cave system is a feast for the eyes, and definitely one of the coolest places to visit in Puglia!

And, during the summer, “coolest” is literal: the caves maintain a constant temperature of around 62 ° F/16.5 ° C, making them a great place to escape the summer heat on a particularly hot afternoon.

You can reach the Grotte di Castellana in under 30 minutes from Monopoli or Alberobello.

We’ve designed this Puglia road trip for a visit that takes place during the swimming season–so late spring, summer, and early fall.

Personally, we find June and September to be the ideal months for visiting Puglia if you’re hoping to swim and have a typical beach trip: the water will be great for swimming, and the towns lively without being overrun as in July and August.

July and August are the most popular months for visiting Puglia, so if you want the height of the mid-summer, peak season experience, that’s when to go!

In May, the weather is a bit cool for swimming as far as we’re concerned, but some brave souls do take it on.

Spring and fall are both ideal for cultural trips to Puglia focused on exploring the villages of the Itria Valley, the region’s historic sites, and of course, its food.

We found sweating during mid-day when inland a fair trade-off for swimming in the Adriatic, but we definitely would have been far more comfortable in places like Locorotondo and Alberobello in the spring or fall.

Winter is a decidedly slow season in Puglia, however, the weather does stay mild and quite dry, making it a great choice if you’re looking to escape the cold, dark weather further north during winter in Europe !

Here are a few essentials that you should definitely add to your packing list as you prepare for your road trip in Puglia, Italy!

Travel Insurance  — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and a fast-paced road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.

We use and recommend  Safety Wing  for trips to Italy.

Travel Adaptors for Italy  — If you’re coming from outside of Europe, you’ll definitely need adaptors for your electronics.

Hands-Free Phone Mount  — This is especially important if you don’t have a reliable co-pilot: the last thing you want to do is fumble with the GPS on your phone when driving in Puglia.

Pack a cell phone holder to attach to the car and you’ll be able to drive much more safely!

Dry Bag — Want to keep your electronics safe during a beach day or boat trip?

Securing them in a dry bag is the perfect low-cost solution!

Sunscreen — The day we visited Polignano a Mare, we forgot our sunscreen and ended up panic-buying a very overpriced bottle in town… that didn’t even work well.

Moral of this story: bring your own sunscreen!

Additional Car Insurance  — Whether you purchase a policy that covers car rental (only some do, so double-check!), purchase a policy through the rental car company, or something else, be sure you have coverage: it’s worth the peace of mind.

Portable USB Charger  — Don’t stress about your phone dying while you’re spending long days driving from village to village: add a portable charger to your packing list.

Swiss Army Knife  — Want to open wine bottles in your hotel room, slice cheese from the market, or cut up that fresh focaccia from the bakery?

You’ll be so glad you brought a Swiss Army Knife along on your Puglia vacation!

Camera  — We absolutely adore our  Sony a7R III , but whatever camera you’re comfortable with works.

Just make sure you have something with you to preserve your memories!.

Hand Sanitizer  — We carry this everywhere, and have never been sorry to have it floating around in our day bag.

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

10 thoughts on “The Perfect 7 Day Puglia Road Trip Itinerary”

Hi there, absolutely loved all the info. I am from Canada and going to Italy(Verona) to visit family from May 24- June 29th. My friend is meeting me in Italy within those 5 weeks and we are going to Puglia. We are planning out our trip next week. This info was perfect. We will be renting a car and are planning for a 7-10 day trip. If we wanted to spend a couple of extra days to relax would you recommend just staying in Otranto?

Otranto is a great choice! Monopoli would be almost a tie with it for us–can’t go wrong with either. 🙂

Hi, Was it easy having the dog with you? Was the dog allowed eveywhere you went e.g. Beaches, restaurant etc. Or was it difficult? I’m asking as I would love to bring my dog with me

In general, it’s very easy to travel with dogs in Italy, and that’s true in Puglia, too. 🙂

Dogs are allowed on some beaches (some are limited to the winter and not all lidos are dog-friendly), so definitely check before heading out on that.

Outdoor dining at restaurants is more or less universally dog-friendly.

Not all hotels and apartments are dog-friendly, but a wide variety are, and we are never short on options for places to stay.

Hope you and your furry friend have a great trip!

Just read your 7 day itinerary for Puglia and so tempted to book almost everything you mentioned. Looks a great trip! So glad we found your site.

Thank you so much, Tina! Hope you have a wonderful time in Puglia!

Hi Kate, my husband and I are planning our 3rd trip to Italy this coming March (2024). Our 2nd trip was to the northern regions, and your advice was extremely helpful. This trip we are going to focus on the southern region. Is there a way to easily print your guides? I didn’t see a print bottom and the formatting changed a bit when I tried to print the page – cutting off some of the info. Thanks for all the great information!!

Thank you so much, that’s great to hear our posts already helped you once! 🙂

Unfortunately we don’t have a specific printable version available right now, though it is something we’ve considered setting up in the future!

Do you know of the Masseria Pote winery in Puglia? We are headed to a wedding there this fall and love your 7 day tour of the area.

I am not, but it looks beautiful! Hope you guys have a fantastic time–Puglia is such a special place. 🙂

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Puglia travel blog — the fullest puglia travel guide for first-timers.

Puglia is a small region located at the heel of Italy’s boot. Along with the birthplace of Renaissance Tuscany, Puglia is one of the most beautiful destinations of Italy with picturesque towns and villages, the Italy’s most beautiful beaches. It is also famous for the two tree and plant that have become iconic: Olives and grapes at highest quality. Many Puglia specialties come from them. However, not only famous for its olive production and famous premium wines, Puglia also has many more reasons to urge visitors to come. So, is Puglia Italy worth visiting, what to do in Puglia and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Puglia for the first-time? Let’s check out our Puglia travel blog (Puglia blog, Puglia Italy travel blog) with the fullest Puglia travel guide (how to get to Puglia, Puglia guide, Puglia Italy travel guide, Puglia tourist guide) from how to get there, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit, what to eat and top things to do in Puglia as well as suggested Puglia itinerary to find out the answer!

• Where to go in Puglia? — 10 best towns in Puglia & most beautiful places in Puglia
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When it comes to Italy, surely in your head will immediately appear cliché names like Venice, Rome or Milan. But the boot-shaped country has much more to offer than that. Have you ever heard of the land of Apulia or Puglia, located at the “heel” of the Italian peninsula? To many tourists, this name may not really widely know, but in Italy, Puglia is the most desirable place to visit. Surely, after reading this sharing of Puglia travel blog, you will want to pack your suitcase and explore this wonderful remote land.

Puglia is a “heel” region of the southern peninsular section of Italy and is home to historic towns that are thousands of years old, diverse landscapes, great food, and owns some of the best beaches in the south of the country.

Puglia travel blog: Overview of Puglia

Where is the Puglia region?

As I shared in the article sharing my experience of visiting Bari , Puglia is the geographical region located in the southeasternmost tip of Italy. In the past, along with Venice, Puglia was located on Italy’s sea trade route with Eastern European countries and the Balkans. Today, when economic development is more concentrated in the northern regions, the name Puglia is somewhat less well known, many liken Puglia to the Italian Far East, a name that evokes remoteness and mystery.

Located in Southern Italy and right at the heel of the boot-shaped country, the Puglia region has a true Mediterranean beauty with blue sea water, immense olive groves interspersed with Trulli mushroom houses and pretty little white towns. Therefore, Puglia is a very hot tourist destination in the summer in Italy.

This is also one of my favorite regions in Italy. In total I went to Puglia 2 times. Once 6 years ago only used public transport and mainly sightseeing. As for the August trip this year, I went by car from Rome, mainly going to the beach for 7 days and combining with 3 more days of sightseeing around the region.

Although there are a few villages that I have been to twice, but every time I go, I also like it because it is so beautiful. I highly recommend that you go to Puglia once if you can.

Puglia can be divided into 3 parts: North, Central and South. Puglia’s famous attractions are mostly concentrated in the South and Central, from Bari stretching down to Lecce and divided into 2 areas: Valle d’Itria and Salento.

Puglia travel blog: Valle d’Itria  (Itria Valley)

The Itria Valley, located between the provinces of Bari , Taranto and Brindisi, is characterized by beautiful white villages, irresistible delicious food and especially “trulli”, a very typical conical stone house. That is why this area is also known as the  valley of trulli.

Dotted with trulli houses along both sides of the road are olive trees and the stone walls are arranged ingeniously without the use of any adhesive. In Italian this type of wall is called “muro a secco”.

The most famous villages in Itria Valley are Alberobello, Ostuni and Locorotondo. Because it is located near Bari – the capital of Puglia, so you can combine visiting Bari and Polignano a Mare. There are also Zoosafari and Castellana caves, so it is very suitable for families traveling with children.

The Salento Peninsula is also known as the heel of the Italian boot. Stretching from the southern province of Taranto to the entire province of Lecce. The western Salento is bordered the Ionian Sea and to the east by the Adriatic Sea. The two seas meet and intersect at Santa Maria di Leuca, the southernmost point of the peninsula.

It is because of this very unique topography that Salento has many of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Quite a few beaches are called very beautiful names such as Maldive del Salento, Caraibi del Salento… because of the clear blue water.

In addition to the beaches, Salento also has no shortage of beautiful attractions such as:  Lecce, a city characterized by baroque architecture, or small coastal towns like Otranto, Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca.

Is Puglia italy worth visiting: Why should you visit Puglia?

The north of Puglia is associated with the wine-producing culture, while the south has a strong connection with traditional Roman-Greek culture. Thanks to those factors, it has created a special land, attracting tourists from all over the world. It can be said that in terms of history, poetic aspects, peace or bold Italian culture, there is no land that can overcome Puglia. Here are some reasons why you should visit Puliga.

Rich history and architecture

Puglia was once the gateway to Greece and the East. Therefore, this is the ideal land for those who want to learn about culture and history. The region also retains many ancient vestiges of history, culture, tradition and spirituality.

Coming to Puglia you can satisfy all your curiosity and discovery interests. From ancient history to the Medieval and Baroque eras. From castles along the coast to small art villages. Where craft masterpieces begin, stunning views and old quarters. Here like creating the door to enter different civilizations.

Beautiful limestone houses with conical roofs, called Trulli. Very common here, and dates back to the 15th century. Roman, Greco and Messapian remains are also found side by side here. Lecce city with beautiful baroque architecture and considered as an art treasure.

Friendly, generous locals

Although not many people in Puglia can speak English, they are always smiling and ready to help visitors as much as possible. They can guide you on how to get around, places to visit and absolutely do not disturb or cheat. A little friendly Italian words like “ciao” or “bello”, “gustoso” is definitely not difficult for you but makes them happier when welcoming strangers from far away. Who knows, you might learn how to make pizza from an Italian?

Peaceful countryside

If the streets of Puglia were peaceful, the countryside is also absolute peace. There is nothing more enjoyable than cycling through unnamed small dirt roads, flanked by grape fields or weeds, breathing in the countryside fresh air. Even if you scream, it will only startle the birds.

Slow living pace

Puglia is exactly the place for tourists to live slowly. No one is in a hurry here, of course you have to blend in with that atmosphere. Restaurants, coffee shops, restaurants are almost only heard whispering and many places are closed for lunch break. Sipping a cup of coffee and gazing at the streets is perhaps more than enough to slow down after days of hurrying.

Great cuisine

Food is the reason that you cannot miss when coming to Puglia. This land is developed for agriculture so it is an ideal place for fresh meals from local produce. The food here is not expensive, they are reasonably priced. In particular, your meal cannot be without olives and wine – the prides of the Puglia people.

Dreamy alleys and cobbled streets

Most of the streets in Puglia are a maze, small and super winding alleys but not making visitors feel tired and annoyed. They enjoy wandering the cobbled nooks and crannies to discover a forgotten world.

Other reasons

Puglia is the land with the longest coastline in Italy, along with a tradition of maritime trade, so Apulia has many ancient towns, villages and beautiful Mediterranean-style ports.

Puglia shares the Adriatic Sea with Greece and is not far from North Africa, so the architectural style here is influenced by Eastern Europe and Greece very strongly.

Southern Italy’s warm, sunny climate creates a generous, open-minded and not as touristy as northern Italian cities.

Referring to Apulia, people immediately think of unique cultural heritages such as the ancient town of Alberobello, the white city of Ostuni, the open-air architecture museum of Lecce or the once-resounding Bari capital.

When to visit and how long should you travel to Puglia?

The not good time to avoid traveling to Puglia is 2 weeks in mid-August, because this is extremely crowded with tourists due to the Ferragosto holiday season. If you like the hustle and bustle, no problem. However, the other problems that come with it are: difficulties in finding a beach spot or a seat at restaurant, and the cost of room renting or sun loungers at the beach is also higher.

Except August, it’s ok to come to Puglia every other month. If you want to go to the beach but avoid crowds, you should go around June and July.

The ideal travel time in Puglia in my opinion is 7 days. The more time you have, the better you will experience, because there are indeed plenty of places to go. The first time I went for about 4 or 5 days, but almost only to visit the main places but did not deeply explore. This time going for 10 days, I feel a lot better.

Puglia travel guide: How to get to Puglia?

Taking a plane is the most convenient way to get to Puglia. The region’s two main airports are located in Bari and Brindisi. Cheap airlines like Ryanair or Easyjet all operate flight routes here, so you just have to work hard to find cheap prices on Google Flights, Skyscanner or Kayak. There was a time when I found a ticket with only… €9 from Rome.

If you depart from Rome or southern Italy you can consider taking the train to Bari. But if you come from cities in the North or Central Italy, you should… forget this option, because the time on the train can be nearly half a day.

As I shared in the previous article to visit Bari , you can take the train or plane to Bari, then stay one night and the next day visit other cities in Puglia. Another less common way is to take a bus. One bus company that is mentioned a lot is Onbus but I have not experienced it because I see Puglia as a rather remote area, so the bus ride is quite long and not as comfortable as a train or plane. Unless you are in cities near Bari, use this vehicle.

Puglia Italy travel guide: Getting around Puglia

If possible, you should rent a car or self-drive to Puglia to be more flexible about the itinerary and save time. Self-driving also helps you to visit more closely the Itria valley or beautiful beaches that are difficult to reach by bus.

Taking public transport in Puglia is still fine, because a few years ago when I was a student, I only took buses and trains. However, your travel time and schedule will not be very flexible.

Puglia blog: Getting from Bari to Ostuni, Polignano al Mare and Alberobello

From Bari to other places like Polignano a Mare, Alberobello, Locorotondo, Ostuni, Lecce you can check train timetable and tickets on Omio or  Trenitalia . And from Lecce to the towns and beaches there are buses of STP , especially the summer service called   Salentoinbus  will have more trips.

From Bari to Ostuni you can take the regional train, you can look up the departure time and buy tickets online here . Travel time is about 2 hours 30 minutes.

From Ostuni to Polignano a Mare is the same, but you should note that Polignano a Mare is located in the middle of the road from Bari to Ostuni, so it is common for you to visit Ostuni first and then on the way back to visit Polignano. It takes about 30 minutes by train from Ostuni via Polignano. From Bari to Alberobello also take the train, travel time is 2 hours.

Puglia blog: Where to stay?

If you want to live like a local in Puglia, you have to experience the form of tourism at the farms, also known as Masserie in Italian. Guests will stay in houses with Mediterranean-style gardens with olive trees, rooms painted with white walls with minimalist décor and luxurious swimming pools just like hotels. You can check it out on Agoda or Booking or Airbnb.

In addition, in Alberobello you also have the opportunity to spend the night in trulli mushroom houses, the type of traditional conical stone houses with spires only found in this town.

To avoid moving and changing accommodation too much, you should only choose a maximum of 2 places to book your hotel: One in the Bari and Itria valley, one in the Salento. The distance between attractions in the same area is not far, so you only need to book in one place to be able to easily travel to other places.

In agricultural areas such as the Itria valley there are many masserias, i.e. farms whose dwellings have been converted into hotels or B&Bs.

Bari and Valle d’Itria (Puglia Italy travel blog)

If you travel by public transport, it is best to book a hotel in Bari. If you have a car, you can choose a hotel or B&B in the trulli area like the villages near Fasano.

My family booked 3 nights at B&B Salita delle Pere . The feeling of sleeping in a trulli in the quiet country atmosphere is really relaxing and unforgettable. The breakfast cakes are all handmade by the lady owner, and the cow’s milk is also from her farm. After spending 3 nights here, I feel relaxed after 7 days of jostling with tons of people at the sea. In short, very good value for money.

Some good hotels in Bari you can refer to

• The Nicolaus Hotel ( Agoda , Booking )
• Hi Hotel Bari ( Agoda , Booking )
• Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci Bari ( Agoda , Booking )
• Parco Dei Principi Hotel Congress & Spa ( Booking )
• iH Hotels Bari Oriente ( Agoda , Booking )
• Zodiacus ( Agoda , Booking )
• iH Hotels Bari Grande Albergo delle Nazioni ( Agoda , Booking )
• Hotel City Bari ( Agoda , Booking )

Check out more top and best hotels in Bari on Agoda.com or Booking.com .

Lecce is the largest city in the area and has a very busy nightlife, so you should book a hotel here ( Agoda , Booking ). Those who have a car should stay outside the old downtown area with a bit ride or check the hotel’s parking carefully, but finding parking in the center is quite difficult.

Distance from Lecce to other places:

• Lecce – Gallipoli and nearby beaches (Porto Cesareo, Punta Prosciutto, Punta della Suina..): 35-40 minutes.
• Lecce – Otranto and nearby beaches (Torre dell’Orso, Alimini, Baia dei Turchi..): 35-40 minutes.
• Lecce – Santa Maria di Leuca and nearby beaches (Maldive del Salento, Lido Marini..): 1 hour.

Puglia italy travel blog: Where to go, what to do in Puglia?

If you are a history enthusiast, Puglia is the paradise for you to indulge in that pleasure. The city of Bari , the capital of Puglia, is also home to many Baroque mansions. The Old Quarter is located on a peninsula jutting into the sea, mainly built of white limestone. Small alleys, alleys and ancient domes. Standing from any corner of Bari, you can easily see churches and monasteries.

More interested, you can go to Otranto to admire the church of Santa Maria Annunziata – the most important Catholic cathedral of the city. The floor of the church is completely covered with mosaics dating from the 11th century, fully reproducing the images from the Bible. On the right wing of the hall is a place to remember those who died in the massacre by the Turks in 1480. Today, the skulls of the victims are placed in a glass cabinet right at the church pedestal, making many people feel creepy.

The White City of Ostuni

Ostuni is called La Citta Bianca (the white city) because of its white houses. Strolling these streets is one of the relaxing moments. The city is full of cute cafes, ice cream parlor, pastry shops and shops with local products. Pottery shops sell pumo di fiore (ornamental ceramics) with all kinds of colors and sizes. You will see this egg-shaped flower bud all over Puglia, acting as a symbol of prosperity and fertility.

In Ostuni, there is a town that fascinates visitors with its Greek beauty: whitewashed houses, scattered from the plains to the hills. Even hotels in this area are painted white to blend in with the surrounding residential area. The most famous accommodation is La Sommita hotel, built in the 16th century, which was originally a castle of the indigenous people. From here you can look out over the sea and enjoy meals right under the castle dome as a guest. During the day, walking on the labyrinthine streets of the city, don’t forget to stop by the bar to sip some real Puglia wine to be alert enough to find your way home.

Ostuni located on the Adriatic coast, famous for its white paint color of the whole city. If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting the Greek island of Santorini, Ostuni will surely fascinate you. In the past, the trade of Italy and Greece was very active, the Greek community used to live in Puglia and their mark was the characteristic white painted towns. Under the golden sun like honey, the deep blue sky no less the color of the sea in the distance, Ostuni appeared proud but very simple. To exalt that pride white color, houses and streets also seem to be decorated as minimally as possible. Ostuni is still not very crowded, so we feel even more small in the space of the city. We stopped for lunch at the fairy-tale Trattoria Fave e Fogghje restaurant/pub and inhaled the distant scent of Greece across the Adriatic.

Polignano a Mare

The town of Polignano a Mare is one of the beautiful towns in Puglia known for its stunning beach with clear blue water, craggy white buildings and a charming beach, Polignano a Mare is one of the towns. you must visit when visiting Puglia Italy.

Perched on a craggy cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea, looking even more blue from above, Polignano a Mare is just a small town but steals your soul in a jiffy by lovely streets and houses decorated as if its owners were all poets, or at least artists. This is where Italians come to watch the sea, swimming and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of a Mediterranean afternoon. Polignano is like a short poem, but ecstatically beautiful.

Heading to the square in Polignano al Mare, stop at Il Super Mago del Gelo for a special coffee – their unique concoction with lemon, liqueur and espresso. If not, you can also try others as they also serve traditional coffee, gelato and pastries.

Alberobello

Alberobello is a super cute town in Puglia, home to tiny houses called trulli that have been listed as a UNESCO heritage site. Trulli are small hut-like houses whose cones look like cute mushrooms. Layers of “mushrooms” lining the small slopes of Alberobello attract the footsteps of any visitor. Shops, restaurants or even churches here are also shaped like mushrooms. The secret to a beautiful photo of trulli is to go to the high hill in the afternoon, when the whole cute city is bathed in the extremely romantic sunset.

The houses were built of stone to be easily disassembled to pay less taxes in the 19th century and are now protected by UNESCO law. You can see them scattered throughout the countryside, but you will see these houses one after another in Alberobello.

This is probably a city you must visit once in your life, because it is only one in the world and has become a new highlight of Italian tourism next to the familiar Rome and Venice. Alberobello is world famous for its mushroom-shaped stone houses (conical roofs). This is not a scene from a mythical movie, this is Southern Italy full of surprises for you. Alberobello for me is somewhat less emotional than the two cities above due to quite a lot of tourists. On Alberobello’s holiday, it is packed with tourists because Alberobello is beautiful and unique. You know how, sometimes we have to accept to share beautiful things with many people, not just keep them for ourselves.

Puglia on all three sides is surrounded by the sea, making it really attractive to tourists who love the sea. The sea water here has a beautiful blue color, the color that makes people stare endlessly. You can easily find great beaches for swimming, photography or simply looking at. No need to go too far, the capital Bari can meet the needs of most visitors. Here you can also shop, admire the large-scale shipyards under the blue sky.

The beaches have beach clubs offering loungers, lounges, sunbeds and umbrellas. Costs vary depending on the beach club’s amenities and time of year, but usually around 20 euros for two sun chairs and umbrellas. Most of these places will have a mini-bar and bathroom. Lido Morelli are huts and a casual bar while Coccaro Beach Club offers a more luxurious experience.

If you have time visit the south near Otranto, there is a sinkhole there called Grotto della Poesia. It is like a unique natural swimming pool.

Stay at Masseria or Trulli

You might be surprised at how many accommodation options you have in Puglia. From unforgettable masserias to charming airbnbs with terraces, there is something new for every preference and budget. Almapetra Trulli Resort offers 2-bedroom trulli houses with swimming pools and communal barbecue areas. Starting at around 100 euros a night, it’s a great value option for families.

Or choose Masseria San Francesco for an upscale accommodation with thoughtful interiors, a pool and a lively bar.

Souvenirs:Surely, pretty Alberobello Trulli made of porcelain or stone. Decorative ceramics with Fichi d’India cactus is also a beautiful choice for you.

Puglia travel blog: What to eat?

Puglia has both an agricultural area and a sea, so the cuisine is very rich. Therefore, there is no shortage of specialties from breakfast, street food, to meat and seafood, to suit everyone’s taste.

Delicious food in Puglia

• Pasticciotto: A day in Puglia will start with an energetic breakfast with pasticciotto and almond milk iced coffee. Pasticciotto is a very popular cream-filled cake in the region.
• Puccia:  This is a round and flat bread, very suitable for a quick lunch. In addition, in Puglia, there are many other types of street food such as fried foods (pittule, pitta, panzerotti), or baked goods (rustico, frisa).
• Bombette: This is the most typical dish of the whole region, especially in the Itria valley. Bombette is pork slices rolled with salt, pepper, cheese then grilled in the oven or on a BBQ grill.
• Riso patate e cozze (tiella barese): Including rice, potatoes and mussels cooked together create the perfect taste. This dish is a specialty in Bari, so anyone who comes to Bari should not miss it.
• Orecchiette con broccoli o cime di rapa (orecchiette with broccoli): Orecchiette is a very popular pasta in Puglia. This dish can be found everywhere, but it is best eaten in Bari. In addition to broccoli tops, you can find orecchiettes with ketchup or meat sauce. Food in each region in Italy is different and each city will have its own specialties. Orecchiette is an ear-shaped pasta commonly found in Puglia. There are even variations of this delicious dish throughout the region. Eating a plate of Pasta Orecchiette is a must try experience when visiting this southern region.
• Burrata is a cheese from Puglia, it’s like a bag made of mozzarella with cream and soft cheese inside. You’ll find burrata on the menu, served with a green salad or with pasta. Burrata is delicious and you won’t find it as fresh unless you are in Puglia.
• Olive Oil: With a history of growing olive over 500 years, you can expect the region of Puglia to have an excellent olive oil. There are more than 60 million olive trees in the region that produce about 40% of the entire Italian olive oil production. Olive groves are an integral part of the Puglia landscape and one of the reasons you should travel here.
• Local wine: Primitivo di Manduria and Negroamaro are two of the many dialects you’ll find on menus in restaurants and eateries here. Red wine is really a staple of the Puglian diet and you can’t visit without trying it.

These are just a few of the highlights, but the list is actually quite long. In Salento you can also find very delicious fresh seafood dishes.

Where to eat

Here are a few places I’ve eaten at and enjoyed very much:

• Martinucci coffee/cake shop . This is a very famous pastry chain in Puglia, almost everywhere. Pasticciotto here has a lot of flavors, not too sweet and the cream filling is so tasty.
• Macelleria e Salumeria di Olimpia di Nicola Semeraro (SP216, Lamie di Olimpia BA): This is a butcher with restaurant business near Alberobello and Locorotondo. Bombette here is soft but very tasty. In Puglia it is very common for a butcher to run its own restaurant. So if you want to eat right, you should choose these restaurants to eat bombette or barbecue.
• Gallipoli Seafood Market: At night, the market stalls have tables and chairs selling fresh seafood to enjoy like aperitivo. The atmosphere here is fun and the seafood looks fresh. If you have the opportunity to visit Gallipoli, you should definitely not miss it.
• La Pastasciutta (Via Vito Tamborrino, Ostuni, BR): The restaurant is located in the center of Ostuni, the pasta is delicious and the price is very cheap.

Puglia itinerary 7 days

We usually take at least 3 days and 2 nights to exploring this region. But it is not enough. A suitable Puglia itinerary is 7 days. The attractions in Puglia are mostly small and can be visited during the day. Even, there are many towns that only take 2 hours to explore it all. The travel distance between places is not far, so it is easy to schedule.

Here is the suggested Puglia travel itinerary for 7 days:

• DAY 1 – Arrive in Bari and visit Bari, the capital of the region.
• DAY 2 – Visit Polignano a Mare, a town built on a beautiful seaside cliff.
• DAY 3 – Visit the famous towns of Alberobello and Locorotondo. Alberobello is the most famous trulli town in the region. The evening in Alberobello is also very beautiful and sparkling. So if you are flexible about time, you can go to Locorotondo in the morning and then go to Alberobello in the afternoon.
• DAY 4 – Morning visit to the white city of Ostuni and after lunch depart for Lecce, the city known as the Southern Florence with beautiful Baroque architecture. At night in Lecce is very crowded and bustling, walking at night here is also very fun.
• DAY 5 – Lecce tour (Can be replaced by Gallipoli/Santa Maria di Leuca if day 4 can visit Lecce).
• DAY 6 – Sightseeing in Otranto (can be combined with the nearby beach and then visit in the evening).
• DAY 7 – Depart for Brindisi to catch the flight, ending the journey.

This is just a suggested Puglia travel itinerary with the main purpose of sightseeing. If you want, you can combine a visit to Matera in the nearby Basilicata region.

If you want to go to the beach more, you should add about 2-3 days. My family last went to August, it was very hot, so most of the day we only went to the beach, only went to visit in the evening to cool down. The last 3 days were just walking around the towns in Valle d’Itria.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Bari and Puglia you can refer to

• Private Bari Old City Guided Walking Tour
• Bari City Walk, by Bike or Segway
• Matera Tour from Bari
• Bari Street Food Walking, Bike, or Segway Tour
• Alberobello Walking Tour from Bari
• Castel del Monte Tour from Bari
• Bari City Walking, Bike, or Segway Tour with Pasta Making Experience
• Lecce: Baroque Architecture and Underground Walking Tour
• Polignano a Mare: Speedboat Cruise to Caves with Aperitif
• From Bari: Pasta Experience Walking Tour
• Alberobello: 2-Hour Guided Trulli Tour
• Ostuni: Olive Oil Tasting Tour
• Polignano a Mare: 1.5-Hour Boat Cave Tour
• Alberobello: History Walking Tour with Olive Oil Tasting
• Bari Walking Street Food Tour
• Apulia: Bike Tour through the Treasures of Bari
• Lecce: Walking Tour
• Lecce: Guided Rickshaw Tour
• Bari Rickshaw Street Food Tour
• Bari: Segway Tour & Gelato Tasting
• Bari Walking Tour
• Bari Street Food Tour by Bike
• Bari: Bike-Rickshaw City Tour

Read more Italy guide here .

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The most beautiful Puglia hotels for a holiday in southern Italy

Browse the best hotels in Puglia, Italy’s stylish sunny heel

Highlights in this sunny southern region include golden towns such as Lecce – known as the Florence of the South, and with good reason – fishing villages along the Adriatic coast and, of course, the food – this is where burrata hails from. Other delicacies visitors should not miss include orecchiette pasta, sea urchins, fava beans and wild chicory, and taralli (crisp rings of dough that are just perfect with your daily aperitivi ).

If you want to see the area’s famous conical trulli houses, don’t miss the town of Alberobello and the Itria Valley.

Borgo Egnazia is one of the best hotels in Puglia, designed as an authentic Apullian village, with lots of restaurants and pools to enjoy, and even a piazza to have drinks on at sundown.

Or check in to Don Totu , a charming townhouse in a sleepy village, perfectly located for exploring the towns of Gallipoli, Castro and Lecce, all of which are within a 45-minute drive of the property.

Read on to discover the best Puglia hotels for a holiday in southern Italy.

Or book an escorted tour – you can stay at a charming trullo hotel in Puglia during Good Housekeeping's exclusive trip to the region , with opportunities to try its incredible food and see its picturesque villages.

Borgo Egnazia, Savelletri di Fasano

This resort near the seaside village of Savelletri is one of Puglia’s most famous hotels – and not just because it’s where Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were married in 2012. It’s modelled on a traditional Apulian village, with so many restaurants that guests often find it hard to drag themselves out of the resort during their stay. These include a pizzeria on-site and a poolside bar serving up midday puccias (a traditional Salento sandwich) – and the breakfast buffet includes whole balls of burrata to enjoy first thing every morning.

The cream-coloured stone of the buildings complements the pink bougainvillea and the (more often than not) bright blue sky perfectly.

Don Totu, San Cassiano

This charming townhouse is in a sleepy village that forms the perfect base for day trips to Lecce, Castro and Gallipoli. The historic house is a lot bigger than you expect from the outside, with green lawns stretching out behind the main building, a pool (plus airy, colourful pool house) and assorted rooftop terraces. The art-loving academics behind the restoration have impeccable taste – there are just a handful of rooms, but each has effortlessly stylish Italian interiors, with ceramic lamps, mid-century chairs and no televisions. Vespas and bicycles are lined up to borrow, with beach bags ready by the front door to pack you off on your coastal adventure each morning.

Masseria San Domenico, Savelletri di Fasano

The older sister to Borgo Egnazia and just a five-minute drive down the road, Masseria San Domenico is a more traditional hotel with an impressive medi-spa specialising in thalassotherapy on-site. The estate has a watchtower that dates back to the 14th century, which was once used to look out for the Knights of Malta. The huge pool is more like a lagoon and there’s an 18-hole golf course with a country club attached, where homely Apulian meals are cooked by the resident massaia (housewife or homemaker).

Paragon 700, Ostuni

A restored palazzo in the dazzling, all-white town of Ostuni, Paragon 700 is a perfect hotel for wine lovers – it has its own cellar, plus a vintage car you can borrow for trips to local vineyards. Guests will also be able to visit olive-oil farms and learn how to make that most beloved of all of Puglia’s exports, burrata. The beach is close by and the hotel has a yacht that guests can charter to tour the coast’s coves and turquoise bays. The palazzo stays open long after the summer crowds have dwindled, so it’s a great option for autumn trips to Puglia.

Baglioni Masseria Muzza, Otranto

The Baglioni hotel group is well versed in the art of Italian hospitality, with editions in all of the country’s great cities, from Venice to Rome (via the Maldives). Its Puglia edition is Masseria Muzza , a whitewashed farmhouse that was built in the 17th century. The hotel may be on an estate that spans five acres, but it’s just a short drive away from the fortified city of Otranto – and its beautiful old town, medieval castle and Romanesque cathedral. The hotel is also close to Baia del Turchi, one of the best beaches in Salento.

Masseria Torre Maizza, Savelletri di Fasano

This masseria in Puglia is yet another hotel hit for the Rocce Forte group, whose other impeccable retreats include Villa Igiea in the Sicilian town of Palermo, the hallowed Hotel de Russie in Rome and Brown’s in London. The traditional Apulian farmhouse dates back to the 16th century, with 40 rooms and suites. There’s an entire wing that can be booked out by larger groups to form a space with up to nine suites, with terraces, stone bathrooms, plunge pools and, of course, more views out across the beautiful Apulian countryside. Down at the Adriatic coast, the masseria has its own beach club.

Palazzo Ducale Venturi, Minervino di Lecce

In the southern comune of Minervino di Lecce, within the province of Lecce, Palazzo Ducale Venturi is a perfectly positioned base for exploring both the Ionian and Adriatic coasts of this part of southern Italy. Hotel guests will be able to sign up for food tours around Lecce, to discover its many edible delights, from taralli to pasticciotto . Other activities on offer include borrowing a vintage Fiat 500 to tour the Salento in style, joining a cookery or ceramic-making class, boat tours, yoga retreats and even attending whisky 'school'.

Masseria Calderisi, Savelletri di Fasano

Set on almost 20 acres of countryside, with olive and citrus groves, Masseria Calderisi is a renovated 17th-century farmhouse close to the Adriatic coast. The hotel is arranged around a piazza, with 24 rooms and suites, many of which have a private terrace or garden.

For the ultimate seclusion, book the Il Fortino suite, hidden away from the rest of the property next to a private walled garden and pool. Or for views out to the sea in the distance, the Tower 1658 suite at the top of the farmhouse has access to a rooftop terrace, as well as original vaulted stone ceilings and a grand fireplace.

Palazzo Bozzi Corso by La Fiermontina, Lecce

Lecce has no shortage of spectacularly opulent buildings and Palazzo Bozzi Corso is certainly one of them. Built in 1775, the historic house is in the centre of the old city, close to the Basilica di Santa Croce. The backdrop may be centuries old, but the palazzo is adorned by modern works of art, too. There are just 10 suites, and the hotel also has a rooftop terrace with a plunge pool that’s the perfect spot for admiring Lecce’s many bell towers and ornate buildings from afar.

Masseria Corsano, Nardò

All the way down south near Nardò and close to the heel of Italy’s western coast, Masseria Corsano is a restored farmhouse, set on land that has been farmed for centuries. Still intact is the traditional low wall that encircles such agricultural architecture in this part of the world. The comforts are more in keeping with the 21st century, however: hot tubs in every suite, stylish stone bathrooms and luxurious Italian linens. The estate is also now home to a sleek infinity pool with a pergola offering shade and refreshments. When you can bear to leave, charming Nardò is still relatively undiscovered, or head to Lecce, also known as the Florence of the South.

Masseria Le Carrube, Ostuni

All-white Ostuni is the perfect neighbour for this dazzlingly bright masseria , just outside of the centre. The farmhouse, which is on an estate that once produced some of Puglia’s distinctive olive oil, dates back to the 12th century. Today, Masseria Le Carrube is the ideal rustic retreat for this part of Italy, with lemon trees, prickly-pear plants and bougainvillea adorning the courtyards. Ostuni has so much whitewashed architecture, it’s known as the White City – and you’ll be just minutes away from its medieval gates and Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine cathedral.

Palazzo Luce, Lecce

Palazzo Luce is an elegant bed and breakfast in Puglia's golden, Baroque city Lecce. If you’re hoping to explore this beautiful southern destination, this is the perfect Puglia hotel, since it’s within the historic centre, with the Roman amphitheatre just opposite. It’s the passion project of a collector, so you can expect an impressive array of art to be on display. The ‘Luce’ part of the name means ‘light’, a nod to the palazzo’s airy interiors.

Masseria Torre Coccaro, Savelletri di Fasano

Family-run Masseria Torre Coccaro , close to Italy’s Adriatic shores, has long been entertaining Puglia’s summer crowds, especially at its beach club down the road. It’s set in a 16th-century fortified farmhouse, which has a tower once used for keeping watch for Saracens. The olive groves are more than 800 years old, with a mill, sheep stables and caves standing on this site since 1000AD. Even the vegetable garden, which was planted in the 17th century, is ancient, and there’s a chapel built in 1730 within the estate, too – the fishermen of the coastal village of Savelletri di Fasano still convene here for mass.

Castle Elvira, Trepuzzi

For an especially grand hotel in Puglia, book a stay at Castle Elvira , located a short drive from the city of Lecce, in Trepuzzi. The castle is captivating: a square fort with a turret on every corner, that was built in the late 19th century but soon lay abandoned for more than 120 years. Thankfully, it has now been restored and has been welcoming guests since 2022. As befits a castle of its stature, the estate it sits on spans 37 acres, with woodland, olive and citrus groves, and beautiful Italian gardens to explore. The grounds also hold a yoga and meditation area, a cinema, a roof terrace, two stone swimming pools and a Jacuzzi.

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Help! Our Cruise Operator Went Bankrupt and We Are Out $17,905.

A couple purchased an Arabian Sea voyage, but Vantage, the cruise company, went under. Their travel insurance was supposed to cover financial default, but the claim was repeatedly denied.

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

In September 2022, I booked a 17-day Arabian Sea cruise through Vantage Travel Services to celebrate my 80th birthday with my wife. The cruise was to set sail in October 2023. I used my credit card to leave a $2,000 deposit and paid the remaining $17,905 shortly afterward by bank transfer. I also bought the Worldwide Trip Protector plan from Travel Insured International (for $1,954), in part because it covered financial default and bankruptcy of cruise lines. Vantage then canceled the cruise and offered me an alternative date I could not make; I also declined their offer of credit and asked for a refund, which they agreed to. But no refund ever came, and they stopped answering the phone. My credit card returned the $2,000, and I filed an insurance claim for $17,905. It was denied, as was my first appeal. Then Vantage filed for bankruptcy, and my second appeal was denied too. The reasons given by the insurer were outrageous. They cited a vague parenthetical phrase in the policy’s bankruptcy clause, claiming I wasn’t covered because I purchased the cruise directly from the cruise line (rather than, say, through a travel adviser). Then they said my policy lapsed when I canceled the trip. But I did not cancel; Vantage did. I also filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Financial Services, which was rejected. Can you help? Michael, Smithtown, N.Y.

Dear Michael,

When Boston-based Vantage filed for bankruptcy last year, it owed thousands of customers a total of $108 million for cruises and other travel products they had paid for but never received. The company’s former owner is facing lawsuits in New York and Pennsylvania. But you had purchased an insurance policy to cover just such a risk, a smart move. Or so you thought until the insurance company, Travel Insured International, denied your claim and then used exasperating logic to fend off your two appeals, first interpreting the policy’s financial default and bankruptcy clause in a maddening way and then twisting the meaning of the word “cancel.”

You made a few mistakes as well — most notably, by making a claim based on a financial default that had not yet happened. But after speaking with law professors, insurance experts and competing insurance companies, I believe Travel Insured International was wrong, at least by the time of your second appeal, and should pay up.

What does it have to say for itself? For nearly five months, Travel Insured International and its parent company, Crum & Forster, did not respond to my detailed inquiries. Days before publication, however, a spokeswoman, Amy Whilldin, sent the following statement:

“The claim was properly considered, and the correct determination was made based on the facts of this claim, which was to the satisfaction of both the New York Department of Financial Services and the New York State attorney general.”

Ms. Whilldin is correct about the state’s financial services department . An examiner with the department, which regulates the insurance industry, rejected your complaint. “After a review of the policy language," he wrote, “we do not find they are acting in an arbitrary or capricious manner,” referring to Travel Insured International. I disagree with that determination, as we are about to get into.

But the attorney general’s office was not satisfied. You had complained to its Department of Consumer Frauds and Protection, and they did not receive a response from the company. “Despite our repeated efforts,” an employee wrote, “they have failed to respond.” The letter goes on to recommend you consider suing the company.

I have a better idea. You should file a formal grievance with Travel Insured International, which under your policy allows you to submit new evidence, and if that fails even argue your case in person. (You told me you are not interested in a third option, to accept travel credits under the conditions offered by the Australian company that bought Vantage’s assets.)

In the meantime, your story provides great lessons on how travelers should choose the appropriate travel insurance policy, and what can go wrong even when they do.

In your initial claim to Travel Insured International, filed in late 2022, you cited Vantage’s “very poor record” in refunding its customers and your “assumption that the company is in default in making payments.”

This was an error: Your policy defines financial default as “the total cessation of operations,” and Vantage at the time was running at least some cruises. Travel Insured International’s response simply said that “your travel supplier canceling your trip is not a covered reason.” True.

When you first appealed in April, Vantage was two months short of declaring bankruptcy outright, and was not yet in financial default as defined by the policy. But it was teetering. (That one of its cruises left at all made headlines in The Boston Globe .) This time, Travel Insured International denied your claim, citing the bankruptcy clause, which protects policy holders in case of “Bankruptcy or default of an airline, cruise line, tour operator or other travel provider (other than the Travel Supplier, tour operator, travel agency, organization or firm from whom you purchased your travel arrangements).”

That parenthetical says you are not covered if the organization that sold you the cruise goes bankrupt. You purchased the cruise directly from Vantage, so you are not covered, according to the claims adjuster’s reasoning. (Why the company even cited this clause, if the cruise line was not yet in default, remains a mystery.)

Similar clauses appear in many travel policies, but that’s not what they’re supposed to mean, said Loretta Worters, vice president for media relations at the Insurance Information Institute , an industry group.

Such provisions, she explained, are intended to exclude coverage for an unscrupulous or financially flailing middleman that goes belly-up after collecting your money but before passing it along to the actual travel provider.

“Some of these are fly-by-night, travel-agencies-in-their-kitchen kinds of things,” Ms. Worters said. ( We encountered one such agency in a previous Tripped Up column .)

Guess who agreed with Ms. Worters: The agent who answered the phone when I called Travel Insured International’s customer care line as a potential customer. I asked about the clause and she agreed it was ambiguous, checking with a supervisor before saying: “If you are booking directly with the company and the company itself goes under default or bankruptcy, you would be able to file a claim for the nonrefundable portion of your trip.”

Ms. Whilldin, the spokeswoman for Travel Insured International, did not specifically answer my question about this apparent conflict. But it seems their claims adjuster made a mistake, aided by the ambiguous language of the underwriter who wrote the policy. (That’s United States Fire Insurance, another Crum & Forster company.)

Now, let’s discuss the second appeal. “Once you cancel your trip, the coverage under the plan ends,” Travel Insured International said. Your argument is that you did not cancel; Vantage did.

I think almost anyone who isn’t a lawyer would agree with you. But Oren Bar-Gill , a professor at Harvard Law School and the author of “Seduction by Contract: Law, Economics and Psychology in Consumer Markets,” explained to me the opposing argument. Vantage was contractually allowed to change the dates or offer credit, and you refused, the equivalent of canceling.

But, he added, when Vantage agreed to refund your cruise, it could be “considered a waiver of their contractual rights,” weakening the argument that you canceled your contract.

In a lawsuit New York State filed against the now-defunct Vantage and its former owner, Henry Lewis, the issue also comes up: The suit says Vantage “deceptively” mislabeled cancellations as “postponements.”

Even Travel Insured International admitted that Vantage had canceled, in its original letter rejecting your claim. “It is our understanding that your travel supplier, Vantage, canceled your cruise,” the claims adjuster wrote. Somehow, however, by the third response you had gone from cancelee to canceler.

You also missed a red flag when you chose your policy. Suzanne Morrow, the chief executive of InsureMyTrip , where you found your plan, told me you called the company within minutes of your purchase and asked an agent to point you to the bankruptcy clause. (You confirmed this to me.)

That means you’re not the typical insurance customer blindsided by small print you never read. If you were so concerned about the cruise line’s solvency, you could have canceled your plan during the insurer’s “free look” period and chosen one with more straightforward language — I found several on the InsureMyTrip website.

What lessons can we take away from your debacle?

To begin with, pay for everything with a credit card when your credit limit allows. Because of an odd quirk in a 1974 law , card issuers are required to reimburse you if the company you interacted with goes bankrupt.

Beyond that, the basic advice for travel insurance remains unchanged: Shop for a plan separately through a provider you trust or an aggregator like InsureMyTrip, rather than adding trip protection by checking a box just before you purchase a big-ticket item. Read the policy summaries fully and click through to the actual policy document to read fine print on issues that concern you most (say, bankruptcy protection or medical coverage for pre-existing conditions).

If you don’t understand anything, call the company. If it cannot answer satisfactorily and follow up in writing, choose another provider.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

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20 Flexible Companies Hiring For Fully Remote Jobs In 2024

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Some employers will pay for you to have vacation—so look out for these in your job search this ... [+] summer

Vacation season is swinging around the corner.

But unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of taking advantage of their PTO. Many workers simply cannot afford a summer vacation, or are unable to take the time out that they need to relax, even during their work days, due to rigid company policies imposing in-office attendance and restricting work/life balance.

However, all is not doom and gloom.

There are still some employers that exist who are hiring (or have hired recently) for fully remote jobs, which in itself, is a rare find during a time when many executive teams are opting for RTO and hybrid mandates for their workplaces.

Additionally, these companies have policies and provisions that, at the time of writing, encourage their employees to maximize their PTO. Employers are starting to recognize the positive impact that vacation time and having flexible working policies can have on employee wellness and boosting productivity.

Google Chrome Gets Third Emergency Update In A Week As Attacks Continue

Japanese fans are puzzled that yasuke is in assassin s creed shadows, forbes releases 2024 30 under 30 asia list, 20 companies hiring fully remote jobs in 2024.

In light of the findings of a recent Zety survey , which showed that 68% of professionals are cutting back on their vacation spending this year due to finances, these "summer-friendly" employers are even providing financial incentives to step away from the desk.

The remote work job board, FlexJobs, recently listed 20 remote-friendly employers that also provide extra pay, reimbursement, stipend, or some other tangible benefit in exchange for taking time off.

For example, some employers such as Expedia provide wellness and travel reimbursement to employees, while others such as Olark reward employees with a $1,000 vacation bonus, upon the condition of taking five consecutive days off work.

Here is the full list of 20 companies that are hiring now—with some role categories being fully remote:

• Chime Financial
• Disruptive Advertising
• Evolve Security
• FullContact
• Kasa Living
• Kindred Concepts
• Philo, Inc.
• Thirty Madison
• TripAdvisor
• United Airlines
• Verb Interactive

How To Find A Fully Remote, Flexible Job In 2024

One interesting observation that can be made from the list above is that a large percentage of flexible companies—at least those derived from FlexJobs' list, operate within the travel, leisure, and hospitality industry.

These offer company-specific perks such as discounts off their own resorts and hotels, and stipends towards related travel and stays, which you can take advantage of this year.

Therefore it might be a smart career move to consider working at an employer within the travel or hospitality industry, as this might be more beneficial to your wellbeing (from a PTO and travel perspective).

Another way to find a fully remote job that also offers flexible perks such as unlimited PTO, is to look at Glassdoor reviews and feedback, and talk to current employees on LinkedIn. Ask them what they enjoy about their role, and what they like/don't like about working for their company. Even a simple coffee chat over LinkedIn can shed significant light on what to expect should you apply for a role with one of these employers.

One of the easiest places to see what is available to you as an employee is the company's career page section of their website. They will usually use this page to shout about their achievements as an employer, and showcase the perks they provide, in a bid to entice quality talent such as yourself.

But perhaps most essentially, let's not forget how essential it is is to set expectations early on to avoid confusion later. Create clarity and avoid ambiguity by discussing your flexibility requirements, such as vacation plans, health and personal needs, right from the beginning. Of course, timing is everything, so ensure that you only mention this towards the negotiation stage of your job application process.

For example, if you have three rounds of interviews, it might be best to not rock the boat and mention anything to do with personal benefits until the very final stage interview, once you feel satisfied that you have checked all their boxes (and vice versa).

Don't be afraid to negotiate flexible benefits including your PTO towards the end of your job ... [+] interviews

This year, prioritize your wellbeing in your work, and not the other way around. When selecting your next employer, look out for positive signs that they value you as a person, not just as another number on a spreadsheet.

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