The Delights of Puglia - Italy's Best Kept Secret

Overview

Uncover the delights of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot. It boasts the country’s longest coastline, where the beautiful cities of Trani and Vieste lie, a superb climate, endless olive groves, fairy tale towns such as Alberobello, of whitewashed ‘trulli’ houses, ancient Baroque city of Matera and charming Bari, with its spectacular Castel del Monte. With visits to the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, Ferrara, and the capital city of Rome, all included, this is the perfect holiday for anyone looking to discover the very best of Italy.

What's Included:

  • 15 nights hotel with continental breakfast
  • 13 evening meals
  • Convenient local joining points

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Home to France

Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to northern France for an overnight stay.

Day 2: France to Parma

We travel to the Parma area for an overnight stay. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3: Rome

We continue to the outskirts of Rome or the spa town of Fiuggi, south-east of Rome, for a two-night stay. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Rome

Today you have the full day to discover the Italian capital city of Rome on our included excursion. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with wonderful palaces, churches, basilicas, Roman ruins, monuments and fountains. It has an immensely rich historical heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere. There will be ample free time for you to explore this wonderful city at your leisure. To make the most of your visit, why not join our optional guided sightseeing tour. The sightseeing tour takes place by coach and on foot and will introduce you to the city’s wonderful sights, including Piazza Venezia and the imposing Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy. We also see the exterior of the mighty Colosseum (entrance at extra cost). Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Trani

We travel south into the Puglia region of Italy’s ‘boot’ visiting the city of Trani. Known as the ‘Pearl of Puglia’, Trani has a pretty medieval quarter and cathedral, literally perched on the water’s edge. The marina is the perfect place to relax and watch the white yachts and fishing boats in the harbour, while the historic centre, with its medieval churches, glossy limestone streets and faded, yet charming, Palazzi is an enchanting area to explore. We continue to our hotel in southern Puglia for a four-night stay. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Castellana Grotte, Alberobello & Ostuni

Today’s included excursion begins at Castellana Grotte where we visit the famous network of caves created by underground rivers. ­­­­­­These caves are amongst the deepest caverns in Europe. We continue through the countryside, seeing a landscape dominated by the ‘trulli’, whitewashed cones made of stones held together, traditionally without mortar. Alberobello is the best place to see and visit the famous trulli houses – there are over 1300 of them here. These cylindrical whitewashed buildings with grey conical roofs tapering out to a point or sphere are often adorned with painted symbols and are the true image of Puglia – one of the most unique towns in Europe. We then visit Ostuni, a charming town, perhaps one of the most stunning in southern Italy. The bright, whitewashed houses create a perfect contrast to the green of the surrounding countryside and its maze of well-preserved, winding streets provides hidden delights around every corner. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - Free Time or Lecce & Otranto

Enjoy a day at leisure or why not join our full-day, optional excursion? We start by visiting Lecce, commonly nicknamed the ‘Florence of South Italy’ due to its rich architecture and monuments. Lecce is the main city on Puglia’s Salento Peninsula and because of the soft limestone which is easy to work, it became the centre for the ornate architecture called the Barocco Leccese, and the city is filled with Baroque monuments. The historic centre is compact, making it a great place for walking, and its restaurants offer and abundance of fine food typical of Puglia. We then continue to Otranto, which lies at the most easterly point of mainland Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. The imposing castle with its thick perimeter walls and robust towers, dominate much of the town. Otranto is home to a small port with a series of sea-front promenades and excellent fish restaurants. Spend time exploring the town at your leisure before returning to our hotel. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: Matera

Today, our included excursion takes us to Matera. See the fascinating Sassi district, the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region (entrance included). Now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sassi district is one of Southern Italy’s most important attractions. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Bari & Castel del Monte

En route to our hotel in the Vieste area of northern Puglia, we call at Bari, the capital of Puglia. Its labyrinth of seemingly endless passages weave through courtyards and under arches where you are likely to see local artisans making their wares or people making pasta. Continue to Castel del Monte, where we visit the most splendid of all Puglia’s castles and one of the finest surviving examples of Swabian architecture. We stay for three nights in the Vieste/Rodi Garganico area. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Free Time

Enjoy a day at leisure. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11: Vieste & Peschici

Today, join our included scenic coastal tour. Enjoy the fabulous coastal city of Vieste, with its ancient centre, set above towering, sheer white cliffs. The old town sits on the easternmost of the two promontories, at the tip of which stands the Chiesa di San Francesco, once a thriving monastery. There will be free time in Vieste before we continue to the small town of Peschici, perched on top of an impressive cliff overlooking the bay and filled with whitewashed houses which cling to the rocky headland. The old town of Peschici climbs from the harbour to the fortifications of the Swabian Castles. Here, there will be time for you to explore the narrow alleys and hidden squares. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12: Puglia to Marche

We leave Puglia and travel up to the eastern Marche region for an overnight stay. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13 - Ferrara

En route to our hotel on Lake Garda, we visit Ferrara, an outstanding Renaissance city rich in history and regarded as one of Italy’s hidden treasures. There will be free time for you to explore the sights such as the San Giorgio Cathedral which dates back to the 12th century and the Este Castle complete with towers, moat and drawbridges. Later today we continue our journey north to Lake Garda for a two-night stay. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14 - Free Time or Lake Garda

Enjoy a relaxing day in resort or join our full-day optional excursion along the shores of Lake Garda, visiting some of the picturesque villages on its shoreline. Spend time exploring the narrow streets or relax in one of the many cafés. During the day, we take to the water on a boat cruise where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the picturesque views of the surrounding area from the lake itself. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 15: Belgium

Travel north to Belgium and our overnight stay. Included meals: Breakfast

Day 16: Belgium to Home

Return home. Included meals: Breakfast

Hand Picked By

Les Bannerman

Leger holidays offer a huge selection of fully escorted holidays worldwide with travel by luxury coach, air, rail or even cruise. They offer convenient local pick-up points from many of the towns where we have MMT shops. Here, we have showcased their stunning Alpine Adventure tour aboard their Luxuria coach. Luxuria offers the ultimate level of comfort with deluxe armchair-style seats, each with its own interactive touch screen offering a wide choice of entertainment. I can’t think of a better way to travel!

Les Bannerman

Additional Information

  • Date: Various departures for 2024
  • Board Basis: Mixed meal plan
  • Duration: 15 nights
  • Departure Airport: Local pick-up points across the UK
  • Guide Price: From £1,499pp
 Enquire Now

Latest from our Travel Experts

Nicole's AMAzing experience on board AmaSerena

Nicole group

I had an amazing opportunity to stay on board AmaWaterways AmaSerena for one night during the CLIA...

Read More
Margaret's Extraordinary Expedition Cruise to Antarctica

Mags intro

“Where? Antarctica … Really? Yes! Wow” …was all I could say to a fact finding...

Read More
Snow, hot chocolate and huskies with Caroline!

Caroline intro

After a bright and early start and a meet up at Bristol Airport, we flew 3 and a half hours to...

Read More