Best of Puglia

Start your holiday with complimentary airport lounge access before your flight to Bari. Collect your hire car, and perhaps spend a few hours exploring Bari, with its mazelike old town Barivecchia occupying the headland between the cities two harbours.

Head north, and begin your journey through Puglia. Within minutes you'll be driving along country roads as you journey north, along the Adriatic coast, to the port town of Trani. Here, you'll check into your choice of accommodation. In the evening, explore the medieval old town, where narrow lanes hide a wealth of historic treasures that remember the town’s crusader past, including a church built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century.

Stay: Mare Resort (Superior) / Palazzo Filisio (Deluxe)

This morning explore Trani, with highlights including its 13th-century castle and the Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino, perched dramatically on the edge of the Adriatic.

In the afternoon drive north to Gargano National Park where inland forests and wetlands accompany scenic coastlines marked with steep precipices and overhangs, giant white boulders and tiny beaches often only accessible by boat. Drive to Vieste, and join an afternoon boat tour along the southern coast passing through evocative bays, cliffs, natural ravines and sea caves, before reaching Zagare Bay. 

Stay: Mare Resort (Superior) / Palazzo Filisio (Deluxe)

After breakfast, drive south and head across the border into Basilicata, to the UNESCO listed town of Matera. With its ancient complex and captivating hillside setting. Here, thousand year old residences tumble down dramatic cliffs.

Stay: Mare Resort (Superior) / Palazzo Filisio (Deluxe)

Returning south, you'll drive back along the coast to Fasano, checking in to your choice of accommodation – two historic properties combined with contemporary charm. The rural landscapes of the Fasano Planes and the golden shores of the Adriatic are also close at hand, making for idyllic walks, bike rides and lazy afternoons spent on the beach. 

Stay: Borgo San Marco (Superior) or Masseria Torre Coccaro (Deluxe) 

Spend the next two days exploring central Puglia at your own pace, visiting local cheese and olive farms, lazing on the nearby beach and getting acquainted with the local cuisine – perhaps on an optional cooking course or gourmet cycling tour. You'll also have time to experience some of the region's historic gems such as the unique, dry-stone trulli houses of the Itria Valley, a collection of agricultural dwellings famous for their conical roofs. The spectacularly white Caves of Castellana are also well worth a visit for their stunning rock formations. As is the town of Martina Franca, renowned for its Baroque and Rococo architecture.

Stay: Borgo San Marco (Superior) or Masseria Torre Coccaro (Deluxe)

This morning head south to Martina Franca, where your private guide will lead you on a historic tour of a Masseria, you will make handmade pasta in typical Apulian shapes, and roll taralli. A cheesemaker will then teach you how to weave mozzarelle and burrata. The visit ends with a “taste tour” with a platter of cheeses and cured capocollo meats, bread and taralli, accompanied by local wine. 

Head into Martina Franca and explore the historic centre, admiring the noble palaces and ornate churches, and relax the many piazzas.

In the afternoon, drive through the scenic farmlands to Alberobello, wander through the two main trulli districts, Rione Monti and Aia Piccola, to admire the unique architecture and learn the history of these fascinating structures.

Continue south to Lecce, your final stop. You'll finish in style, with a stay in a 19th-century palazzo; found right in the centre of the city, it overlooks the ornate Baroque façade of the Santa Croce Basilica. It's the perfect springboard to explore Lecce's historic delights, with intricate palaces and churches competing for your attention. There's also an impressive Roman amphitheatre, sculpted from honey-coloured sandstone, that's set alongside an enticing mix of upmarket boutiques, charming antique shops and some of southern Puglia's best bars and restaurants. 

Today, drive to the vibrant seaside town of Otranto, whose historic centre and narrow, car-free lanes make it a favourite for some beach relaxation. Spend a day at the town's white sandy beaches, enjoying the crystal-clear turquoise waters and the natural beauty of the surroundings. Here you can enjoy the lively atmosphere of Otranto’s seafront promenade, perfect for sampling local dishes at waterfront restaurants or simply taking in the panoramic sea views. You can also tour Otranto’s impressive castle, rebuilt after the town's liberation from Turkish control in the late 15th century. It provides spectacular views of the town and its coastline.

After breakfast, you will be transferred north to Brindisi to visit the Rubino wine estate for a visit a tasting of four Apulian wines

For your last night in Puglia, we recommend making a reservation at the hotels Soffio Restaurant, where the finest ingredients from the Salento region of Puglia are merged with International cuisine

After a last included breakfast, drive back to Brindisi Airport to return your hire car and board your flight home.