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: Hotel San Paolo al Convento, Trani (Superior) / Palazzo Filisio, Trani (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. The old town centre, a network of ancient streets with plenty of fine architecture, arranged around the picturesque fishing port. The harbour-front features numerous bars, cafés and fish restaurants, which are great for an al fresco lunch. Spend an afternoon at one of Trani’s nearby beaches, where you can unwind on golden sands and take a dip in the clear Adriatic waters.

Stay: Hotel San Paolo al Convento, Trani (Superior) / Palazzo Filisio, Trani (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. Check into your choice of accommodation, and you’ll have plenty of time to explore the maze of Matera's alleyways in more depth at your own pace today, perhaps checking out famous filming locations such as those featured in the James Bond movie, No Time to Die. In the evening join an included private tour of Matera at sunset, encountering caves and rock churches, once sheepfolds or homes to hermit monks, before watching the Sassi light up in the evening.

Stay: Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, Matera (Superior & Deluxe)

This morning leave behind Matera and head east through the scenic winelands, olive groves and farmland to Alberobello, whose iconic trulli houses hold UNESCO World Heritage status. This is perhaps Puglia’s most photographed village, 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 to the coast and Fasano, checking in to your accommodation – a historic property 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, Fasano (Superior and 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 Itria Valley, the spectacularly white Caves of Castellana are also well worth a visit for their stunning rock formations. As is the town of Martina Franca, a charming hilltop town replete with an attractive mix of whitewashed buildings, cobbled streets and is renowned for its Baroque and Rococo architecture.

Stay: Borgo San Marco, Fasano (Superior and Deluxe)

Today you’ll set off towards the south, travelling down the heel of Italy’s boot to Lecce, nicknamed ‘the Florence of the South’ due to its abundance of baroque architectural masterpieces. Wandering between its honey-hued streets and elegant piazzas feels like taking a step back in time, with an array of ornate landmarks to marvel at, including Lecce Cathedral, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Basilica di Santa Croce. While exploring, be sure to seek out a sumptuous pasticciotto – a custard-filled pastry originating from Lecce that goes perfectly with a coffee.  Your hotel for these three nights is a 19th-century mansion right in the heart of Lecce, so you’ll be perfectly placed for making the most of the city’s plethora of fabulous bars and restaurants. 

Stay: Risorgimento Resort, Lecce (Superior & Deluxe)

The final leg of your Puglian adventure brings you to Otranto, Italy’s easternmost town. It’s home to an imposing 15th-century Aragonese Castle, built to protect the city from attacks from the Ottoman Empire, as well as an 11th-century Norman cathedral with an enormous floor mosaic. You’ll learn all about the city’s fascinating history and its strategic importance over the centuries on an included guided walking tour. There are some gorgeous swimming spots and hiking trails along the coastline around Otranto, too, from which it’s possible to see the mountains of Albania on the horizon on a clear day.

Stay: Risorgimento Resort, Lecce (Superior & Deluxe)

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