12-Day Puglia and Matera Small-Group Tour with Salento and Gargano

12 Days Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

Travel from the Gargano to Salento on a 12-day small-group tour from Bari, with a maximum of eight guests. Discover Vieste's sea caves, the historic towns of Pu...

Duration: 12 Days · Tour type: Shared · Activity level: Moderate · Accommodation: Included · Luxury · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: No · Cities: Bari, Taranto, Lecce, Brindisi, Matera, Alta Murgia National Park, Gallipoli, Alberobello, Trani, Polignano a Mare, Monte Sant'Angelo · Languages: English, Spanish

Know before you go: Minimum age: 10 years.; The tour operates with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 8 guests.; Friday departures from Bari. Pickup is at Bari Airport or Bari Centrale; pickup at a Bari hotel can be arranged in advance.; Walking in historic centres includes cobblestones and uneven surfaces.

About Brindisi

Italy

Brindisi

Local guides to Brindisi will delve travelers into the times when this port town was the bustling start point to the Appian Way; its docks laden with spice ships and silks from the east instead of ferries heading to Croatia and Greece.

Explore Brindisi Italy All destinations

What's Included

11 nights with breakfast: 2 in Vieste, 2 in Trani, 2 in Bari, 1 in Matera, and 4 in Lecce.
Private transfers and scheduled journeys by dedicated minivan with driver, including luggage transfer in pedestrian historic centres and the final transfer from Lecce to Bari.
Local guided visits in Trani, Castel del Monte, Bari, Alberobello, Matera, and Lecce.
Entry to Castel del Monte, a cave dwelling, and a rock-hewn church in Matera.
Boat excursion to the Gargano sea caves; Ape Calessino experiences in Otranto, Taranto, and Gallipoli; Apecar ride in Brindisi.
Winery visit and Primitivo tasting in Manduria; ceramics workshop in Grottaglie; papier-mâché workshop in Lecce.
Scheduled tastings described in the itinerary: welcome aperitivo, Moscato di Trani and Murge wines, mozzarella and burrata, extra-virgin olive oil, Polignano tastings, Amaro Lucano, Lecce coffee, and pasticciotto.

Not Included

Travel to and from Puglia.
Municipal tourist taxes (about €1.50-€4.00 per person per night, depending on the town and season).
Lunches and dinners, except for the tastings and welcome aperitivo explicitly listed above; extra drinks and personal expenses.
Tips, optional activities, and optional trip-cancellation insurance.
Anything not expressly listed under Included.

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Bari and Transfer to Vieste

Meet your private driver at Bari Airport or the railway station; if you are staying at a Bari hotel, pickup can be arranged there in advance. Transfer to Vieste and check in at Hotel Scialì or a similar property for two nights. The afternoon is free, with no scheduled activities planned. Overnight in Vieste.
2

Day 02

Vieste Sea Caves by Boat

After breakfast, meet at Vieste harbour at 09:00 and board at 09:30 for a boat trip along the Gargano coast, passing sea caves and natural arches. Return to Vieste at about 12:30. Enjoy a free afternoon for the beach or exploring the town. Overnight in Vieste.
3

Day 03

Monte Sant'Angelo, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Trani

At 09:00, transfer privately to Trani, stopping at Monte Sant'Angelo and San Giovanni Rotondo along the way. Arrive at about 16:30 and check in at Palazzo Paciotti or a similar property for two nights. At 18:00, meet your local guide by Trani Cathedral for a walk around the harbour, medieval quarter, and Jewish quarter, including Sinagoga Scolanova. At 19:30, enjoy a welcome aperitivo with local products. Dinner is at your leisure. Overnight in Trani.
4

Day 04

Castel del Monte and Moscato di Trani Tasting

After breakfast, leave Trani at 10:00 for a guided visit to Castel del Monte, with priority access. Return at about 13:00; lunch is at your leisure. At 16:30, visit a historic winery for a guided tasting of Moscato di Trani DOC and wines from the Murge. Return to the hotel at about 18:00. Overnight in Trani.
5

Day 05

Burrata, Olive Oil, and Bari at Sunset

After breakfast and check-out, meet at 09:00 by Chiesa di Santa Teresa. Visit a traditional dairy for a hands-on mozzarella and burrata experience with tasting, then stop at a local olive mill for an extra-virgin olive oil tasting. Arrive in Bari at about 15:00 and check in at Hotel Boston or a similar property. At 18:00, meet by Castello Svevo for a guided sunset walk through Bari's old town. Overnight in Bari.
6

Day 06

Alberobello and Polignano a Mare

At 09:00, depart by minivan for a guided walk among Alberobello's UNESCO-listed trulli. Continue to Polignano a Mare for tastings such as traditional focaccia and the town's special coffee, followed by a walk through the old town and its sea-view terraces. Leave for Bari at about 14:00. Afternoon and evening at leisure. Overnight in Bari.
7

Day 07

Matera and the Sassi Districts

After breakfast and check-out, leave Bari at 09:00 for Matera and leave your bags at the hotel. Meet your local guide at 10:30 for a visit to the Sassi districts, a traditional cave dwelling, and a rock-hewn church, with a tasting of Amaro Lucano. The visit ends at about 12:30; enjoy free time to explore Matera and see the evening light. Overnight in a boutique hotel in the Sassi.
8

Day 08

Lecce's Baroque Heritage and Papier-Mâché

After breakfast and check-out, transfer privately to Lecce at 08:30. Check in at Hotel President or a similar property for four nights and leave your bags. At 11:30, join a papier-mâché workshop in a local artisan's studio, followed by an aperitivo and a guided walk through Lecce's Baroque centre, churches, courtyards, and Roman remains. Taste traditional coffee and pasticciotto. The experience ends at about 17:00. Overnight in Lecce.
9

Day 09

Otranto and Gallipoli by Ape Calessino

At 09:00, depart for Otranto. Explore the easternmost town in Italy on an Ape Calessino, including its old town and cathedral mosaic, and enjoy free time. Continue to Gallipoli, with free time for lunch, then take an Ape Calessino ride through the historic centre, noble palaces, and Baroque churches. Return to Lecce. Overnight in Lecce.
10

Day 10

Taranto and Brindisi

At 09:00, leave Lecce for Taranto, the ancient capital of Magna Graecia, for a panoramic Ape Calessino tour. At 11:30, continue to Brindisi for an Apecar ride exploring the port city and its history. Return to Lecce at about 15:30. Free time. Overnight in Lecce.
11

Day 11

Manduria Wine and Grottaglie Ceramics

At 09:00, leave Lecce for Manduria. Visit a local winery and taste Primitivo. Continue to Grottaglie to visit a ceramics workshop and take part in a small hands-on activity to make a ceramic piece. Return to Lecce at about 15:30. Overnight in Lecce.
12

Day 12

Transfer to Bari and Departure

After breakfast and check-out, transfer to Bari according to your flight schedule. End of services.

Meeting Point

Meeting point: Bari Airport or Bari Centrale; pickup at a Bari hotel can be arranged in advance. · Tour start: Bari, Italy — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.