Itinerary
- Day 1
Naples
You'll arrive in Naples and check into your accommodation, then meet the group before heading to a welcome dinner. The meal features local specialties that set the tone for your 9-day Puglia trip.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner featuring a Naples staple)
- Day 2
Naples to Bari - Polignano a Mare Region
Start with a cappuccino and cornetto at a local café, then drive east toward Bari. Along the way you'll stop for an artisan burrata and mozzarella tasting with a local cheesemaker who'll explain how they make everything. A brief guided walk through Bari shows you where pasta makers work and takes you past the city's white-washed cathedral. From there, head to your family-owned hotel in the Polignano a Mare region where dinner's included. Spend your evening relaxing by the pool or settling in.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Cornetto (Italian croissant) with cappuccino), Dinner
Included Activities
- Burrata and mozzarella cheese tasting with local cheesemaker
- Walking tour of Bari with local guide
Optional Activities
- Evening relaxation by the pool
Landmarks Bari Cathedral - Day 3
Polignano a Mare Region
This day is yours to spend in Polignano a Mare at your own pace. Shuttle services run in the morning and afternoon to get you into town, where narrow streets and local shops invite wandering. Grab lunch or dinner at one of the local restaurants (fresh seafood or traditional mushroom ravioli are options), then return to the hotel to unwind.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Shuttle service to Polignano a Mare (morning and afternoon options)
Optional Activities
- Lunch at local restaurants
- Dinner at local restaurants
Landmarks Polignano a Mare - Day 4
Polignano a Mare - Castellana Caves - Alberobello - Lecce
This morning explores the Grotte di Castellana, an underground cave system filled with sparkling stalactites and stalagmites. You'll see formations with names like The She Wolf of Rome and The Ballerina's Leg as you walk through. Later, drive to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its cone-shaped trulli houses. A local guide walks you through the cobblestone roads to the town's church, homes, and shops. Your evening accommodation is in a family-owned 16th-century palace in Lecce's old town.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Entrance to Castellana Caves
- Walking tour of Alberobello with local guide
Landmarks Grotte di Castellana Alberobello - Day 5
Lecce
After resting the night before, have an espresso before your morning walking tour of Lecce. You'll see the impressive Lecce Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption and the ornate Basilica di Santa Croce with its striking gargoyles and stone statues. The rest of the day is yours. Wander the streets looking for local delicacies like rustico leccase paired with negrocamaro wine, or try carne di cavallo if you're interested in the local specialty.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Lecce with Tour Leader
Optional Activities
- Lunch at local restaurants
- Tasting of rustico leccase with negrocamaro wine
- Tasting of carne di cavallo (horse meat)
Landmarks Lecce Cathedral Basilica di Santa Croce - Day 6
Lecce - Manduria - Itria Valley
Travel to Manduria, a town steeped in ancient Greek heritage where the King of Sparta died in 338 BC. Check out the cream-colored architecture and then participate in a Primitivo wine tasting with indigenous grapes and local flavors. Visit a special museum where feasts and music come alive, then sample wines paired with local treats including cheese, salame, and cranu stumpatu. Later, head to Itria Valley and stop for lunch or gelato on the way. Check into your hotel in Old Town.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Light lunch included with wine tasting in Manduria)
Included Activities
- Wine tasting in Manduria with light lunch
Optional Activities
- Gelato stop en route to Itria Valley
Landmarks Manduria - Day 7
Itria Valley - Ostuni - Itria Valley
Learn to make homemade pasta from scratch at a traditional farmhouse in Ostuni, known as La Città Bianca for its white-washed buildings on a hilltop. Your local cook guides you through creating your own lunch, which you'll eat after the class. Afterward, you have free time to explore Ostuni's streets, visit the cathedral, or head to the nearby beach just 15 minutes away. Return to Itria Valley in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Homemade pasta lunch created during cooking class)
Included Activities
- Pasta-making cooking class in Ostuni with lunch
Optional Activities
- Exploration of Piazza della Libertà
- Visit to Ostuni Cathedral
- Beach visit (short 15-minute drive away)
Landmarks Ostuni Ostuni Cathedral Piazza della Libertà - Day 8
Itria Valley - Matera
Your last full day takes you to Matera, the jewel of the Basilicata region. This ancient city built of cave dwellings features mismatched buildings and crumbling homes dating back to Neolithic and Paleolithic times. A local guide leads you along narrow paths to Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Casa Grotta. Tonight you'll stay in a family-owned cave hotel where each room is different. End your day with a final group dinner at a nearby restaurant featuring local specialties.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Final group dinner at nearby restaurant, possibly featuring rionero ventresca (wild boar sausage) or strazzata (local focaccia))
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Matera with local guide including Chiesa Rupestre and Casa Grotta
Landmarks Piazza Vittorio Veneto Casa Grotta Chiesa Rupestre 
- Day 9
Matera - Altamura - Naples
Enjoy your final breakfast in Italy before exploring the Palombaro Grande, a remarkable 16th-century cistern that once collected millions of liters of rainwater and natural spring water. You'll see the medieval engineering that made this possible, then continue by minibus to Altamura. There you'll taste the town's famous pane di Altamura bread along with locally-made focaccia and bruschetta. Return to Naples to conclude your journey, with the option to pick up local treats like mostaccioli or marzapani for the road.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Palombaro Grande Matera
- Bread tasting in Altamura with bakery visit
Optional Activities
- Purchase of mostaccioli or marzapani for the journey home
Landmarks Palombaro Grande Altamura
