Itinerary
- Day 1
Bari
You'll arrive at your hotel in Bari and have the rest of the day to settle in at your own pace. Check in, get comfortable in your room, and explore the area around your accommodation if you'd like. This is a good time to grab a bite and adjust to the local pace before your guided tour starts tomorrow.
- Start point
- Via Giulio Petroni 15, 70124 Bari Bari, Italy (Arrival on your own at the Hotel Excelsior, 14:00 - 23:55)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Excelsior**** - comfort), Hotel (Grand Hotel delle Nazioni***** - luxury)
- Day 2
Trani
After breakfast, you'll meet your local guide at 09.00 for a walking tour through Bari's main attractions. You'll see the Norman-Swabian castle, walk along the port, and check out some of the city's theaters. Then it's into Bari Vecchia where you can watch locals crafting fresh orecchiette pasta from scratch in their homes. Later, you'll head to Trani to see its seaside Cathedral and the port area before heading back to Bari for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel), Snack (Focaccia tasting with a drink in Bari)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Excelsior**** - comfort), Hotel (Grand Hotel delle Nazioni***** - luxury)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Bari with local guide
- Panoramic tour of Norman-Swabian castle, port, Margherita and Petruzzelli theatres
- Walking tour of Bari Vecchia old town
- Visit Basilica of San Nicola
- Visit Trani Cathedral
- Focaccia tasting with a drink in Bari
Optional Activities
- Shopping for crafts and typical products in Trani port area
Landmarks Norman-Swabian Castle Basilica of San Nicola Margherita Theatre Petruzzelli Theatre Trani Cathedral - Day 3
Ostuni - Lecce
Starting with breakfast, you'll travel to Polignano a Mare, the birthplace of singer Domenico Modugno. The old town sits right above a nice beach, so you can walk around and take in the views. From there, you'll continue to Ostuni to see its white-painted houses and the Cathedral, which blends Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles together. You'll have lunch on your own, then make your way to Lecce for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel delle Palme**** or Grand Hotel Lecce**** - comfort), Hotel (Hotel Patria Palace***** - luxury)
Included Activities
- Visit Polignano a Mare old town
- Visit Ostuni
- Visit Ostuni Cathedral
Landmarks Ostuni Cathedral 
- Day 4
Gallipoli - Otranto - Lecce
After breakfast, your guide takes you through Lecce, the Baroque capital of southern Italy. You'll see the Cathedral, the Basilica of Santa Croce, an old Roman Theatre, and Piazza San Oronzo. During the afternoon, you travel to Gallipoli, a historic fishing village built on an island connected by bridge, and then to Otranto, which sits at the easternmost point of Italy. You'll explore Otranto's walled city, walk through the castle area, and visit the Cathedral before returning to Lecce.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel delle Palme**** or Grand Hotel Lecce**** - comfort), Hotel (Hotel Patria Palace***** - luxury)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Lecce with local guide
- Visit Lecce Cathedral
- Visit Basilica of Santa Croce
- Visit Celestini Palace
- Visit Roman Theatre
- Explore Piazza San Oronzo
- Visit Gallipoli historic centre
- Visit Otranto walled city
- Visit Otranto Castle
- Visit Otranto Cathedral
Landmarks Lecce Cathedral Basilica of Santa Croce Roman Theatre Piazza San Oronzo Gallipoli Historic Centre Otranto Cathedral 
- Day 5
Alberobello - Matera
After breakfast, you head to Alberobello to see the famous trulli houses with their distinctive conical stone roofs and dry stone walls. Your guide explains how peasants built this way back in the 17th century to avoid paying taxes. Then it's on to Matera in Basilicata. You'll spend time in the Sassi district, a UNESCO site where ancient caves have been converted into homes and shops, creating a really unusual landscape that shows thousands of years of history.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel San Domenico al Piano**** - comfort), Hotel (Eurostars Hotel La Suite***** - luxury)
Included Activities
- Visit Alberobello
- Visit Matera Sassi district
Landmarks Alberobello Matera Sassi 
- Day 6
Civita - Altomonte - Cosenza
After hotel breakfast, you travel to Civita, a medieval village surrounded by rock formations. It preserves the culture and traditions of Arberesh communities, people of Albanian heritage living in Italy. Next, you head to Altomonte in Cosenza Province to see the Norman Tower, Piazza San Francesco, and the Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione. Later you'll check in to Cosenza for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Royal**** - comfort and luxury)
Included Activities
- Visit Civita
- Visit Altomonte
- Visit Norman Tower
- Visit Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione
Landmarks Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione 
- Day 7
Tropea - Pizzo - Cosenza
You'll start with hotel breakfast, then drive to Tropea, a popular tourist destination with narrow alleyways and terraces that rise over 50 meters above the sea. You have time to wander around and grab lunch on your own. After that, you continue to Pizzo, known as the 'City of Ice Cream' on the Coast of the Gods. Try the local Tartufo ice cream specialty before heading back to Cosenza for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel), Snack (Tartufo - typical local gelato tasting in Pizzo)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Royal**** - comfort and luxury)
Included Activities
- Visit Tropea
- Visit Pizzo
- Tartufo - typical local gelato tasting in Pizzo
Landmarks Tropea Pizzo 
- Day 8
Paola - Praia a Mare - San Nicola Arcella - Salerno
Following hotel breakfast, you travel to Paola to visit the 16th-century Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola sitting on a hillside with greenery all around. You'll then pass through Praia a Mare to see its bay and the island of Dino with its caves and stalagmites. From there, you stop at San Nicola Arcella, positioned on a high natural viewpoint at the promontory. After lunch on your own, you transfer to Salerno, an ancient coastal town that serves as your gateway to the Amalfi Coast.
- End point
- Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Salerno, Salerno 84123, Italy (Here or in any point of the centre of the town, 17:00 - 17:30)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at the hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola
- Admire bay of Praia a Mare
- Visit San Nicola Arcella
Optional Activities
- Island of Dino boat excursion to view caves and stalagmites
Landmarks Sanctuary of San Francesco di Paola Island of Dino San Nicola Arcella
