Classic Tour of Apulia

Day 1: Arrival day

• Arrival at the airport of Bari or Brindisi
• Transfer to your hotel in the Gargano area
• Welcome drink
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 2: Vieste – Forestra Umbra (Gargano National Park) – Monte Sant’Angelo

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Vieste: guided walk through the medieval heart of the “Queen of Gargano,” with its winding alleys, stairways, and stunning sea views
• Forestra Umbra: excursion into the lush Gargano National Park, with a short stop to enjoy the scenery and taste the ostie ripiene, traditional filled biscuits
• Monte Sant’Angelo: we'll discover this historic town and its thousand-year-old secrets. The visit includes the Basilica of San Michele (UNESCO World Heritage Site), a sanctuary dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel and one of the oldest of its kind in all of Western Europe. You’ll also see the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, famous for its Byzantine frescoes, among the oldest in the region
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay

Day 3: Castel del Monte – Bari

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Castel del Monte: wine tasting in a local winery and guided visit to the mysterious castle built by Emperor Frederick II, a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Bari: stroll through the old town and visit to the Church of San Nicola
• Check-in at your hotel in central Apulia, dinner and overnight stay

Day 4: Lecce – Ostuni

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Lecce: guided tour of the Baroque “Florence of the South,” with a stop at Piazza del Duomo and the Basilica of Santa Croce, followed by an olive oil tasting
• Ostuni: explore the old town of the “White City,” so called for the dazzling lime-washed houses that form its historic centre, a perfect example of Mediterranean architecture
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay

Day 5: Otranto – Leuca – Gallipoli

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Otranto: guided tour of the cathedral followed by a walk through the old town
• Santa Maria di Leuca: visit to the pilgrimage church de Finibus Terrae, dramatically set between villas and oriental-style architecture, at the very tip of Italy, where two seas meet
• Gallipoli: explore the old town of the “beautiful city” (città bella), located on a small island, and stop at the mother church, one of the most beautiful Baroque cathedrals in Apulia
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay

Day 6: Castellana Caves – Alberobello – Martina Franca

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Castellana: visit to the famous karst caves
• Alberobello: discover the UNESCO World Heritage site known as the Trulli Town. Enjoy a break in a masseria (farmhouse) with a tasting of four different wines, followed by a cooking demonstration and sampling of local dairy products
• Martina Franca: guided walk through the old town, a gem of late Baroque architecture with its narrow streets and characteristic whitewashed houses
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay

Day 7: Matera – Altamura

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Matera: visit to the rock-hewn dwellings and churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with their remarkable Romanesque architecture
• Altamura, famous for its D.O.P. bread: explore the Old Town, known for its 200 courtyards (claustri), each with a unique atmosphere. Visit the cathedral, a jewel of Apulian architecture built at the request of Emperor Frederick II and distinguished by 7th-century Baroque elements
• Return to the hotel, dinner in Masseria and overnight stay

Day 8: Departure day

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Departure for Bari or Brindisi

• 7 days incl. half board in a 3- or 4-star hotel
• Coach service for the whole trip from/to Bari or Brindisi airport
• English-speaking tour leader for 6 days, plus assistance at the airport
• Olive oil tasting
• Wine tasting
• Cooking show
• Tasting of dairy products
• Tasting of ostie ripiene
• Drinks with meals (1/4 of wine + 1/2 of water)

• Tourist tax, snacks, drinks, meals and entrance fees not explicitly listed as included

• For groups with at least 25 participants