The Delights of Puglia – Italy's Best-Kept Secret
The Delights of Puglia – Italy's Best-Kept Secret
The Delights of Puglia – Italy's Best-Kept Secret
16 Days Starting in Local UK joining point and ending in Local UK drop-off point
Visiting: Calais, Milan, Rome, Trani, Matera, Vieste, Marche, Lake Garda, Belgium
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ipu
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Please advise requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Uncover the delights of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot. It boasts the country’s longest coastline, where the beautiful cities of Trani and Vieste lie, a superb climate, endless olive groves, fairy tale towns such as Alberobello, of whitewashed ‘trulli’ houses, ancient Baroque city of Matera and charming Bari, with its spectacular Castel del Monte. With visits to the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, Ferrara, and the capital city of Rome, all included, this is the perfect holiday for anyone looking to discover the very best of Italy.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Local Departure
Location: Calais
Accommodation: Hotel
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to northern France for an overnight stay.
Day 2 : Travel To Italy
Location: Milan
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We travel to the Milan, Como or Parma area for an overnight stay.
Day 3 : Rome Or Fiuggi
Location: Rome
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We continue to the outskirts of Rome or the spa town of Fiuggi, south-east of Rome, for a two-night stay.
Day 4 Rome
Location: Rome
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today you have the full day to discover the Italian capital city of Rome on our included excursion. The Historic Centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with wonderful palaces, churches, basilicas, Roman ruins, monuments and fountains. It has an immensely rich historical heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere. There will be ample free time for you to explore this wonderful city at your leisure. To make the most of your visit, why not join our optional guided sightseeing tour. The sightseeing tour takes place on both coach and foot and will introduce you to the city’s wonderful sights, including the mighty Colosseum (entrance not included) and the Trevi Fountain. Note: Although Rome is a relatively compact city, we would remind you that this is a walking tour, not suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties and we would recommend you wear suitable shoes for the day.
Day 5 : Trani
Location: Trani
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We travel south into the Puglia region of Italy’s ‘boot’ visiting the city of Trani. Known as the ‘Pearl of Puglia’, Trani has a pretty medieval quarter and cathedral, literally perched on the water’s edge. The marina is the perfect place to relax and watch the white yachts and fishing boats in the harbour, while the historic centre, with its medieval churches, glossy limestone streets and faded, yet charming, Palazzi is an enchanting area to explore. We continue to our hotel in southern Puglia for a four-night stay.
Day 6 : Castellana Grotte, Alberobello & Ostuni
Location: Trani
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today’s included excursion begins at Castellana Grotte where we visit the famous network of caves created by underground rivers. These caves are amongst the deepest caverns in Europe. We continue through the countryside, seeing a landscape dominated by the ‘trulli’, whitewashed cones made of stones held together, traditionally without mortar. Alberobello is the best place to see and visit the famous trulli houses – there are over 1300 of them here. These cylindrical whitewashed buildings with grey conical roofs tapering out to a point or sphere are often adorned with painted symbols and are the true image of Puglia – one of the most unique towns in Europe. We then visit Ostuni, a charming town, perhaps one of the most stunning in southern Italy. The bright, whitewashed houses create a perfect contrast to the green of the surrounding countryside and its maze of well-preserved, winding streets provides hidden delights around every corner.
Day 7 : Free Time Or Lecce & Otranto
Location: Trani
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a day at leisure or why not join our full-day, optional excursion? We start by visiting Lecce, commonly nicknamed the ‘Florence of South Italy’ due to its rich architecture and monuments. Lecce is the main city on Puglia’s Salento Peninsula and because of the soft limestone which is easy to work, it became the centre for the ornate architecture called the Barocco Leccese, and the city is filled with Baroque monuments. The historic centre is compact, making it a great place for walking, and its restaurants offer and abundance of fine food typical of Puglia. We then continue to Otranto, which lies at the most easterly point of mainland Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. The imposing castle with its thick perimeter walls and robust towers, dominate much of the town. Otranto is home to a small port with a series of sea-front promenades and excellent fish restaurants. Spend time exploring the town at your leisure before returning to our hotel.
Day 8 : Matera
Location: Matera
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, our included excursion takes us to Matera. See the fascinating Sassi district, the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region (entrance included). Now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sassi district is one of southern Italy’s most important attractions.
Day 9 : Bari & Castel Del Monte
Location: Vieste
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
En route to our hotel in the Vieste area of northern Puglia, we call at Bari, the capital of Puglia. Its labyrinth of seemingly endless passages weave through courtyards and under arches where you are likely to see local artisans making their wares or people making pasta. Continue to Castel del Monte, where we visit the most splendid of all Puglia’s castles and one of the finest surviving examples of Swabian architecture. We stay for three nights in the Vieste/Rodi Garganico area.
Day 10 : Free Time
Location: Vieste
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a day at leisure.
Day 11 : Vieste & Peschici
Location: Vieste
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, join our included scenic coastal tour. Enjoy the fabulous coastal city of Vieste, with its ancient centre, set above towering, sheer white cliffs. The old town sits on the easternmost of the two promontories, at the tip of which stands the Chiesa di San Francesco, once a thriving monastery. There will be free time in Vieste before we continue to the small town of Peschici, perched on top of an impressive cliff overlooking the bay and filled with whitewashed houses which cling to the rocky headland. The old town of Peschici climbs from the harbour to the fortifications of the Swabian Castles. Here, there will be time for you to explore the narrow alleys and hidden squares.
Day 12 : Travel To The Marche Region
Location: Marche
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We leave Puglia and travel up to the eastern Marche region for an overnight stay.
Day 13 : Ferrara
Location: Lake Garda
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
En route to our hotel on Lake Garda, we visit Ferrara, an outstanding Renaissance city rich in history and regarded as one of Italy’s hidden treasures. There will be free time for you to explore the sights such as the San Giorgio Cathedral which dates back to the 12th century and the Este Castle complete with towers, moat and drawbridges. Later today we continue our journey north to Lake Garda for a two-night stay.
Day 14 : Free Time Or Lake Garda
Location: Lake Garda
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a relaxing day in resort or join our full-day optional excursion along the shores of Lake Garda, visiting some of the picturesque villages on its shoreline. Spend time exploring the narrow streets or relax in one of the many cafés. During the day, we take to the water on a boat cruise where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the picturesque views of the surrounding area from the lake itself.
Day 15 : Travel To Belgium
Location: Belgium
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Travel north to Belgium and our overnight stay.
Day 16 : Return Home
Location: Belgium
Meals Included: Breakfast
Return home.
What's Included
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Meals
15 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 13 dinners
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15 nights hotel accomodation
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Convenient local joining points
What's Not Included
Accommodation
You will stay for four nights in southern Puglia in a minimum 3-star hotel, such as the Hotel Lo Smeraldo in the Cisternino area, followed by three nights in northern Puglia in a minimum 3-star hotel, such as the Villa Americana Park in Rodi Garganico. You will also stay for two nights in the Lake Garda area.
Overnight stays in Italy, northern France and Belgium will be in minimum 3-star hotels.
Check out our Q&As
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
Yes
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What currencies are required for this tour?
Euros
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Is free Wi-Fi available in the accommodation used?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown
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What type of coach will be used?
You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
N/A, this trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
Reviews of this operator
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Barrhead Travel requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 98 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of barrhead travel charges.
Up to 98 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 97 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 28 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions
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