Discover Apulia and Basilicata
Starting at € 6.250,00 per person
10 Days, Private Journey: Discover Apulia and Basilicata
Visit and discover Matera, Dolomiti Lucane, Trani, Castel del Monte, Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Alberobello, Ostuni Lecce and Otranto
On a privately guided trip that shows you Italy’s beauty, discover Matera, one of the most ancient towns in the world; explore the amazing unknown Dolomiti Lucane; visit Castel del Monte, Federico II’s masterpiece; experience the lovely medieval town of Trani; visit Locorotondo with its calm, laid-back atmosphere; visit a local cheese producer; explore Lecce one of the most beautiful Italian Baroque towns; enjoy a fun cooking class in a local Masseria; discover Alberobello known for its magical Trulli and designated a UNESCO world heritage site.
Itinerary at a Glance
- DAY 1 ARRIVAL BARI, ITALY
- DAY 2 GUIDED VISIT OF MATERA AND OF THE MURGIA MATERANA NATIONAL PARK
- DAY 3 DISCOVER THE AMAZING DOLOMITI LUCANE
- DAY 4 VISIT A WINE ESTATE IN THE BASILICATA REGION
- DAY 5 EXPLORE CASTEL DEL MONTE AND TRANI
- DAY 6 COOKING CLASS IN A MASSERIA AND LEISURE TIME IN LOCOROTONDO AND MARTINA FRANCA
- DAY 7 DISCOVER ALBEROBELLO WITH ITS MAGICAL TRULLI AND VISIT A LOCAL CHEESE PRODUCER
- DAY 8 EXPLORE OSTUNI THE WINE CITY AND VISIT A PRESTIGIOUS LOCAL WINERY
- DAY 9 DISCOVER LECCE
- DAY 10 ENJOY A BOAT TOUR ALONG THE COAST OF OTRANTO
- DAY 11 DEPART BARI OR BRINDISI
INCLUDED WITH EVERY LUXURY TAILOR MADE JOURNEY
- Meet and Greet with Private Transfers
- Full Breakfast Daily Included
- Multilingual Local Guide
- Hand-Selected Luxury Accommodations
- 24/7 On-Call Support
The starting price is for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 4-star or Luxury B&B accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates. Supplements may apply over holiday periods, festivals and special events. International air not included.
Discover Apulia and Basilicata | FULL ITINERARY
1
Arrival at Bari International airport and private transfer to your accommodation in Matera, the third oldest city in the world. Rest of the day at your leisure for resting and relaxing.
2
This morning enjoy a guided visit of the beautiful town of Matera. Largely carved out of and built with tuff, the town has an incredible history and a deep sense of spirituality, purity and authenticity. The sassi, ancient cave dwellings that were inhabited until the middle of the 20th century, and the rupestrian churches are the most remarkable aspect of the town, but not the only reasons for visiting this beautiful and unique part of the world: Matera also boasts a superb artistic and cultural heritage, delicious cuisine and a warm sense of hospitality.
After lunch enjoy a guided tour of Murgia Timone enjoying a stunning panorama of the whole Sassi area which is on the other side of the canyon. On Murgia Timone, along the tracks beaten since the Neolithic, when the first form of prehistoric human settlements took place, we will visit the remains of a primitive burial, and some traces of ancient Neolithic village. Continuing along the path you will come across some typical rock-hewn churches like Madonna delle tre porte(of three doors), which is still decorated with interesting frescoes of Byzantine culture. Throughout the visit will be deepened also many aspects of the natural world, observing the plant species, typical of the Matera’s Murgia.
3
Following breakfast your driver will take you to the Dolomiti Lucane where you will visit Campomaggiore Vecchia, one of Basilicata’s two ghost towns, abandoned since an avalanche in 1885, and Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa., two of the most beautiful Italian townsYou will wander around these authentic villages, meet the locals and enjoy the most stunning views.
Lunch in a lovely mountain town restaurant. After lunch return to Matera.
4
Following breakfast and check out your driver will take you to one of the most interesting wineries of Basilicata located on the slopes of Mount Vulture. Discovery the vineyards and the cellars and taste some of the best wines from their assortment, paired with local products of the region. Next continue to the lovely seaside town of Trani. Check into your accommodation and overnight stay.
5
This morning your driver wil take you to Castel del Monte where you will enjoy a guided visit of Federico IIs Apulian masterpiece. Thanks to its formal perfection and its harmonious blending of cultural elements from northern Europe, the Muslim world, and classical antiquity, Castel del Monte became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Lunch in a local trattoria.
After lunch return to Trani and rest of the afternoon at your leisure for discovering its old town centre, a charming mediaeval network of streets with plenty of fine architecture, its picturesque fishing port and its cathedral, a fabulous example of Romanesque architecture with a stunning location beside the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea. Overnight in Trani.
6
Following breakfast your driver will take you to a lovely masseria where you will enjoy a fun cooking class in a local and learn all the secrets to prepare delicious dishes of the local tradition. At the end of your class enjoy the fruits of your labour accompanied by good local wines. In the afternoon time at your leisure to discover the lovely towns of Locorotondo, one of Puglia’s prettiest towns and Martina Franca, which boasts elegant palaces and more than fifteen notable churches. Return to your accommodation in Monopoli and overnight stay.
7
Following breakfast your driver will take you to Alberobello famous for its conical-roofed houses, the trulli. It’s not just a pretty picture, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected thanks to its “outstanding universal value… an exceptional example of a form of building construction deriving from prehistoric construction techniques that have survived intact and functioning into the modern world. Meet your guide and enjoy a guided tour of the magical trulli of Alberobello learning about the ingenious techniques used in the construction of trulli. Next visit a local cheese farm. Taste some of the farm’s delicious produce: mozzarella, fresh ricotta, aged cheeses, capocollodi Martina Franca, bread, wine and desserts. Return to your accommodation in Monopoli and overnight stay.
8
Today visit the amazing Ostuni. The most distinguishing characteristic of Ostuni, and the reason for its taking the epithet La Città Bianca, is its uniformly white buildings. Originally the practice of lime-washing the town’s served as a means of lightening up the dark, labyrinthine mediaeval streets but in the 17th century it became a matter of life and death and was used to limit the depredations of the plague.Wandering through the streets today, visitors are charmed by Ostuni’s mediaeval layout. The narrow back streets, little passages and flights of steps make it delightfully easy to lose one’s bearings! Suitably, however, the climax of any visit arrives when you reach the highest part of town, home to the imposing Archbishop’s palace and the 15th century Concattedrale with its curvaceous, symmetrical façade and rose window.The views from Ostuni are, by themselves, reason enough to make a trip there. Wonderful vistas abound from all angles, the best of which offer 360-degree panoramas of the surrounding countryside and the Adriatic Sea.
In the afternoon enjoy a visit to a local winery followed by wine tasting. Return to Monopoli and overnight stay.
9
Following breakfast and check out your private driver will take you to Lecce. Check into your accommodation. After lunch enjoy a private guided tour of this splendid baroque city to discover its best and most fascinating parts as well as its locals hidden secrets. During your walking tour of the historical centre you will admire palazzi and baroque churches such as Santa Croce and the ex-monastery of Celestini, St. Oronzo Square and the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre, Piazza Duomo and its magnificent sumptuous Cathedral. Ovwernight in Lecce
10
Following breakfast your private driver will take you to Otranto where you will embark for a fantastic private boat tour along the coast between Otranto and the cave named “Grotta Zinzulusa”. Return to Otranto around 02.00 pm and afternoon at your leisure for discovering Italy’s easternmost town with its great mix of history, architecture, views, sea-front restaurants and white sandy beaches.
11
Following breakfast and check out private transfer to Bari or Brindisi International airport to take your flight back home.
