GREAT ROUND TRIP IN PUGLIA

7 days
couples
spring, summer, fall

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Puglia is a beautiful part of Italy. In these seven days, you will drive through quite a large part of this region. You'll visit historic sites, picturesque towns and villages, take in the local countryside and sample plenty of local specialities. You will get to know a bit of the Ionian and Adriatic coast. Especially in spring and autumn, you will find peace and quiet here and you won't meet crowds of other tourists. In summer, it can get a little busier, but even so, Puglia is not one of the most popular places among tourists. Unjustifiably so, because it really is a great place for an explorative, active holiday!

4.8 / 5

From Bari Airport, you'll set off on a tour of one of Europe's most mysterious sites – Castel del Monte. Through the town of Gravina in Puglia, with its very pretty cathedral and beautiful arch bridge, you will reach the town of Altamura.

On the second day, you'll drive a bit to spend the whole day exploring the interesting town of Matera and its surrounding area, which is full of characteristic rock dwellings. Spend the morning of the third day exploring the Castellana Grote caves! And in the afternoon go to the romantic town of Alberobello, full of small trulli houses.

On the fourth day you will pass through the towns of Locorotondo and Martina Franca on your way to Lecce, a city full of Baroque monuments. On day five you'll explore Lecce and in the late afternoon you'll drive to the Ionian coast and the town of Gallipoli. On your way back to Lecce, you can make a stop in Nardo, which is especially charming in the low light of the setting sun.

The next day the city of Otranto on the Adriatic coast awaits you. Its historic centre is just lovely! Plus, it's a great place for a comfortable hike along the rocky coastline. In the afternoon, you will stop in the town of Galatina, where the beautifully decorated Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria is located.

On the seventh and final day, you'll transfer to the airport in Bari, but you can make some nice stops along the way to make the journey more enjoyable. For example, stop at Riserva Naturale Torre Guaceto where there are the most beautiful beaches in the region, or take a tour of Polignano a Mare.

Author: Jirka Maleček

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Guides

For additional info click Travel Info Process

Travel Info

Plane tickets – Use your favourite flight search engine. If you don't have a favourite, try kiwi.com.

Restaurants – Puglia is not the richest part of Italy, which translates into the local prices. Prices in restaurants are not too high and the food is excellent!

Prices in the destination – As can be expected nice accommodation is not exactly cheap. On the other hand, it is not overpriced either and the choice is huge.

Calls and data – For EU citizens, everything is the same as at home. WiFi is common in hotels and restaurants and is free.

When to go – Pretty much any time of year except the winter months (unless you don't mind the colder weather and the occasional rain). In the summer months of July and August, it's very crowded and also very hot here. So, it's best to come here in spring or autumn.

Process

Buy your plane tickets
Book your accommodation
Arrange your car rental
Make a timetable for the first and last day according to your arrival and departure time
Get your travel insurance
Download offline maps, for example in the Mapy.cz app, just in case

What will you see on the way?

						
Tour of Castel del MonteCastel del Monte
The castle has stood here since the 13th century and in 1996 it was added to the UNESCO heritage list. It is a mystery why the castle was built and what purpose it served. There were no kitchens or stables. Another mystery is the recurring number 8 – the castle’s ground plan is an octagon; the castle has eight corner towers whose height is three times the number eight. And there are eight halls inside the castle. It’s strange and it’s nice.
You must leave your car in the car park and either walk the rest of the way or use the local shuttle bus. It’s a bit of an uphill walk, but it's good to stretch out your legs on the way.

Transfer to AlberobelloAlberobello
A small town, famous for its architecture. In the centre you will find the peculiar Trulli residential buildings. Circular white houses with stone roofs. It is interesting that the houses are built without the use of mortar. There are about 1,500 such houses in the town and you can look inside some of these.
You definitely want to see this!

Tour of the Basilica di Santa CroceBasilica di Santa Croce
The Basilica of Santa Croce, the monastery church of the Celestine Fathers, was built between 1549 until 1646. The building is gorgeous and is rightly the symbol of the Lecce Baroque. The exterior and interior decoration will literally take your breath away. There is an entrance fee.

Daily itinerary

Day 1

The beauty of Puglia

Arrival in Bari, transfer and visit the mysterious Castel del Monte. Tour of the town of Gravina in Puglia. Accommodation and tour of the centre of Altamura.

Detail of the day

Day 2

Matera

Transfer to Matera. Stop at the Parco delle Chiese Rupestri di Matera. Tour of Sassi di Matera.

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Day 3

Continuing the journey south

Morning tour of the Castellana Grotte cave. Afternoon tour of the fabulous Alberobello.

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Day 4

Transfer to Lecce with stops

Stops at and tours of Locorotondo and Martina Franca. Transfer to Lecce.

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Day 5

Tour of Lecce and the Ionian Sea

Sightseeing in Lecce – Duomo di Lecce, Basilica di Santa Croce, the beautiful Chiesa di San Matteo, the excellent Jewish Museum Lecce, and possibly the Anfiteatro Romano. A trip to the town of Gallipoli on the shores of the Ionian Sea. Evening: town of Nardo.

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Day 6

Otranto and the Adriatic Sea

Tour the medieval city of Otranto, walk along the Adriatic coast. The beautiful Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria in Galatina. Tip for dinner in Lecce.

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Day 7

Transfer to the airport with a full day programme

A walk in the Riserva Naturale Torre Guaceto. Tour of the cave churches of the Parco rupestre Lama d'Antico and the Parco Archeologico di Egnazia. Sightseeing tour of the town of Polignano a Mare. Transfer to the airport.

Detail of the day