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What to expect

Unique Architecture

Unique Architecture

Explore the iconic Trulli houses

Trails with Spectacular Views

Trails with Spectacular Views

Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Immersive Food Experiences

Immersive Food Experiences

Sample traditional dishes in a typical Apulian farmhouse

About this trip...

This fantastic tour combines the very best of what Italy has to offer. Relaxed walking trails along the 'heel of Italy' take us through a rich and varied landscapes from the country’s longest coastline, to olive groves, the white washed trulli houses of Alberobello, and to Lecce, which has the well earned nickname of being the 'Florence of South' with its wealth of Baroque monuments.  We'll even venture into the neighbouring Basilicata region to visit Matera and explore its ancient cave dwellings. Along the way, there will be plenty of opportunities to taste the abundant range of locally produced fine foods and the wines of the Puglia region.
Activity Level: Activity Level Rating
What's this?

What's included?

  • Airport transfers
  • Room for sole use
  • Solos Board: Breakfast & dinner daily plus 1 lunch
  • Traditional lunch in a masseria
  • Welcome drink
  • 4 x guided tours including 2 walking tours and 2 city tours
  • Accompanying Solos Tour Leader

Passport, Visa & Entry Requirements

  • Iternational flights are not included
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not included in the itinerary
  • Activities not included in the itinerary
  • Tourist City Tax - EUR 1.00 for initial night, EUR 1.50 per night afterwards payable to the hotel locally (amount subject to change)

Itinerary

  • Arrive Puglia
  • Bari - Polignano a Mare
  • Alberobello
  • Day at Leisure
  • Matera
  • Lecce - Brindisi
  • Day At Leisure
  • Depart Puglia

What you'll be doing

Day One: Arrive Puglia

Day One: Arrive Puglia

Welcome to Puglia! Upon arrival at Bari Airport we will transfer to D'Aragona Conversano. After check-in, we will meet for our welcome drink followed by dinner in the hotel where we can get to know our fellow travellers.
  • Dinner Included
Day Two: From Lecce to Brindisi

Day Two: From Lecce to Brindisi

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 that’s easy to work, it became the centre for the ornate architecture called the 'Barocco Leccese'. The city is filled with Baroque monuments. The historic centre is compact making it a great place for walking and its restaurants offer an abundance of fine food typical of Puglia.
 
We then continue to Brindisi, once an important Roman time port connecting Italy to the eastern Mediterranean. Various monuments in town still testify to the long history of the town: the Roman column, the cathedral, the Romanesque church of San Giovanni al Sepolcro, amongst others. The port is still active and important mostly as a connection from Italy to Greece. After the guided tour of the historical centre, we're free to spend some time exploring the town on our own.
  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Three: Hiking the Apulian Aqueduct Trail & visiting Alberobello

Day Three: Hiking the Apulian Aqueduct Trail & visiting Alberobello

A completely different landscape awaits us today. Along the Apulian Aqueduct Trail, we walk through fields, vineyards and olive groves. We will see many of the iconic trulli houses, a true symbol of Puglia, and learn about how and when they were built. At the end of the hiking tour, we will enjoy lunch in a masseria - a typical Apulian farmhouse, and taste the local traditional food. In the afternoon, we visit Alberobello (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996), a town built almost entirely of trulli houses. Hiking: about 2,5 hours, 7 km

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day Four: Day at Leisure

Day Four: Day at Leisure

Today we have a free day to explore the historic town of Conversano. The historic centre of Conversano is in three distinct parts, which were all previously walled with guarded gateways, some of which still exist. The oldest district contains the three main historic buildings - the Castello with the famous cylindrical Renaissance Tower, the Romanesque Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the San Benedetto convent. The town centre is located 850m (15 min walk) from the hotel. Today's optional excursion: Castel del Monte (walking tour + visit inside) and Trani in the afternoon.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

 
*May & June 2025 The hotel Antica Masseria Martuccio located nearby Mesagne. Mesagne is a charming town known for its rich historical heritage and well-preserved medieval architecture. Visitors can explore its ancient old town, which features a maze of narrow streets, Baroque churches, and the impressive Mesagne Castle, offering a glimpse into the town's past and vibrant culture​. Taxi to town centre is approx. EUR 40.00 per way.
Day Five: Hiking the nature reserve of Murgia Timone

Day Five: Hiking the nature reserve of Murgia Timone

One of the most spectacular towns in Southern Italy waits for us today: Matera (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993), built on one side of a deep canyon. In the morning we take our hiking tour along the canyon and through the nature reserve of Murgia Timone. Spectacular views on the old town of Matera across the canyon will enrich this experience. In the afternoon we explore the old town itself, with its cave churches and historical cave dwellings. Hiking: about 3 hours, 6 km, ↑↓ 100 m

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

Day Six: Exploring Bari & Polignano a Mare

Day Six: Exploring Bari & Polignano a Mare

Today we explore coastal towns - Bari and Polignano a Mare. Bari is a port city facing the Adriatic Sea, as well as the capital of the Puglia region in Southern Italy. Its labyrinthine historic centre - Barivecchia - occupies a promontory between two ports. Surrounded by typical narrow streets, the basilica of San Nicola, dating back to the 11th Century, is a favourite destination for pilgrims who come here to pay homage to the remains of the Saint.

Next stop is Polignano a Mare, the city of Domenico Modugno, to whom a statue on the sea front has been dedicated. With its various terraces overlooking the 'blue painted blue', it is a highly coveted destination for Italians and visitors. The old town contains evidence of the people who lived and fought on the land, leaving traces of the knowledge of the time both in the buildings and in the culture itself. The first thing to do in Polignano a Mare is walk the stone path towards Lama Monachile, to discover an incredible white pebble beach protected by rocky walls. It is the most famous beach in the city and one of the most photographed of Puglia.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Seven: Day At Leisure

Day Seven: Day At Leisure

Enjoy a day at leisure, where we have the option to book additional tours or relax and enjoy the seasonal pool and hotel facilities. Today's optional excursion: Grotte di Castellana - Ostuni - Locorotondo

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

Day Eight: Depart Puglia

Day Eight: Depart Puglia

We say goodbye to Puglia and transfer to the airport for our flight home.

  • Breakfast Included

Accommodation

Masseria Martuccio four-star May & June 2025

The hotel is set in a beautifully restored 18th-century farmhouse, offering a unique blend of traditional architecture and modern comforts. The hotel is set in a beautifully restored 18th-century farmhouse, offering a unique blend of traditional architecture and modern comforts. Guests can enjoy a tranquil and elegant ambiance with a touch of rustic charm, surrounded by lush gardens and olive groves.
Hotel is located 3 miles away from Mesange City center.

Facilities include

  •    Dining: The hotel features an on-site restaurant serving traditional Puglian cuisine, prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Guests can savor meals in a cozy indoor setting or al fresco on the terrace.
  • Swimming Pool: There is an outdoor swimming pool, complete with sun loungers and umbrellas, providing a perfect spot to relax and soak up the sun.
  • Wellness Center: A wellness center is available, offering various treatments and massages to help guests unwind and rejuvenate.
  • Wi-Fi: Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, ensuring guests can stay connected.

The Hotel offers a wide range of services and has a seasonal, semi-olympic-size pool, stylish 

Room includes

Rooms are tastefully decorated, combining classic Italian style with modern amenities. They often feature antique furnishings, vaulted ceilings, and original stone walls. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, minibar, and a private bathroom with complimentary toiletries.

The D’Aragona Hotel & Spa Four-star April & October 25

This newly renovated, modern hotel boasts a strategic position for its proximity to the sea (only 8 km), the Airport of Bari-Palese (just 45 km away) in peaceful town Conversano. Hotel is located 850m (15 min walk) from the town historical centre.

Facilities include

The Hotel offers a wide range of services and has a seasonal, semi-olympic-size pool, stylish American bar, the elegant restaurant serving Apulian and national specialties, the Wellness Centre and large gardens for those in search of a pleasant moment of relax.  There is also Free Wi-Fi in public areas.

Room includes

Refined and equipped with every comfort the rooms have flat-screen/satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, minibar, telephone, air conditioning, heating, work desk, bathroom with shower or bath tub/Jacuzzi, complimentary toiletries and hair dryer. Most of the rooms have balconies of which some overlook the pool.

Dates & Prices

Departure Return Nights Price from Other Info Regional flights
15 Apr 2025 22 Apr 2025 7 $2169.00
3 Jun 2025 10 Jun 2025 7 $2299.00

Essential Information

Transfer
The transfer time from Bari Airport to our hotel is approximately 40 minutes, depending on traffic.
Walking programme
Four guided walks are included in the programme. Your walking guide will advise you in resort of the daily programme. The walking programme is graded as Easy and you can expect to walk between 4 to 7km per day, with minimal ascents/descents and some rough underfoot terrain. Below are the distances for each walk, however please bear in mind these are approximate and subject to change due to local conditions
  • Apulian Aqueduct Trail, 7km, 2,5 hours, ↑↓ 0m
  • Murgia Timone Reserve and Matera Canyon 6km, 3 hours ↑↓ 100m
  • + 2 guided sightseeing city walks
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit and well enough to take part in your chosen activity holiday. If you are unsure as to whether the walks are within your capabilities, please contact the office to discuss this matter, thus making sure you appreciate the terrain that you will be walking. You could be walking across uneven ground in some areas and extreme care must be taken, especially if wet. If used to using a pole/stick, it is advisable to bring it. Please appreciate the route and content of the holiday may change at the time and at the discretion of the guide/organiser, should conditions require. Solo’s Holidays Ltd cannot be held responsible for personal injury, accident or damage to property whilst on these walks other than incidents arising out of the company’s negligence. The guide has the right to refuse to guide a walk with anyone not properly attired. Itinerary daily excursion order is subject to change.
What to wear
It is of paramount importance that you have the correct footwear. It is essential to wear walking boots that are comfortable and preferably lightweight, with some ankle support and a good grip. If you already have a pair of boots that you are happy walking in (including during hot/wet weather and on hard ground), then bring these along. However, if you are bringing new footwear, do make sure they are well broken in before you arrive. Experience has shown that wearing 2 pairs of woollen socks adds to comfort.
  • The weather, even in summer, is unpredictable. We would therefore recommend you travel with clothing suitable for all conditions, and suggest you use the following checklist as a guideline of what to take:
  • Walking boots with good ankle support
  • Waterproofs – jacket and trousers
  • Walking poles – recommended as they provide good support for the knees when conditions are wet/slippery
  • Lightweight trousers and shorts with pockets
  • Shirts or t-shirts for walking in
  • Walking socks – several pairs
  • Lightweight fleece or jumper
  • Hat & gloves
  • Daysack/rucksack for walking
  • Umbrella – it can be used also for protection from the sun as well as rain
  • Lightweight drinking bottle to carry water whilst walking
  • Small first aid kit – plasters, insect repellant, etc
  • Good, high factor sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses – the sun’s strength is often multiplied in mountainous areas.
Gratuities
We suggest a Group Collection to cover transfer drivers, guides and hotel staff of €25 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate % add on.
Currency
Euro
Passport & Visa Information
We recommend that you check passport and visa requirements for the country you are visiting at the State Department if you have a U.S. Passport. Most countries require that your passport have at least six months validity when traveling internationally, and many require that you have one to two blank visa pages for either an entry stamp or visa. As a general rule, please check that your passport has six months validity beyond your planned trip, and if not, please renew your passport with plenty of time to provide Solos with your updated passport information by the final payment due date
More to explore
There may be optional activities available to you during the course of your holiday, full details of which will be given out at your Information Meeting by the local guide. All tours should be paid for in Euros. The exact amount will be given at your Information Meeting. Your Tour Leader may not necessarily accompany you.
  • Grotte di Castellana - Ostuni - Locorotondo EUR 63.00  + entrances fees
  • Castel del Monte (walking tour + visit inside) and Trani in the afternoon EUR 63.00  + entrances fees
Optional excursions are not guaranteed and are based on minimum numbers - min 15 passengers. The prices quoted are guideline only and may involve other non-Solos holidaymakers.

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