Puglia & the Amalfi Coast

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 – Arrival in Bari, Puglia

Arrive in Bari, the lively capital of Puglia. Upon arrival, you will reach your luxury accommodation and settle in. The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing you to relax after your journey or enjoy an initial walk through the surrounding area.

Hotel: Masseria Torre Maizza

Day 2 – Trulli Dwellings and Hill Towns of Central Puglia

This day is devoted to exploring central Puglia, beginning with Locorotondo, often considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the countryside, the town is characterised by whitewashed houses adorned with flowers, stone staircases, and small balconies.

Continue with your private driver to Cisternino, where you will wander through narrow alleyways, climb staircases, and pass beneath arches marked with decorative figureheads traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits. During your visit, you will meet a local butcher who has been supplying the community since 1948 and enjoy a chef-prepared meal highlighting local ingredients.

The journey continues to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its cone-shaped trulli dwellings. Built without binding materials, these unique structures were historically designed to be dismantled quickly to avoid property taxes. Subject to availability, you will meet a maestro trullaro, one of the few remaining local craftsmen still building trulli using traditional methods.

Weather permitting, the day may also include a visit to Polignano a Mare, where you will enjoy a seafood aperitif with local wine at a traditional restaurant overlooking the sea.

Return to your hotel in the evening.

Hotel: Masseria Torre Maizza
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 – Olive Oil Traditions, Ostuni and Lecce

After breakfast, head south toward Lecce. En route, stop at an ancient masseria to visit a local olive oil producer. Learn how olives are pressed and sample different varieties of olive oil, while discovering why olive oil was once known as “liquid gold” and how it fuelled street lighting in historic London.

Next, visit Ostuni, the celebrated “White City” set on a plateau surrounded by olive groves. Walk through sun-drenched streets and narrow cobbled alleyways, explore the medieval Rione Terra, and admire views of the surrounding landscape and Adriatic Sea. Visit the Gothic Cathedral and see centuries-old olive trees with massive, knotted trunks.

Before leaving Ostuni, stop at the town’s oldest bakery, housed in a 14th-century building, where the family-run business has produced bread, focaccia, and cookies in an olivewood-fired oven since the 1920s.

Proceed to Lecce and check in at your hotel.

Hotel: La Fiermontina Urban Resort, Lecce
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 – Lecce: Baroque Art and Local Craftsmanship

Spend the day discovering Lecce, often referred to as the “Florence of the South” for its remarkable Baroque architecture. With your private guide, visit the Piazza del Duomo, the Basilica of Santa Croce, and the Roman amphitheatre.

You will also take part in a pasticciotto pastry-making class, learning how this beloved custard-filled dessert is prepared. Later, meet a local artisan for a papier-mâché workshop. This traditional craft has played a significant role in Lecce’s cultural and religious heritage since the 17th century, and you will have the opportunity to create your own piece.

The afternoon is at leisure.

Hotel: La Fiermontina Urban Resort, Lecce
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 – Otranto and the Salento Coastline

Travel to Otranto, a historic town often described as a bridge between Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic coastal drive visiting Castro, Tricase Porto, and Grotta della Poesia.

Surrounded by Aragonese walls, Otranto’s Old Town overlooks crystal-clear waters. Founded during the Byzantine period, it served as an important commercial, political, and religious centre. Visit the medieval town centre and the Cathedral of Otranto, which houses a spectacular 12th-century mosaic floor depicting pagan, Old Testament, and New Testament imagery.

Return to Lecce in the evening.

Hotel: La Fiermontina Urban Resort, Lecce
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 – Matera: Ancient Cave Dwellings

Private transfer to Matera, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Matera is an extraordinary open-air museum of cave dwellings, Baroque palaces, and stone churches.

Explore the Sassi districts, visit rock-hewn churches, descend into ancient cisterns and canals once used for water collection, and walk through the Piano area with its monasteries and palaces. At sunset, the atmosphere of Matera reveals its most evocative character.

Hotel: Palazzo Margherita
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 – Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

Travel toward the Amalfi Coast with a stop at Pompeii. Enjoy a guided walking tour of this vast archaeological site, preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Explore temples, forums, an amphitheatre, and residential buildings that offer insight into daily life during the Roman Empire.

Continue to your luxury hotel in Sorrento, overlooking the Gulf of Naples.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 – Capri and the Blue Grotto

Travel by ferry to Capri (weather permitting). Private boat transfers can be arranged on request. Stroll through Capri’s boutique-lined streets and visit the Blue Grotto on a public boat, where light reflects off the cave walls creating its famous glow.

You may also choose to explore Villa San Michele, the Church of San Michele, or take the chairlift to Monte Solaro. Return to the mainland in the evening, with time to enjoy local limoncello.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 – Amalfi Coast Villages

Drive along the Amalfi Coast by private vehicle. Begin in Ravello, enjoying views from Villa Rufolo, then continue to Amalfi to see the Duomo with its 13th-century façade. Enjoy lunch at a sea-view restaurant.

Proceed north along the coast to Positano, with time to stroll through narrow lanes, admire coastal views, and relax at a café. Optional experiences include a sunset cruise or a private boat with onboard dining. Continue to Sorrento in the evening.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 – Departure from Naples

Private transfer to Naples airport for your return flight.