Apulia & Basilicata

Day 1: UK/Bari
Depart on your scheduled flight to Bari. On arrival, transfer to the 4-star Hotel la Chiusa di Chietri near Alberobello. Your hotel is the ideal base from which to explore the regions of Apulia and Basilicata. If you have chosen to upgrade your accommodation to a 17th century trullo, you will experience Apulia at its most authentic. The hotel’s spa offers the ultimate in relaxation, so in between our excursion programme why not make the most of this superb facility as well as its beautiful gardens and swimming pool. Enjoy dinner at your hotel this evening.

Day 2: Alberobello
The Apulian diet is rich in olive oil, full-bodied wines, creamy cheeses and freshly baked bread. Join us on our included excursion to a masseria, or fortified farm villa today, where you’ll be treated to a light lunch. Many of the ingredients in the dishes you will sample are grown right there, giving you a real flavour of the area. This afternoon is free for you to relax back at your hotel.

Day 3: Matera
After breakfast this morning we include a full-day tour of the fascinating town of Matera whose ‘sassi’ houses are carved into the hillside. Hundreds of families lived in these cave dwellings up until the 1950s when they were moved by law to modern buildings on the plateau above. Now a fascinating reminder of the past, they are Basilicata’s most famous site and the town was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It was also one of the locations for Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion. Explore in the company of your Tour Manager and a Local Guide – they will be able to recommend an ideal spot to take lunch.

Day 4: Ostuni
Today gives you an opportunity to take in the calming surroundings of your hotel, or you may choose to join your Tour Manager as they visit the pretty town of Ostuni. Take a stroll along its maze of tiny, narrow streets which are lined with whitewashed houses sitting beneath an imposing Gothic cathedral. Its distinctive domes are decorated with green, yellow and white tiles which glitter as the sun hits them. You will also have the opportunity to sample the olive oil that is produced in this region. Throughout your holiday you will have seen an abundance of beautiful olive groves, some trees are hundreds of years old. It will be a fitting addition to your holiday to learn a little about the product of the trees and taste the oils produced in this region.

Day 5: Lecce
Today’s included excursion takes you to Lecce, which with a new treasure to discover around every corner and extravagant Baroque architecture to admire, has truly earned its moniker ‘the Florence of the South’. View highlights such as the ancient Roman amphitheatre in the company of a Local Guide, who will also introduce you to the Church of Santa Croce, whose façade is adorned with intricately carved statues.

Day 6: Castel del Monte & Trani
You may choose to spend today at leisure exploring at your own pace or relaxing and enjoying your hotel’s facilities. Alternatively, why not join our optional full-day excursion to the coastal town of Trani, in the north of Apulia. Watch fishermen at work in the busy harbour and admire the simplicity of the 11th century cathedral. In complete contrast is the grand Castel del Monte, a gleaming castle made from pale stone which can be seen from miles around. As you stand at its base cast your eyes upwards at this octagonal masterpiece which was built in the mid-13th century by Emperor Frederick II.

Day 7: Alberobello, Locorotondo & Martina Franca
You’ll see more of Apulia’s quirky-looking trulli houses on your included, three-quarter-day excursion. These whitewashed cylindrical buildings with conical grey roofs will be seen in abundance as you travel into the Valley of Itria. In Alberobello, you will see that many trulli are decorated with painted symbols on their roofs. Continuing to the town of Locorotondo you will see trulli here are built in a circular pattern. At the heart of the valley, and your final destination today, lies Martina Franca, where Moorish influences have created a town of medieval palaces and churches and whose houses decorated with wrought-iron balconies could lead you to believe you are in Andalucia as you explore. Enjoy a relaxing evening at your hotel before your final day tomorrow.

Day 8: Bari/UK
Enjoy an included visit to Polignano a Mare, a picture-perfect Apulian coastal town perched in the top of limestone cliffs and overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Stroll along the maze of delightful narrow streets, shops, restaurants and bars in the historic old town before we continue to Bari airport for your flight back to the UK.

Please note
This holiday includes walking in areas of rough ground, gradients and steps.

Accommodation is of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotel you will stay in is:

4-star Grand Hotel la Chiusa di Chietri
This delightful hotel has an outdoor pool and beautiful gardens. All guest rooms have a hairdryer, safe, air-conditioning, satellite TV, mini-bar and en suite facilities. For an even more authentic taste of Apulia, take the opportunity to stay in a converted trullo in the grounds of the hotel – several are used as guest bedrooms and are furnished to the highest standards. These and other superior rooms are available at a supplement. The hotel is set in it’s own grounds and gardens surrounded by beautiful Apulian countryside of olive groves vineyards and fruit trees. Situated 5km from Alberobello the hotel provides a shuttle service into the centre. Your hotel also boasts some of the finest spa facilities in the region should you wish to take advantage (payable locally).

Please note: Outdoor swimming pools are typically open between May and September, but this is dependent on weather conditions.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Masseria lunch
Matera (full day)
Lecce (full day)
Alberobello, Locorotondo & Martina Franca (three-quarter day)
Visit to Polignano a Mare

Optional excursions

Trani & Castel del Monte (full day, moderate walking) £30
For full details of this excursion please see page 8 of our Italy Optional Excursions booklet

Ostuni & Olive Oil Tasting (three-quarter day, moderate walking) £37
For full details of this excursion please see page 7 of our Italy Optional Excursions booklet

Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager and Local Guides
Overseas transfers and other transportation
7 nights’ accommodation
Half-board basis – plus 1 lunch
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”