Puglia & Basilicata

Arrive in Rome and transfer independently to your hotel, where you will meet your Tour Manager and fellow travelers. Once the largest city in the world and the center of the powerful Roman Empire, the city's architecture charts the passage of time through its wonderfully preserved Roman monuments and buildings with distinctive medieval, Renaissance and Baroque features. Overnight Rome. 

• Dinner

We discover the many famous sights of Rome on a guided tour. We pass the incredible Colosseum, Italy's most famous classical sight, and the Roman Forum as well as Piazza Venezia and the Pantheon. Later, you're free to savor Rome's beauty at your own pace. The city is rich in world-class museums and galleries, though simply walking through the atmospheric streets is a treat. Overnight Rome. 

• Breakfast

Leaving Rome, we travel across Italy by rail - a scenic journey which takes us along the gorgeous Italian-Adriatic coastline. We travel into Puglia, the 'heel' of Italy - a rural region with an undiscovered feel. We arrive in the town of Lecce in southern Puglia then transfer by coach to our seafront hotel in the fishing town of Santa Maria al Bagno, our relaxing base for the next four nights. There's free time to get to know our lovely surroundings, possibly take a refreshing swim in one of the hotel pools, visit the private beach or spend some time on the sun terrace which overlooks the sea. Overnight Santa Maria al Bagno. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

We visit the town of Lecce today on a guided walking tour. With an interesting Old Town of elaborate Baroque architecture, Lecce has been dubbed 'the Florence of the South', and the city's narrow alleys are ideal for exploring on foot. We visit the Chiesa di Santa Croce, with its intricately carved rose window and grand chandeliers, and the Piazza del Duomo, the main square, in the shadow of Lecce's cathedral. Our guided tour ends in a traditional café, where we sample a Leccese coffee, made with almond milk and poured over ice and 'pasticciotto', a Southern Puglian dish. We then have a free afternoon to explore the town. Overnight Santa Maria al Bagno. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

You have a day at leisure to explore the town of Santa Maria al Bagno or relax at the hotel. Due to its beautiful coastline and good swimming beaches, the town buzzes with vacationers during the height of summer. There is an attractive promenade overlooked by elegant estates and palazzos. The traditional town center is just a short walk from the hotel, and above is the 'Tower of the Galatena River' a set of four medieval fortress towers known locally as 'the four columns'. The town was the site of a 'displaced persons camp' after World War II, and a small museum tells the moving story of refugees who were given temporary homes in Santa Maria al Bagno and how they were welcomed by the local population. Overnight Santa Maria al Bagno. 

• Breakfast

We set off for a full day of sightseeing, first to Galatina - one of the region's hidden gems, off the well-worn tourist track with an impressive domed cathedral. After some free time here, we continue to the historic town of Gallipoli which we explore with our local guide. Overnight Santa Maria al Bagno. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we travel by coach to Lecce then by rail to Monopoli, an old, whitewashed town with a characterful harbor. After checking into our hotel, we enjoy a walking tour of the town with a local guide. Overnight Monopoli. 

• Breakfast

Our excursion today is to Alberobello, a town unlike any other. The town is packed with hundreds of 'Trulli' - cone-shaped, limestone houses built in a style that dates to prehistoric times. We meet our knowledgeable and friendly guide, Mimmo Palmisano, also known as 'Mr Alberobello'. We sit down to a delicious lunch in his family's restaurant before a guided tour, with Mimmo's unique and fascinating insights. Overnight Monopoli. 

• Breakfast, Lunch

We visit Matera in Basilicata, which sits in a small canyon and is famous for its 'Sassi', a collection of ancient cave dwellings that have UNESCO World Heritage status. We explore the maze of winding streets and Paleolithic-era abodes, some of which date back to the 8th century and were inhabited until as recently as the 1950s. Matera has flourished in recent years and there are many boutiques, craft shops, bars and cafés to discover in your free time after our tour. Overnight Monopoli. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

Your tour of Southern Italy concludes after breakfast where you are free to continue your onward journey.

• Breakfast