Undiscovered Italy - Puglia, Matera and Lecce

Accommodation

4 star Riva Marina Resort

The Riva Marina Resort is situated on the Adriatic coast, by the small seaside village of Specchiola. With a peaceful setting next to the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve, the Riva Marina has extensive Mediterranean village style grounds and offers comfortable accommodation and a wide range of facilities.

The spacious air-conditioned guest bedrooms are located around the resort and are on the ground or first floor. They are all furnished in a contemporary style, with modern amenities to ensure you have a comfortable stay. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, TV and a balcony or veranda with views over the resort’s well-established grounds.

Each morning the restaurant puts on a continental buffet style breakfast and in the evening the buffet dinners include typical southern Italian and Mediterranean dishes. There is a free bar every day from 8.30am to 11.30pm serving local spirits, wine, beer, soft drinks and tea and coffee.

There is a large swimming pool with sun-loungers and parasols. The Riva Marina also has its own private, fine-sand beach with a beach bar (mid May to mid September), easily reached on the hotel’s free shuttle which runs from the end of May until mid September. There is also a spa, where you can have treatments, a hairdressers (payable locally) or relax in the hot tub. Free WiFi is available in the reception and bar areas.

Please note that on certain peak dates or with high demand, we may use an alternative 4 star resort hotel of the same standard on the Puglia coast.

Excursions & Itinerary

Day 1 - Fly to Italy

Fly from your local airport to Italy. On arrival at Bari or Brindisi airport you will be met and transferred to our hotel, where we stay for seven nights. Seven breakfasts and seven dinners are included in the hotel.

Day 2 - At Leisure

Today is at leisure, enabling you to relax in the comfortable surroundings of the Riva Marina Resort, or to make your first discoveries in Specchiola. Perhaps take a stroll along the beach or enjoy a lunch of local seafood in one of its restaurants.

Day 3 - Included Lecce and guided walking tour

Our first included excursion takes us to Lecce, the 'Florence of the South', famous for its Baroque churches and buildings carved from local stone, where we have a guided walking tour of this city which is filled with Baroque monuments. The ‘old town’ is compact, which makes it easy to visit the main sights including the cathedral, the Basilica di Santa Croce, the ancient Roman amphitheatre which dates from the second century and the old Jewish Quarter. After the walking tour there will be time at leisure for you to make your own discoveries in this beautiful Baroque city and perhaps enjoy a refreshing drink in one of the pavement cafes or hunt out some bargains in the vast array of shops.

Day 4 - Included Alberobello and Ostuni Tour

This morning we head to Ostuni. Visible for miles around, Ostuni is a gleaming tumble of painted buildings and dramatic brick-built palaces, perched on three hills and surrounded by olive groves. Ostuni’s whitewashed old town lends the town its second name as the ‘White City’ of Puglia, and there are few places as atmospheric found anywhere else in the region. Stroll through the narrow streets spanned by elegant archways or perhaps relax in a pavement cafe and just enjoy the views. We then continue through the countryside and the Itria Valley. Keep your eyes peeled for your first view of those unique hobbit-sized cone-roofed Trulli houses that look like they’ve come straight out of a fairytale book. Alberobello is the best place to see and visit the famous trulli houses, whitewashed cones made of stones held together, traditionally without mortar – there are over 1300 of them here.

Day 5 - At leisure

Spend the day relaxing. Perhaps wander into Specchiola and enjoy a drink in one of the pavement cafes, or simply take it easy and relax in the surroundings of the Riva Marina Resort and soak up the sun by the swimming pool or at the beach.

Day 6 - Included Locorotondo, Martina Franca and vineyard visit with wine tasting

Today's excursion takes us to see even more of this wonderful region of Italy. We start by visiting the whitewashed hilltop town of Locorotondo. Locorotondo means ‘round place’ and this small town is as delightful as its name suggests. Its round historical centre is picture perfect with picturesque alleys and houses with flower bedecked balconies. We’ll also visit one of the local vineyards to sample the crisp white wines Puglia is noted for, accompanied by some local delicacies. This afternoonwe visit the picturesque hilltop town of Martina Franca. The town's jewel is its lovely historic centre, a memorable maze of winding alleys, where whitewashed simplicity sits side by side with baroque extravagance.

Day 7 - Included Matera and Sassi Caves Tour

Today we leave the region of Apulia and drive into the neighbouring region of Basilicata where we visit Matera. One of Italy’s oldest cities, this amazing place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is famous for its ‘Sassi’, 8th century cave-dwellings carved into the hillsides. We’ll have a guided tour of the rock church and caves which were first created by monks. They were inhabited right up until the 1960s and are one of Basilicata's most famous sites.

Day 8 - Homeward Bound

It’s ’Arriverderci Italia’ today when we return to the airport for our flight back to the UK. If your flight is in the morning or over the lunchtime period, we will take you to the airport after breakfast. If your flight is in the late afternoon or evening, there will be time at leisure before leaving for the airport.

N.B. The days of the excursions may be subject to change.