
Tour · 7 nights · with Explore Worldwide
A week-long escorted tour with Explore Worldwide tracing Puglia's coastline, Baroque Lecce, cave-homes of Matera and medieval Castel del Monte, offering a blend of history, food, and coastline.
Highlights
Bread tasting in Altamura’s traditional stone ovens
Guided tour of Castel del Monte's octagonal castle
Two nights in Matera's ancient Sassi cave dwellings
Wine tasting in Alberobello's Cantina Albea Winery and Museum
Cathedral and mosaic floor visit in Otranto
This escorted tour with Explore Worldwide takes you through southern Italy's Puglia region and its surroundings. Starting in Bari, the Adriatic port, the itinerary moves on to Altamura, where the renowned local bread is sampled, before visiting the imposing Castel del Monte, a medieval castle known for its unusual octagonal plan. Two nights are spent in Matera, where ancient cave dwellings and rock-hewn churches offer a glimpse of a settlement largely unchanged for millennia.
Journeys
From Matera, the tour heads inland to Alberobello’s distinctive trulli — whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs — for two nights, with a winery visit included. Time is allowed to linger on the coast in Monopoli or to visit nearby Locorotondo or the Castellana Caves. Following this, there’s a brief stop at an underground olive press before a visit to Otranto, with its remarkable mosaic floor, then a final two nights in Lecce, famed for its Baroque architecture in cream-coloured stone.
Meals focus on local ingredients, from freshly braided mozzarella to seafood and hearty bread. There are walks and orientation tours at key stops, balanced with free afternoons to explore at your own pace or rest. The trip concludes with an early transfer from Lecce to Bari airport, with options for later travel.
Itinerary
Bari
Matera
Castel del Monte
Alberobello
Otranto
When to go
Lowest price each month, per person.
Explore Worldwide confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
For full details of what’s included, check with Explore Worldwide. See the full details on their site
The operator
Small-group adventures, walking and wildlife
Small groups with local leaders, and a fondness for the places at the end of the road. Trips are graded so you know how active they are.
You book with Explore Worldwide directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.
New to Italy? Our Italy guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

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Lecce
These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.