Private tours · Italy
So you want to go to Puglia?
Whitewashed hill towns, trulli and olive groves, baroque Lecce and long lunches by the Adriatic. Here's how I'd help you and your group make the most of it.
The heel of Italy, and the best of it.
Puglia runs along Italy's south-east coast, from the cliffs of Polignano a Mare down to the very tip of the heel. It's slower and more relaxed than Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast, and it still very much belongs to the Italians.
It's a wonderful place for a group of friends or family. Stay in a masseria, an old fortified farmhouse among the olive trees, gather around a long table of burrata, orecchiette and local wine, and spend your days between whitewashed towns, morning markets and the sea.
Below are my thoughts on where to base yourselves, what to see, where to stay and what to eat. Use them as inspiration. I'll shape the trip around your group, your dates, your pace and your budget.
Where to base yourselves
North or south?
Puglia is around 400 kilometres long, so where you stay shapes the whole trip. Most groups choose one base for a week, or split ten days or more between the two.
Monopoli, Ostuni and the Valle d'Itria
The Valle d'Itria and the coast
Trulli, vineyards and whitewashed hill towns, with Alberobello, Locorotondo and Ostuni close by and Polignano a Mare and Monopoli on the sea. Easy to reach from Bari, and an easy day trip to Matera. A good choice for first visits, food lovers and anyone who wants a beautiful masseria to come home to.
Lecce, Otranto and Gallipoli
Lecce and the Salento
Baroque Lecce, often called the Florence of the South, and the Salento peninsula beyond, with wineries, sandy beaches and clear water on both coasts. A good choice for culture lovers, beach lovers and anyone who wants a lively city base.
How many days?
How long do you need?
The honest answer is longer than most people plan. Here's roughly what fits, without rushing.
A taste of the Valle d'Itria
Base yourselves near Monopoli or Ostuni, wander Alberobello and Polignano a Mare, and enjoy a long lunch at a masseria. Ideal as an add-on to Rome or the Amalfi Coast.
One region done well
Time for the trulli and the white towns, a cooking class on a farm, a cheese or olive oil tasting and a morning at the market.
A relaxed week
Add a day trip to the cave city of Matera, a wine tasting in Locorotondo or a boat trip along the coast.
North and south
Split your stay between the Valle d'Itria and Lecce and see the whole region, from the trulli to the beaches of the Salento.
Things to do
Some highlights.
Choose a few, not all of them. The best Puglia holidays leave plenty of room for long lunches and doing nothing much at all.
Alberobello and the trulli
The town of trulli, the little conical stone houses found only in this corner of Italy. Go early, before the day trippers, and wander the lanes of the old quarter.
Polignano a Mare
A clifftop old town above a tiny cove of impossibly clear water. Try the local caffè speciale, with lemon, cream and amaretto, or see the sea caves from a boat.
Ostuni, the white city
A hilltop maze of whitewashed lanes and stairways, looking out over a sea of ancient olive trees. Lovely at sunset, with an aperitivo on a terrace.
Baroque Lecce
Honey-coloured stone carved into some of Italy's most extravagant churches and palazzi. Take a walking tour, visit a papier-mâché workshop and stay for the evening passeggiata.
The cave city of Matera
Just over the border in Basilicata, Matera's ancient cave dwellings cling to the side of a ravine. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an easy day trip from the Valle d'Itria.
The Salento coast
Rocky coves, sea caves and sandy beaches running down to the tip of the heel. Swim from a beach club, or explore by boat from Otranto or Gallipoli.
Where you might stay
Beautiful places to stay.
For many groups, a masseria is the heart of a Puglia holiday: an old fortified farmhouse among the olive groves, with a pool, a long table and room for everyone. If you'd rather be in town, these hotels suit groups beautifully too.
Across the region
A masseria
From rustic farmhouses with a handful of rooms to beautifully restored estates with spas and cooking schools. Many can be booked exclusively for your group, and I can add a private chef or a driver.
Ostuni
Ostuni Palace
A stylish hotel in the heart of Ostuni, with a rooftop terrace looking out over the white city and the olive groves to the sea.
Savelletri, near Fasano
Borgo Egnazia
A village-style resort built from local stone, with a beautiful spa, a beach club and villas large enough for families and friends travelling together.
Savelletri, near Fasano
Masseria Torre Maizza
A restored 16th-century masseria with whitewashed suites set among the olive groves, just a short drive from the sea.
Monopoli
Palazzo Indelli
A restored palazzo in Monopoli's old town, a short walk from the harbour. Perfect for a few nights of wandering and long dinners.
Lecce
Patria Palace
A historic palazzo hotel beside the Basilica di Santa Croce, in the heart of Lecce's baroque old town.
These are suggested accommodation options, not an exhaustive list.
Food to try
What to eat in Puglia.
Puglian food is simple, generous and built on olive oil, durum wheat, fresh cheese and whatever came out of the sea or the garden that morning. These are the dishes I'd make sure you try. I'll book the right tables once you're there.
Burrata
Fresh mozzarella filled with soft, creamy stracciatella. Puglia's most famous cheese, best eaten the day it's made.
Orecchiette with cime di rapa
Little "ears" of pasta tossed with turnip greens, garlic, chilli and olive oil. In Bari's old town you'll see them being made by hand in the street.
Focaccia barese
Soft, olive oil-rich focaccia topped with cherry tomatoes and oregano. Perfect for a picnic or a day at the beach.
Seafood from the Adriatic
Raw prawns, sea urchins and mussels straight from the boats, or clams tossed through spaghetti with white wine and parsley.
Pasticciotto
Lecce's favourite breakfast: a little shortcrust pastry filled with warm custard. Have it with a caffè leccese, iced coffee with almond syrup.
Aperitivo hour
A spritz or a glass of local Negroamaro with taralli and olives, in the piazza as the sun goes down.
Good to know
Worth knowing before you go.
When is the best time to visit?
May, June, September and early October are ideal: warm days, a warm sea and fewer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, especially at the beaches. Many masserie and beach clubs close from November to March.
Do we need a car?
Yes, or a driver. The towns are spread out and public transport between them is limited. Most groups hire a car or have me arrange a private driver for days out, so everyone can enjoy the wine at lunch.
Where should we stay?
One base works well for a week, ideally a masseria in the Valle d'Itria. For ten days or more, add a few nights in Lecce to see the Salento without long drives.
How do we get there?
Puglia has two airports, Bari in the north and Brindisi in the south. Most Australians connect through Rome or another European hub. You can also arrive by train from Rome or Naples.
Is Puglia good for families and mixed ages?
Very. The food is easy for children, the beaches are gentle and the towns are small enough to explore on foot. A masseria with a pool gives everyone their own space.
How far ahead should we plan?
The best masserie for groups book out early, often nine to twelve months ahead for June to September. If you have a date in mind, it's worth starting the conversation now.
Your private Puglia holiday
Let's plan yours.
Tell me who's coming, when you'd like to go and what you love most, whether that's food, wine, beaches or simply time together. I'll shape a private Puglia holiday around your group, your pace and your budget.