A Taste of Puglia with Alberobello, Matera, Lecce & Polignano

Let us take you to the heart of Southern Italy, where every day feels like a postcard — from Matera’s ancient cave dwellings to Lecce’s graceful streets and the sparkling shores of Polignano a Mare

Your Holiday Itinerary

Day1Fly from Dublin

Upon arrival in Puglia, you’ll be greeted by your Tour Manager and brought to the 4-star Relais Porta del Sud. This charming countryside hotel provides comfort and tranquillity from the moment you arrive. After settling into your room, a light dinner will be served before you retire for the night.

Day2Ostuni & Polignano a Mare

After breakfast, depart the hotel for a full-day excursion. Your first stop is Ostuni, the shimmering “White City”, where a guided walking tour reveals its tangle of whitewashed lanes and views across the olive groves to the sea. There will be some free time to browse the little shops or enjoy a coffee in one of the sunny squares.

Polignano a Mare, one of Italy’s most striking coastal towns. A guided walk reveals its ancient core, perched above a network of sea grottoes that have sheltered fishermen for generations. Enjoy some free time to take in the spectacular Adriatic views before returning to your hotel.

Day3Matera

Today you travel inland to the remarkable city of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former European Capital of Culture. On arrival, enjoy a guided walking tour, bringing to life the fascinating history of Matera’s ancient “sassi” districts — cave dwellings carved into the soft tufa rock, which have provided a backdrop for films such as The Passion of the Christ and 007 – No Time to Die.

After the tour, there will be time at leisure to continue exploring at your own pace, perhaps visiting one of the rock churches or simply pausing for lunch in a local trattoria. In the afternoon, rejoin your coach for the journey back to the hotel, where dinner is included this evening.

Day4At Your Leisure

After a few days of sightseeing, enjoy a day at leisure. Take advantage of the hotel’s restful setting, perhaps relaxing by the pool, reading on the terrace or wandering through the surrounding countryside. Your Tour Manager will be on hand with suggestions should you wish to explore independently.

In the evening, gather with your fellow travellers for a typical Apulian four-course dinner at the hotel, accompanied by live local entertainment — a wonderful way to experience the region’s warm hospitality and flavours.

Day5Lecce

Today’s excursion takes you to Lecce, often called “The Florence of the South” thanks to its ornate Baroque palaces and churches carved from soft golden “Lecce stone”. Enjoy a guided walking tour that leads you past the Roman amphitheatre, elegant piazzas and intricately decorated facades, before some free time to explore further at your own pace.

During your visit there will be the opportunity to sample a typical pasticciotto, the delicious custard-filled pastry that is a much-loved local speciality. Later, return to the hotel where a three-course dinner is served, accompanied by gentle piano music in the background.

Day6At Your Leisure

This is a perfect day to relax or revisit a favourite spot. The captivating hilltown of Ostuni is only 15 minutes away and well worth returning to for a leisurely wander or a coffee in one of its charming piazzas. You might also opt to simply enjoy the hotel’s restful atmosphere, or speak with your Tour Manager about other ways to spend the day.

Day7Burrata Tasting, Alberobello & Locorotondo

Your morning takes you into the heart of Puglia’s countryside for a visit to a local cheese dairy. Here, you’ll see how burrata — a creation born in the 1920s from the resourcefulness of Apulian farmers — is still made by hand today. Watching the transformation of fresh milk into silky, cream-filled burrata offers a captivating window into the region’s long-standing rural traditions.

From here, continue to Alberobello, a place unlike any other. Its trulli houses, constructed from limestone using techniques that date back to prehistoric times, once served as homes, storage rooms and shelters for farming families. Your guided walk reveals the history behind their curious conical roofs and the deep symbolism etched onto their stones. After some free time, travel on to Locorotondo, a village renowned for its circular layout and graceful white lanes that shine under the Apulian sun. Its panoramic viewpoints open out across the Valle d’Itria — a tapestry of vineyards and olive groves shaped by centuries of agricultural life.

End the day with a flavoursome dinner in a local restaurant before returning to your hotel.

Day8Return to Dublin

Your last day offers a delightful farewell to Apulia’s culinary traditions with an orecchiette cooking class and lunch, a chance to savour one more authentic regional experience. Later, enjoy free time in a nearby coastal town — perhaps browsing local shops, enjoying a coffee by the harbour or simply taking in the Adriatic scenery. In the early evening, your coach will take you to the airport for your homeward flight, carrying with you a week’s worth of rich impressions, gentle moments and unforgettable sights from Puglia’s sun-drenched landscapes.