Southern Visions 7 Day Casual Trekking Tour

(for groups of 20+)

This is a beautiful Southern Visions’ seven (7) day guided trekking trip through the region of Puglia,

Italy, which lies in the heel of the boot, along the sun drenched Adriatic Sea. Puglia offers access to

the freshest seafood, crowd-free open spaces, irresistible desserts and pastries, distinct wines, and

the 50 million olive trees that make Puglia the world’s leading producer of Olive Oil. Come to Puglia

and hear the voices of the past call out over the trulli houses…..we promise, once you discover it,

Puglia will leave a lasting impression

Trip Highlights

Matera and Lecce Walking Tours

Guided Tour of the Countryside of Montescaglioso

Alberobello and Otranto Walking Tours

Castle to Castle Tour

Monopoli Market Visit

WHAT YOU GET!!!

An outstanding adventure travel

experience

Peace of mind you are with the most

professional travel and tour company

in Puglia

Local, native guides with knowledge of

the secrets and mysteries of the region

6 nights lodging at lovely Bed and

Breakfast Style lodgings

6 breakfasts

4 Dinners

All luggage transfers

Guest Shuttles

Professional Mozzarella Making Demo

and Tasting

Daily professional walking and shuttle

tours

Guided tour of Monopoli Market

€899.00 per person based on double

occupancy

€349.00 Single Supplement

We will meet at Bari Airport at 10:00 a.m. You will find your Guide in a red and orange Southern

Visions t-shirt. We suggest you arrive at least the night before – please check for flights or night trains

from Milan, Rome, and Venice, arriving in Bari between 6 and 8 p.m. the night prior to our first day.

(See the end of itinerary for recommendations on arriving and departing from the area).

Day 1

Matera Walking Tour

Dinner: TBD

Lodging: TBD

Your adventure begins at 10:00 am when our local SV guide meets you at Bari Airport, and then off you

go for a gorgeous walking tour of Matera, where, immediately you will be swept from the world you

know to a land given over for gone which has emerged triumphant and beautiful in its pure connection

with the past and how time is once again brought round to reveal there is always a new way of looking

at things. We will stop so you can lunch on your own, and then walk you to your lovely hotel for an

afternoon to enjoy yourself on your own time. You will have time for a look around the area and for an

all important afternoon Italian coffee drink, the Espressino. We will meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30

before heading to dinner for some traditional Italian fare. Welcome to Italy!

Day 2

Morning and Afternoon Activities: Tour the Countryside of Montescaglioso

Lodging: TBD

Today’s events start with a drive out of town for a lovely walking tour through the Italian countryside.

We will take a breathtaking walk in the protected area of Natural Park of Rupestrian (dug into caves)

Churches, characterized by cliffs, ravines, caves and gorges where we can find pre-historical settlements

as well as medieval monastic communities. Birdwatchers can enjoy the widest variety of species in Italy.

We will walk up to the St. Michael Abbey in Montescaglioso stopping so you can lunch on your own. Our

day of beautiful walks will culminate at the St. Michael Abbey, before heading back to the hotel by

shuttle. There will be a nice period in the afternoon to relax, have a nap, or visit local shops. Dinner is

scheduled to be an on your own event to enjoy the evening life at your own leisure. If you are in the

mood for a real feast, try Ristorante Rivelli; or if pizza is what your heart desires, visit Oi Mari’or Da

Mario. Be sure to get plenty of rest before another packed day of activities begins tomorrow!

Day 3

Shuttle Ride to Puglia

Afternoon Walking Tour of Alberobello

Lodging: Masseria San Martino www.masseriasanmartino.com

Dining: TBD

We begin our day by shuttling to our next hotel in Puglia, Masseria San Martino, where along the way

we will experience the beautiful hilltop towns of Puglia whose Greek influence is apparent in their

whitewashed exteriors. The landscape is highlighted by seemingly deserted paths through ancient olive

groves covered with blankets of poppies and surrounded by meticulously built little walls of stone. We

will stop so you can lunch on your own or with your companions. Next, we will stop to take a walking

tour of Alberobello, where if you pay special attention, you will hear voices of the past echoing off the

1400+ Trulli (conical roofed homes and businesses), and come to understand why Alberobello is the

postcard capital of Puglia. Finally, we will arrive at the Masseria San Martino where you will be able to

relax before dinner.

Day 4

Transfer to Monopoli Market, lunch in Monopoli

Walking Tour: Castle to Castle Walk

Aperitivo at Crovace House with Mozzarella Class

Walking Tour in Cisternino

Dinner: TBD

Lodging: Masseria San Martino www.masseriasanmartino.com

This morning we will transfer to Monopoli to visit the open air market and do some sightseeing,

followed by a castle to castle walk of 2 to 3 hours. We are sure you have worked up an appetite, so we

encourage you to lunch heartily on your own in Monopoli. We will then move to Polignano where you

are free to explore and have a gelato on your own or with your fellow travel mates. Then, we will

stretch our legs a bit with a walk along the north seaside to San Vito – those guests needing a pick me up

are invited to stop for a local coffee at their leisure – take time to enjoy the special seaside air. Our next

stop takes us to the Crovace House for a mozzarella show and aperitivo with local dairy runner, Dina.

We finish our day with a journey to the town of Cisternino for a walk of the town and dinner at Il Cucco.

We are sure this activity filled day will provide you a restful night’s sleep.

Day 5

Walking Tour: Ostuni to Lamacornala 3 to 4 hour Trek

Lodging: TBD

Make sure to take a good stretch in the morning, because today we will embark for a 3 to 4 hour trek to

the sea. First, we transfer to Ostuni, La Città Bianca (the white city) which is a stunning temple on the hill

and gateway to the sea, for a walk through the town before heading on to the Sea. We invite you to

lunch on your own at one of the fabulous establishments in the city. Finally, we will head toward our

hotel, for a little rest. We will spend our evening in the city of Otranto, where you are having dinner on

your own in Otranto, which boasts a beautiful azure blue coastline, well-priced restaurants, and cultural

activities. We have a feeling you will return how saying “I left my heart in Otranto”.

Day 6

Walking Tour: Otranto and Capo d’Otranto

Dinner: TBD

Lodging: TBD

We will start our day with a walking tour of Otranto to see the old town and fish market. This walk will

allow us to fully experience the diversity of this region, which is one part beach resort, on part middle-

eastern, many parts Italian and every part enjoyable. We encourage you to lunch at a seaside restaurant

and enjoy the breeze from the Sea and postcard style views. After lunch, you can return to the hotel to

relax, or join us in a transfer to Porto Badisco and tour the Capo d’Otranto. However you choose to

spend your afternoon, be sure to prepare for an amazing farewell dinner Pugliese style.

Day 7

Morning Guided walk of Lecce

Farewell from the Southern Visions Team

We will shuttle you to Lecce, known as the Florence of the south, for our last stop at Caffé Alvino, the

oldest coffee bar in the region where you must purchase a cappuccino and local dessert, pasticciotto

leccese. We will continue with a guided walking tour of this amazing architectural gem of a city and the

opportunity to continue your journey on your own. Of course, if you would like to stay longer, Southern

Visions will help you extend your stay or guide you in the right direction home. Always keeping in mind

you will be changed for the better after Puglia, for it is a place that has changed us all.

All tours finish in Lecce where the shuttle will take our guests to the station or to Brindisi airport.

ARRIVING AND DEPARTING - LOGISTICS

After reviewing the following information, please inform us of your arrival and departure plans on the

Personal Information Form.

Arrival

We suggest you arrive at least the night before – please check for flights or night trains from Milan,

Rome, and Venice, arriving in Bari between 6 and 8 p.m. the night prior to our first day.

Conclusion of the trip

On the last day of the trip, an SV shuttle is available to the Lecce train station and to Brindisi airport. The

shuttle stops at the rail station, where you can catch an afternoon train for Rome or Milan (if you catch

the train to Milan you can change in Bologna to Florence). To Rome there is one train at noon and one

after 5.00 pm; to Milan there is one train at around 2.00 pm and then one in the evening arriving the

next morning.

Flight arrangements

We recommend flying into Milan or Rome. You can then catch a flight to Bari (airport code: BRI) from

either city. Or, if you don’t mind the longer travel time and the possibility of delays, you can take the

train to Bari. You can see below.

Getting from the Bari airport to the Bari train station

A taxi ride from the airport to the train station takes 25-30 minutes and costs around €20. An Autolinee

Tempesta bus ride to the Bari train station takes approximately 30 minutes and costs €4,15.

Taking the train to Bari from Rome, Milan or Florence

The trip from Rome takes about 5 hours; from Milan it’s about 8 ½ hours; from Florence, expect

approximately 7 ½ hours of travel.

Train travel in Italy

We suggest purchasing rail tickets and making reservations through your own travel agent. For more

information on rail travel in Italy, visit the web www.trenitalia.com. There you can purchase tickets and

book your seat by using your credit card.

You can purchase Italian rail tickets from any train station in Italy, but some very small stations. Many

stations are equipped with automatic ticket machines, from which you can purchase tickets and

reservation coupons for travel in Italy and for principal cross-border routes. The machines accept cash,

credit card and ATM card with your PIN.

If you travel on one of Italy’s faster trains, including Eurocity, Intercity and Eurostar, you’ll be charged a

supplemental fare in addition to the regular ticket price. If you travel on these trains without your

supplemental ticket, you’ll be fined. Eurostar and Intercity trains require a seat reservation for travel at

all times. For travel on intercity trains, reservations are not mandatory; however, you may want to pay

the extra reservation charge for a guaranteed seat, simply for peace of mind. If you know you’ll be

taking the train during a peak local travel period, such as a holiday, you’ll definitely want to make

reservations or you risk standing for your entire trip. Italy’s slower train (Rapido, Espresso, Regionale,

Inter regionale and Locale) don’t require a reservation or a supplement ticket.

Boarding the train

To find your platform, which will be listed at least 10 minutes prior to departure, check the small TV

screens or the larger schedule boards in the main station area. If you are travelling without reservations,

you’ll need to validate your “open” ticket by stamping it at one of the small yellow machines located on

each train platform (the machine stamps the date and the time on the open ticket to prevent multiple

uses). If you forget to stamp your ticket before boarding, tell the on-board ticket inspector immediately

to avoid a supplementary fee.

WHERE TO STAY BEFORE & AFTER YOUR TRIP

BARI

PALACE HOTEL

Via Lombardi 13

70122 Bari

tel. +39 080 5216551

www.palacehotelbari.it

GRAND HOTEL LEON D’ORO

Piazza Aldo Moro 4

70122 Bari

tel. +39 080 5235040

www.grandhotelleondoro.it

HOTEL VILLA ROMANAZZI

Via Giuseppe Capruzzi 326

70124 Bari

tel. +39 080 5427400

www.villaromanazzi.com

HOTEL ADRIA

Via Zuppetta 10

70121 Bari

tel. +39 080 5246699

www.adriahotelbari.com

HOTEL BOSTON

Via Piccinni 155

70122 Bari

tel. +39 080 5216633

www.bostonbari.it

HOTEL VICTOR

Via Nicolai 71

70122 Bari

tel. +39 080 5216600

www.victorservice.com

MATERA

LA CASA DI LUCIO

Via S. Pietro Caveoso, 66

75100 Matera

Tel. +39 0835 312798

www.lacasadilucio.it

HOTEL SANT’ANGELO

Rione Pianelle - Piazza San Pietro Caveoso

75100 Matera

tel. +39 (0)835 314010

www.hotelsantangelosassi.it

LOCANDA DI SAN MARTINO

Via Fiorentini, 71

75100 Matera tel +39 0835 256600

info@locandadisanmartino.it

HOTEL RIDOLA - Albergo in dimora storica

Via Morelli 13

75100 Matera

tel. +39-0835-318811

info@hotelridolamatera.it

ALBERGO DEL SEDILE

Recinto Sedile n. 4 - Piazza del Sedile

Matera

tel +39.0835.333436

www.albergodelsedile.it

HOTEL IN PIETRA

Via San Giovanni Vecchio, 22

75100 Matera

tel +39 0835 344040

www.hotelinpietra.it

ALBERGO ITALIA

Via Ridola 5

75100 Matera

tel: 0835 333561, 0835 337689

www.albergoitalia.com

LECCE

Hotel Patria Palace

Piazzetta Riccardi

73100 Lecce (Lecce), Italy

+39 0832 245111

www.patriapalacelecce.com

Hotel delle Palme

Via Di Leuca, 90

73100 Lecce (LE), Italy

+39 0832 347171

www.hoteldellepalmelecce.it

Grand Hotel Tiziano

Viale Porto d'Europa, s/n

73100 Lecce

tel. +390832 272111

www.grandhoteltiziano.it

B&B Palazzo Rollo

Via Vittorio Emanuele II, n°14

Lecce

Tel. +39.328.9540585 - +39.0832.307152

www.palazzorollo.it

FINAL THOUGHTS

Please be sure to note these important contact numbers, should you need assistance before, during, or

after your trip:

Puglia: +39.340.264.4128 or +39.080.416.0030

U.S.A: +1.713-540-0989

All tours operated by Active Cultures LLC