Puglia All Inclusive - Undiscovered Southern Italy

Meeting your Tour Manager at London Gatwick, you fly to Bari. On arrival in the city on the east coast of Italy, you transfer to your hotel near to Polignano a Mare, a relaxing all-inclusive base ideally situated for exploring this charming and unspoilt part of Italy.

The seafront location of your hotel has a laid-back atmosphere overlooking the azure waters of the Adriatic. With free time after you check-in, you can unwind on the private beach or in the spa. Perhaps you would prefer to lounge by the outdoor swimming pools with a cooling drink.

This evening, you enjoy dinner at the hotel with drinks included - as they are between 10am and 10pm each day.

It is possible to fly from regional airports and meet your Tour Manager in Italy

• Lunch, Dinner

Puglia is known as the wine cellar of Italy and is made up of picture-perfect landscapes of lush vineyards and olive groves, and today you discover some of the region's most beautiful towns.

The circular town of Locorotondo, renowned for its sparkling white Spumante wine, curves round a picturesque hilltop and has lovely views across the surrounding valley. Here, you have some free time to wander the calm labyrinthine streets of the beautiful historic centre, among whitewashed buildings and impressive stone churches.

You continue to vibrant Martina Franca nearby. With its stunning Old Town, you'll see extravagant Baroque architecture at every turn as you enjoy free time to look around. At the heart of this historic town, you will find the sandy-coloured Baroque façade of St Martin's Basilica on Piazza Plebiscito, and a curved arcade on the neighbouring Piazza Maria Immacolata.

Returning to your hotel for lunch you then visit the nearby town of Polignano a Mare. With winding streets lined with white-washed buildings, this beautiful coastal town is perched on top of a limestone cliff overlooking the sparkling blue ocean. The crystal-clear waters attract sunworshippers to its Blue Flag beach who get to view cliff divers jumping into the sea from great heights.

Back at the hotel, you enjoy dinner tonight with drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From Polignano a Mare train station, you travel along the coast via Monopoli to Lecce, for a guided tour of this city that is renowned for its Baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque buildings, attractive squares and leafy lanes.

With its elaborate architecture and winding alleys, Lecce has been dubbed 'the Florence of the South'. The main square, Piazza del Duomo, sits in the shadow of Lecce's cathedral and its bell tower. Your tour concludes at a traditional café, where you sample a Leccese coffee, made with almond milk and poured over ice, with 'pasticciotto' - a southern Puglian pastry filled with custard or ricotta.

With a free afternoon to continue exploring, you could enjoy your picnic lunch near Piazza Sant'Oronzo in view of the Roman amphitheatre - a partially buried archaeological treasure excavated in 1938, where gladiator tournaments were once held. The streets are lined with cafés, bars and restaurants, and shops offering local produce such as olive oil, wine and ceramics.

You return by train to Polignano a Mare this evening in time for dinner and drinks in your hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you travel by coach to the charming town of Alberobello, famous for its UNESCO-listed limestone 'trulli' houses. These curious cone-shaped homes date back to the 14th century and are one of Puglia's must-see attractions. Originally built without mortar so they could be quickly dismantled and easily rebuilt - which allowed occupants to evade tax collectors - 'trulli' houses are now emblematic of the region. Free time to explore allows you to step back in time to an almost forgotten era of Italy, admiring the delightful, white-washed stone houses which spread out towards the surrounding hillsides.

You return to your all-inclusive hotel near Polignano a Mare in time for lunch. You may like to spend a free afternoon relaxing by the pool or on the private beach overlooking Puglia's rugged coastline before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you travel by train through bountiful countryside to Bari, Puglia's capital and a city overflowing with cultural charms. Bari's long history as a trading port is explored on a guided tour of the gorgeous Old Town, tucked on a headland edging into the Adriatic Sea. Home to the 11th-century Romanesque Basilica di San Nicola and a Swabian Castle, as well as some stunning grand piazzas, you're transported back in time as you hear stories of this former Roman and Byzantine port city.

Afterwards, you continue sightseeing at your own pace. Maybe visit one of the Old Town's many museums or enjoy your picnic lunch on the long seafront promenade with views of the city walls and crystalline sea. Perhaps you would also like to sample the city's thriving street food or relax in a stylish bar for a glass of local wine.

You return to your hotel in the late afternoon, ready for dinner tonight.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A highlight of any trip to this part of Italy is an excursion to Matera. You leave Puglia by coach this morning to travel to this spectacular town in neighbouring Basilicata.

The rugged hilltop town of Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for its ancient 'sassi' cave dwellings dug deep into the cliffside. This astonishing town has been favoured among directors as a film location over the decades, featuring in the recent James Bond film No Time to Die. Your guided tour takes you through the maze of winding streets and fascinating Palaeolithic-era abodes, some of which were inhabited until as recently as the 1950s. Matera has flourished in recent years - it was European Capital of Culture in 2019 - and there are many boutiques, craft shops, bars and cafés to discover.

You have a free afternoon here to enjoy your picnic lunch while taking in beautiful views and can also explore the charming newer part of Matera, where stalls and shops sell delicious local produce.

In the late afternoon, you return to your coastal hotel for dinner and drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a day at leisure, you might like to relax at the hotel, or on the hotel's private beach spending a tranquil day soaking up the Italian sunshine or lounge for a while by one of the two outdoor pools.

Lunch is available at your hotel, but if you make your way to nearby Polignano a Mare, you could watch the world go by from a pavement café while trying some local cuisine. Puglia is rightly renowned for its fresh produce and, being on the coast, Polignano excels in seafood as well. Tiella Barese is a dish of rice and potatoes with mussels, while focaccia is a regional speciality. You could enjoy some of these dishes with a Polignano coffee made with lemon zest, cream and amaretto.

There are many eateries around the bright white Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, watched over by the rustic 17th-century Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption. At the end of twisting, white-washed alleys are terraces offering views of the sea and the town's small central beach nestled in a cove between the cliffs.

Dinner with drinks at the hotel is a great way to round off an enjoyable day of unwinding and absorbing the Puglian spirit.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast this morning, you check out of your hotel on the beautiful Puglian coast and transfer to Bari airport for your return flight to London Gatwick or chosen regional airport.

On the journey back to the UK, you can look back on the charming and spectacular places you have experienced on this lovely all-inclusive holiday to Puglia.

• Breakfast