Puglia, Lecce and Vieste - Undiscovered Italy
Puglia, Lecce and Vieste - Undiscovered Italy
Puglia, Lecce and Vieste - Undiscovered Italy
8 Days Starting in 73100 Lecce, Province of Lecce, Italy and ending in 71010 Peschici, Province of Foggia, Italy
Visiting: Lecce, Alberobello, Matera, Bari, Vieste, Peschici
Tour operator:
Tour code:
AP
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Physical rating:
Please contact Riviera Travel if you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility.
Age range:
18-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Riviera Travel with specific dietary requests.
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Beach Tours, Foodie and Wine Tours, History, Ruins-Archaeology
From:
$1561 (USD) including Flights from the UKTour Overview
As you explore, it becomes evident that Puglia is not the Italy of the north. Its rugged limestone landscape is carpeted with olive groves and dotted with villages of white, flat-roofed houses resembling those of Greece and its islands, while the beauty of the forested Gargano Peninsula stands comparison with the more famous Amalfi coast. But there are many features unique to this area, none more so than the trulli, the cone-shaped houses that have become unofficial symbols of Puglia.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival In Lecce
Location: Lecce
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* Hilton Garden Inn (or similar)
Arrive at the airport for your flight. On arrival, we transfer by coach to the four-star Hilton Garden Inn in Lecce for two nights. This fi ne modern hotel is a short walk from the Old Town and features a restaurant, bar, outside terrace and spa. Its elegant rooftop swimming pool (open in the summer months, weather permitting) has panoramic views over Lecce. Some of our tours stay at the four-star Grand Hotel Tiziano.
Day 2 : Tour Of Lecce
Location: Lecce
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* Hilton Garden Inn (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lecce is known as the ‘Florence of the South’ for good reason – its architecture is outstanding and around every corner are buildings of beauty and interest waiting to be discovered. Our walking tour begins at the imposing Porta Napoli gate, where we meet our local guide, and from there we explore the vibrant Jewish quarter before taking in the Basilica di Santa Croce. A remarkable example of creativity, this Baroque church has an intricate facade, and are so many beautiful details in the stonework you could lose hours gazing at them.Â
The tour continues through the Old Town, rich with history, and we pause at a bank that has more to its history than money – it was once used to store olive oil. Another surprise awaits at the picturesque Piazza Sant’Oronzo, a bustling square set on the site of a partially exposed Roman amphitheatre. Built in the 2nd century, the amphitheatre seated over 25,000 people and it’s possible, looking down across the sweeping bleached stone seating, to envisage crowds gathering two millennia ago to enjoy all sorts of entertainment. We then amble down shop-lined streets to the elegant Piazza Duomo, where Lecce’s cathedral awaits. Built in 1144, its imposing exterior is only matched by its breathtaking interior featuring 12 side chapels containing paintings by a variety of artists.Â
This afternoon you are free to explore. Lecce hums with life with a distinctly southern Italian feel, so soak up the ambience of its streets, relaxed cafés and refi ned boutiques while taking in all its baroque magnificence. In the evening we dine in an excellent restaurant, once a Roman granary, where you can enjoy the local cuisine.
Day 3 : Olive Oil Mill & Alberobello
Location: Alberobello
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* MH Matera Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Puglia is renowned for its olive oil production and we see olive trees everywhere in the region when travelling, so we explore a small, family run olive oil mill and find out more about olive oil production and enjoy a tasting. As we continue our drive you’ll begin to notice whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs – these are trulli, Puglia’s signature dwellings. In this corner of Puglia, the countryside blooms with patches of oak forest bisected by dry stone walls – almost reminiscent of rural Tuscany. We arrive in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Remarkably, some parts of Alberobello are almost exclusively composed of trulli, creating an otherworldly feel – no wonder some compare it to a ‘hobbit’ town. For many, this is a highlight of the tour and we have time to explore, discovering how trulli were built, their intriguing origins and why many are adorned with Christian, pagan or celestial symbols.Â
We then continue to Matera, where we stay two nights with breakfast and dinner at the four-star MH Matera.
Day 4 : Matera
Location: Matera
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* MH Matera Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we have a guided tour of Matera, which is notable as one of the first permanently inhabited places in Italy and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. At its heart are the original troglodyte cave dwellings dating back over 9,000 years; astonishingly, people still live in them today. Everything you would expect in a conventional town is here, with churches, shops and artisan workshops all hewn from the naked rock. Is there anywhere else you can walk along a street that is the roof of the house below?Â
We return to our hotel this afternoon to relax – the perfect opportunity to sun yourself by the pool. Or you may choose to stay in Matera and visit its many fascinating buildings – the 13th-century Romanesque cathedral is well worth your time. This evening, we complete a memorable day enjoying regional dishes at our dinner in a restaurant in Matera’s Old Town.
Day 5 : Bari
Location: Bari
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* Hotel Degli Aranci (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Nestling on the Adriatic, Bari was a thriving walled port even before the Romans arrived and was briefly the capital of Byzantine Italy. During Norman times it was thought to be as significant as Venice. This morning we have a guided tour of the Old Town where there is so much to discover, such as the imposing medieval fortress and the massive Romanesque cathedral with its 11th-century frescoes, while opera lovers may know that Bari is home to the magnificent Teatro Petruzzelli. For many, though, the focal point is the Basilica di San Nicola, whose 900-year-old vaulted crypt is the final resting place of Saint Nicholas, Patron Saint of Russia – better known to us as Father Christmas.Â
As we explore Bari’s tightly knit streets, look down its side streets to take in other aspects of traditional life, from shops displaying freshly caught sea bass, cuttlefish or lobster to stalls creaking under the weight of locally grown olives, tomatoes and peppers, and families eating meals with their windows and doors open. Here and there, you may come across chattering matriarchs sitting outside their doorsteps making, hand-rolling and cutting different types of pasta, a practice unchanged through time.Â
Leaving Bari, we call at the picturesque fishing port of Trani, then the landscape changes as we climb the Gargano peninsular coastal road. The warm air is heavy with Mediterranean aromas of pine and wild flowers, and we soon arrive in the coastal town of Vieste. We stay for three nights with breakfast and two dinners, at either four-star hotel – the Palace Hotel Vieste or the Hotel Degli Aranci, both situated a short stroll from the beach next to the Old Town.Â
Day 6 : Free Day In Vieste
Location: Vieste
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* Hotel Degli Aranci (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Phoenician in origin, Vieste is one of Italy’s most attractive coastal towns, situated on a rocky promontory overlooking turquoise waters with beaches either side. An enchanting jumble of white, flat-roofed buildings perched on cliff edges and dominated by its simple 13th-century cathedral, it’s an ideal place for your free day to relax. You may choose to amble through ancient alleyways, walk barefoot along the beach past the giant chalk stack – a remarkable geological landmark – enjoy a lunch of local seafood or just find a quiet spot to wile away the hours with a book.
Day 7 : Peschici & Rustic Lunch
Location: Peschici
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 4* Hotel Degli Aranci (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning we take drive to nearby Peschici, a small fishing village located on a promontory overlooking the Bay of Peschici. The walled old town, with its whitewashed buildings, is a maze of narrow streets lined with small shops, perfect for a leisurely stroll. The Medieval Castle, dating back from 970, has panoramic views over the surrounding coastline. We have free time here to explore and perhaps have a coffee whilst enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. We will then continue to a rural restaurant located just outside Peschici, where we will enjoy a light lunch of rural specialities typical of this part of Puglia, and discover the art of hand making pasta in a short demonstration by an expert.
We return to Vieste in the afternoon with the rest of the day at leisure.Â
Day 8 : Return Flight
Location: Vieste
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Seven nights’ accommodation
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Fully Guided
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
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All local taxes
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All tours as mentioned
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Return flights
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Transport
Transfers
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Meals
Daily breakfast, one light lunch, and six dinners (including two at local restaurants)
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are flights included in this tour?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For almost 40 years
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I have reduced mobility; can I still travel?
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to contact us to discuss these concerns
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Do I require travel insurance?
It is a condition of booking that you carry suitable travel insurance.
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What is my luggage allowance?
You will receive details of your luggage allowance with your final travel documents, which are sent approximately 10 days prior to your date of departure.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Wednesday - Wednesday
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Oct 05, 2025 - Oct 12, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Riviera Travel requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of riviera travel charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.