Discover Puglia, a longtime favorite destination for Europeans looking to unwind. Time moves more slowly here, as you'll see when you step into homes in Alberobello and Matera that pre-date Columbus' transatlantic journeys. Puglia has long been Italy's breadbasket, and you'll savor the simple, farm-fresh tastes for which it's known. This region is just starting to get the attention it deserves in Canada and the United States, so don't miss out!

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Naples aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Naples

Welcome to Naples! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and then escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or begin acquainting yourself with the city. Tonight enjoy an included traditional pizza dinner made by the experts, as pizza was invented here in Naples, and meet your fellow travelers. Buon appetito!
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Naples

Discover Napoli this morning on an guided tour of this beautiful bayside city in the heart of the Campania region of Italy. You’ll pass by the imposing facade of the Palazza Reale, built by the Bourbon kings of Naples, and travel through the historic city center. Included in your tour is a visit to the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where you’ll find original artifacts from the nearby Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This afternoon, consider joining an optional excursion to the ruins of Pompeii to learn how ordinary Romans lived.
Included meal: breakfast
Included entrance: Naples National Archaeological Museum

$75 USD

Pompeii Travel to Pompeii for a guided tour of the famous ruins. Discover how Roman citizens lived 2,000 years ago, before Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79 and smothered the town of Pompeii in a flood of volcanic ash. View the excavated ruins of theaters, villas, temples and baths. Pompeii is located near the idyllic Bay of Naples, known for its expansive views of the area’s islands, capes and nearby Mount Vesuvius. Please note: This optional requires advanced booking and payment at least 20 days prior to departure. Travel time to Pompeii is approximately 1.5 hours each way.

Day 4 - Bari Region

Benvenuti in Puglia! One of Italy’s few remaining hidden travel gems, Puglia is blessed with fine weather, beautiful shorelines, lovely towns, Baroque architecture and delicious cuisine. This morning, transfer to Benevento for a guided tour. You’ll visit the Santa Sofia Cloister, the Arch of Trajan and the Church of St. Hillary before continuing on to the Bari region in Puglia this afternoon. Savor an included dinner of local delicacies tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Santa Sofia Cloister, Museum of Sannio

Day 5 - Bari Region

Explore the coastal region near Bari, Puglia’s capital, with an excursion to the impressive Castel del Monte, a UNESCO world heritage site, for a guided tour. This octagonal 13th-century castle whose interior marbles and furnishings remain largely unaltered since antiquity. No one is sure why the castle was built, although some have surmised it was a hunting lodge or a stop for pilgrims on their quest for the Holy Grail. Later today, you may choose to join an optional excursion to the picturesque town of Monte Sant’Angelo.
Included meal: breakfast

$25 USD

Monte Sant’Angelo Enjoy a scenic drive on a private deluxe motorcoach to Monte Sant’Angelo, a small town on the southern slopes of Monte Gargano. Its primary attraction, the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel, is an important Catholic shrine where the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared. A sacred destination for pilgrims, the Sanctuary has a simple exterior, featuring an octagonal 13th-century campanile and a white facade with two portals. The interior is decorated with remains of medieval frescoes and sculptures. A flight of stone steps leads down into the cave in which tradition says St. Michael appeared. Please note: Travel time to Monte Sant’Angelo is approximately 1.5 hours each way.

Day 6 - Lecce

Today begins with a visit to the seaside town of Bari, where a guided tour introduces you to the sights of the historic Old Town, including monuments and cathedrals dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. The tour’s highlight is undoubtedly the Basilica of St. Nicholas, which contains the remains of the bishop whose penchant for anonymous gift-giving inspired the legend of Santa Claus. After some free time to explore Bari, continue to Lecce, arriving in time for an included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 7 - Lecce

This morning, embark on a guided tour of Lecce, known as the “Florence of the South” for its rich collection of Baroque architecture. Marvel at the extravagant ornamentation of Lecce’s churches and monuments and imagine the past grandeur of the ruined Roman amphitheater. Perhaps the finest sight is the Church of the Holy Cross, featuring an opulent facade built from the distinctive golden “Lecce stone.” This afternoon, enjoy free time to continue exploring Lecce or consider joining our optional excursion to Otranto. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of this former Greek city that defied Rome in both the Pyrrhic War and the Punic Wars, and one of the highlights of your tour is sure to be the town’s Romanesque cathedral. To cap off the excursion, you’ll transfer inland from Otranto to the village of Scorrano for a dinner of Puglian specialities and a tasting of the region’s best wines.
Included meal: breakfast

$99 USD

Otranto with Dinner & Wine Tasting This excursion brings you to the seaside town of Otranto, a former Greek colony that repeatedly defied Roman authorities by siding with the Romans’ enemies in the Pyrrhic and Punic Wars. You’ll explore Otranto’s old town and the Romanesque church at the center of town. Later, enjoy an included dinner featuring regional specialties and a wine tasting.

Day 8 - Trulli Valley

Journey this morning to Ostuni, where your Tour Director will introduce you to the sights, including the picturesque cathedral and whitewashed homes of the Old Town. This afternoon, continue on to the Trulli Valley, the home of the trulli, the conical dry-stone homes where locals lived for thousands of years. You’ll enjoy an included dinner tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 9 - Trulli Valley

Begin today with a visit to the trulli, a UNESCO world heritage site, of Alberobello. These carefully preserved one-room dwellings and their conical roofs are unique to this region. Unearth the history of these unique dwellings on a guided tour. Later today, consider an excursion to Grotte di Castellana, a series of interconnected caves once believed to be the gates of hell. Dinner is included in this excursion.
Included meal: breakfast
Included entrance: Trulli

$79 USD

Grotte di Castellana People have known about the Grotte di Castellana for centuries, but since local legend held that the entrances to these caves were actually the gates of hell, few explored this subterranean world before the 1930s. On this excursion, you’ll explore some of the most famous portions of these caves, including the sunlit section known as The Grave, the towering Cave of the Monuments, the slender stalactites of the Cave of the Altar and the irridescent White Cave.

Day 10 - Sorrento

This morning, travel to Matera, a UNESCO world heritage site, in time to enjoy a guided tour of this hilltop town. Matera is home to 9,000-year old cave dwellings known as sassi, and its Old Town, built on these ancient caverns, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll then enjoy a scenic transfer through the Apennine Mountains en route to Sorrento, where your dinner is included.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrance: Chiesa Rupestro

Day 11 - Sorrento

Today is free for you to explore Sorrento at your own pace. You could wander through Sorrento’s lovely gardens and churches, browse the quaint shops along its cobblestoned alleyways or sit at a cafe and people-watch. Alternatively, consider joining an optional excursion to the glamorous island of Capri, a playground for the rich since the Roman times. Tonight, you might wish to attend our optional Tarantella Dinner and Show, featuring local cuisine and a lively performance highlighting the tarantella, a mesmerizing Italian folk dance.
Included meal: breakfast

$105 USD

Capri Travel by ferry to the fabled Isle of Capri, a beloved resort since the days of the Roman Republic. Weather permitting, you’ll enjoy a mini-cruise around the island. Later, you'll enjoy free time to discover why everyone from Roman emperors to Sophia Loren wants to spend their vacation in Capri. If weather prohibits a mini-cruise, you’ll travel to the village of Anacapri, which offers stunning views of the surrounding scenery. Please note: This excursion is weather dependent.

$79 USD

Tarantella Dinner & Show Tarantella dancing is a centuries-old folk tradition in this part of Italy. Tarantella is the Italian word for tarantula, and the frenzied steps of the dance are said to be designed for sweating out the poison if one is bitten by a tarantula. Savor a locally prepared dinner at the Teatro Tasso, then watch a live performance featuring the intricate footwork of the tarantella, demonstrated by a troupe of authentic folk dancers. Please note: This optional is seasonal from March 1-November 1.

Day 12 - Sorrento

If you are not joining our Rome post-tour extension, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meal: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)