Highlights
- Guided visit of the historic center of Bari, with its narrow alleys and beautiful churches
- Visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Gargano and Valle d’Itria
- Take a walk through the primeval Foresta Umbria
- Explore the colorful port towns on the Gargano peninsula
- See how local bakers make some of the region’s traditional snacks
- Visit a spectacular 12th century Norman castle
- Marvel at the many “trulli” houses that are built with conical roofs
- Savor the region’s delicious food and wine
- Wander between centuries’ old olive trees
Trip price includes
- 7 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels and/or country estates
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 6 dinners
- 4 food and wine experiences
- all visits and transfers as per itinerary
- and at least 1 bilingual guide to accompany you throughout the week
Not included
- 3 lunches
- 1 dinner
- drinks other than water at meals
- anything not mentioned in the inclusions
ITINERARY
Day 1) Arrival in Bari
Make your way to colorful Bari, whose airport is well connected to Rome and other European hubs (or by train from Rome). The city was a bustling commercial hub during the Middle Ages and played an important role in the Crusades. It has several beautiful churches and a colorful Old Town. Meet the group 4 p.m. for a guided walking tour of the old town followed by a welcome drink and dinner. Overnight Bari.
Days 2-4) Vieste and the Gargano Peninsula
Transfer north today to the beautiful Gargano Peninsula, whose colorful fishing towns and unspoilt nature will captivate you. En route we stop to visit a spectacular and unique Medieval castle and then settle into our lovely hotel in the port town of Vieste. Two days of gentle walks will take you into a primeval forest full of ancient trees and also allow a stroll along the beach. From there we visit one of the prettiest towns in Puglia, which sits on a cliff 300 ft. above the sea and retains the fortifications, alleyways, and white-washed houses from centuries past. We also have some culinary activities to delight your palate! 2 nights Vieste.
Days 5-7) The Valle d’Itria
Say good-bye to the Gargano and head south into the famous Valle d’Itria, home to massive olive trees, fortified farmhouses called masserie, and whitewashed trulli complexes. We have two lovely walks through the gentle countryside, as well as a visit and tasting at a traditional olive oil producer and of course a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Alberobello, whose town center is made up of some 1,500 trulli! Spend 3 nights at a beautifully restored masseria-and-trulli complex in the countryside. 3 nights near Martina Franca.
Day 8: Departures for Bari (train station or airport)
We offer one group transfer back to Bari, either the airport or train station depending on your group’s plans.
Getting there and away: You can fly directly into the Bari airport, which is well connected to Rome and a variety of European hubs. You can also take the train from Rome (~4-5 hrs) or even down from Florence or Bologna (~7 hrs).
Jeff C. –
We enjoyed a fun filled week full of varied scenic walks and historical insights from our guides and locals. Outstanding local accommodations made us feel welcome and relaxed. Traditional dishes, local wines and a plethora of choices of excellent fresh dishes made for some tough choices on what to enjoy each night.
Ben K –
Visiting Puglia with Wild Sage Tours was a great adventure! I savored this tour of southern Italy. This area was brought to life through the efforts of wonderful Wild Sage guides, Manu and Melissa, and a motivated group of fellow-travelers! Motivated as in wanting to see a new area, excited about walking through the countryside, and enjoying fine southern Italian cuisine along the way! The Wild Sage itinerary provided a thoughtful presentation of the area – both in terms of its history as well as present-day dynamism.
Our tour started in Bari, the urban and educational heart of the region. Walking through the old city provided an overview for the week. Greek, Byzantine, Norman, Aragon and Arab influences were on full display – bounded by a wonderful dinner meeting everyone! And without exception, our room accommodations were lovely and comfortable.
As a region, Puglia is a large geographical area. One cannot “see it all” in a week, but we experienced amazing centerpiece highlights! We traveled in a comfortable passenger van expertly driven by Manu and Melissa. Our first hike started at a beautiful agriturismo location with a walking loop to Castel del Monte. The views of the Adriatic Sea were stunning with castle ramparts – and our return for lunch at the agriturismo was well timed with an elegant meal.
We left Bari traveling north to Vieste, a beautiful port city. Our days were filled with more day hikes along with cultural experiences such as observing historical fishing techniques at a trabucchi and trying our hand at making taralli. Gargano National Park is near Vieste on an elevated plateau above the coast. We hiked through the park’s Umbra Forest, an area of primal beech trees and an understory of blooming cyclamen. After a morning in wild forests, the afternoon was spent on a walking tour of Monte Sant’ Angelo, a sacred pilgrimage site. It was a magical day! The logistics and planning for such a day was a real tribute to Wild Sage.
Leaving Vieste for the south, we had two excursions including the Basilica di Siponto, and a walking tour in Trani (aka “Pearl of the Adriatic”) including a wonderful lunch. The van ride along the coast was beautiful. We ended the day at a beautiful agriturismo with incredible views of Martina Franca and Locorotondo and our own trulli rooms.
The autumn days in Vall d’Itria were beautiful! Walking through Alberobello, Cisternino and amongst ancient olive groves felt like being on a movie set! There were more great meals, an orecchiette-making demonstration and an olive oil tastings at local agriturismi. I did not want to the Wild Sage Tour to end.
I enjoyed this Wild Sage Tour! First, the itinerary was thoughtful (and fun) – it was not random but a real overview of Puglia. Manu and Melissa have a great fund of knowledge about Italy and their fun-loving spirit was infectious. Second, Manu and Melissa were open to our group interests – whether that be searching for late-evening gelato or just a little more hangout time on the beach. Third, I have dietary issues and these issues were handled well. Just let Wild Sage Tours know if you have diet restrictions – they will help. Fourth, when our van developed a flat tire from a nail, our guides were able to quickly arrange a repair. Manu and Melissa brought Puglia to life for us, but they also provided a safety net for our adventure which I appreciated! Fifth, these are walking tours and my fellow travelers saw real value in being active (we walked to eat — smile!). We helped each other through rare tricky trail sections. We wanted everyone to succeed and it brought us closer to the dignity of the land. We enjoyed great meals together, but our walks reminded us that fishing, farming, harvesting, and serving are real vocations of dedication and hard work.
I highly recommend Wild Sage Tours – and yes, I am dreaming of my next adventure with them!