Transport

TRANSPORT IN EUROPE: Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that’s why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city’s public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action. PRIVATE VEHICLES: Our private vehicles are locally sourced and are air conditioned and comfortable, which makes travelling enjoyable. On some days we will be covering long distances, which will make these days feel longer, however spectacular views and interesting stops along the way make up for it. TRAINS: The main mode of transportation on this trip is by train. Italian long-distance and inter-regional trains are comfortable and often decked out with air-conditioning. Toilets are always available. Some of the trains have snack bars (or vending machines) and power points next to the seats but that cannot be guaranteed on every journey. Regional and metropolitan trains are usually a bit more basic and can be quite busy, but this just adds to the experience. Train travel is a fast way to traverse long (and short) distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right into the city centre of your next destination. Train , Public bus , Private vehicle , Taxi

Meals

9 breakfasts

Others

Trani - City Walking Tour with Local Guide Lecce - Aperitivo with Local Specialties Alberobello - Olive Oil Mill Visit and Tasting Matera - Ipogeo Underground Cistern Matera - City Walking Tour with Local Guide

Guide

All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. FACILITIES: Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don’t provide kettles or fridges. Hotel (9 nights)

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

Others

Other activities and services are not included.

Flights

Flights are not included.

Optional

Amalfi - Chiostro del Paradiso - EUR3 Capri - Hydrofoil Amalfi to Capri - EUR44 Ravello - Villa Cimbrone - EUR7 Ravello - Villa Rufolo - EUR7 Trani - Cathedral - Free Trani - Castello di Trani - EUR5 Trani - Cathedral Bell Tower - EUR5 Trani - Synagogue of Scolanova - Free Polignano - Stopover enroute to Lecce - EUR3 Lecce - Roman Amphitheatre - EUR6 Lecce - Castello di Carlo V - EUR8 Lecce - Basilica di Santa Croce - Free Lecce - History Museum - EUR5 Lecce - Museo Faggiano - EUR5 Matera - Mozarella Demo at Cheese Factory - EUR5 Matera - Museo della Scultura Contemporanea - EUR5 Matera - Cathedral - Free Matera - Casa Noha Multimedia Exhibit - EUR4 Bari - Pinacoteca Provinciale - EUR3 Bari - Basilica di San Nicola - Free Bari - Cattedrale di San Sabino - Free Bari - Castello Svevo - EUR6 Bari - Pane e Pomodoro Beach - Free

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Amalfi Coast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Amalfi Coast

Ciao! Welcome to Italy. Your adventure begins on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Amalfi Coast, in the small town of Minori. The Amalfi peninsula is a land of rocky coasts, cliff-top vistas, azure seas, tiered lemon groves, whitewashed villages clinging to steep cliffs, and bright blue skies. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive in Minori Town early, why not take a self-guided stroll in search of some gorgeous panoramic views of the coast? Or, you could just plant yourself at a sunny piazza cafe and enjoy a macchiato or a gelato.
Day 2 Day 2: Amalfi Coast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Amalfi Coast

You have a free day to explore Minori Town and Amalfi Town (just a 15 minute bus ride away) today. If you’re after a relaxing walk with a few cultural highlights, stroll from one side of Amalfi Town to the other and pay a visit to the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea and the Chiostro del Paradiso. If you’re after something more active, maybe head out on a walk through the Valley of Mills. Alternatively, you can take a bus to the Valley of Dragons to reach pretty Ravello – for centuries, its lofty position and sunny, dry climate have made it an appealing place for writers, artists, musicians and travellers. Ravello also boasts two magnificent villas – the superb 11th Century Villa Rufolo, once the home of Wagner, and Villa Cimbrone, a sumptuous 19th Century mansion with fabulous gardens and unequalled views over the Gulf of Salerno. You could also take a half-day walk along the narrow trail of the famous Sentiero Degli Dei (the Walk of the Gods) through forests and fields of wildflowers, olive groves and vineyards.
Day 3 Day 3: Trani
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Trani

Travel to Italy’s east coast to Trani, known as the ’Southern Pearl’, a scenic town with a sophisticated feel. Once an ancient trading hub, Trani is a delightfully eccentric port with a white cathedral on the seawall. The crescent-shaped marina is a great place to relax and watch the world go by. With medieval streets bathed in a rarefied light and its own sweet wine, Trani truly feels like stepping back into a 1950s movie set. When you arrive, explore the historic centre and its medieval churches on a walking tour with a local guide. The Old Town points to a time when this was a major port for merchants travelling to the Near East. Later, simply kick back on the waterfront and watch the sophisticates of Puglia clink glasses of Moscato di Trani in cosy bars.
Day 4 Day 4: Trani
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Trani

Today is a free day to explore all that Trani has to offer. You might like to visit the dramatic Cattedrale di San Nicola Pellegrino, one of the most beautiful buildings in southern Italy. Begun in 1099 and taking over two centuries to finish, the soft white-pink limestone Norman cathedral is dedicated to the famously foolish St Nicholas the Pilgrim, whose bones lie in the crypt below the church. Inside, it is astonishingly bright and airy, and the remains of a 12-century mosaic near the main altar set off the simply furnished church. You can also head to the castle built by Frederick II, the king of Sicily, Italy, Germany, Jerusalem and the Holy Roman Emperor in the 13th century. Explore the medieval Jewish quarter, built in all-white stone, stopping by two fine synagogues: the Scola Nova and the Scola Grande. Fishermen sell the day’s catch in the marina, so maybe taste the freshness by heading for dinner and a glass of wine harbourside.
Day 5 Day 5: Lecce
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Lecce

Head south and delight in the baroque architecture and atmosphere of Lecce. Lecce’s elaborate ornamentation is elevated to dizzying heights, presenting the casual viewer with a feast for the senses. Sumptuous palazzi (mansions), a defensive main square, Roman ruins and magnificent allegories dancing across ornate facades make Lecce a swoon-worthy sight for any traveller. The university gives the town a lively feel, and there are little boutiques, antique shops and delicious delis to explore.
Day 6 Day 6: Lecce
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Lecce

Today is a free day for you to explore Lecce. If open, maybe step beneath the city and see the restored Roman amphitheatre excavated in the 1930s. Built in the 2nd century AD, the remarkably intact horseshoe-shaped theatre seated 15,000 people. Overlooking the arena is the Colonna di Sant’Oronzo, a statue of Lecce’s patron saint mounted upon a Roman column. Presented to Lecce from Brindisi, this column once stood at the terminus of the Via Appia that ran from Rome to Brindisi. The fascinating Basilica Di Santa Croce inspires varied reactions – its heavily decorated façade of sheep, dodos, cherubs and monsters is a cacophony to some, while others are drawn to the lavish brilliance. For another baroque experience, head to the Piazza del Duomo. Used in the past as a defence against invaders, the square’s pleasant openness is bordered by a 12th-century cathedral, a 68 m-high bell tower, a 15th-century Episcopal Palace and an 18th-century Seminario. In the afternoon, meet up with the group again for an aperitivo with local specialties, such as friselle, taralli, puccia, bombette and burrate.
Day 7 Day 7: Ostuni / Alberobello
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Ostuni / Alberobello

Travel by private transport to a local masseria to meet an olive oil producer, who will show you how the techniques have changed over the millennia before you’re treated to a tasting. Some olive trees here are thought to be close to 3000 years old, and the farm has been active since Roman times. Then head to Ostuni and explore its narrow streets and white houses, before continuing to Alberobello, set in a landscape of olive trees and low walls dotted with unique dwellings. People flock to Alberobello to marvel at the beehive-shaped Trulli (singular trullo), which are small, dry-stone houses built from local limestone in the 14th century. The origins of the buildings are unclear, although it’s possible the mortar-less dwellings were created to be easily dismantled in a feudal tax evasion scheme. Wander the Old Town quarter of Rione Monti, where thousands of Trulli (and souvenir shops) rise over the hill or head over to Rione Aia Piccola and see Trulli family dwellings. See religious and mystical symbols on the roofs, the differently shaped spires, and head to the Church de Sant’Antonio, built in the style of a huge trullo.
Day 8 Day 8: Matera
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Matera

Transfer by private mini bus to Matera. The extraordinary sight of Matera’s Old Town gives a haunting, bittersweet insight into ancient life. One of the oldest cities in existence, Matera’s otherworldly drawcard is the sassi (singular sasso) – stone houses formed from natural grottoes and tufo cliffs overlooking a dramatic gorge. Its resemblance to Jerusalem has attracted film directors of biblical epics, but its dark interiors were the scene of shameful poverty in the mid-20th century. Duck down into the sassi through the knot of staircases and alleyways that snake through the limestone ravines, and take a guided tour to appreciate both its ancient and modern history. With over 3000 habitable caves, some dating as far back as the 8th century BC, the sassi are filled with stunning frescoed rock church complexes, exhibits recreating inhabited caves, and even a contemporary sculpture museum. The sassi are undergoing extensive restoration, and it’s now the one place in the world where you can eat at a restaurant inside a 9000-year-old dwelling! Tonight, you’ll stay in accommodation with balconies overlooking the sassi.
Day 9 Day 9: Matera / Bari
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Matera / Bari

This morning is free for you to further explore the narrow alleyways and caves of Matera before boarding a local train to Bari at around lunchtime. Sitting on a small peninsula in the Adriatic Sea overlooking Greece, Bari is the prosperous capital of Puglia. The tangled streets of its Old Town, Bari Vecchia, conceal Romanesque churches, a riotous market, elegant medieval piazzas and a Swabian castle. The Basilica di San Nicola was built to hold the relics of St Nicholas, which were stolen from Turkey by local Bari fishermen and have made the city a place of pilgrimage since 1087. The relics are also the mainstay of Bari’s biggest annual celebration, the Festa di San Nicola. The stone walls are lovely to walk around, with the sea lapping on one side and the medieval town on the other. Bari is also the perfect place to see out your last night on this trip and have a group meal by the harbour, sampling local limoncello and some of the seafood that the city is famous for.
Day 10 Day 10: Bari
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Bari

Your journey will come to an end after breakfast today and you are free to depart at any time. If you would like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.

10 days tour

Explore Southern Italy

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Explore Southern Italy

Day 1: Amalfi Coast

Day 2: Amalfi Coast

Day 3: Trani

Day 4: Trani

Day 5: Lecce

Day 6: Lecce

Day 7: Ostuni / Alberobello

Day 8: Matera

Day 9: Matera / Bari

Day 10: Bari

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