8 Days Puglia And Calabria Tour - From Rome

Departure from Rome at 07.45 to Lecce by motorway with stop on the way for necessary breaks. Arriving to Polignano a Mare, the town famous for being the birthplace of the most popular Italian singer of all times, Domenico Modugno. This lovely town will surprise you with its old town, perched on the ramparts that frame a splendid beach. Lunch at your own. Continue to Lecce; in the afternoon you discover this city, already defined as the capital of the Baroque of the southern Italy; a cultural and historical centre of almost 100,000 inhabitants which hides ancient buildings of rare beauty, built along the centuries with the so called "stone of Lecce": the Cathedral, the Basilica of the Holy Cross, the Celestini Palace, the Roman Theater, the elegant and central Piazza Sant' Oronzo with the characteristic column and the entrance gates of the old city. Visit and accommodation. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Full day excursion through the micro-region of Salento. Arrival to Gallipoli, a beautiful fishermen village that was an island until a bridge, still used nowadays was built in the seventeenth century to join the two sides. Visit of the picturesque old town. Later, departure to Santa Maria di Leuca, the most renowned tourist center of the area, because of the wonderful position between promontories and beaches. The luxury tourism began to discover Leuca at the end of the nineteenth century and this is noted for the incredible number of summer villas of that time. Lunch at your own and in the afternoon, visit of the lighthouse of Leuca, unique viewpoint where Adriatic and Ionic Sea join each other. Finally, arrival to Otranto, easternmost municipality of the entire Italian peninsula and large Norman centre in the antiquity. A walled city, it grew up around the castle and the Cathedral and is today an important tourist center due to its location on the Adriatic, its beaches and the elegant Passeggiata degli Eroi along its beautiful coast. Visit and then return to Lecce. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Today you will be invited to taste a couple of products that represent Apulia itself: extra virgin olive oil and red wine. Day dedicated to discover the northeastern part of Apulia, beginning with one of the most picturesque places and known in the world for its characteristic houses: Alberobello. In the seventeenth century the farmers of the area to avoid paying taxes to the Kingdom of Naples on the houses, began to build their houses with dry stone, which according to the law of the time said that it could not be considered a real place to live. The low local buildings with black roof shave stood up to this day and many have become luxury houses, craft shops or hotels. Visit and lunch at your own. In the afternoon, continue to Ostuni, the city of white houses, beautiful tourist center, known for its charming Cathedral, a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. Walk through the picturesque streets of the historic centre and then, departure for Bari. Introductive tour around the city including the Castello Svevo, the harbour, theatre Margherita and Petruzzelli. Walking in the narrow streets of Bari Vecchia to discover the old medieval wall, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and admire the old housewifes producing the orecchiette, typical and local handmade pasta. Overnight at the hotel.