All Inclusive Puglia: Undiscovered Southern Italy

Your holiday begins at London Gatwick or Manchester, where you meet the Tour Manager and your group of travellers before flying to Bari. On arrival in this city on the east coast of Italy, we transfer by coach to our hotel on the outskirts of Monopoli - a relaxing all-inclusive base ideally situated for exploring this charming part of Italy.

Our hotel is surrounded by pine forest and is just 50 metres from a white sandy beach. After checking in, you might like to take in the views from the hotel or beach before we join for dinner at the hotel this evening, with drinks included, as they are between 10am and 10pm each day.

*Please note: the following hotel facilities are unavailable during the low season (01/04 - 24/05 and 21/09 - 01/11): Private beach with sunbeds & parasols and entertainment. However, the free beach is still accessible

• Dinner

Puglia has picture-perfect landscapes of vineyards and olive groves complemented by beautiful towns, and today, we discover some of the region's most impressive. First, we visit the circular town of Locorotondo, renowned for its sparkling white spumante wine. Here, you have free time to wander the peaceful labyrinthine streets of the historic centre, exploring among whitewashed buildings and stone churches.

We continue to nearby Martina Franca, where there's also time to look around. In the heart of the historic old town is the sandy-coloured Baroque façade of St Martin's Basilica on the main square.

Returning to our hotel for lunch, we then visit the town of Polignano a Mare. With winding streets of whitewashed buildings, this beautiful coastal town is perched on top of a limestone cliff overlooking the ocean. The sparkling Adriatic attracts sun-worshippers, who can view cliff divers jumping into the sea from great heights at Polignano's Blue Flag beach.

Back at the hotel this evening, we enjoy dinner with drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travelling by coach to Fasano Station, we board a train for a journey to Lecce. Here, we enjoy a guided tour of this city known for its Baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque buildings, attractive squares and leafy lanes.

With its elaborate architecture and winding alleys, Lecce has been dubbed 'the Florence of the South'. The main square, Piazza del Duomo, sits in the shadow of Lecce's cathedral and its bell tower. Our tour ends at a traditional café, where we sample a Leccese coffee, made with almond milk and poured over ice, with 'pasticciotto' - a southern Puglian pastry filled with custard or ricotta.

With a free afternoon to continue exploring, you could enjoy your picnic lunch near Piazza Sant'Oronzo in view of the Roman amphitheatre - a partially buried archaeological treasure excavated in 1938. The streets are lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and shops offering local products such as olive oil, wine and ceramics.

We return by train to Fasano and transfer by coach to our hotel in time for dinner and drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a day at leisure, you could choose to relax at one of the hotel's pools or on its private beach, spending a peaceful day soaking up the Italian sunshine.

Lunch is available at the hotel, and afterwards, you may like to hire a taxi or ride a shuttle bus to Monopoli. In the town's charming old quarter is a Baroque cathedral, pretty houses and faded stone palaces. The town respects siesta time, but the colourful, flower-filled streets become livelier in the late afternoon when artisan craft shops, small boutiques and specialist grocery stores reopen.

Monopoli's Old Port is overlooked by a 16th-century fortress castle, and its striking whitewashed houses contrast with the translucent blue Adriatic. You could enjoy this peaceful scene from a harbour café in the afternoon. The fishing harbour comes to life at dusk and dawn when wooden fishing boats cast off and fishermen return with their catches.

Dinner with drinks at the hotel this evening is the perfect way to round off an enjoyable day of unwinding.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we travel by train through the countryside to Bari, Puglia's capital and a city overflowing with cultural charms. Bari's long history as a trading port is explored on a guided tour of the old town, tucked on a headland edging into the Adriatic Sea. Home to the 11th-century Romanesque Basilica di San Nicola and a Swabian Castle, along with stunning grand piazzas, we're transported back in time as we hear stories of this former Roman and Byzantine port city.

Afterwards, you're free to continue sightseeing at your own pace. Maybe visit one of the Old Town's many museums or enjoy your picnic lunch on the long seafront promenade, which has views of the city walls and the crystalline sea. You might also like to sample the city's thriving street food or relax at a stylish bar or alfresco café with a glass of local wine. We return to our hotel by train and coach in the late afternoon, ready for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A highlight of any trip to this part of Italy is an excursion to Matera. We leave Puglia by coach this morning to travel to this spectacular town in neighbouring Basilicata. Rugged, hilltop Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for its ancient 'sassi' cave dwellings dug deep into the cliffside. This fascinating destination has been a favoured filming location for decades and is featured in the James Bond film 'No Time to Die'.

After a short break on arrival, our guided tour takes us through the maze of winding streets and fascinating Palaeolithic-era abodes, some of which were inhabited until the 1950s. Matera has flourished in recent years, being named the European Capital of Culture in 2019, and there are many boutiques, craft shops, bars and cafés to discover during your free time.

After enjoying your picnic lunch while taking in beautiful views, you could also explore the newer part of Matera, where stalls and shops sell delicious local produce.

Later this afternoon, we return by coach to our coastal hotel for dinner and drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we travel by coach to the town of Alberobello, famous for its UNESCO-listed limestone 'trulli' houses. These curious cone-shaped homes date to the 14th century and are one of Puglia's must-see attractions. Originally built without mortar so they could be quickly dismantled and easily rebuilt - which allowed occupants to evade tax collectors - 'trulli' houses are now emblematic of the region.

Free time to explore allows you to step back in time to an almost forgotten era of Italy, admiring the delightful, whitewashed stone houses, which spread out towards the surrounding hillsides.

We return to our all-inclusive hotel near Monopoli in time for lunch, and then the afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You may like to spend a free afternoon relaxing by the pool or on the private beach overlooking Puglia's rugged coastline before our final dinner in Italy this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Beauty and history collide in southern Italy, and this last week has been a showcase of both. From glittering scenes of the Adriatic and timeless clifftop towns to charming villages notable for their historic structures, including 'sassi' and 'trulli' houses, each day has put a new version of Puglia before our eyes.

Marvel at the scenery again this morning as we transfer to Bari airport by coach for our return flight to London Gatwick or Manchester.

• Breakfast