Best of Puglia: Lecce, Alberobello & Matera

Your holiday starts at London St Pancras, where you meet the Tour Manager before boarding the Eurostar service for a morning journey to Paris. Travelling in style in spacious Plus class, we enjoy a light meal served at our seats.

In Paris we continue by First Class rail to the medieval town of Chambéry, nestled at the foothills of the Alps. The town is the former seat of the Dukes of Savoy, and their impressive château still dominates Chambéry's picturesque centre. The historic Old Town has a characterful square, tall, colourful houses, and is officially listed as a Town of Art and History ('Ville d'Art et d'Histoire').

Arriving this evening, we take a short walk from the station to our hotel, where we check in for the night before dinner.

Please note: on the 4th May, 15th June and 14th September departures, your holiday starts on Day 4 with a flight to Bari and ends on Day 11.

• Eurostar Light Meal
• Dinner

Leaving Chambéry after breakfast, we walk across to the train station to travel to our first exciting Italian destination, the 'Eternal City' of Rome. Our rail journey takes us past the scenic French and Italian Alps, with a brief stop in Turin before continuing south, passing the grand Renaissance city of Florence and the Montepulciano wine region as we travel to timeless Rome.

Arriving in Italy's exciting capital this evening, we walk a short distance from the station to our central hotel where we spend the next two nights. This evening, we enjoy a three-course dinner at our hotel. After our meal you may like to step into the vibrant city streets to soak up the atmosphere, or savour panoramic views of Rome from the hotel's roof terrace.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking in Rome, we discover its most famous sights on a three-hour guided tour. Our walking tour begins outside the magnificent Colosseum where we view the amphitheatre's exterior. The route continues past other Roman sites, including the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. Make a wish in the Trevi Fountain before our tour concludes in Piazza Navona, where you're free to experience Rome's beauty at your own pace for the rest of the day.

Around 15 minutes' walk from Piazza Navona is the acclaimed Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Walk up the steps to reach Pincian Hill and Villa Borghese park, where you can relax in landscaped gardens or see stunning art and sculpture in the Borghese Gallery. Just across the historic Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II which spans the River Tiber is St Peter's Square and the Vatican. If you'd like to visit the Vatican, we recommend booking ahead online.

Rome offers an endless array of eateries, many alfresco, where you can enjoy a fresh pasta dish or a slice of crispy pizza al taglio with a glass of wine, and watch the world go by.

• Breakfast

Leaving Rome this morning we set off on a scenic rail journey to the unspoilt southern heel of Italy. Our route takes us directly south, then east along the Adriatic coastline on our way to the coastal city of Lecce. From here we transfer by coach to the west coast, or 'inner heel' of Puglia, to the relaxed fishing town of Santa Maria al Bagno and our seafront hotel which overlooks the azure Ionian Sea.

We spend the next four nights in this beautiful environment, a peaceful contrast to the buzzing streets of Rome. There's free time to get to know our surroundings, possibly take a refreshing swim in one of the hotel pools, visit the private beach or spend some time on the sun terrace which overlooks the sea. There's also a pleasant walk along the promenade from the hotel to the town. This evening, we gather for a welcome drink followed by a buffet dinner at our hotel.

Please note: on the 4th May, 15th June and 14th September departures, you will meet the Tour Manager at London Gatwick and fly to Bari, from where you will transfer by coach to our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we transfer by coach to the historic town of Lecce for a guided sightseeing tour. With its Baroque Old Town, Lecce has been dubbed 'the Florence of the South', and the city's alleyways are intriguing to wander through. We visit the Chiesa di Santa Croce, with its intricately carved rose window, and the Piazza del Duomo, the main square, in the shadow of Lecce's cathedral. Our guided tour ends in a traditional café, where we sample a Leccese coffee, made with almond milk and poured over ice, served with 'pasticciotto' - a southern Puglian pastry filled with custard or ricotta.

We are then free to explore the town independently. You could visit the Roman amphitheatre, a partially buried archaeological treasure which was excavated in 1938, below the ground level of the Piazza Sant'Oronzo. The streets are lined with cafés, bars and restaurants, and - equally enticing - shops offering local produce such as olive oil, wine and ceramics. We return to Santa Maria al Bagno by coach in the afternoon, with time to relax before dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With a full day at leisure, you're free to explore the peaceful fishing village of Santa Maria al Bagno or to simply soak up the peaceful atmosphere and enjoy our hotel's excellent facilities, sea views and small private beach. The idyllic town offers a rocky coastline on the Ionian Sea, inviting swimming bays and sandy beaches. While it buzzes with holidaymakers at the height of summer it still retains its charm. The traditional town centre is just a short walk along the promenade from our hotel, and seafront cafés and restaurants are dotted around the bay.

Above the old town is the distinctive 'Tower of the Galatena River', a set of four medieval fortress towers known locally simply as 'the four columns'. During World War II the town was the site of a 'displaced persons camp', and a small museum tells the moving story of refugees who were given temporary homes in Santa Maria al Bagno and how they were welcomed by the local population. When you're ready for dinner, there are several highly rated restaurants to choose from, some overlooking Santa Maria's turquoise bay.

• Breakfast

After breakfast this morning we board a coach for a full day of sightseeing. Our first destination is one of Puglia's hidden gems, Galatina, a beautifully preserved Baroque town away from the well-worn tourist track. With some free time in this laid-back, friendly town you could visit the Basilica di Santa Caterina, where entry is free, and see its exquisite frescoes or enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and a refreshing drink in the piazza.

Our tour continues to the characterful town of Gallipoli, known for its fortified historical centre. Set on a narrow promontory which stretches out into the Ionian Sea, this ancient fishing town is surrounded by water on all sides. With free time to explore independently, you might like to visit the 13th century castle, or find an atmospheric seafront café to enjoy lunch beside the colourful port. In the afternoon we head back to our hotel in Santa Maria al Bagno where we dine this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our day starts with a transfer to Lecce to board a train to Monopoli - a vibrant town on the Adriatic Sea. From here we take a guided coach excursion to the unique whitewashed town of Alberobello. This World Heritage town is packed with hundreds of cone-shaped, limestone houses known as 'trulli'. First built in the 14th century, the houses were constructed from small stones, and designed to be easily dismantled to avoid taxes!

There's some time to look around before meeting our friendly local guide, Mimmo Palmisano, who hosts us at a traditional lunch in his family's restaurant before a fascinating guided tour. We then continue to the hill town of Locorotondo, a few miles away, where we are free to wander the labyrinthine streets of the historic centre. Known for its sparkling Spumante wine, Locorotondo is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and 'trulli' settlements. After our tour we drive to our next base, a rural spa hotel near Polignano a Mare, on Puglia's Adriatic coast, for three nights. After a refreshing welcome drink, we dine at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a busy few days of touring, today is at leisure to enjoy the lovely surroundings and the facilities of our hotel. You could choose to relax at one of the hotel's pools, or on its private beach, spending a tranquil day soaking up the Italian sunshine.

In the nearby town of Polignano a Mare, a short drive away, you could watch the world go by from a pavement café while trying some local cuisine for lunch.

Another local treat is Polignano coffee, made with lemon zest, cream and amaretto, which you could enjoy at one of the cafés dotted around the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, watched over by the 17th-century Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption. The town's white-washed alleys open onto terraces with views of the sea and a small cove, nestled between the cliffs.

This evening dinner is served at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Ahead of us today is one of the highlights of our tour, an excursion to the rugged hilltop town of Matera in Basilicata, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its ancient 'sassi' cave dwellings. This evocative town is favoured among directors as a film location over the decades. Director Pier Paolo Pasolini set the story of Jesus' life here, in his 1964 classic, The Gospel According to St Matthew, and the James Bond movie 'No Time to Die' was also filmed here.

Our guided tour takes us through the maze of winding streets and fascinating Palaeolithic-era abodes, some of which were inhabited until as recently as the 1950s, and we enter one of the 'sassi' caves. We're then free over lunch to explore this incredible location at our own pace. Matera has flourished in recent years, it was European Capital of Culture in 2019, and there are many boutiques, craft shops, bars and cafés to discover.

We return to our spa hotel near Poligano a Mare for our last night on the Adriatic coast, gathering for dinner this evening in our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This tour of unspoiled Puglia and Basilicata in Italy's southern heel began in the timeless city of Rome, where we toured the most iconic sights. In contrast to this, we then stayed in two idyllic bases, Santa Maria al Bagno on the Ionian Sea and Polignano a Mare on the Adriatic Sea. The region's unique architecture has been encountered in Matera and Alberobello, while hidden gems have been explored in Galatina, Gallipoli and Lecce.

After breakfast this morning, we transfer to Bari airport for a flight back to the UK. Arriving in London, your holiday to southern Italy comes to an end.

If you have upgraded to the return by rail option, join the Tour Manager to begin a journey north through Italy. Transferring by coach to Bari, travel by rail to Bologna and change trains to Turin for an overnight stay.

• Breakfast
• Dinner (Return by rail option)

Early this morning, we board a First Class train from Turin to Paris. In the French capital, we change trains and join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras, travelling in spacious Plus Class with a light meal served at our seats.

On arrival in London, your holiday draws to a close and you are free to make your way home.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Light Meal