On day 3, transfer inland for a curated tasting in Locorotondo, where you’ll sample crisp Locorotondo DOC—typically blends of Verdeca and Bianco d’Alessano. Guided by a local sommelier, compare styles from still to lightly sparkling as you learn how limestone soils and sea breezes shape the wines’ citrus and fennel notes.

Afterward, stroll the whitewashed lanes and small piazzas of one of Italy’s “Borghi più belli,” pausing at belvederes over the Valle d’Itria’s olive groves and trulli-dotted fields. Notice the characteristic “cummerse” pitched roofs and the circular street plan that gave the town its name. This evening is about savoring Puglia’s gentle light, traditional hospitality, and the region’s quietly confident food-and-wine culture.

On day 5, join a guided group tour through Matera’s Sassi districts—Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano—to understand how homes, cisterns, and chapels were carved directly into soft tufa. With your local expert, step into rupestrian churches such as those dedicated to Santa Maria (viewed from the exterior and chosen on the day) to trace faded frescoes and centuries of devotion.

Hear how Matera evolved from abandonment to renewal, becoming European Capital of Culture 2019 and a cinematic backdrop for No Time To Die. Learn about water collection systems, family life in cave dwellings, and the city’s layered identity. The walk balances history with atmosphere, inviting you to pause for photos and reflection across stones that glow gold in late-afternoon light.

On day 7, set out in the cool morning to descend into the Gravina di Matera, following rocky paths scented with wild thyme toward the Parco della Murgia Materana. The trail is steep in places but rewards with birdsong, wind-carved limestone, and shifting perspectives on the cave-city rising above the canyon.

Continue to the Belvedere Murgia Timone, a panoramic lookout where the Sassi’s honeyed facades spread like an amphitheatre. Your leader will outline the route and safety tips, then time is yours to pause for photos and reflection, noticing ancient shepherd tracks and openings of rock-hewn chapels punctuating the cliffs. This self-guided hike connects landscape and heritage in a single, elemental morning.

On day 7, step into a historic bakery for a hands-on class devoted to Pane di Matera IGP. Guided by an artisan baker, you’ll mix re-milled durum wheat semolina with natural starter, knead the supple dough, and shape a distinctive, crown-like loaf. As the oven heats, learn how communal bakeries once anchored neighborhood life.

While your bread bakes, taste Lucanian specialties with a glass of Aglianico, appreciating the crust’s caramel notes and the tender, aromatic crumb. Stories of wheat from the Murgia, long fermentations, and family rituals infuse the experience with cultural depth. Leave with your own loaf and the know-how to recreate Matera’s most emblematic flavor back home.

On day 4, take a short rail hop from Locorotondo to Alberobello’s UNESCO-listed trulli. Wander the Rione Monti and Aia Piccola districts, where whitewashed dwellings crowned with conical roofs and limestone pinnacles line sloping lanes. Look for chalk symbols on the domes, browse small workshops, and, time permitting, step into the Trullo Sovrano museum to see traditional interiors.

This is a self-paced visit that reveals rural building ingenuity from the 17th–18th centuries and the enduring identity of the Valle d’Itria. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour through your local agent (train tickets and any museum entrances arranged on request), with suggested departure times and maps provided.

On day 2 or day 3, head for the sea to swim at Monopoli’s coves or at Polignano a Mare’s Lama Monachile (Cala Porto), framed by pale cliffs and the old Via Traiana bridge. Expect translucent water, smooth pebbles, and cliff-top vistas perfect for a mid-morning dip and sun-warmed pause.

Your local agent can arrange transfers, beach towels, and recommendations for seaside cafés. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (transfer and sunbed hire if desired). Bring water shoes for comfort and enjoy time to soak in the lakeside atmosphere—here, the Adriatic’s salt tang and seabreeze are the whole point.

On day 6, explore Matera’s MUSMA (Museo della Scultura Contemporanea), set within the tufa chambers of Palazzo Pomarici. Sculptures unfold through interconnected grottoes, where natural light cuts across rough stone and modern forms—bronze, terracotta, and steel—create a dialogue with the ancient fabric.

The visit illuminates Matera’s latest chapter: a city that couples preservation with bold creativity. Audio guides and curatorial notes deepen understanding while you pause for photos and reflection in cool, echoing rooms. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (entry and timings arranged locally), ideal for art lovers seeking a quieter counterpoint to the Sassi’s open-air drama.

On day 1 or day 2, climb the seaside fortress to walk the ramparts of Castello di Carlo V, Monopoli’s 16th-century stronghold. As the sun drops, the harbour and white facades glow while fishing boats slip past the bastions—an evocative setting for orientation photos and a gentle first evening in Puglia.

Inside, temporary exhibits often trace coastal defenses and local history, adding context to the site’s strategic position on the Adriatic. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (entry tickets and timings arranged by your local agent). It’s a short, atmospheric visit that pairs beautifully with an aperitivo on nearby Piazza Garibaldi.

On day 2, wander Monopoli’s honey-stone lanes at your own pace, pausing by the photogenic harbour as fishermen mend their nets and balconies brim with geraniums. Follow the lungomare promenade to small coves where the Adriatic flashes turquoise, then drift back to Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi for a cool glass of local white, soaking up the unhurried rhythm of southern Italy.

Along the way, step inside the Basilica of the Madonna della Madia to admire its baroque flourishes, and trace the ramparts of Castello di Carlo V by the waterline. Nearby, Palazzo Palmieri’s Lecce-inspired facade hints at Puglia’s artistic lineage. This self-guided orientation gently brings the city into focus, leaving the afternoon free to enjoy a free moment browsing boutiques or lingering at a café.