Discover Puglia: Italy's Ancient Heel

This was our first ‘cultural’ Exodus holiday although we’ve done lots of Exodus cycling holidays. We went not knowing much about the area so it was wonderful to find it so enjoyable. There was a good mix of learning about the region, relaxing, and tours of caves, olive groves and some of the more important towns in the area. Transfers weren’t too long (usually under an hour) and accommodation was excellent for the most part. The nature of the accommodation meant that we all had different style rooms in most locations, which was good fun comparing.

This trip was a wonderful surprise! I have been to a couple of places in Italy before (Rome, Venice, Florence) but Puglia is so different... in a great way! The coastline, the food, the culture and the history were all wonderful.

This was an excellent way to explore Puglia, the towns of Matera, Alberobello, Ostuni and Lecce all were fascinating and atmospheric yet different. The hotel accommodation was in the town centers in the first three locations and was very good. The cave house and the trullo being a real experience. Accommodation in Lecce was a real disappointment. It was located on a ring road about a 25-minute walk from the center and was a basic business class hotel very few facilities. Our room was bright orange (think Easy Jet) and small, breakfast was limited compared to the previous hotels. Altogether a poor finish to a good experience.

I have given this tour a 4* rating because the basic structure of the tour was so good. Matera, Alberobello and Ostuni were all outstanding. The towns have been restored and are fascinating and atmospheric as well as beautiful (especially at night). The hotel accommodation, which was in the centre of town in all three locations, was quirky, interesting, and well-appointed. We were disappointed with the Eos hotel in Lecce, however. It was a let-down and a rather sad end after what until then had been a fabulous trip with amazing accommodation elsewhere. It's situated on a ring road, a 20 minute walk from the gate into the old town with little in the way of bars, restaurants or atmosphere nearby. It was a budget hotel with pared-down facilities and a disappointing and very basic breakfast. For example, by 8.00 am on the first morning there was limited choice because once foods had been consumed they were not always replaced. The staff were less helpful than in the other hotels. Lecce itself was very impressive with some amazing architecture. However, we were there over a bank holiday and it was consequently very busy. It would be nice to go back when it was quieter. The local guide in Lecce was not as good as the one in Matera, not least because her English was limited.

I joined this itinerary in April 2025 and was utterly blown away by the locations visited. Matera was stunning, Lecce's winding streets were beautiful with gems hidden round every corner, We stayed in a traditional Trulli house which was a personal highlight for me!

Excellent trip, beautiful scenery, and an absolutely fabulous guide, Fabrizio!! His enthusiasm, in-depth knowledge and overall care for our group made the experience exceptional. Ask for him by name!

I loved the itinerary! Saw so much in a week and at the same time did not feel rushed. I felt there was enough time to explore the highlights of the region. I enjoyed exploring Matera and Polignano a Mare. The lunch on day 5 was delicious - one of the best meals I have had in Italy. The coastal walk was lovely as well in Otranto. The places we stayed were so unique. I loved the Trulli house in Alberobello. I also loved the group and sharing the experience with like-minded people.

A really lovely trip that mixes culture, food, wine, and history!

Amazing trip to te heel of Italy. Matera was my particular highlight, due in part to the passionate guide who enthralled us it her personal relationship with Matera. Trulli houses beautiful although Alberobello was not great. The train to Martina Franca was good. Lecce too was magnificent, I've never seen so many churches. A great trip.

Beautiful landscapes, amazing food and wine, incredible architecture!

Well planned itinerary and plenty of free time. Very beautiful part of Italy not generally frequented by a lot of British tourists, compared to other Italian towns, and well worth visiting. You wont be disappointed. Excellent food, as you would expect.

A busy itinerary exploring a beautiful part of Southern Italy. Some stunning hillside cities with classic narrow streets and cafe culture. Lots of excellent food and local wine throughout. Whilst not strenuous in itself, it was a pretty full on itinerary, with heat, lots of steps and extensive exploring on foot, with uneven pavements/cobbles and walking terrain. Not as leisurely as the trip notes might make you believe, and not really suitable for those with limited mobility or fitness. Some parts are very busy and touristy, but easy to wander the back streets to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in Italian culture. A mix of city, rural areas and seaside to give a taste of the whole area.

This is a really lovely part of Italy. It seemed less touristy than some other parts but some of that may be due to the after effects of covid still hitting tourist numbers The majority of places we visited are truly stunning. I loved Matera, Alorobello, Ostuni, Polignano, Otranto and Lecce. I was disappointed not to get to stay in Otranto as the beaches there were very nice. All the places we visited were very different and very interesting and we had just about the right amount of time in each. We went to some very lovely restaurants with excellent food!

Really enjoyed this trip to Puglia, staying in some really unusual accommodation. From the caves of Matera, through my personal little trullo house in Alberobello to the 13th century former palace in Ostuni and even the modern hotel in Lecce, it was all great. This part of Italy is so varied and stunning in both countryside and architecture, it makes for a very varied and enjoyable holiday. There is an excellent mix of culture, food and wine tasting, beach, walking and free time so that the week didn't feel at all rushed yet we packed in loads. I must commend our guide Nino who went to enormous lengths with a quite demanding group to ensure we all had a great time. The local guides were extremely knowledgeable and made both Matera and Lecce come alive with their vast understanding of the history of each town and the visit to the olive farm and the winery were both very enjoyable and informative. I opted to visit the Castellana Grotto which is a must-see, biggest cave system I have been in - very impressive indeed. All in all an excellent trip.

Pleased to visit an area previously unknown to me. We experienced unseasonably hot weather (some days 35 degrees in May) which made walking the streets of some cities difficult. The free day at Monopoli we agreed to be shortened in order that some time could be spent viewing our base Alberobello. I was surprised not to have dedicated transport which led to some timing issues and having to walk to the meeting point. Overall a tour of varieties of cities/sea side/olive groves with some good recommendations of where to eat.

A lovely and unexplored part of Italy. Interesting hill top towns and coastal areas. A very relaxed trip with plenty of free time (maybe a little too much). Matera, Alberobello and Lecci were the highlights for me. All stunning. Food and wine excellent everywhere: plenty of local cuisine. Polignano, Ostuni and Otranto were lovely but easily seen in a couple of hours. Graded as 1 but there are lots of steep steps in Matera and Ostuni. There was an extra walk added from the masseria lunch to Ostuni (about 2 hours) which hadn't been mentioned in the trip notes and meant those unable to walk had to pay for a transfer. Definitely need good shoes for this. We were unable to complete the listed coastal walk due to rain. All hotels were great, central and/or in historic buildings. No long journeys. Would recommend for a relaxing introduction to the region.

This is an interesting tour overall. The three main places visited - Matera, Alberobello and Lecce - are all so historical and individually fascinating to explore, yet completely different. The accommodation is similarly characterful and varied; potentially having a cave room in Matera, next a trullo in Alberobello, then a converted monastery in Ostuni (my room, in the roof, had the original guttering inside the room!) and finally an old palazzo in Lecce. There is a lot of free time outside of the designated free day, which might not suit some people, particularly solo travellers who don't bond as well with others in their group (our group of twelve had six solo travellers and those who wanted to could always find someone to explore with, as everyone was pretty sociable). Although this trip is graded as leisurely, there is a lot of walking around the various places visited, sometimes involving quite steep climbs on steps/cobbles/slopes, especially in Matera.

Leisurely was the description....a fairly lively leisurely .... great trips, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful leader. Some amazing places to visit and accommodation to stay at - all comfortable and most very different.

The included items of the tour did NOT include some of the most beautiful highlights in Puglia such as Polignano a Mare nor Monopoli nor Castel del Monte. So quite a limited introduction to Puglia. The required walking was extensive compared to similiar tours - I had to pay for transfers myself. So with food and transfers NOT being included, this is an expensive tour.