Puglia and Southern Italy (12 or 14 Days)
Sip cappuccino in a café where only Italian can be
heard. Wander underground through Neolithic caves. Travel back to
simpler times in untouched Alberobello. Everywhere you go in Southern
Italy, authenticity presides. From the soothing shores of Sorrento to
the quaint homes of the Trulli Valley, discover the soul behind the
“boot heel” of wonderful country.
Your Edventure includes:
- Round-trip airfare from SFO or LAX (price varies depending on additional gateway choice)
- 10 nights in hand-picked hotels
- Breakfast daily
- 6 three-course dinners, including wine or beer
- Multiple wine-tastings
- Full-time multilingual tour guide
- Visit to Poggioreale Prison in Naples (Correctional/Law Enforcement Officials Only)
- Private deluxe motor coach and ferry to Capri
- Selected entry fees with priority entry
Herculaneum
Castel Del Monte
Bari
Puglia Region
The Roman Ruins in Lecce
Grotte di Castellano
Sorrento Coast
Capri
Capri Highway
Price: $4,423 (2016) based on double occupancy, plus optional $364 TravelSafe Premium*
Optional excursion (Day 5): Coastal Trani and Olive Oil tasting $79 per person
Optional excursion (Day 7): Otranto Dinner and Wine-tasting $79 per person
Optional 2-day extension: Rome $389 per person
Optional excursion on extension: Vatican City $99 per person
Optional excursion on extension: Dinner with the Tenors $79 per person
Deposit and payment information below
*Click here for additional information on TravelSafe Travel Protection.
Optional excursion (Day 5): Coastal Trani and Olive Oil tasting $79 per person
Optional excursion (Day 7): Otranto Dinner and Wine-tasting $79 per person
Optional 2-day extension: Rome $389 per person
Optional excursion on extension: Vatican City $99 per person
Optional excursion on extension: Dinner with the Tenors $79 per person
Deposit and payment information below
*Click here for additional information on TravelSafe Travel Protection.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - (In-flight meals) Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Naples aboard an internationally recognized airline
Day 2- (In-flight meals, Dinner) Welcome to Naples. Our representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and escorts you to your hotel. Following check-in, you’ll have some free time to explore Naples or relax in your room. Tonight enjoy an included traditional pizza dinner made by the experts, as pizza was invented here in Naples, and meet your fellow travelers. Buon appetito!
Day 3 - (Breakfast) Discover Napoli this morning on an guided tour of this beautiful bayside city in the heart of the Campania region of Italy. You’ll pass by the imposing facade of the Palazza Reale, built by the Bourbon kings of Naples, and travel through the historic city center. Correctional/Law Enforcement Officials will visit Poggioreale Prison while all other travelers visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where original artifacts from the nearby Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum are located. Then, this afternoon, all travelers take an excursion to the ruins of the Lost City of Herculaneum to witness village life in the first century. Part of the family of Lost Cities, Herculaneum was also glazed over by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. On this excursion, a guide will take you through the small city and all of its well-preserved wonders. Unlike Pompeii, the conditions in Herculaneum allowed for many buildings and artwork to remain intact.
Day 4 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Benvenuti in Puglia! One of Italy’s few remaining hidden travel gems, Puglia is blessed with fine weather, beautiful shorelines, lovely towns, Baroque architecture and delicious cuisine. This morning, transfer to Benevento for a guided tour. You’ll visit the Arch of Trajan and the Church of St. Ilario before continuing on to the Bari region in Puglia this afternoon. Savor an included dinner of local delicacies tonight.
Day 5 - (Breakfast) Explore the coastal region near Bari with an excursion to visita UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the octagonal Castel del Monte, a 13th-century structure whose interior marbles and furnishings remain largely unaltered since antiquity. This afternoon, spend free time exploring the Bari region, or join an optional excursion. Your first stop is Trani, Italy, known as the “Pearl of Puglia” for its sophisticated vibe. Take a guided walking tour of its charming streets, making stops in the historical Jewish neighborhood and at the Romanesque Trani Cathedral. Then, it’s on to the groves of the Galantino Estate, located just outside Trinitapoli, a small community overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Here you’ll visit an ancient oil mill and sample some of the region’s famous olive oils.
Day 6 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Today begins with a visit to the seaside town of Bari, where a guided tour introduces you to the sights of the historic Old Town, including monuments and cathedrals dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. The tour’s highlight is undoubtedly the Basilica of St. Nicholas, which contains the remains of the bishop whose penchant for anonymous gift-giving inspired the legend of Santa Claus. After some free time to explore Bari, continue to Lecce, arriving in time for an included dinner.
Day 7 - (Breakfast) This morning, embark on a guided tour of Lecce, known as the “Florence of the South” for its rich collection of Baroque architecture. Marvel at the extravagant ornamentation of Lecce’s churches and monuments and imagine the past grandeur of the ruined Roman amphitheater. Perhaps the finest sight is the Church of the Holy Cross, featuring an opulent facade built from the distinctive golden “Lecce stone.” This afternoon, an optional excursion that brings you to the seaside town of Otranto, a former Greek colony that repeatedly defied Roman authorities by siding with the Romans’ enemies in the Pyrrhic and Punic Wars. Explore Otranto’s old town and the Romanesque church at the center of town. Later, sit down for an included dinner featuring regional specialties and a wine tasting (additional reservation fee required).
Day 8 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Journey this morning to Ostuni, where your Tour Director will introduce you to the sights, including the picturesque cathedral and whitewashed homes of the Old Town. This afternoon, continue on to the Trulli Valley, the home of the trulli, the conical dry-stone homes where locals lived for thousands of years. You’ll enjoy an included dinner tonight.
Day 9 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Begin today with a visit to the trulli of Alberobello. These carefully preserved dwellings feature white symbols painted onto the roofs to bring good luck or ward off the malocchio or “evil eye.” Unearth the history of these unique dwellings on a guided tour. This afternoon, enjoy an excursion to Grotte di Castellana, a series of interconnected caves once believed to be the gates of hell. People have known about the Grotte di Castellana for centuries, but since local legend held that the entrances to these caves were actually the gates of hell, few explored this subterranean world before the 1930s. Discover some of the most famous portions of these caves, including the sunlit section known as The Grave, the towering Cave of the Monuments, the slender stalactites of the Cave of the Altar and the iridescent White Cave. Afterward, travel to a neighboring village for an included dinner at a private Trullo, or a traditional Apulian dry-stone hut. Under the conical roof, you'll sample regional specialties.
Day 10 - (Breakfast) This morning, travel to Matera in time to enjoy a guided tour of this hilltop town. Matera is home to 9,000-year-old cave dwellings known as sassi, and its Old Town, built on these ancient caverns, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll then enjoy a scenic transfer through the Apennine Mountains, where you will view the cathedral, Palazzo del Sedile and the Tramontano Castle, which has sat unfinished since the early 16th centur. Then, enter the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario and Chiese Rupestri en route to Sorrento.
Day 11 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Travel by ferry to the fabled Isle of Capri, a beloved resort since the days of the Roman Republic. Weather permitting, you’ll enjoy a mini-cruise around the island. Later, enjoy free time to discover why everyone from Roman emperors to Sophia Loren wants to spend their vacation in Capri. If weather prohibits a mini-cruise, you’ll travel to the village of Anacapri, which offers stunning views of the surrounding scenery. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.
Day 12 - (Breakfast) Transfer to Naples to catch your flight home
OR Optional Extension:
Day 12 - (Breakfast) Continue on to Rome, where you'll follow in the footsteps of the ancient Romans with a guided tour of the Eternal City. Pass by Trajan’s Column and Piazza Venezia, the city’s central hub, stop at the ruins of the Forum, from which the Caesars ruled their vast empire, soak up over 2,000 years of history in Imperial Rome, viewing the Arch of Constantine, the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Rome and the Temple of Venus, then enter the Colosseum and take time to explore on your own.
Day 13 - (Breakfast) Spend the day on your own exploring Rome in your own way, or join an optional excursion with a local guide that takes you inside the world’s smallest state, Vatican City. Upon arrival, you'll first visit the Vatican Museums, which recently celebrated a 500-year anniversary and hold many of the world’s most important Classical and Renaissance-era sculptures. Next, you’ll visit the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll gaze on what is perhaps Michelangelo’s greatest masterpiece. Finally, you’ll visit the enormous St. Peter’s Basilica, the epicenter of the Roman Catholic faith. The artists whose efforts have contributed to its glory are some of the best Italy has ever known, including Bramante, Peruzzi, Raphael and Michelangelo. Masterpieces await at every turn, from Bernini’s magnificent bronze canopy to Michelangelo’s Pietà. Please note: This excursion is not available on Sundays. Backpacks are not allowed in the Vatican and a dress code of no shorts or sleeveless shirts is enforced (additional fee required). Later this evening, you can choose an optional excursion that will let you end your stay with an elegant four-course dinner at one of our favorite Roman restaurants. While you dine, you’ll be treated to some of opera's best-loved arias…and you might even join the singers on stage. Don’t miss this lighthearted evening of food and fun!
Day 14 - (Breakfast) Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Day 1 - (In-flight meals) Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Naples aboard an internationally recognized airline
Day 2- (In-flight meals, Dinner) Welcome to Naples. Our representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and escorts you to your hotel. Following check-in, you’ll have some free time to explore Naples or relax in your room. Tonight enjoy an included traditional pizza dinner made by the experts, as pizza was invented here in Naples, and meet your fellow travelers. Buon appetito!
Day 3 - (Breakfast) Discover Napoli this morning on an guided tour of this beautiful bayside city in the heart of the Campania region of Italy. You’ll pass by the imposing facade of the Palazza Reale, built by the Bourbon kings of Naples, and travel through the historic city center. Correctional/Law Enforcement Officials will visit Poggioreale Prison while all other travelers visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where original artifacts from the nearby Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum are located. Then, this afternoon, all travelers take an excursion to the ruins of the Lost City of Herculaneum to witness village life in the first century. Part of the family of Lost Cities, Herculaneum was also glazed over by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. On this excursion, a guide will take you through the small city and all of its well-preserved wonders. Unlike Pompeii, the conditions in Herculaneum allowed for many buildings and artwork to remain intact.
Day 4 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Benvenuti in Puglia! One of Italy’s few remaining hidden travel gems, Puglia is blessed with fine weather, beautiful shorelines, lovely towns, Baroque architecture and delicious cuisine. This morning, transfer to Benevento for a guided tour. You’ll visit the Arch of Trajan and the Church of St. Ilario before continuing on to the Bari region in Puglia this afternoon. Savor an included dinner of local delicacies tonight.
Day 5 - (Breakfast) Explore the coastal region near Bari with an excursion to visita UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the octagonal Castel del Monte, a 13th-century structure whose interior marbles and furnishings remain largely unaltered since antiquity. This afternoon, spend free time exploring the Bari region, or join an optional excursion. Your first stop is Trani, Italy, known as the “Pearl of Puglia” for its sophisticated vibe. Take a guided walking tour of its charming streets, making stops in the historical Jewish neighborhood and at the Romanesque Trani Cathedral. Then, it’s on to the groves of the Galantino Estate, located just outside Trinitapoli, a small community overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Here you’ll visit an ancient oil mill and sample some of the region’s famous olive oils.
Day 6 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Today begins with a visit to the seaside town of Bari, where a guided tour introduces you to the sights of the historic Old Town, including monuments and cathedrals dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. The tour’s highlight is undoubtedly the Basilica of St. Nicholas, which contains the remains of the bishop whose penchant for anonymous gift-giving inspired the legend of Santa Claus. After some free time to explore Bari, continue to Lecce, arriving in time for an included dinner.
Day 7 - (Breakfast) This morning, embark on a guided tour of Lecce, known as the “Florence of the South” for its rich collection of Baroque architecture. Marvel at the extravagant ornamentation of Lecce’s churches and monuments and imagine the past grandeur of the ruined Roman amphitheater. Perhaps the finest sight is the Church of the Holy Cross, featuring an opulent facade built from the distinctive golden “Lecce stone.” This afternoon, an optional excursion that brings you to the seaside town of Otranto, a former Greek colony that repeatedly defied Roman authorities by siding with the Romans’ enemies in the Pyrrhic and Punic Wars. Explore Otranto’s old town and the Romanesque church at the center of town. Later, sit down for an included dinner featuring regional specialties and a wine tasting (additional reservation fee required).
Day 8 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Journey this morning to Ostuni, where your Tour Director will introduce you to the sights, including the picturesque cathedral and whitewashed homes of the Old Town. This afternoon, continue on to the Trulli Valley, the home of the trulli, the conical dry-stone homes where locals lived for thousands of years. You’ll enjoy an included dinner tonight.
Day 9 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Begin today with a visit to the trulli of Alberobello. These carefully preserved dwellings feature white symbols painted onto the roofs to bring good luck or ward off the malocchio or “evil eye.” Unearth the history of these unique dwellings on a guided tour. This afternoon, enjoy an excursion to Grotte di Castellana, a series of interconnected caves once believed to be the gates of hell. People have known about the Grotte di Castellana for centuries, but since local legend held that the entrances to these caves were actually the gates of hell, few explored this subterranean world before the 1930s. Discover some of the most famous portions of these caves, including the sunlit section known as The Grave, the towering Cave of the Monuments, the slender stalactites of the Cave of the Altar and the iridescent White Cave. Afterward, travel to a neighboring village for an included dinner at a private Trullo, or a traditional Apulian dry-stone hut. Under the conical roof, you'll sample regional specialties.
Day 10 - (Breakfast) This morning, travel to Matera in time to enjoy a guided tour of this hilltop town. Matera is home to 9,000-year-old cave dwellings known as sassi, and its Old Town, built on these ancient caverns, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll then enjoy a scenic transfer through the Apennine Mountains, where you will view the cathedral, Palazzo del Sedile and the Tramontano Castle, which has sat unfinished since the early 16th centur. Then, enter the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario and Chiese Rupestri en route to Sorrento.
Day 11 - (Breakfast, Dinner) Travel by ferry to the fabled Isle of Capri, a beloved resort since the days of the Roman Republic. Weather permitting, you’ll enjoy a mini-cruise around the island. Later, enjoy free time to discover why everyone from Roman emperors to Sophia Loren wants to spend their vacation in Capri. If weather prohibits a mini-cruise, you’ll travel to the village of Anacapri, which offers stunning views of the surrounding scenery. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.
Day 12 - (Breakfast) Transfer to Naples to catch your flight home
OR Optional Extension:
Day 12 - (Breakfast) Continue on to Rome, where you'll follow in the footsteps of the ancient Romans with a guided tour of the Eternal City. Pass by Trajan’s Column and Piazza Venezia, the city’s central hub, stop at the ruins of the Forum, from which the Caesars ruled their vast empire, soak up over 2,000 years of history in Imperial Rome, viewing the Arch of Constantine, the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Rome and the Temple of Venus, then enter the Colosseum and take time to explore on your own.
Day 13 - (Breakfast) Spend the day on your own exploring Rome in your own way, or join an optional excursion with a local guide that takes you inside the world’s smallest state, Vatican City. Upon arrival, you'll first visit the Vatican Museums, which recently celebrated a 500-year anniversary and hold many of the world’s most important Classical and Renaissance-era sculptures. Next, you’ll visit the Sistine Chapel, where you’ll gaze on what is perhaps Michelangelo’s greatest masterpiece. Finally, you’ll visit the enormous St. Peter’s Basilica, the epicenter of the Roman Catholic faith. The artists whose efforts have contributed to its glory are some of the best Italy has ever known, including Bramante, Peruzzi, Raphael and Michelangelo. Masterpieces await at every turn, from Bernini’s magnificent bronze canopy to Michelangelo’s Pietà. Please note: This excursion is not available on Sundays. Backpacks are not allowed in the Vatican and a dress code of no shorts or sleeveless shirts is enforced (additional fee required). Later this evening, you can choose an optional excursion that will let you end your stay with an elegant four-course dinner at one of our favorite Roman restaurants. While you dine, you’ll be treated to some of opera's best-loved arias…and you might even join the singers on stage. Don’t miss this lighthearted evening of food and fun!
Day 14 - (Breakfast) Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Click here for additional information about travel to Italy
Next Departure Dates:
September 2019 (ITPU0919)
July 2020 (ITPU0720)
October 2020 (ITPU1020)
Contact us for exact departure dates
September 2019 (ITPU0919)
July 2020 (ITPU0720)
October 2020 (ITPU1020)
Contact us for exact departure dates