Timeless Southern Italy
From Naples to The Soul of Puglia
October 15 – October 27, 2027 · 12 nights
TRAVEL STYLE & IDEAL FOR: A vibrant road journey for curious travelers seeking authentic southern Italy through iconic sights, dramatic coastlines and timeless countryside. Meaningful encounters with local people and traditions are woven throughout the route, with boutique hotels, a stay among Matera’s Sassi and several nights in a traditional Apulian masseria.
FROM NAPLES TO THE SOUL OF PUGLIA TOUR OVERVIEW
Southern Italy unfolds through places where food, landscape and daily life remain closely connected. Begin amid the energy of Naples, tasting its street food and learning the craft of Neapolitan pizza, before traveling through Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, where volcanic flavors, seaside towns, ceramics, mozzarella and local wine tell their own stories. Continue inland to the ancient landscapes of Matera, then into Puglia, where whitewashed towns, trulli, olive groves and a working masseria set the scene for cooking, tasting and meeting the people who keep regional traditions alive. A journey full of character, generous tables and experiences rooted in the south.
Tour Price: €7,785
Tour price includes:
- Private arrival transfer from Naples Airport (NAP) and departure transfer to Bari Airport (BRI)
- 12 nights in selected accommodations: Naples (2), Cetara (4), Matera (2) and Ostuni (4)
- All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 10 dinners, including welcome and farewell dinners and selected regional meals
- Professional English-speaking Tour Leader throughout the journey, accommodated at the same hotels as the group
- Private transfers and coach transportation for the included touring, as detailed in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking local guides for included visits, with audio headsets throughout the journey
- Guided exploration of Naples, including Santa Chiara and the Sansevero Chapel, with traditional coffee and sfogliatella
- Naples street food tour and hands-on Neapolitan pizza-making class with dinner
- Guided visit to Pompeii and a tasting lunch prepared with locally sourced ingredients on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius
- Guided visits to Amalfi and Ravello, including Villa Rufolo, plus round-trip public ferry transportation to Capri
- Vietri sul Mare ceramic workshop, mozzarella-making experience with cheese tasting, and local winery visit and tasting
- Guided exploration of Matera and a nature hike through the Murgia Materana Park, followed by lunch at a local restaurant
- Guided Puglia experiences including Ostuni, an Apulian cooking class with lunch, Alberobello, Lecce, an olive oil tasting, Monopoli and Polignano a Mare
- Porterage at all accommodations, VAT, city taxes and gratuities for included guides, tour managers, hotel staff, servers and local drivers
Tour price is per person based on a minimum of 6 participants and double occupancy. A single supplement of EUR 1,580 is available for those traveling alone who would like their own room.
*International airfare is not included, but Olde Ipswich Tours can assist with booking flights.
DAYS 1-2, NAPLES: Arrive in Naples and explore its historic heart with a local guide, visiting Santa Chiara and the Sansevero Chapel before a traditional coffee and sfogliatella and a welcome dinner. The next day, admire views from the Certosa di San Martino, taste your way through the city on a street food tour, then learn the secrets of authentic Neapolitan pizza in a hands-on class followed by dinner.DAYS 3-4, POMPEII & THE AMALFI COAST: Travel south for a guided exploration of ancient Pompeii, followed by a tasting lunch made with local ingredients on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius before continuing to seaside Cetara. The next day, discover Amalfi and its Cathedral of Saint Andrew, then continue to hilltop Ravello to visit the gardens and architecture of Villa Rufolo.
DAYS 5-6, CAPRI, VIETRI & AMALFI COAST FLAVORS: Cross by ferry to Capri for a day of independent exploration before returning to the Amalfi Coast. The following day, discover Vietri sul Mare’s ceramic tradition in a local artisan workshop, then visit a family-run farm to see how mozzarella is made and taste freshly made cheeses, followed by a guided winery visit and tasting.
DAYS 7-8, MATERA & THE MURGIA: Travel inland to Matera for a private guided walk through the extraordinary Sassi, where centuries of human settlement have shaped the rocky landscape. The following morning, hike through the Murgia Materana Park with an expert guide, discovering rock-hewn churches, ancient caves and traces of rural life before lunch at a local restaurant and a free afternoon in Matera.
DAYS 9-10, OSTUNI, APULIAN COOKING & ALBEROBELLO: Continue into Puglia’s Valle d’Itria and settle into a traditional masseria before exploring the whitewashed lanes of Ostuni. The next day, join a private cooking session at a working farm and share the dishes you prepare over lunch, then visit Alberobello and its UNESCO-listed trulli, including the remarkable two-story Trullo Sovrano.
DAY 11, LECCE & APULIAN OLIVE OIL: Explore Lecce’s Baroque heart with a local guide, beginning with the city’s traditional iced coffee with almond milk and ending with a taste of pasticciotto. Later, visit an olive oil estate to learn about production from grove to bottle and taste two premium extra virgin olive oils before dinner at the masseria.
DAYS 12-13, MONOPOLI, POLIGNANO A MARE & DEPARTURE: Follow the Adriatic coast to Monopoli and cliffside Polignano a Mare, exploring their historic centers and pausing to taste the distinctive local caffè di Polignano. Celebrate the journey with a farewell dinner before a private transfer to Bari Airport (BRI) the following morning.
*Transfers to other airports can be arranged at an additional cost.
