Tour of Puglia with a Direct Flight from Sofia

Would you like to experience the authentic Italian way of life? Then you must visit Puglia - a colourful patchwork of wineries, olive groves and fruit orchards. Located on the heel of Italy, this south-eastern region has it all - distinctive architecture, delicious local cuisine and plenty of attractions. Puglia is known for its rich history, beautiful landscapes, wonderful beaches and delicious cuisine. Add to this the perfect weather and crystal-clear water, and an unforgettable holiday is guaranteed!

Day one

Meeting at Sofia Airport for the flight to Bari. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in at the Villa Giusy 4* hotel or similar. Information meeting. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day two

Breakfast. Full-day excursion to the capital of Puglia - Bari - and the pearl of the Adriatic - Polignano a Mare (included in the price).

Departure for Bari - the capital of the Puglia region and its political, economic, transport, educational and cultural centre. The city's history is linked to Greek colonisation as well as the Roman and Byzantine Empires. In 1071 it was conquered by the Normans and later became part of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1234 to 1558 it was an independent city-republic, until it was annexed to the Kingdom of Naples.

A visit to the Old Town. All the famous sights are here, and the maze of colourful streets and alleys has a distinctive Mediterranean atmosphere. The Cathedral of St Sabinus was built at the end of the twelfth century in the Romanesque style. In the eighteenth century Baroque details were added to its interior and façade. The Basilica of St Nicholas was consecrated in 1087 but remained unfinished until 1197. It is considered one of the greatest achievements of Romanesque architecture in Puglia. The basilica holds a painting of the Madonna with Saints by Vivarini from 1476, the tomb of Bona Sforza, wife of Sigismund II, King of Poland, and the last Duchess of Bari (1558) and, of course, the relics of St Nicholas - patron of sailors, merchants, bankers, robbers, prisoners, women and children. A tasting of “Focaccia Barese”. Free time.

Polignano a Mare is a town set on imposing sheer cliffs. Almost two thousand years ago the Roman road “Via Traiana” passed through here. Today the coast is known for its crystal-clear sea, twenty kilometres of beaches and large natural caves carved into the rocks. The distinctive architecture complements the natural beauty of this little town, known by the nickname “the Pearl of the Adriatic”. The rocky coast of Polignano a Mare is full of natural coves, which in the past served as shelter for fishing boats and today attract an endless stream of visitors every summer. Among the most popular beaches are: Cala Incina, Cala Sala, Cala Porto, Cala Paguro, Cala Ponte, Cala Paura and San Vito beach, in the fishing village of the same name. Here you will find the Grotta delle Rondinelle and the famous Grotta Palazzese. The terraces in the old town offer incredible panoramic views. The coves and small caves can be reached by boat. The seabed, with its crystal-clear water, is especially popular and has become a favourite spot for divers.

Return to Castellaneta Marina. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day three

Breakfast. Half-day excursion to Matera - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture in 2019, together with Plovdiv (included in the price).

Matera - a town known all over the world as the natural set of many historical films. It is a unique settlement in the province of Basilicata, dating back to the Palaeolithic. At that time its ancient inhabitants settled in the natural caves of the Gravina river canyon. Over the centuries they enlarged their homes by digging deeper into the rock or building stone porches for their shelters, arranged like an amphitheatre. Living conditions in the so-called SASSI hardly changed over the centuries, and at the beginning of the 50s Italian intellectuals called for government intervention. With state funding, the cave dwellers were given modern housing.

The ancient part of the town remained uninhabited and people called it “the Dead City”. This lasted until cinema took an interest in Matera. Its natural “set” was used by world-famous directors, including Pier Paolo Pasolini, the Taviani brothers, Luchino Visconti and Mel Gibson. Their films, especially the most popular - “The Gospel According to St Matthew”, “Christ Stopped at Eboli” and “The Passion of the Christ” - rediscovered Matera for the general public. UNESCO recognition soon followed - the town was declared a World Heritage Site. The increased interest led to a reassessment of Matera's potential as a tourist destination. With more substantial funding, the sassi abandoned decades ago are coming back to life - this time as shops, restaurants, wine bars and even luxury hotels. The investors' ambitions have not changed their outward appearance, and the distinctive stone structures keep their unique architectural look. Together with Plovdiv, Matera was named European Capital of Culture in 2019.

The price includes: transport, guide services and a pizza tasting.

The price does not include:

• Entrance fee for the Ethnographic Museum - 2 euro per person;
• Entrance fee for the rock churches - 3 euro per person.

Return to Castellaneta Marina. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day four

Breakfast. Full-day excursion to the fairy-tale capital of the trulli, Alberobello, and to Locorotondo - one of the hundred most beautiful small towns in Italy and a world record holder (included in the price).

Alberobello - a visit to the fairy-tale capital of the trulli. Alberobello is a town with such a special charm that it is hard to tell where you are. The capital of the trulli seems to carry you into a children's storybook. The trulli are small white houses with conical roofs; built in the past without any mortar, they resemble an Eskimo igloo in shape. Near the main square are the church of “Santa Lucia” and the town museum. The “Territorio” museum is made of 10 trulli joined into one. In the museum you can see how the trulli were created and how their inhabitants lived in them in the past. Alberobello also has other museums offering visitors souvenirs and almost everything a farmhouse produces. Some of the more interesting ones are the Wine Museum and the Olive Oil Museum. The price includes a tasting of home-made liqueurs and sweets.

Locorotondo - one of the 100 most beautiful small towns in Italy, whose historic centre is built in an oval shape, which is where its name comes from. The town is in the Guinness Book of Records for the five vowels “o” in its name. It is a town of beautiful balconies, most of which are numbered. The town is also known for its wine.

The price includes: transport, guide services and a tasting of liqueurs and sweets.

Return to Castellaneta Marina. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day five

Breakfast. Departure with luggage for the province of Lecce - the easternmost province of Italy.

Full-day excursion to Lecce - the capital of the distinctive Baroque of Southern Italy - and to Otranto, the city of the eight hundred martyrs (included in the price).

Lecce, called “the Florence of Puglia”, is the main town of the Salento peninsula and is known for its Baroque architecture. According to legend, the town has existed since the time of the Trojan War; it was conquered by the Romans in the third century BC, who called it Lupiae. In the time of Emperor Hadrian, Lecce was moved 3 km to the north-east and was named Lupiae. After the end of the Western Roman Empire, the town was taken by the Ostrogothic king Totila. After the Ostrogoths, for more than six centuries it was part of the Eastern Roman Empire - Byzantium. The Normans conquered the area in the eleventh century, and in the fifteenth century it was annexed to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Interesting sights in Lecce include: the Cathedral; the Bishop's Palace; the Church of St John the Baptist; the Palazzo del Sedile; the Church of Our Lady of Grace; the Castle; the Church of the Holy Cross; the Church of St Angelo; the Church of St Chiara; the Provincial Museum; the Church of Saints Nicholas and Cataldo; the Roman amphitheatre.

The price includes a tasting of a classic “Margherita” pizza and white wine from Salento.

In the afternoon - a visit to Otranto. The town is known for its castle, which gave its name to and inspired the first Gothic novel in history - “The Castle of Otranto” by the English writer Horace Walpole - and for its Cathedral, which has one of the most beautiful medieval floor mosaics.

Free time.

The price includes: transport, guide services, tasting.

Check-in at a 3/4** hotel in the province of Lecce. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day six

Breakfast. Full-day excursion to Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca - the romance of southern Puglia (included in the price).

Gallipoli is one of the most beautiful towns in Southern Italy. A visit to the historic centre and free time. Departure for the tip of the heel of the boot - Santa Maria di Leuca: a walk and free time.

Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay.

Day seven

Breakfast. Full-day excursion to Ostuni and Brindisi (included in the price).

Departure for Ostuni - “the White City” - its cathedral and medieval centre. Evidence of human presence since the Neolithic has been found in the area. Like a precious diamond, in its pre-Italian history Ostuni passed from one ruler to another on average once every hundred years. At that time it stood on the seashore. In the Middle Ages it was moved 10 km inland, with the town centre built on a hill rising almost vertically above a valley dotted with olive groves.

Free time.

In the afternoon, departure for Brindisi. A major city since Roman times, Brindisi is known for its port and incredible location. Free time for photos, shopping and coffee.

The price includes: transport, guide services.

Day eight

Breakfast. Departure with luggage for Monopoli - one of the ports of Charles V. A walk. Free time for lunch and shopping. Transfer to Bari airport for the flight to Bulgaria.