Arrival at Bari apt. Car rental pick-up. Check-in at the hotel and free time in the afternoon.Bari boasts Italy's longest seafront, studded with majestic palaces, while the sea breeze wafts through the historic centre, with its art, flavours, and colours. A captivating place to discover, Bari is a city of two faces with its elegant Murat district and, stretching along the Adriatic Sea, the spellbinding area of Bari Vecchia (Old Bari).

Drive to Castel del Monte, a UNESCO "World Heritage Site" since 1996, the fortress of mysteries created by Frederick II of Svevia, "Stupor Mundi", was conceived according to extreme geometric, mathematical and astronomical rigor. Eight are the rooms on the ground and the first floor, eight are the imposing towers, obviously octagonal-shaped, arranged on each of the eight corners, and eight are the windows per floor. Eight as the infinity symbol, a synthesis of the connexion between earth and sky, man and God. Even today, the mystery and endless charm of Castel del Monte give strong emotions. In the afternoon, return to Bari.

Enjoy a 3-hour guided street food tour.The Old Town, commercial soul of Bari, among churches, museums and theatres, opens its doors to the best street food in the Mediterranean: focaccia, sgagliozze, panzerotti, pickles, local cold cuts and cheeses, mozzarella, burrata, all accompanied by excellent wines, strictly Apulian. Suggestion: don't eat before!

Take your rental car and set off to visit two beautiful towns in Puglia - Ostuni and Alberobello.

Enjoy a walking tour with a professional guide in Ostuni.The white city, hanging between sky and sea, beaches and olive trees, offers picturesque views of alleys, steep stairways, courtyards and little squares overlooked by the typical white houses, decorated with colourful flowers, craft stores, traditional restaurants and small shops.

Well-known for its “trulli”, is one of the most picturesque villages in the Mediterranean region. Go on a 2-hour walking tour with a professional guide. The town has been included among "the most beautiful villages in Italy", due to its historical importance and architectural uniqueness. Since 1996 it has been recognized as a UNESCO "World Heritage Site".

We suggest spending time on the beach between Polignano a Mare and Monopoli.The tiny town of Polignano is a great day out, offering stunning coastlines and charming whitewashed streets. Enjoy a stroll through the town and a coffee in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.Monopoli, a unique city with one hundred hamlets. This ancient town overlooking the Adriatic Sea is famous for its rich artistic and cultural heritage and its excellent cooking tradition. The old town is full of boutiques, shops, amusing bars and delicious restaurants that spread up to the coast: the alleys streets, buildings and churches are the perfect settings for living a unique experience.

A surprising day awaits us as we walk inside the Reserve, along isolated paths, rich in history with millenary settlements, surrounded by olive trees, breathing the smells of the Apulian land, and always getting close further along the coast and the beaches with a sea breeze that will accompany us along the entire itinerary. Why the sea is a constant in Puglia, but it is not only the only beauty it possesses. An excursion along a road outside from the time that leads to the sea, towards the heart of the reserve, the ancient Torre di Guaceto.The excursion becomes an evocative story of plants, men and waves in search of the essence of this special stretch of sea Adriatic. An experience to get to know the different natural environments of the reserve, to get lost, and to find yourself again, and get lost again. During the walk, it will be possible to stop for a swim in the Shells Caletta.

Drive from Bari to Taranto (approximately 1.5h).A rich concentration of history, Taranto is entwined with the sea and unravels in its ancient centre amidst noble mansions and underground jewels. Taranto, known as “the city of two seas,” sits in a strategic position between the Mar Grande (Great Sea) and the Mar Piccolo (Small Sea). This location has put it at the heart of important historical events.The history of Taranto runs along the two bridges that connect the old city to the new part of town. There's a stone bridge, built after the flood of 1883, and then there's the ponte girevole (swing bridge), which opened in 1887. This latter, a marvel of mechanical engineering, leads straight into the maze of narrow alleyways that branch off the central Via Cava, itself lined with small craft shops.

Land of dolphins and whales, the Taranto marina (or Taras), Taras, son of Poseidon, the God of Sea, and the nymph Satyria, used to make sacrifices on the shores of the Ionian Seain in honour of his father. One day, he suddenly saw a dolphin jump out of the water and interpreted this event as a sign of good luck and encouragement to find a city in those places: Taranto, the city of dolphins.2h boat tour with professional skipper and aperitif on board.

Drive to Lecce, approximately 1.5h. 

Join a walking street food tour with a professional guide.Excellent art city, among the most beautiful in the Mediterranean, enclosed in its walls many secrets like that of the street food. You will discover different tasting stages, among buildings, churches and monuments, an extraordinary and unusual Lecce. It will take you along its gastronomic tours, surrounding you with its friendliness. Spend some time in the town after the tour to discover hidden gems and further walk through the historic alleys of the centre.

Enjoy a cooking class with a professional chef and a tasting of local products and drinks.The place, the atmosphere and of course the experience of Nonna Maria! We will learn from her wise hands, the ancient art of homemade orecchiette, following the traditional recipe with simple tools: water, our, a pastry board and a knife. And voilà, everyone at the table with the perfect orecchietta and some of our local products!

Drive to Bari Airport and drop-off your car.Take a minute to look backwards at all you have experienced, learned and enjoyed during this itinerary.Have a safe flight back home!