Best of Puglia & Amalfi Coast
(7 - 11 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Alberobello, Cisternino, Locorotondo, Lecce, Ostuni, Matera, Ravello, Positano, Capri
This private luxury tour combines the rich cultural heritage of Puglia with the picture-perfect seaside villages on the Amalfi Coast and Capri.
Begin in Puglia with four nights at a luxury hotel set among ancient olive groves by the Adriatic Sea in Savelletri di Fasano. During flexible touring, explore favorite towns in this fascinating region. In Alberobello, tour backstreets lined with conical roofs crowning hundreds of limestone trulli—the traditional stone dwellings for which the town is known. Visit Locorotondo and Cisternino, two of Puglia’s most historic and picturesque hilltop towns. Also stop at a local winery to taste celebrated Puglian wines such as full-bodied, inky Primitivo and robust Negroamaro.
One day, take an excursion to Lecce, Puglia’s cultural capital and one of Italy’s most beautiful towns. First, take a private cooking class in a former palace and learn to make typical Puglian specialties. Next, with your expert private guide, tour Lecce’s atmospheric backstreets and visit famous landmarks such as Basilica di Santa Croce, the Roman amphitheater, and Baroque churches and palaces built of ornately carved limestone. Also visit Museo Faggiano, a unique archaeological museum featuring unearthed antiquities found under a private home. Pequot Travel will also arrange for you to visit the studio of a renowned papier-mache artisan. En route back to your resort, visit the “White City” of Ostuni, a tumble of whitewashed buildings. Another day, take an excursion to the seaside town of Polignano a Mare to see the beautiful views and perhaps stop for lunch at a restaurant located in a cave. Also stop at a leading organic olive oil producer for a private tour of the farm and a private olive oil tasting.
Next, enjoy a private tour of Matera. Located in the Basilicata region, Matera is famous for its UNESCO-listed trogdolyte dwellings (sassi).
Continue to the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With your private guide and driver, tour seaside villages such as picture-perfect Positano or other local towns such as Ravello, Sorrento or Amalfi. Depending on your interests, opt to browse local markets, tour Moorish gardens and churches, go wine tasting, or visit studios specializing in local items such as ceramics, cameos and sandals. Also enjoy ample time at leisure to frequent the pool or spa, shop at fashionable boutiques and sample the excellent local cuisine. Upon request, Pequot Travel can arrange private boat charters. One day, enjoy an excursion by hydrofoil to the fabled island of Capri. While there, tour the village of Anacapri, see the Blue Grotto, and enjoy time to explore Capri’s shops and cafes.
Upon request, Pequot Travel can arrange private boat charters, reservations at top beach clubs and restaurants, cooking classes, tours of ruins such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, visits to Mt. Vesuvius and Naples, and much more.