Walking in Puglia Short Break
- Puglia, the heel of Italy, a perfect place for relaxed walking & ancient culture
- The fairytale trulli houses of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Enjoy the view from the terrace of Locorotondo, a Salento wine in hand
- Ostuni, the “white city” rising dramatically from the Valle d’Itria Plateau
- Enjoy the delicious Puglian traditional cuisine such as orecchiete pasta
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Alberobello and overnightYour tour begins in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 1,500 traditional beehive-shaped trulli houses with some dating from the 14th century.
Alberobello is easily accessible from Bari by train or bus (taking approximately 2 hours 30). Try to arrive with plenty of time for exploration or consider adding an extra night in Alberobello. Wander through the narrow winding streets in the “zona dei trulli” in the western part of town. Made of limestone with stone roofs these fairytale houses are a delight and tonight you will stay in one of these traditional and unique buildings. Each is a different size and layout and has it's own historic character.
We can also arrange a private taxi transfer from Bari Airport to Alberobello. Please ask your Destination and Adventure Specialist for details.
These characterful and very welcoming trulli houses boast privacy and tranquillity with the bonus of being in UNESCO-Listed Alberobello. Some have lovely colourful gardens and a patio where you can relax in the warmth of the sun. These ancient limestone houses with their iconic conical roofs each vary in its size, décor, and layout to keep their original charm. There is WiFi access, and some have air conditioning, whilst others have a cooling fan. There unique shape and thick walls also help to keep it cool inside.
Overnight in an authentic trullo house located in Alberobello's old town, some of which date back to the 14th century. These ancient limestone houses with their iconic conical roofs are compact but cosy and comfortable. Each varies in its size, décor, and layout to keep their original charm. There is WiFi access, and air conditioning.
The Tipico Resort Trulli comprises a selection of lovely trulli houses and 14th-century homes spread throughout Alberobello's old quarter. Enjoy a unique stay in these traditional buildings.
This morning a short transfer by car will bring you to the start of the acqueduct path near the village of Coreggia. Make your way from here out into the surrounding countryside of green fields, olive groves and stone walls until you come upon the Valle d’Itria Greenway, an old aqueduct that has been converted into a walking/cycling path. Constant views over the wide limestone valleys which straddle this province will greet you.
Just after the village of San Marco descend from the aqueduct and take small country roads walking directly into Locorotondo. Named as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” it has a marvellous terrace overlooking the Murgia, plateau. Sit in a bar overlooking this spectacular view and sample one of the great local wines, such as Salice Salentino. Explore the circular old quarter with its white-washed walls and houses with sharp-pointed roofs known as cummerse.
Ascent/Descent: 116m/74m
Dimora Graziana is a charming, high-end B&B, with 6 bedrooms in an original historic cottage from 1909. It is located in the center of the town, and is a 5 minute walk from the historic center. The hotel offers a living room and a dining rooms, where breakfast can be enjoyed. All the bedrooms come with an en-suite, and the hotel offers a a swiming pool and a furnished garden. During the hotter months, breakfast is served in the garden area.
Domus San Giovanni offer 6 comfortable, quiet bedrooms, elegantly furnished with care. Centrally located in a historical building, once belonging to a Prince of Malta, it is the perfect resting spot after a day of walking.
Concavo e Convesso is a restored building which was built in the 19th century. Each room features air conditioning, free wifi and a balcony. You will have access to the roof top terrace which is one of the highest points in Locorotondo. From here you can appreciate the views over the Valle d’Itria between the "cummerse", the roofs that characterize the old town center. As this B&B is located in the old town center, it is a short walk to restaurants and bars.
This morning the choice is yours, you can relax in the lovely Locorotondo village and enjoy the quiet pace of life here or take a loop walk to explore Martina Franca. Walk directly out of your accommodation into the surrounding valley, along small country lanes lined by stone walls, to the elegant Baroque town of Martina Franca. Admire its wrought iron balconies and rich portals, churches and monuments. In Piazza Plebiscito admire the façade of the Basilicia San Martino with its high relief frontage.
Situated at 450m above sea level on a hill in the Eastern Murgia Plain, this city of white alleyways and nobleman’s palaces is well worth an explore half way through today’s walk.
There is limited signage on today's walk in this serene and rural part of Italy, so this is where the Macs app will help you to easily find your way, just follow the blue dot along the route on your smartphone.
Ascent/Descent: 187m/187m
Dimora Graziana is a charming, high-end B&B, with 6 bedrooms in an original historic cottage from 1909. It is located in the center of the town, and is a 5 minute walk from the historic center. The hotel offers a living room and a dining rooms, where breakfast can be enjoyed. All the bedrooms come with an en-suite, and the hotel offers a a swiming pool and a furnished garden. During the hotter months, breakfast is served in the garden area.
Domus San Giovanni offer 6 comfortable, quiet bedrooms, elegantly furnished with care. Centrally located in a historical building, once belonging to a Prince of Malta, it is the perfect resting spot after a day of walking.
Concavo e Convesso is a restored building which was built in the 19th century. Each room features air conditioning, free wifi and a balcony. You will have access to the roof top terrace which is one of the highest points in Locorotondo. From here you can appreciate the views over the Valle d’Itria between the "cummerse", the roofs that characterize the old town center. As this B&B is located in the old town center, it is a short walk to restaurants and bars.
Today a short transfer (20 minutes) brings you to the beginning of today’s walk. Follow tiny country roads at first, with woods on a hill up to your right and views of the sea to your left. You will be encircled by the glorious Puglian scenery with intense green olive groves and the characteristic trulli houses dotted around the landscape.
As you get closer spot Ostuni, “the white city” or “la citta bianca” rising up in the distance. You have now left the Valle d’Itria and are closer to the sea which is only 8kms away.
Ostuni has long been an awe-inspiring sight for those travelling across Puglia. Defensive walls and clusters of white-washed houses wind around the hillside, at the top of which sits the magnificent Gothic cathedral. The views from Ostuni are reason enough to make a trip here. Wonderful vistas abound, the best of which offer 360 degree panoramas of the surrounding countryside and the Adriatic Sea.
Ascent/Descent: 123m/144m
Dating back to the 13th century this historic building has been converted into a comfortable hotel located in the heart of historic Ostuni, next to the Benedictine Monastery of St Peter. Bedrooms are decorated in a clean style and are in keeping with the history of the building but with all modern comforts including WiFi access and air conditioning. The hotel has a bar and restaurant.
Located just outside the fortified walls of Ostuni, this 16th century building is a former maritime post office. Set amongst peaceful gardens, guests can relax and soak up panoramic sea views.
Ostuni town house has been brought back to life and transformed into a welcoming residence located in the nineteenth-century area of Ostuni, a short walk from the main square of the White City. Palazzo Stunis Charme B&B is characterized by the elegant classic Apulian style and the traditional design has been recently restored. Staying here offers a unique experience in a nineteenth-century house. Each room has a different charm.
From Ostuni you can take a train to Bari Centre and then another to the airport taking around 2 hours 50.
This trip has a carbon score of 10kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 10kg is equivalent to 18 lattes. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?The daily walks on this tour are rated as a mix of easy and easy to moderate routes. Puglia is predominantly flat, so there are few ascents/descents involved, and the walking distances are manageable with the longest walk being 16kms (10mi). One of the included walks is optional. This is the longest walk on the trip, so you can choose whether to take this or spend the day relaxing or partaking in local sightseeing instead. Puglia is an area with more olive trees than there are people in the whole of Italy. Agriculture is still a large part of local life here. So as well as walking through the serene countryside you can enjoy local cheese, freshly made bread, pasta, extra virgin olive oil, plenty of vegetarian dishes, and of course wine. You should book this tour if you want to take a short break in this appealing Italian region and you like walking in peaceful landscapes with olive groves and vineyards, but also if you like staying in interesting towns with an intriguing past. .
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 5 Years
This trip is graded easy to moderate. You will mostly be walking on small country roads, lanes and tracks, plus some trails. Please be aware that when on country roads and lanes that you will likely be walking on tarmac, so it is important to be prepared for this. Puglia is predominantly flat, so there are few ascents/descents involved, and the walking distances are manageable with the longest walk being 16kms (10mi). A number of the included walks are loop walks, including the longest walk on the trip, so you can choose whether to take these or spend the day relaxing or partaking in local sightseeing instead. This trip is suitable for those with a good level of fitness and it is advisable that you have had previous walking experience. It’s best ahead of time to do some practice walks including distances like those you will experience on the trip whilst carrying your day bag.
We specifically choose the hotels, guest houses, and agriturismo (country hotels) to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. All offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food and drink. Details of the lovely local accommodation we normally use are detailed below.
Accommodation Details
We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed, but because of limited availability (especially June-September) we may have to accommodate you at an alternative location of the same or better standard (a supplement may be possible). Alternative details will be noted on your accommodation sheet.
Additional Nights
You may wish to add some extra nights along the route, either to rest or for those with plenty of energy to explore some of the other walking opportunities nearby. Please let us know if this is of interest and we can help organise this for you.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
This holiday is available for solo walkers but we would recommend that you are experienced in walking and navigating alone and there is a solo walker supplement payable. If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.
Meals
Breakfast is included each morning. In Italy, this is generally a light continental breakfast with baked goods. Lunch and dinner are not included but are available from your hotel or nearby restaurants. The food in Sicily is strongly influenced by local produce. Traditional specialities include Orecchiette pasta, pane di Altamura bread, and taralli crisp bread snacks with fennel seeds.
The routes are waymarked in some areas, but most areas are rural and don't have any waymarks and the road signage is limited. However, we provide the Macs Adventure Smartphone App making it simple to follow the route using a smartphone. Rest assured that by downloading the route maps in our app, that this will continue to work even in areas without any mobile or internet reception. We strongly recommend following the GPX track in the app as this is the easiest way to avoid getting lost, however, for extra reassurance there are also turn-by-turn route notes within the app for the walks.
- Accommodation in en suite rooms in charming hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos on a twin share basis
- Daily breakfasts
- Door to door baggage transfers as per your itinerary
- Transfers as per your itinerary
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- All your trip documents including a detailed information pack provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- Telephone support from our offices and local partners in the event of a problem
- Travel insurance (required) and personal equipment
- Travel to starting point/from finish point
- Lunches, dinners, drinks, and snacks
- Public transport (e.g train fares)
- Tourist taxes (charged locally at hotels)
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Additional nights before, during or after the walk
You can start this walking tour anytime between March to July and September to October. This trip is not available in August due to the high season and the difficulties of confirming accommodation during this time, as well as the summer temperatures being very high, which make it unpleasant to walk at this time of year.
Peak Season Availability
We recommend making your booking as soon as possible if you are considering a departure during the peak season of May, June, and September, as the region can be busy, limiting accommodation availability.
Time of Year
In March the spring is starting to arrive and the amount of rainfall is lessening. It's a good time to go walking before the temperatures in Italy start to rise. The springs months offer warm sunshine, fewer crowds, and pleasant walking conditions. May is when most wildflowers are coming into bloom. The autumn months are also a favourable time of year, boasting cooler weather and a striking landscape made up of autumnal colours. It's worth noting that the later in the year you choose to travel the higher the likelihood of rain (October-March is when the rainfall is more likely). Also before Easter and in late October some local shops, and restaurants may have reduced opening times or have closed for the winter. July is a good month to go but can be very hot for walking and therefore isn’t best suited for everyone. You will have to start early to miss the heat of the day and carry a lot of water (additional weight) with you. Although the towns and villages are buzzing at this time of year which is great to see.
You can fly into Bari Airport which is the closest one to Alberobello. There are daily flights from the UK to Bari and from other major European hubs.
To get to Alberobello you can take a train direct to Bari Centrale Stazione. It is a 10 minute walk to the platform, the journey takes 20 minutes, and they run approximately every 20 minutes to 1 hour depending on the time of day and day of the week (trains run less frequently on Sundays). More information on the train times may be found here www.ferrovienordbarese.it/times. To reach Alberobello from Bari Centrale Stazione you can board a local direct train. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 45 and the trains leave about every hour.
We can also arrange a private taxi transfer from Bari Airport to Alberobello. Please ask your Destination and Adventure Specialist for details.
You can fly out of Bari Airport. From Ostuni centre you can take either a taxi or a bus to Ostuni Train Station which is located a few kilometres outside the town. You can get the bus information from the hotel reception and they can also book a taxi for you if you choose to do take that mode of transportation. From Ostuni Train Station you can take a train to Bari Centre (taking around 1 hour) and then change for a train to the airport (taking 15 minutes). See the Trenitalia website for information on timetables.
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person. On this itinerary (days 2 & 4) you will have private transfers to the beginning of your walks, and you need to take your luggage with you as the driver will take it on to your next destination.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
This trip is graded easy to moderate. Puglia is relatively flat and the elevation gains and losses will be minimal.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is extremely popular, especially in May, June and September.
You will need good walking shoes/boots, comfortable walking clothes, and dependent on when you are travelling; waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc. Our info packs have a list of all equipment to bring on your walk.
If you prefer to walk in cooler months then April, May, June and September/October will be perfect for you. The summer months can be very hot (although this tour is not even available in August). We advise that if you want to travel In July that you set out on your walks early, so avoiding the midday heat and also take a plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen.
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