Mr Falconer says...
This is a less well known area which rewards a visit - UNESCO World Heritage Sites, lots of history, typical Italian hospitality, food and wine, ...
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In the heart of the Mediterranean lie Puglia and Basilicata, two unique and still largely undiscovered regions of Italy between the emerald waters of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. This trip gives us the chance to explore the highlights of both, from trulli houses of the lush Itria Valley and the white hilltop town of Ostuni to the rock churches and Unesco-recognised Sassi district of the beautiful city of Matera. Aside from the perfect mix of cultural discovery and gentle walking, we will have the chance to sample the legendary local cuisine and delicious wines that make this region a true paradise for food lovers.
The trip starts in Alberobello, home to 1,500 trulli (conical-roofed houses), which have made its historical centre a Unesco World Heritage site. The origin of these stone dwellings is obscure; however, local farmers claim they were originally built to evade taxes. When the tax inspectors were nearby, the dry-stone walls could easily be dismantled by removing the key stone above the door, and quickly rebuilt after the inspection. Our hotel is near the historic centre. In the afternoon, there is usually time to wander through the narrow alleys of the town centre and enjoy the unique atmosphere of this enchanting town at night.
We start the week with a walk to the town of Locorotondo. Sitting on the hilltop, it is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and renowned for the white wine produced at Cantina Sociale, the local winery. Following narrow country lanes, we walk over the rolling hills of the Itria Valley, dotted with olive trees, vineyards and trulli. At the end of the day, we take a short train ride back to Alberobello where we stay overnight. Ascent: 492ft (150m); descent: 492ft (150m); time: 4hr 30min
In the morning, we take a private transfer to Ostuni, home to dazzling whitewashed houses. After free time in this elegant hilltop town, we explore the beautiful surrounding countryside on foot, walking through ancient olive groves and vineyards overlooking the Adriatic. Along the way, we stop at the park of Santa Maria di Agnano. This evening, we have a delicious dinner and overnight in a beautiful masseria – a renovated farmhouse typical of the Apulian region. Please note, on selected departures the group will stay overnight in a four-star hotel in the historic centre of Ostuni instead of the masseria. See the Accommodation section in the Trip Notes for more information Ascent: 328ft (100m); descent: 328ft (100m); time: two hours
Today is free to discover the many jewels of this beautiful region. We recommend a day trip to the beautiful baroque city of Lecce, known as the Florence of the South, and home to more than 40 churches and countless palaces, as well as a Roman amphitheatre. Alternatively, you could travel to the picturesque town of Polignano a Mare on the coast of the Valle d’Itria, perched atop a 66ft (20m) high limestone cliff rising from the Adriatic. Both destinations are reachable by train from Ostuni. In the evening, we regroup for a delicious dinner in Ostuni or at the masseria.
This morning we walk from the masseria to the coast, where we have time to relax on a beach or swim in the mild waters of the Adriatic Sea (depending on the season). In the afternoon, we head to Matera, one of the most memorable tourist destinations in Italy, known for its extensive cave-dwelling districts, the sassi. Our hotel is in the heart of the Unesco-listed sassi, just a few steps from the most famous attractions in town. After check-in, we enjoy a first glimpse of the enchanting alleys and unique architecture of Matera. Descent: 328ft (100m); time: three hours
Today we enjoy a short hike to the Murgia plateau, a vast protected area home to more than 150 Rupestrian churches dating to the eighth century, adorned with Byzantine frescoes and once inhabited by hermits. We descend Matera’s canyon until we reach a suspension bridge, which allows us to cross to the other side of the valley. We then hike to the top of the ravine following a pathway that ends with a spectacular view of the Sassi District. In the afternoon, we walk back to Matera for a guided tour. Accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide, we wander the narrow alleys of the cave-dwelling district and learn about the history of this fascinating place. Back in Matera, we enjoy a delicious produce and wine tasting in the historic centre and the rest of the day is free to discover the city independently. Overnight in Matera. Please note, customers with vertigo or who have difficulty with heights may not wish to cross the suspension bridge today. If this is the case, please speak to your tour leader at the start of the trip and they will be happy to explain your options. Ascent: 1,148ft (350m); descent: 1,148ft (350m); time: 3hr 30min
Today we explore Matera and further afield, walking sections of the Cammino Materano - a hiking trail that connects Matera to Brindisi. After a hearty breakfast, we set off from our hotel and cross two of the Sassi's historic quarters: the Civita dominated by the duomo, and the Caveoso with its caves. We head towards the ridge of Matera's ravine and continue along a route characterised by Mediterranean scrub and cave complexes dating back to the 11th century. We continue the walk surrounded by olive groves and arable land until we reach Serra Pizzuta forest. Finally, we return by public bus to our hotel. Ascent: 427ft (130m); descent: 820ft (250m)
The trip ends in Matera after breakfast. If you’d like to explore this wonderful destination a little longer, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
This is a less well known area which rewards a visit - UNESCO World Heritage Sites, lots of history, typical Italian hospitality, food and wine, interesting walking but generally not too demanding except around Matera which takes more care. Temperatures in autumn are better than many a British summer day but the excessive heat has gone which makes the walking enjoyable. Our French / Sicilian guide was excellent. Both interesting and interested and went the extra mile. Masseria Morrone was the best accommodation due to attentive owners and excellent regional cuisine. Hotel Sassi in Matera has an unrivalled location in the old town with unique bedrooms formed from the limestone caves.
The farm house accommodation was very poor, extremely cold
Had a great time. Excellent local guide.
Anon - great group, locations, walking with excellent local guide, good local cuisine and wine - well organised all went smoothly
We had an excellent holiday with a great group of likeminded people. However we felt that the holiday was poorly structured. The second hotel Masseria Morrone, was in the middle of nowhere and it was here that we had our “free day” whereby we had to leave early and return late just in time for a 6.30 meal. The Masseria Morrone appeared to have been selected for economic reasons rather than customer satisfaction especially the 2 included meals which were rather indifferent
The rooms in the Sassi Hotel in Matera varied enormously. We had a “cave room” with only one small window above the door and very little natural light however the hotel staff responded well and provided a much better room for the last 2 nights
This was an outstanding trip; the guide was thoughtful, considerate, generous and enthusiastic. The locations were beautiful and the accommodation characterful and uniformly excellent, as was the food (and drink 🙂) throughout. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a holiday more.
Headwater response:
Thank you so much for leaving such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your holiday. We put our customer experience and satisfaction as our priority so thank you for your kind words and hopefully we look forward to welcoming you again on a Headwater holiday.
Kind regards
Customer Services
Very enjoyable small group holiday. Interesting and varied itinerary, with ample time for fun and to experience local colour.
Good trip, well organised. Vanessa was an excellent guide, very caring, very keen we take our time when any walking got tricky, so very safety conscious.
All holiday arrangements were good. The only negative points were because the weather (in southern Italy - 11 to 18 May 2019) was very disappointing. Colder and wetter than south-east England - not what we were expecting. However, our Exodus guide - Fabrizio - was superb, and kept us all in good spirits - and we did see the sun sometimes between the showers! Our second hotel (the Masseria Morrone near Ostuni) was not as warm as we would have liked, but simply because the weather was so cool and damp. In "normal" weather conditions, it would have been lovely.
Excellent holiday and our guide , Guiseppe , was attentive, helpful and informative at all times.
Two of the hotels were quirky and memorable. Guide was fantastic. Breakfast lovely in Matera - uninspiring at the other two hotels; but group dinners (4) were all truly fantastic, and there were plenty of very good restaurant options for the other 3 evenings all serving genuinely local cuisine at reasonable prices. All locations were superb for vegetarians and vegans. Easy walking - more a holiday for exploring historic towns and experiencing food and culture. Matera is extraordinary - maybe the last chance to get there before it's discovered (European City of Culture in 2019).
A relaxing combination of leisurely walks and culture in a beautiful and unspoiled part of Italy.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night guided walking holiday includes:
All breakfasts, 2 dinners and 1 wine and produce tasting
All accommodation
Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
Transfers for group flights
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the 'check availability' links below to complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the 'Check availability' links below to complete our holiday enquiry form.
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16th Mar 2024 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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28th Sep 2024 | US$2399 | Tour only: US$2399 | Check availability |
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12th Oct 2024 | US$2249 | Tour only: US$2249 | Check availability |
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26th Oct 2024 | US$2249 | Tour only: US$2249 | Check availability |
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2nd Nov 2024 | US$2249 | Tour only: US$2249 | Check availability |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
This holiday is operated by our sister company, Exodus
5 nights 3-star hotels and 2 nights converted farmhouse or 4-star hotel depending on departure dates (see accommodation section for more info)
5 days guided gentle walking; 1 free day
Group normally 4 to 16, plus local leader. Min age 16 yrs
Low altitude throughout
Travel by private minivan, bus, and train