Puglia
Best known as the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia has long been a favorite getaway for Italians but is still relatively off the radar for foreign tourists. Cavernous grottos and sandy beaches draw visitors to the dreamy Salento Peninsula, but the countryside is just as alluring with the fairy tale trulli cottages. You’ll likely see local women hand-rolling orecchiette pasta in the street, best enjoyed with freshly caught seafood and a glass of Pugliese wine.
- 5 nights in Bernalda, Matera at Palazzo Margherita
- 9 nights in Savelletri, Bari at Masseria Torre Maizza
It’s pretty mild at this time of year, but it’s a good idea to bring along a jumper or light jacket for the evenings. The average daily maximum is 77F and the average daily minimum is 68F.
It’s a great time of year to swim in the sea, with the water at an average temperature of 77F.
Australian passport holders are allowed to fly into Italy for Business or Tourism without visa requirements.
- Official entry requirements can be sourced here
- Currently no proof of vaccination or recovery is required to enter Italy.
- Travelers are required to wear FFP2-type masks on public transportation (trains, ships, ferries, buses, and other means of public transportation, excluding airplanes) and at health facilities.
Check here for the latest Covid restrictions locally, such as the use of face masks in public and dining.
This section will be updated again closer to trip departure
These guidelines are for reference only. Scenset holds no responsibility for travel restrictions. Travelers are responsible for ensuring the right documentation to travel.
Everyone is more or less familiar with Italian culture, from watching movies, learning about the Roman Empire, or simply eating pizza. But not until you arrive in the country do you realize that everything you thought you knew is really just the tip of an enormous iceberg. Every region—every town even—has a unique personality, so no matter how many times you visit Italy, you’re always left with the craving for more.
After landing in Bari, your driver will meet you at arrivals and transfer you to your hotel.
Approximately 1 hour drive.
Upon check-in, the rest of the afternoon has been left for relaxation.
Why we love it for you: A renowned filmmaker oversaw the renovation of the crumbling Palazzo Margherita, restoring it to something better than its former glory as a love letter to his grandparents’ ancestral town. His personal connection is apparent in the details, such as the opulent garden used for a family member’s wedding or dinner theater that pairs classic Italian cooking with classic Italian cinema. You never feel like a guest in the hotel, but rather a guest in a home.
Palazzo Margherita
- Category: Garden Room
- Breakfast included
Today, head for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Matera.
Head to Matera for the day, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was also featured in the latest James Bond movie. It's technically located in the Basilicata region right next to the Puglia border, but it's a stunning day trip. You will have a private guide who will take you on a hike in the Gorges of Matera, followed by a private lunch in a gorgeous cave church.
The hotel has its own private home theatre where they show classic Hollywood and Italian films - would you expect anything less from a property owned by a renowned film director?
The rest of the afternoon/evening has been left for you to relax and unwind at your own pace.
Today, head to the abandoned town of Craco to explore.
Take a guided tour of the ghost town of Craco, which dates back to the 11th century. The eerie scenery and hilltop location has made it a popular film spot for Hollywood movies.
It was abandoned towards the end of the 20th century, due to faulty pipe work that was thought to have failed, causing the town to be abandoned due to a land slide.
The day includes:
- Enjoy breakfast at Palazzo Margherita.
- Take a guided tour of the ghost town of Craco, which dates back to the 11th
- Take a guided tour of Tursi and its Rabatana, the most characteristic part of the historic center.
- Eat lunch in the old Arab town center of Tursi.
The evening has been left for you to relax at your own pace.
Within 15 minutes of the Palazzo, many miles of sandy beaches extend along the cobalt-blue shores of the Ionian Sea.
The hotel has a special private area of a beach club close to the old pine forest.
They can transport you to this secluded beach for the day (departure in the morning and return in the afternoon), and you can choose to book either an umbrella or a gazebo.
Upon returning to Palazzo Margherita, it's cooking time!
The class will teach you traditional Puglian cuisine such as shaping traditional pasta and preparing sauce for your meal.
Today, is all about exploring the wider region.
Enjoy a farmhouse breakfast at Palazzo Margherita before heading off.
Visit a fortified masseria, an old country house still used for traditional farming. You'll see native cattle that still roam free and learn the art of making mozzarella cheese right at the farm house (a skill to take back home!).
Here, you will experience and help to produce a typical mozzarella cheese called treccione or a Podolic ricotta cheese.
Lunch is served at the masseria before heading back to the hotel.
Return to the hotel for a special dinner.
Enjoy dinner at Palazzo Margherita or a special candlelit dinner outside the Masseria (summer months only).
The rest of the evening has been left for you to relax.
Today, we head to Savelletri di Fasano.
After breakfast, a driver will pick you up from the hotel and drive you to Savelletri di Fasano to check in to the Masseria Torre Maizza property.
These cone-shaped dwellings are unique to the region, and in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello, you see a concentration of over 1,000 Trulli houses.
Your expert guide will bring the history of this picturesque town to life. Next we discover the secrets of cheese-making in the ancient traditions of Puglia. You will meet a local cheese artisan at their farm, where they will demonstrate the art of making fresh burrata and let you try twisting a knot of mozzarella or two! They will also show you the room where they age mozzarella over several days to make scamorza and, of course, let you sample the selection.
Enjoy a light tasting lunch of the freshest cheese you will ever taste.
Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.
Why we love it for you? Like any good Pugliese country house, Torre Maizza is surrounded by olive groves, grows its own food, and oozes rustic charm. However, it’s everything else that makes this masseria stand out as one of the region’s best. The all-white buildings with vaulted ceilings allow nature’s colors—green orchards, purple bougainvillaea, and the cerulean backdrop of the Adriatic Sea—to pop. Add a splash of orange with an Aperol spritz from the pool bar and you’ve got all the makings for a perfect stay.
Masseria Torre Maizza
- Category: Superior Room
- Breakfast included
Today, head to a popular seaside town to explore gelato and sea caves!
Enjoy a morning walking tour of Polignano a Mare, where you can taste some of the delicious artisan gelatos for which the town is famous.
Next, you will head to the port and embark on a boat (a modern skiff) to explore the sea caves hidden underneath the town. As the boat ducks in and out of the caves, imagine the many centuries of smugglers who used the caves.
The rest of the afternoon has been left for you to explore at your own pace.
Today is a special day - snorkelling over ancient ruins!
The Roman City of Egnazia was one of the most important harbours on the Adriatic sea. You can visit the main archaeological site and museum on land, but we think it’s more exciting to discover the extra hidden remains – the underwater ones! Meet a local marine archaeologist at the fishing village of Savelletri and head up the coast in a motorised dinghy.
En route the archaeologist will explain many fascinating details of the ancient city, only 10% of which have actually been uncovered. Then weigh anchor and snorkel above the old port, where you can see the remains of the ancient man-made jetties. To top off the experience, take a stroll up to the Acropolis and visit the rarely visited site. Changing facilities are available at the Acropolis.
Finish your day with some shopping in Monopoli's boutique shops.
The rest of the day has been left for you to explore at your own pace.
Why not head to the beach or have a spa experience?
Today is all about hitting the water!
The best way to experience the Mediterranean Sea is from the water, so take a chartered boat out for a day of relaxing, exploring, and snorkeling.
The route can be decided based on your preferences!
Upon return, it's time to eat!
Join a chef to make your own pizza in true Italian style!
The evening has been left for you to relax at the hotel.
Today, explore the cities of Ostuni and Lecce!
Visit the Baroque town of Lecce and Ostuni, two of the most picturesque towns in the region. After exploring the city centers, visit an olive grove with century-old trees and learn about the extra-virgin olive oil produced here.
The evening has been left for you to relax at the hotel.
Today, we explore Bari and the street food scenset!
Visit Bari, Puglia's prosperous seaside capital with our expert guide. Stroll the tangled streets and the charming old town to discover the lively market, the spacious medieval piazzas and the beautiful San Nicola Basilica, home of Saint Nicholas and father of the legend of Santa Claus. The city also boasts a lovely seafront promenade and an elegant pedestrian shopping area.
Your culinary experience will start at the fish market where you’ll meet local fishermen and, if you are feeling brave, taste a wide choice of raw seafood! Then move to the old town and see the local ladies making pasta in the narrow streets outside their homes and sample the whole range of the local
street food – focaccia, panzerotti, sgagliozze and popizze just to name a few!
The rest of the afternoon has been left for you to relax.
Today, discover the region's long history of glassmaking with a local artist.
Just a 20 minute drive from Savelletri is the beautiful cliff-top town of Polignano a Mare, famous for its striking sea caves and annual literary festival.
Accompanied by an expert local host, enjoy a private visit to the Atelier of a leading glass artisan, famous for their glass lamps and sculptures for an insiders look at their incredible craftsmanship.
After the visit experience an aperitivo on the private terrace of the studio, with its truly breathtaking view over the Monachile Bay of Polignano.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure at the hotel.
Today, head out into the countryside and enjoy local olive oil.
Puglia has thousands of flat, secondary roads and is a true paradise for exploration on two wheels, even for those who do not regularly exercise.
Get off the beaten track, breathe in the scents of nature, get up close and personal with the olive trees. The terrain around Savelletri is not challenging so this activity is easy for all ages and levels of fitness. Electronic bikes are also available.
Meet your expert biking guides at the hotel for a detailed bike fit and set off inland. After cycling for about 7 miles through scenic country lanes, you’ll take a break at a beautiful 15th-century Masseria for an olive oil tasting with the estate’s passionate owner. Afterwards, pedal back towards the coast, through a fishing village and along the seafront until you arrive back at your start point. Our biking guides will not only lead you along the route, they are also knowledgeable and highly experienced guides who will genuinely enhance your experience and share stories of the Puglia region.
Your discreet, fully-equipped support vehicle will also be on hand at all times for any assistance or if any guest simply wants to take a break!
The rest of the afternoon is left for you to enjoy the hotel facilities.
End your time with a romantic candlelit dinner in a private area of the hotel.
Today, head to the airport for your flight back home.
Your driver will meet you at the hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight home.
Thanks for travelling with scenset, and we wish you a safe flight back home.
While on the trip, you can access your support team if any need arises to make your trip as smooth as possible. We are here to support you.
Scenset invests in making the world a better place. Scenset will offset the fuel used during the trip. On top of that, we will offset an extra 10% to make your trip a carbon-positive experience.
Currently, we support Gold Standard Climate+ Projects from the Gold Standard Foundation.