9-Nights Tailor Made Italy: Puglia & the Amalfi Coast - Luxury Tailor Made Travel from $18,595

Abercrombie & Kent

OFFER ID 1514482

Tailor Made Italy: Puglia & the Amalfi Coast
Travel with your private party on this Luxury Tailor Made Journey, departing when you choose and with expert local guides leading the way; you can even customize the itinerary to your interests.

Savor the rich flavors, architecture and culture of southern Italy, skirting the breathtaking coastline where the pristine Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. See Puglia’s iconic, cone-shaped trulli; stroll through Sassi di Matera; sample local olive oil, cheeses, baked goods and pizza; and visit the sparkling Amalfi Coast as well as the ruins of Pompeii.

9 nights from $18,595 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made Italy: Puglia & the Amalfi Coast

Day 1 Bari, Puglia

Arrive in historic, lively Bari, where you are transferred to your luxurious hotel.

Masseria Torre Maizza

Meals:

Day 2 Puglia

Today, explore central Puglia, beginning in crown-shaped Locorotondo, among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Perched majestically atop a hill overlooking the countryside, the town is stippled with whitewashed, flower-adorned houses with stone staircases and balconies. Continue to Cisternino, where you intersect alleys, climb staircases and walk beneath arches marked with decorative figureheads that are believed to ward off evil spirits. Next, meet a local butcher, who has been providing superior cuts to locals since 1948, and savor a chef-prepared meal in these quaint environs. Proceed to the town of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with distinct, cone-shaped trulli dwellings. Constructed as immigrant domiciles in the 15th century, they were built without binding materials so they could quickly be demolished to avoid property taxes.

Masseria Torre Maizza

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Lecce

After breakfast, head south to Lecce, stopping en route to visit an olive oil producer at an ancientmasseria (farming estate). Watch how olives are pressed and sample a variety of local olive oils. Learn how olives have been central to the region’s evolution since Roman times, including its hey-day, when its oil was considered “liquid gold,” a commodity once used to fuel all the streetlights in London. Next stop in the “White City” of Ostuni, a monumental olive-tree-swathed plateau of the lower Murgia. Take a guided walk along its sun-drenched streets and quaint, cobbled alleyways, taking in panoramas of the surrounding landscape and Adriatic Sea. See the Rione Terra district at the heart of the medieval walled village and the magnificent Gothic cathedral. Also behold the city’s iconic olive trees, with their massive gnarled trunks, some of which may date back 3,000 years. Continue to the oldest bakery in Ostuni, set in a 14th-century building, to discover how this family-run business has turned out renowned bread, focaccia and cookies from an olivewood-fired oven since the 1920s. Then, proceed to Lecce, where you check in to your hotel.

Patria Palace

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Lecce

Spend today exploring Lecce, a Baroque “Florence of the South.” Take a scenic walking tour through town, seeing the Piazza del Duomo, the masterful Basilica of Santa Croce and the Roman amphitheater. Taste a pasticciotto while learning the secrets behind preparing this beloved, custard-filled confection. Next, master the intricate art of papier-maché, which has played a significant role in Lecce’s culture and religious heritage since the 17th century. After creating your own masterpiece, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.

Patria Palace

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Otranto

Travel to Otranto, Italy’s easternmost city, a “bridge” linking the country to the Mediterranean. Upon arriving in the afternoon, take a scenic drive along the coast, seeing the Castro, Tricase Porto and Grotta della Poesia. Enclosed by Aragonese walls, Otranto’s Old Town overlooks the crystalline waters. Punctuated by white houses and alleys paved in stone, it was founded by the Greeks in the Byzantine period as a commercial, political and religious hub and a major port of trade with the Orient. The medieval town center — once a vast stronghold — reminds visitors of the threats posed by the Turks, the culmination of which involved a tragic invasion in 1480. Otranto’s cathedral houses a spectacular mosaic floor from the 12th century that blends pagan, Old Testament and New Testament imagery to capture the culture of the time. Visit a local dairy farm located along the gorgeous coastal road known as the Litoranea Salentina. On the farm’s pasturelands, more than a thousand head of sheep graze on the precious Mediterranean flora. Enjoy a tasting in this beautiful corner of paradise whose silence is broken only by the sounds of nature. Before heading back to Lecce, set out on a scenic drive along the coastline, stopping to take pictures or visit the town of Galatina famous for its connection with the ritual local dancing called “tarantismi” (spider music), from which the tarantella folk dance evolved. Return to your hotel and enjoy your evening in Lecce at leisure.Return to your hotel in Lecce for an evening at leisure.

Patria Palace

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 Matera

Transfer to Matera, among the most ancient cities on earth. Continually inhabited for 10,000 years, this magical open-air museum — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is an inimitable tangle of cave-dwellings, magnificent Baroque palaces and beautiful stone churches, some of which still have their original fresco decorations. Make your way through the sassi (districts of the city) to see the dark caves of the Murgia; the rock-hewn churches of religious communities; and the elegant streets of the Piano, replete with 17th-century monasteries and palaces. Visit a bakery where your guide introduces you to a local bread so distinctive of the region it is honored with IGP (Indication of Geographic Protection) status. Depending on time and availability, you may also stop at a house furnished as it was centuries earlier, when as many as ten people with their animals lived in just one or two rooms. Descend into deep cisterns and canals once used for water collection to complete your explorations, and at dusk, note how the city’s biblical landscape resembles an enormous crèche (nativity scene).

Palazzo Gattini

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Amalfi Coast

Depart for the beautiful Amalfi Coast, stopping en route on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius for a wonderful panoramic lunch with paired sparkling, red and white wines. Your delicious lunch is made entirely from local ingredients, such as tomatoes grown directly on the volcano’s slopes that are considered among the most flavorful in all of Italy. Continue to Pompeii, where you join a guide for a revealing walk through this once opulent town. The extensive and varied ruins of Pompeii now provide us with a rich history of life at the time of the Roman Empire, a sobering glimpse into ancient antiquity. Destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 B.C., this unearthed treasure includes temples, forums, amphitheaters, a brothel and the casts of the people killed by the falling ash and pumice stone. Afterward, proceed to your luxury hotel with unrivaled views in Sorrento.

Art Hotel Villa Fiorella

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 Capri

Leave mainland Italy behind as you board a ferry to stunning Capri. Upon arrival, stroll Capri’s charming, boutique-lined streets. Then, weather permitting, board a public boat that whisks you to the spellbinding, iridescent Blue Grotto. Observe the magical light that illuminates the cave’s rocky walls. Continue sightseeing, or choose to explore beautiful Villa San Michele in Anacapri the Church of San Michele or the summit of Monte Solaro, reached by chairlift. Return to your hotel on the mainland for an evening at leisure.

Art Hotel Villa Fiorella

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 Amalfi Coast

Skirt the fabled Amalfi coast by private vehicle, starting with a visit to the enchanting village of Ravello, with its stunning coastal views. Take in vistas from the lovely Villa Rufolo before continuing to Amalfi. See the Duomo, fronted by a beautifully hued, 13th-century façade. Pause for lunch at leisure in a delightful, sea-view restaurant. Continue north seeing a kaleidoscope of lagoons, sandy coves, vertiginous cliffs and sun-baked villages en route to vibrant Positano. Stop at a local ceramics producer and learn more about the production process, the colors and the different techniques involved in creating these beautiful works of art. Meander along the village’s narrow lanes, descending toward the glistening sea, where elegant restaurants serve the catch of the day. Next, follow the coast to elegant Sorrento, a Belle Époque treasure of graceful streets with stunning views across the Gulf of Naples.

Art Hotel Villa Fiorella

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 Naples

Transfer to the Naples airport and board your departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Matera

Naples

From Naples visitors can explore the rugged Amalfi coast, Italy's most romantic stretch of coastline. Near Amalfi is the resort of Positano, where visitors enjoy strolling through streets and shopping in small boutiques. Take an excursion to legendary Pompeii, an ancient Roman city covered and preserved by the debris from the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The monuments of this city are considered to be among the finest of any ancient city in Europe, and visitors can spend a day here learning about life in a Roman town during the first century A.D. The Cathedral of San Gennaro, a fine medieval building, has one chapel containing the tomb of Charles of Anjou, while another houses the cathedral's gold and silver treasure. Among the Christian underground burial vaults discovered in an area of suburban heights, the Catacombs of San Gennaro can be visited. Capodimonte Park - a well-kept tropical park - has a royal palace built by Charles III in 1738 that now houses Naples' picture gallery, the National Museum of Capodimonte.

Excursions

Naples: Food Tour of Naples - 4 hours

Naples: The City of Naples - 8 hours

Naples' historic city centre is the largest in Europe, covering 4,200 acres and enclosing 27 centuries of history. One of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world with Bronze Age Greek settlements dating back to the second millennium BC, the area was re-founded as Neápolis (‘new city’) in the sixth century BC, becoming a lynchpin of Magna Graecia and playing a key role in the merging of Greek culture into Roman society.

Explore Naples today with your expert guide. Highlights include the Spaccanapoli district, the magnificent Duomo cathedral, the Cappella Sansevero with its virtuosic sculptural masterpiece the Cristo Velato, as well as lesser-known gems such as the San Giovanni a Carbonara. Today’s tour encompasses artistic-historic treasures and plenty of local colour. Along the way, enjoy a bite of Naples’ famous street food ‘frittura’, a sinfully delicious mix of deep fried aubergines (eggplant), zucchini, mozzarella, arancini (rice croquettes), cauliflower, or potato croquettes.
Continue your sightseeing tour in the historic centre of Naples. Visit the Castel Nuovo, the imposing medieval structure built by the Angevins to defend the city. You may also wish to visit the adjoining Palazzo Reale (The Royal Palace Museum and Royal apartments), built in the 17th century. The magnificently decorated halls and rooms contain the original Bourbon furnishings, paintings, statues and porcelain. Enjoy a panoramic drive to reach the magnificent Carthusian Monastery, the Certosa di San Martino situated on Vomero Hill, where you may visit the luxuriously decorated Baroque Style church.

Highlights:

Try Naples' famous street food as your guide shows you the historic sights of Italy
Visit the medieval Castel Nuovo, whose magnificently decorated rooms contain original Bourbon furnishings, paintings and statues

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:
•   Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
•   An expert local guide (8 hours)
•   Entrance fees
•   All taxes

Exclusions:
•   All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
•   Gratuities

Naples: Historic Pompeii & Vesuvius - 9 hours

Capri

Amalfi

Lecce

Bari

Bari (ancient Barium) is an industrial city in the Apulia region of southern Italy and a seaport on the Adriatic Sea. The old quarter of the city sits on a promontory separating the old and new harbors. It is the site of two notable Romanesque churches: the Basilica of San Nicola (11th-12th century) and the cathedral (late 12th century). Bari was formerly a Greek colony and later a Roman trading settlement. It came under the domination of the Lombards, the Byzantines, and the Normans. It was a key Italian naval base during World War II and sustained heavy damage. From here it is easy to visit Alberobello and Egnazia.

Excursions

Bari: Polignano a Mare & Monopoli - 5 hours

Bari: Locorotondo & Alberobello - 5 hours

Bari: Ancient Matera - 8 hours

Bari: Highlights of Puglia & Cheese Tasting - 8 hours

Today you will meet your English-speaking guide for a full day excursion of “Valle d’Itria”. You will visit Alberobello which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded in the 15th-century by the Counts of Acquaviva. The image of the trullo in Alberobello has always been associated with Puglia. The trullo is a construction with a central round or square base of dry stone and a con-shaped roof.

Afterwards you will visit Locorotondo where you will see the architecture typical of the region with white-washed, stone buildings with cool, shaded, cave-like interiors, narrow streets and churches. The town also features several community squares, each of which are built on the edge of the hill allowing for some spectacular views.

Next visit to a local cheese production where you will see the different phases of how different cheeses are made. After the visit you will enjoy an informal cheese tasting with a buffet where you will taste the local products.

Finally, visit Polignano a Mare, shining gem on the coast of the Valle d’Itria, perched atop a 20 metre-high limestone cliff above the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic, Polignano a Mare truly lives up to its name and literally could not be any more ‘at sea’!

Highlights:

Tour the charming and architecturally impressive villages of Alberobello and Locorotondo
Experience the authentic taste of Puglia with a cheese tasting that includes various local products

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

Private transport by luxury car or minivan
An expert local guide throughout (8 hours)
Cheese tasting
Entrance fees
All taxes

Exclusions:

All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
Gratuities

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024

from $18,595 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $18,595 per person

Length

9 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury

Remarks

Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1514482

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