Puglia, also known as the heel of the boot of Southern Italy, is famous for its beaches. We are sure that many of you come here mainly to spend time by the sea and in the tranquil countryside. We cannot blame you for this. Puglia offers ideal spots to just chill. We are convinced that at least one or two day tours in Puglia can enrich your experience and turn your relaxing holiday in an unforgettable experience. We are really flexible when we plan a day tour. Get some inspiration from our page and contact us to work together on your very special Puglian day!
Private day tours are offered to groups with a minimum of 5 participants. If you're less than four or a solo traveler, you can check our small group tours.
Have a look at our recommended day tours to central and southern Puglia. Whether your cruise is making a stop in Bari or Brindisi, you are spending your holidays in a trulli villa in Ostuni or at a cave hotel in Matera or maybe at a beach resort in Gallipoli and Salento, we can always provide you a tailored private day tour with pick-up and drop-off service wherever you are.
Pick up at your accommodation
Olive oil farm visit and olive oil tasting
Guided walking tour of Ostuni and leisure time for lunch
Guided walking tour of UNESCO site of Alberobello
Drive back to your accommodation
One of our local, charming guides will meet you at your accommodation in the morning. A private driver will drive you through the best panoramic roads and let you enjoy breathtaking views of the idyllic Puglian countryside. We will first get to know a local family-run olive oil farm. Here we will immerse ourselves into the world of the so-called “green gold” of the Puglia. With almost half of the national production, the region is among the biggest olive oil producer in Italy.
Owners Pietro and Vita - and their cute little dog - will show you the whole production process, from the harvest to the traditional and modern olive oil extraction. You will learn how to taste extra virgin olive oil the professional way and how to tell the difference between a good and a bad olive oil.
Afterwards we will drive to Ostuni. Here you will get to see the best corners of the famous “white town”, a whitewashed fortified town that dates back to the Middle Ages. You will discover the fascinating architecture, history, and unique beauty of one of the most amazing hidden gems of Southern Italy.
Don’t worry, your guide will not bore you with too much history, dates, and facts (unless you’re very into it!) but will give you tips about boutique shops and delicatessens and food tips. They will make sure you have enough leisure time to enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere of the town.
After lunchtime, you will head to the fairy tale town of Alberobello, a place not to be missed when travelling Southern Italy. Our guide will walk you through the UNESCO world heritage site and describe for you the fascinating history of Alberobello and the typical conical shaped houses “trulli”. We will skip very touristy and overcrowded places to let you experience the best and authentic corners of this fantastic place!
Cheese farm and cheese tasting
Driving service and tour guide: in case you rented a car and don’t need a driver, you will meet your guide directly on site. Otherwise, we can also provide you just a driver service with no guided tours.
Pick up at your accommodation
Guided walking tour of UNESCO site of Alberobello
Winery visit and wine tasting
Walking tour of Polignano
Drive back to your accommodation
We will pick you up at your accommodation in the morning and first drive to one of the landmarks of Puglia: Alberobello will amaze you with a fairy tale atmosphere and a unique architecture.
Our guide will make sure you get the best insights and experiences to turn your day into a memorable one! The heel of the boot of Italy is also very popular for its fresh cheese tradition. We’ll let you enjoy an amazing mozzarella and burrata tasting made from a local cheese farmer.
Central Puglia is also very known for the wine production. Nowadays, the region is one of the biggest producers in Italy, thanks to the right climate and soil. Dynamic and young companies are investing in high quality standards and, as a result, are conquering markets all over the world. We will introduce you to one of the best wineries of the area for a wine tasting and let you try our best wine grapes, such as Primitivo red wine, rosè, and white wine.
After this, we will head towards the coast for a walking tour of Polignano. The name “Domenico Modugno” might not sound familiar to you, but you very probably have heard of the italian international hit “Volare.” Back in 1958, the singer from Polignano a Mare released the song that became a success in Italy and is nowadays probably the most played Italian song in the whole world. The proper name of the song used to be “Nel blu dipinto di blu” - “In the blue-painted blue” (the sky).
Who knows? Probably the singer took inspiration from his hometown by looking at its breathtaking terraces overlooking the Adriatic Sea and its charming Mediterranean atmosphere. The town will seduce you with its artisans, design shops, and boutiques. Last but not least, the town is the perfect place to enjoy a fresh drink or aperitif in one of the many stylish bars. Our guide will advise you about the best ones. If you’re into coffee, you should try the so called “caffé speciale,” a special local recipe that has been invented by a local coffeemaker. We won’t reveal you the recipe, but let you surprise yourself!
Lunch at a typical restaurant
Driving service and tour guide: in case you rented a car and don’t need a driver, you will meet your guide directly on site. Otherwise, we can also provide you just a driver service with no guided tours.
Pick up at your accommodation
Guided walking tour of Matera
Winery visit and wine tasting
Drive back to your accommodation
On this day tour we will drive across Puglia and discover together our neighboring region, Basilicata. Here we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world: Matera. The so-called “Cittá dei sassi” (Sassi stands for rocks in Italian) is surrounded by a unique natural area that looks like a canyon, locally known as “gravina” (ravine). The old and charming historic center is made out of old cave houses, grottos, and rupestrian churches (churches excavated from rocks) where nowadays you can still find evidence of human presence that dates back to the pre-roman age and much more.
The unique beauty and architecture of the UNESCO site will astonish you! No wonder the city has been nominated as “European Capital of Culture” in 2019 and has been frequently used as filming location by several world-known filmmakers such as Mel Gibson (The Passion). The town attracts visitors from all over the world and, in the last years, has become very popular. You’ll still experience it in a relaxing way, far from the overcrowded places.
Our guide will let you visit a typical cave house, which as all of the grottos that were inhabited until the mid 1950s before the local population was forced by the Italian state to leave because of the miserable hygienic conditions. You will also see a typical rupestrian church, where you will discover with our guide arts left by byzantine monks back in 10th century: amazing frescoes that have survived until today! After the guided tour, you will enjoy some leisure time and maybe an exquisite lunch or a fresh antipasti dish and drive back to your accommodation.
On the way home, we will stop at a local winery in the countryside. Getting to know the wine culture of the area and taste some of the best wines of Puglia in a calm and relaxing environment with nice people will definitely crown a fabulous day we will spend together!
You can skip the winery and we can plan a whole day in Matera or add a lunch in Matera.
Driving service and tour guide: in case you rented a car and don’t need a driver, you will meet your guide directly on site. Otherwise, we can also provide you just a driver service with no guided tours.
Pick up at your accommodation
Guided walking tour of Lecce
Winery visit and wine tasting
Drive back to your accommodation
On this day tour we will drive to Southern Puglia, also known as “Salento.” The land between two seas, the Ionian and Adriatic seas, is famous for its artistic baroque heritage. You can’t miss a visit to Puglia’s baroque capital, the city of Lecce, a city of arts, culture, and baroque architecture. Our guide will show you the most amazing corners of the vibrant and colorful historic center. The architecture of the city, also called “Florence of the South,” will astonish you with beautiful baroque facades of churches and majestic palazzi. But that’s not the end! The city hosts also Roman ruins, such as a Roman amphitheater that dates back to the second century A.D. and nowadays is located in the very heart of Lecce, which is the main square: Piazza S. Oronzo.
The city is also known for the “pasticciotto” pastry. Our guide will definitely tell you where to find the best ones! Furthermore, if you’re a coffee lover, you probably will want to try the “caffè leccese,” which is an espresso on the rock with almond syrup from the area, a very refreshing coffee we usually drink in the summertime.
The city is one of the best spots to enjoy some shopping or get to know the typical paper mache traditions that are still very relevant in town.
On our way home, we will stop at a winery and get to know the typical wine grape of Southern Puglia: Negroamaro wine, a red and full bodied wine that is produced also as a rosé wine
Lunch at a typical restaurant
Driving service and tour guide: in case you rented a car and don’t need a driver, you will meet your guide directly on site. Otherwise, we can also provide you just a driver service with no guided tours.
Arte Wine Travel di Pietro Calabrese
Via Abate Angelo Tamborrino 28
72017 Ostuni (BR)
P.I. IT 02577710748
