Puglia, Calabria & Sicily

Day 2 Ostuni

This morning, we’ll explore Ostuni, locally known as ‘la città bianca’ - the white city, named for the lime-washed housed that climb up the hillside. Founded by the Messapians long before Roman rule reached this coast, its maze of narrow lanes still follow the same layout laid down centuries ago. Sunlight bounces off every wall as we wander towards the highest point of town, past doorways draped in bougainvillea and small shops selling olive oil and handmade ceramics. We'll wander through the old town and pause at the Gothic cathedral, with its rose window and curved façade, before some free time for lunch in one of the piazzas.

During your stay in Puglia, you’ll see the quirky trulli dot the landscape, however this afternoon we’ll travel to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage town with more than 1,500 trulli across the Rione Monti and Rione Aia Piccola districts. Dating back as early as the mid14th- century, these cylindrical buildings with a conical roof were originally built without mortar so they could be dismantled at short notice, a clever answer to feudal tax collectors. Today, they provide one of the most unique skylines in Italy. Enjoy wandering around the town, perhaps stopping to browse in one of the boutique shops or taste a refreshing limoncello spritz in one of the bars.

We’ll venture to a local restaurant for dinner this evening offering views across the countryside.

Meals included: B,D

Day 3 Cisternino, Locorotondo and Puglian Masseria Lunch

We will start the day with a visit to the hilltop town of Cisternino where its winding streets and narrow alleys, historic churches and whitewashed houses reflect the unhurried pace of everyday Puglian life. Locals gather over coffee in the piazza, and the smell of freshly baked bread drifts from a bakery tucked just off the main street. From the central piazza the view opens out across rolling hills, dry-stone walls and trulli rooftops scattered below.

We'll continue to Locorotondo, known for its whitewashed buildings, before lunch at a traditional Masseria - a fortified farmhouse, typical of this part of Italy. Lunch here means good, honest Puglian produce, olive oil, burrata, pasta and fresh bread, all served amongst an idyllic backdrop of bougainvillea-adorned terraces looking out over the countryside.

Later, we'll return to the hotel, where the rest of the day is free for you to relax.

Meals included: B,L

Day 4 at Leisure

Today is yours to spend as you choose. You might make the most of the hotel's pool, spend time at the private beach or unwind at the wellness centre. Or you may prefer to explore the area around the hotel independently, at your own pace.

This evening, you can join a transfer to the coastal town of Monopoli, where the old harbour glows gold in the early evening light and fishing boats bob gently against the quay. A historic centre and Baroque cathedral sit alongside a good choice of bars and restaurants, ideal for an evening at leisure.

Meals included: B

Day 5 Matera to Calabria

This morning we will make our way to Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage city built into the rock itself. Its Sassi, cave dwellings carved into the limestone, have been inhabited since Palaeolithic times, making this one of the oldest continuously lived-in settlements anywhere in the world. Among the caves are rock churches once home to Basilian monks, who carved chapels into the cliffs and decorated them with Byzantine frescoes that still survive today. We'll take a walking tour through the city to learn more about how these homes were shaped and used over the centuries. At the end of the walk, we have an exclusive hidden experience that brings the city's creative soul vividly to life. After the walking tour, enjoy some free time to explore further. Perhaps step into the museum to learn more about the Sassi, or venture to a gelateria for a refreshing scoop of gelato. We’ll continue our journey to our next hotel in Calabria, a region still better known to Italians than to visitors. After checking in, we’ll come together for dinner. Meals included: B,D

Day 6 Calabria

Today we explore a quieter stretch of Calabria's coastline, one with waters so clear the seabed stays visible several metres down. We'll set off by boat along the Riviera dei Cedri, passing beneath cliffs that drop straight into the sea, with stops at Arcomagno, a hidden bay framed by a natural stone arch, and the nearby Arco di Enea. From there, we'll cruise to Dino Island to explore its sea caves, including the Blue Grotto, where the water glows an almost unnatural turquoise, and the Lion's Grotto, named for the rock formation that guards its entrance. There'll be time to swim in the crystal clear waters before we return to Diamante.

Back on dry land, Diamante has a character all its own. Known locally as the City of Murals, its historic centre is covered in more than 200 colourful artworks, painted onto walls, doorways and alleyways across the town. We'll wander through to see some of the highlights before the rest of the day is left free for you to relax, explore further or simply enjoy the coastline at your own pace.

Meals included: B

Day 7 Calabria to Sicily

After breakfast, we follow the Tyrrhenian coast towards Sicily, the road winding along cliffs with the sea glinting far below and small towns clinging to the hillsides above the water. We'll stop in the seaside resort of Pizzo, said to be where tartufo was first created, a rich ball of chocolate and hazelnut gelato with a soft chocolate centre, for a tasting and lunch in the shade of the town's palm-lined piazza.

From here, a short ferry crossing takes us to Messina, with an onward journey to our final hotel of the tour in Giardini Naxos. We will have dinner together at the hotel this evening.

Meals included: B,L,D

Day 8 Savoca & Taormina

We begin the day with a visit to the medieval hill village of Savoca, familiar to film fans as the setting for scenes in The Godfather. Surrounded by citrus groves and vineyards this small town has kept a character all of its own. We will then travel to the town of Taormina, set on a cliff top overlooking two sweeping bays, with views towards Mount Etna on a clear day where there will be some free time for lunch. An included guided tour will take us to the town's Greco-Roman theatre, still used for performances today, where the stage frames the coastline below almost like a backdrop, and take in the gardens above the coastline, following the guided tour we will stop for a drink in one of the famous cafés in the centre of Taormina. After this, you will be given some further time at leisure. Later, we will make our way back to the hotel where you will be able to find somewhere delicious for dinner. Meals included: B,L

Day 9 Syracuse

Today we travel to Syracuse, once one of the most powerful cities of the ancient Mediterranean. With a local guide, we'll tour the city and explore a traditional market, where stallholders call out over baskets of citrus, fish and fresh bread, before some free time for lunch.

We’ll then cross the bridge into Ortigia, the historical heart of Syracuse, where the honey-coloured buildings of the old town catch the afternoon light as we take in sights of the Palazzo Veneziano, and the Spanish Walls.This evening is free for you to dine at leisure.

Meals included: B

Day 10 at Leisure

Today has been left free for you to spend as you wish, whether that's reflecting on the journey so far or simply taking in the surroundings at your own pace.

This evening, we'll gather for a farewell dinner and wine tasting at a the vines stretching out towards the volcano as the light fades, a fitting way to mark the end of our time in Sicily.

Meals included: B,D

Day 11 Catania to UK

Today we transfer to the airport for the flight back to the UK, taking with us memories of Puglia's whitewashed towns, Calabria's quiet coastline and Sicily's ancient cities.

Meals included: B