The Charm of Matera & the Wonders of Puglia

Arrive at Bari or Brindisi by flight or train (not included). Upon arrival, pick up your rental car and head to your Ecoluxury retreat — Le Grotte della Civita, located in the heart of Matera.

Check-in and enjoy free time to experience the hotel’s unique atmosphere.

Overnight stay.

After breakfast, meet your guide who will introduce you to all the unique features of this one-of-a-kind place.

A guided tour of Matera is an exciting journey into the heart of history and stone. It starts from the famous Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where houses carved into the rock climb up the slopes like a living nativity scene. Walking through the winding alleys of Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, you will discover frescoed rock churches and peasant dwellings that have remained intact over time. The guide will recount the hard but ingenious life that took place here until a few decades ago, revealing a world suspended between ancient civilizations and cultural rebirth.

At the end of the tour, you will have free time to continue exploring this unique city: you can visit the Palombaro Lungo, an ancient cistern dug under the city for water supply or simply lose yourself in the Sassi.

After a day of sightseeing, return to the hotel for the night.

Today, you are free to continue exploring Matera. We recommend visiting the Museum of Rural Life – Vicinato a Pozzo, in the heart of Sasso Caveoso. This is not just a museum, but an authentic immersive experience: faithful settings, video testimonials, and engaging stories will transport you into the daily life of those who lived in the Sassi, among artisan workshops, community life, and the difficult period of displacement after the war. Be sure to stop at a bakery in the city to taste Matera's DOP bread.

After breathing in the historical soul of the city, continue your journey by crossing the picturesque Tibetan bridge over the Gravina. From here, take one of the scenic paths that climb up to the Murgia Materana. The walk is accessible and rejuvenating, and will lead you to a unique vantage point: from this perspective, Matera reveals itself in all its beauty. Wait for sunset, when the Sassi begin to glow with golden light. The view will be picture-perfect: the city lights up as if by magic, suspended between past and present, leaving you breathless.

Overnight stay.

After breakfast, leave your hotel and head to your new accommodation at the Ecoluxury retreat Ddò Relais di Puglia.

Along the way, we suggest you plan a stop in Altamura, a city of bread and history. Stroll through the historic centre among alleys, churches, and ancient cloisters. Admire the majestic Frederick II Cathedral, a jewel of Gothic architecture. Visit the Archaeological Museum and discover the Man of Altamura, an extraordinary prehistoric fossil. Don't miss the opportunity to taste the famous DOP bread, baked in traditional wood-fired ovens.

Before arriving at the hotel, we recommend a further stop to admire the bright white of Locorotondo, which welcomes you with its typical “cummerse,” houses with sloping stone roofs, and a historic centre that looks like stone embroidery overlooking the valley. From its belvederes, the view stretches over an expanse of trulli, vineyards, and olive groves.

Arrival at the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, head to a traditional farmhouse to take part in a cheese-making workshop. Here you can discover the secrets of artisanal cheese production, immersed in an authentic and fascinating environment. During the interactive workshop, you will be guided step by step by master cheesemakers who will share techniques and traditions for making mozzarella and burrata. At the end of the experience, you will have the opportunity to taste the farm's products.

On the way back to the hotel, we suggest visiting Martina Franca with its Baroque soul expressed in the sumptuous noble palaces and richly decorated churches that embellish the historic centre. The artistic heart of the city is the Basilica of San Martino, an extraordinary example of Apulian Baroque, with its sculpted façade and majestic interior. Wrought iron balconies, carved portals, and elegant stuccoes tell the story of the golden age of a refined city, nestled in the hilly landscape of the Itria Valley.

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Your day begins in Alberobello, a World Heritage Site, where the urban landscape is unique in the world. Walking with a local guide through the cobbled streets of the Rione Monti and Aia Piccola districts, you will find yourself surrounded by hundreds of trulli, the famous dry-stone buildings with conical roofs that are the symbol of the Itria Valley. Each trullo tells an ancient story of rural traditions, architectural ingenuity, and popular spirituality, often visible in the mysterious symbols painted on the roofs. Entering one of these buildings, now transformed into artisan workshops or small museums, you will feel the living soul of a past that is still present.

Head to Polignano a Mare, nestled on high limestone cliffs that plunge into the Adriatic Sea, where the sea has carved out sea caves. Here, the historic centre tells centuries of history: a maze of paved alleys, ancient arches, and panoramic terraces overlooking an endless blue. As you stroll around, you will discover medieval churches such as the Chiesa Matrice di Santa Maria Assunta and sights dedicated to the famous singer Domenico Modugno. Don't miss out on tasting the famous “Caffè Speciale,” which is prepared only here according to an ancient recipe, and linger on the famous Lama Monachile beach, an iconic cove nestled between two rocky walls.

Continue towards Monopoli, just a few kilometres away. Its historic centre, built on ancient Messapian and Roman ruins, retains the charm of a fortified city, with walls, ramparts, and the majestic Castello Carlo V overlooking the sea. Here, every corner smells of history and the Mediterranean, with white stone, crystal clear sea, and authentic flavours that make this land unique.

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

In the morning, head to Ostuni, the famous White City, perched on three hills overlooking the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by a landscape characterized by ancient olive groves and dry-stone walls. Lose yourself in the narrow streets of the historic center, where the dazzling white of the houses reflects the sunlight, creating an almost unreal atmosphere. The architecture tells ancient stories: from the majestic Gothic-Latin style Co-Cathedral, with its elegant rose window, to the arches and loggias connecting the noble palaces.

After a free visit, you will stop at a local oil mill to discover the secrets of extra virgin olive oil production, a specialty of the Plain of Ancient Olive Trees surrounding Ostuni. Accompanied by an expert guide, you will have the opportunity to see monumental olive trees, learn about the fascinating history of the area, visit the historic underground oil mill and the new oil mill, and learn about ancient and modern production techniques.

For the evening, we recommend visiting Cisternino, one of the most charming villages in the Itria Valley. Strolling through the historic center, among whitewashed courtyards and flower-filled balconies, you will breathe in the authentic soul of rural Puglia. End the day in a typical butcher's shop with a grill, where you can taste the famous bombette, freshly cooked on the grill.

Overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive back to Bari or Brindisi and return your rental car in time for your departure flight.