The Dolce Vita of Puglia

Discovery tour

Featuring UNESCO sites little known to French-speaking travellers, meetings with artisans, tastings at family-run estates and whitewashed villages rarely found on group tour itineraries, this tour offers an original, in-depth perspective on a region at the height of its popularity — without taking the most well-trodden routes.

This tour is part of our Signature Collection, designed for those who want to travel in the best conditions: carefully selected 4★ hotels, a well-balanced pace tailored to our guests, quality services and an authentic cultural immersion.

Accompanied by a French-speaking tour manager throughout your stay, you’ll enjoy a trip full of encounters, discoveries and memorable experiences, in the heart of one of Italy’s most beautiful destinations.

Three ways to travel,

the same experience

Because everyone travels in their own way, we’ve created three collections, each representing a different way to discover the world.

Whether you prefer excellent value for money, superior comfort or rare experiences in a very small group, all our collections share the same philosophy: thoughtfully designed itineraries, meticulous organisation and the pleasure of travelling together with curiosity and peace of mind.

The “Signature” Collection

Travel at its finest.

Because some journeys deserve an extra touch of elegance, the Signature Collection features 4★ hotels, carefully selected services and a superior level of comfort.

Each itinerary is designed to combine discovery, refinement and conviviality, in the spirit of the trips that have earned us our reputation.

Why this trip

is different?

A more intimate side of Puglia

We’ve focused on meeting local people, discovering artisans, tasting local produce at estates and enjoying authentic experiences — without missing the major UNESCO-listed sites.

Small-group travel

Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 20 travellers, limited to 26 participants to preserve a friendly atmosphere and ensure high-quality tours.

Complete peace of mind

French-speaking tour manager throughout your stay, full board, transfers included, private vehicle, personal audio headsets...

Enjoy the trip to the full — we’ll take care of the rest.

I T I N E R A R Y

DAY 1 : Geneva - Bari

Meet-up and transfer to Geneva Airport from the designated pick-up points.

Arrival at Bari Airport, where you’ll be welcomed by your French-speaking tour manager, who will accompany you throughout your stay. You’ll receive personal audio headsets so you can hear the guide’s commentary in comfort, even at busy sites.

Your first immersion in Bari’s old town: the Basilica of San Nicola, a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture with a simple yet striking façade, the medieval walls and the Castello Svevo set the scene for this journey.

Check-in, dinner and overnight stay at a 4★ hotel in the Barletta/Bisceglie area.

Our favourite:

The Basilica of San Nicola and its medieval lanes — the perfect introduction to southern Italy.

DAY 2 : Monte Sant'Angelo - Barletta

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Monte Sant'Angelo, perched at 800 metres above sea level on the Gargano promontory. Guided tour of the rock-hewn Sanctuary of Saint Michael, one of Western Europe’s most important pilgrimage sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Carved into the rock, its sacred cave has a uniquely contemplative atmosphere, making this one of the most memorable places in Puglia.

Opportunity to browse the shops of Sammecalere artisans, sculptors who keep alive the art of carving local limestone (subject to opening hours).

Lunch with panoramic views over the Gulf of Manfredonia. Free time to explore the narrow lanes.

In the afternoon, head down to Barletta, a city still unknown to many traditional tour itineraries. Discover the famous Colossus of Barletta, an impressive bronze statue over fifteen centuries old, followed by the castle overlooking the seafront. A stroll through heritage and the pleasures of everyday life in one of Puglia’s most authentic cities.

Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Our favourite:

The Colossus of Barletta and the rock-hewn nave of Monte Sant’Angelo — two radically different ways of coming face to face with history.

DAY 3 : Castel Del Monte - Trani

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Castel del Monte, Puglia’s architectural enigma. Guided tour of Castel del Monte, the mysterious octagonal castle commissioned by Emperor Frederick II. Standing in isolation atop the Murge plateau, this UNESCO-listed monument has intrigued visitors for centuries with its perfect architecture and the many mysteries surrounding it.

You’ll reach the castle by shuttle (admission included).

Lunch, then drive to Trani. Its 11th-century Romanesque cathedral, built facing the sea in honey-coloured stone, is one of Puglia’s most breathtaking sights. The lively harbour and old fishermen’s houses offer a vibrant contrast to the morning’s solemnity. Free time to stroll along the quays or linger at a café.

Dinner and overnight at a **** hotel, or similar.

Our favourite:

Trani Cathedral overlooking the sea, one of the finest unions of Romanesque architecture and Adriatic light.

DAY 4 : Altamura - Matera

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Altamura, a town founded by Frederick II in 1232. Visit a traditional bakery where the famous Altamura DOP bread is still baked in a stone oven using skills passed down through generations. A tasting that tells the story of Puglia as much as its flavours.

Stroll through the historic centre and admire the cathedral’s magnificent Romanesque-Gothic portal. A few minutes of free time to pick up some bread or enjoy a coffee.

Lunch, then drive to Matera, European Capital of Culture 2019. Guided tour of the legendary Sassi — this ancient rock-cut settlement carved into the ravine, inhabited by Basilian monks fleeing the East from the 8th century onwards, and long regarded as a “national disgrace” before becoming one of the most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Admission included to an authentic reconstructed cave house.

Check in at a 4★ hotel in the Alberobello/Fasano area.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Our favourite:

Taste Altamura bread while it’s still warm, fresh from the stone oven. Its golden crust and dense, fragrant durum wheat crumb: a recipe unchanged since the Middle Ages.

DAY 5 : Locorotondo - Cisternino - Alberobello

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, Locorotondo — a village whose name says it all: “the round place”. Its concentric streets paved in white stone, distinctive pointed-roof houses (cummerse) and geranium-filled balconies make it one of the best-preserved villages in the Itria Valley.

Guided walk, followed by free time to wander the narrow lanes or enjoy a coffee at an outdoor café.

Lunch in Cisternino at a traditional braceria: the fornello pronto is a local institution — choose your raw meat at the butcher-grill, and it’s cooked over hot coals right in front of you. A convivial, authentic experience that our guests count among their best memories.

In the afternoon, guided tour of Alberobello, the capital of the trulli — dry-stone cone-shaped buildings that defy classification and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, enjoy a typical dinner at a local Masseria with a Pizzica dance show, a lively and joyful folk dance with ritual origins — one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Our favourite:

Dinner at a Masseria with Pizzica — the popular soul of Puglia, as it can no longer be found anywhere else.

DAY 6: Otranto - Lecce

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Otranto, at the very tip of the heel of Italy, the last city in Western Europe before the Eastern Mediterranean. Its 11th-century cathedral houses one of Europe’s most remarkable medieval mosaics. A veritable stone book unfolding beneath visitors’ feet, it brings together biblical scenes, fantastic creatures and symbols of the medieval world.

Guided tour and walk through the white old town and along its seafront walls, with views of the Aragonese castle from outside. Free time before lunch.

The afternoon is devoted to Lecce, nicknamed the “Florence of the South”. Churches, palaces and baroque squares reveal the full finesse of the local blonde stone, carved like lace.

Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Our favourite:

Otranto’s medieval mosaic — an absolute revelation for any cultured traveller.

DAY 7: Monopoli - Polignano A Mare

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, guided tour of Monopoli, a fishing village with whitewashed houses clustered around a natural harbour and its 16th-century Aragonese castle right by the water. An authentic town, less visited than its neighbours, that retains its unspoilt local character.

Lunch.

Polignano a Mare seems to float above a dazzling blue sea. Perched on limestone cliffs, this small town offers one of Puglia’s most iconic views. The historic centre can be reached from the car park (around 800 m on foot over flat ground) or by tuk-tuk for participants who would prefer to save their energy (not included, as they cannot be reserved: payable on site).

In the late afternoon, visit a local winery and taste Primitivo or Negroamaro, introduced by the producer and served with local products. The perfect finale before returning to the hotel.

Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Our favourite:

The cliffs of Polignano a Mare and the turquoise sea below — the iconic view of Puglia.

DAY 8 : Ostuni - Brindisi - Geneva

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, stop at an agricultural estate near Ostuni for an olive oil tasting: local varieties, cold extraction and pairings with regional breads. One last chance to discover the region’s signature flavours before heading to Ostuni, the famous White City overlooking a sea of olive trees. Guided tour of Ostuni, the quintessential Città Bianca, with its medieval walls and lanes cascading down the hill above the olive groves. Free time for some last-minute shopping.

Lunch, then drive to Brindisi. Short walk to the Colonna Romana, one of two columns marking the end of the Via Appia, the great Roman road, before transfer to Brindisi Airport and the flight to Geneva.

Transfer to your accommodation under the same arrangements as for the outbound transfer.

END OF OUR SERVICES.

Price per person, sharing a double room:

CHF 2'450.-

Single room supplement: CHF 265.-

The price includes:

• Group transfers to and from Geneva Airport, according to the pick-up points listed on page 28.
• Geneva/Bari and Brindisi/Geneva flights with Easyjet, including one 23 kg checked bag per person.
• Accommodation in 4★ hotels — 7 nights (2 bases: Barletta/Bisceglie area and Fasano).
• Full board from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 8, including dinner at a Masseria with a Pizzica show (Day 5).
• French-speaking tour manager throughout the tour.
• Individual headsets for all guided tours
• Private coach for all transfers and excursions.
• Included admissions: Castel del Monte (shuttle included) · Matera cave dwelling ·
• Lecce Cathedral and Santa Croce.
• Guided tour of the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo.
• Guided tour of Barletta.
• Bread-making workshop with a tasting of Altamura DOP bread.
• Lunch at a traditional braceria in Cisternino (Day 5).
• Olive oil tasting at an agricultural estate (Day 8).
• A tasting of local wines at a winery (Day 7).
• A guided tour of Otranto Cathedral and its medieval mosaic (Day 6).
• The tourist tax · ½ litre of mineral water with every meal.
• The Guarantee Fund insurance (30€ per booking - non-refundable in the event of cancellation).

The price does not include:

• Personal expenses.
• Drinks with meals.
• Tuk-tuks in Poignango a Mare (payable locally, approx. €5–8/person).
• Optional admission to the castles of Bari (€9) and Barletta (€6).
• Anything not listed under “Included in the price”. Cancellation, assistance and repatriation, and baggage insurance.