Seductive Southern Italy

9 days
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Group Tour
Discover clifftop villages, secluded beaches and authentic Italian cuisine on this 10-day journey across southern Italy. Starting in Naples, you’ll venture south to Salerno, gateway to the Amalfi Coast. Your trip continues inland towards Puglia, stopping in Matera en route – a city renowned for its network of ancient cave dwellings carved into a hillside. Aft...
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Sample delicious street food on a culinary tour of Naples
    • Explore the spectacular beauty of the Amalfi Coast
    • Explore the ancient hilltop town of Matera, featured in the latest James Bond movie
    • Meander through the Itria Valley by e-bike
    • Relax on the secluded beaches of Polignano a Mare

What's this trip about?

    Discover clifftop villages, secluded beaches and authentic Italian cuisine on this 10-day journey across southern Italy. Starting in Naples, you’ll venture south to Salerno, gateway to the Amalfi Coast. Your trip continues inland towards Puglia, stopping in Matera en route – a city renowned for its network of ancient cave dwellings carved into a hillside. After a night in the atmospheric beach town of Polignano a Mare, you’ll move on to Lecce – often labelled the Florence of the South due to its gorgeous array of baroque architecture – for the final leg of your adventure.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 14 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityNaples
End CityLecce

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • High Adventure

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture
  • Cycling
  • History
  • Nature
  • Short Cruise

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 14

Trip includes

    • One night Matera cave accommodation
    • Eight night’s premium hotel accommodation
    • Private and local transport
    • Nine breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners
    • Local Insider
    • Naples street food tour
    • Matera walking tour
    • Alberobello guided tour
    • Locorotondo visit
    • Itria Valley e-bike tour
    • Castellana Caves visit
    • Olive oil tasting
    • Ostuni walking tour
    • Otranto private tour
    • Santa Maria di Leuca private tour
    • Lecce walking tour

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive in Naples

Accommodation: Hotel Palazzo Salgar

Activities Included: Welcome dinner

Touch down in Naples and make your way to the hotel where you’ll be greeted by our Local Insider, who will accompany the group throughout the trip. At 6pm, join your fellow traveller...

Day 2: Join a street food tour of Naples

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Lucia, Minori

Activities Included: Naples street food tour

Learn all about the history of Neapolitan food and its importance to the city culture on a street food tour. Naples is of course synonymous with pizza and pasta, but th...

Day 3: Cruise along the Amalfi Coast

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Lucia, Minori

Optional Activities: Amalfi Coast private boat tour

Today, the choice is yours. You could embark on a private boat tour of the Amalfi Coast to explore one of the most alluring stretches of coastline in Europe – or...

Day 4: Explore the winding streets of ancient Matera

Accommodation: Corte San Pietro

Activities Included: Matera walking tour

Today we cross into the Basilicata region to reach Matera – known for its ancient hillside cave dwellings in the Unesco-listed Sassi area. Weave your way through the narrow, winding...

Day 5: Cycle through the Itria Valley by e-bike

Accommodation: Cala Ponte Hotel

Activities Included: Alberobello guided tour, Locorotondo visit, Itria Valley e-bike tour

You’ll continue eastwards into the Itria Valley – a particularly scenic part of the Puglia region. Marvel at the extraordinary trull...

Day 6: Relax on the beaches of Polignano a Mare

Accommodation: Cala Ponte Hotel

Today is yours to spend as you wish. After a leisurely breakfast, why not head into the old town and soak up the laid-back atmosphere with a coffee in the main square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II? If you fancy catching rays, pack...

Day 7: Visit the Castellana Caves and taste Puglian olive oil

Accommodation: Arthotel & Park Lecce

Activities Included: Castellana Caves visit, Olive oil tasting & Ostuni walking tour

Wave goodbye to Polignano a Mare as you travel down the heel of the Italian boot to Lecce. Your first stop is at the Castell...

Day 8: Explore Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca

Accommodation: Arthotel & Park Lecce

Activities Included: Otranto private tour, Santa Maria di Leuca private tour

Your day starts with a guided tour of the Salento peninsula – the southernmost part of Puglia, home to some of the best beaches in Italy...

Day 9: Admire the extravagant architecture of Lecce on a walking tour

Accommodation: Arthotel & Park Lecce

Activities Included: Lecce walking tour & Farewell dinner

Begin the final full day of your southern Italy adventure with a walking tour of Lecce, nicknamed the Florence of the South due to its honey-coloured b...

Day 10: Depart from Lecce

It’s time to bid farewell to your new friends as your trip comes to an end. Check out of the hotel and make your way to Salento Airport to catch your flight home – or choose to extend your stay and experience what else Italy has to offer.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,579
Price per day$175
Last Updated: 8/31/2024

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Culture Trip.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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May 2022

A must for anyone...

A Culture Trip curated trip is a must for anyone burnt out planning their own trips or going to a remote or unfamiliar area. Having a local insider was the highlight...

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Niraj

Apr 2022

Great Intro of Italy....

A great introduction to the sights of Southern Italy! The trip left me knowi...

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Mar 2022

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Perfect way to experience a country!

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Culture Trip

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TRIPS by Culture Trip

For over a decade, people have trusted Culture Trip to help them discover some of the world’s coolest and unexpected destinations and experiences - now we can take you there. Book our curated multi-day TRIPS by Culture Trip itineraries, to truly experience extraordinary places, together with a small group of culturally curious travellers.

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About Culture Trip

Culture Trip was created in 2011 to inspire people to go beyond their cultural boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people, and its culture special, unique, and meaningful. So for over a decade now, Culture Trip’s global community of travel experts and Local Insiders have hand picked the world’s best bits to share travel stories and unbiased recommendations, together with curated collections of places to stay, hotels, things to do, experiences - and now also TRIPS by Culture Trip which are unique small-group adventures.

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Together with a small group of culturally curious travellers, you get to truly experience - not just visit - the world. Groups will welcome up to 18 travellers and you can join solo or with others. Our small groups enable you to get to know the other travellers, bond quickly and enjoy your trip to the fullest whilst building friendships and forming life-long memories.

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For our curated, diverse itineraries, our travel experts do all the planning and hand-pick the best bits of a place: all itineraries combine hyper-local, authentic activities and immersive experiences, with quality accommodation that has a personal feel. Whether that’s well-known hotspots or more off-grid trails, city or nature - with us, they will all feel like hidden gems. Thoughtfully planned with ample free time to unwind or explore solo, our trips offer the right balance of action and relaxation.

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Our trips are led by expert Local Insiders who know the destination inside out and show a place like never before. They share unique insights and in-depth knowledge, show lesser-known places and reveal hidden gems that travellers might not be able to access or do on their own. They also take you to secret spots you couldn’t find yourself and activities that are impossible to do on your own or you wouldn’t have otherwise discovered.

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TRIPS by Culture Trip is not about the lowest price. Trying to be the cheapest just isn’t good for our planet or for local communities - so we focus on value and quality, while offering fair prices. Prices include the Local Insider; activities; accommodation based on two people sharing, with single occupancy available with a supplement; transport throughout the trip and a range of meals.

What they’re known for
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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel Palazzo Salgar , Naples

Overlooking the Port of Naples, this white-marble hotel is ideally located within easy walking distance of the most significant landmarks in the city, such as Naples Cathedral and Porta Capuana. Expect comfortable, air-conditioned rooms with modern furnishings, plus a gym, sauna and Turkish bath.

Villa Poseidon Boutique Hotel & Events , Salerno

This hillside hotel, surrounded by citrus groves and just 10 minutes on foot from the centre of Salerno, has an outdoor pool and sun terrace with superb views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rooms are designed with elegant Mediterranean-style decor, and equipped with TVs and minibars.

Corte San Pietro , Matera

This charming guesthouse, in the historic Sassi district of Matera, is beautifully set in restored limestone cave dwellings and centred around a tufa stone courtyard. Inside, monochromatic rooms feature local stone, wood and iron, infusing the ancient heritage of the building with refined, contemporary touches.

Cala Ponte Hotel , Polignano a Mare

Make the most of the magnificent swimming pool and private gardens at this stylish resort on the Adriatic Coast – the perfect place to switch off and soak up the Puglian sunshine. Whitewashed bungalows offer luxuriously comfortable beds and spacious bathrooms with rainfall showers.

Arthotel & Park Lecce , Lecce

This colourfully decorated hotel, built using materials sourced from the Salento peninsula, is flanked by a 2ha (5-acre) park dotted with citrus, fig, olive and pomegranate trees. Choose between two pools – indoor or outdoor – and take advantage of the Fluxus Spa wellness centre and the gourmet-style ArteCraz!a restaurant.

Cancellation policy

The world of travel is changing – and that's why we’re offering flexible booking conditions, to take the stress out of booking in times of uncertainty.

Our Ultimate Covid Booking Guarantee means that if Covid-19 changes your plans, we'll rebook you for free. If we cannot rebook you we'll refund your trip.

You can get a full refund should you need to postpone or cancel your trip up to 35 days prior to departure. Or you can simply transfer your deposit and any funds paid to a different date without incurring any additional fees.

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
  • You must be aged 25 years or over to join this trip.
  • Please be sure to check whether or not you need a visa to enter the country you're travelling to. Please refer to our Booking Terms & Conditions for further information.
  • If you have any pre-existing medical conditions or accessibility requirements, please notify our Customer Support team as soon as possible.
  • We won't charge you extra if you travel alone – you'll be allocated a twin room with another traveller of the same gender.
  • To upgrade to a private room, share a room with a friend, or book pre- and post-trip accommodation and/or airport transfers, please contact our Customer Support team.
  • Please be aware that travel insurance is compulsory for all travellers.
  • Please be aware that the itinerary, activities and hotels are subject to change. While unlikely, these changes can happen due to circumstances beyond our control. We will always do our best to ensure minimal impact on your experience.
  • Please be aware images on this page are for illustrative purposes and may not reflect your itinerary exactly.
Trip ID
cultur2-AmaCoaCulAp

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