The Delights of Puglia – Italy's Best-Kept Secret

Anne, 9 months ago

Reflections on The Delights of Puglia – Italy's Best-Kept Secret Saturday 20th September – Sunday 5th October 2025 We were on a 16-day tour, travelling/ going out on 15 days – we covered 6,500 km or 4,000miles. It is a tour that to get the best benefit mobility is necessary, very few of the places we visited were flat. European adventures with Chris and Blake were our drivers, a young team still new to Leger Luxuria, Hotels – 8 hotels, 4 with a 1-night stay (transit hotels), 2 with a 2-night stay, 1 with a 3-night stay, 1 4-night stay. The important thing to remember, other countries star ratings are not the same as ours. Many European countries also do not have as standard tea/coffee making facilities in rooms. I’m not commenting on individual hotels as on another trip, they could be different hotels. Group of 28 – a mixture of singles, couples and family members travelling together. Maybe the most supportive group I’ve ever travelled with, everybody was looking after others, as we were not dealing with level locations, so it was great that people were helping each other. Thanks. Day 1 to Reims. Day 2 Reims to Montecchio Emilia Breakfast in France, lunch in Switzerland, evening meal in Italy. Day 3 Montecchio Emilia to Fiuggi for a two-night stay. Day 4 Rome. Into Rome, several hours free time I went to St Peter’s Square. Then onto the coach for a drive around. We had places pointed out to us, passed the Palatine, the Colosseum, St John Lateran Church and Santa Maria Maggiore where Pope Francis is buried. Then the walking tour at a fairly gentle pace, many things pointed out to us - it was busy and got busier particularly around Trevi Fountain (which was cleaned last year), ended Piazza Navona to take it in and to admire Bernini's Fountain. The Leger itinerary does say “Note: Although Rome is a relatively compact city, we would remind you that this is a walking tour, not suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties, and we would recommend you wear suitable shoes for the day.” This was the day I remembered that Italian pavements are high uneven and can vanish, also they don’t do dropped kerbs. Day 5 travel to Puglia, visiting Trani, staying Lo Smeraldo, Cisternino for 4 nights. Reached the outskirts of Naples, saw Vesuvius and turned left. Countryside changed to a much more arid look. Reached Trani about 12.45. Time for a wander, stunning castle, cathedral and harbour. Cathedral closed 12 30 - 15.30, so couldn't see inside from photos online looks as stunning as the outside. Left to go to Cisternino passed signs to some of the locations we will be visiting over the next few days. Day 6 Castellana Grotte, Alberobello & Ostuni. Alberobello is one of the reasons I did this tour. Castellana Grotte we had an English-speaking guide. To get to the caves some of us walked down 265 steps, others went down in a lift. We went on the short tour of 50 minutes, walking 1km. Where possible there are good paths and handrails, but not everywhere. The guide explains everything well. We ascended to the surface by lift. Then we went to Alberobello, the home of the Trullis. We were met by a guide who explained the history, we visited the residential area, including visiting inside and being offered a glass of wine. After climbing the hill to them it was a relatively flat area. On the other side of the road, they are all shops with roads going up the hill, at the top of the one I explored was the Church of St Anthony with trulli shaped roofs. Lived up to my expectations. We then proceeded to Ostuni, the white city on the hill. Another guide met us and we went into the centre, then to the Cathedral and a viewing point. A stunning place. Day 7 Otranto & Lecce Optional excursion day. Well worth doing. Anita guided us around the lovely port town of Otranto with an imposing castle and cathedral. Lots of charming streets led us to the Cathedral. Another amazing rose window, the Cathedral was consecrated in 1088, and a huge 12th century mosaic floor representing the Old Testament, the calendar and the Tree of Life hit you as you walk in. Amazing ceilings and a really pleasant and homely crypt, in complete contrast to upstairs. A nice town, with many steps bordering onto the really clear Adriatic Sea. It was not an easy walking town. Then back to Lecce, Anita's home town. This was so different, it was flat and although many narrow streets, many opened onto a large square. It was a town with a sense of presence. You enter by the imposing Naples Gate, it is definitely the home of baroque architecture, as well as the buildings it is shown in the windows and balconies. But no more so when you go round a corner to see incredible churches, particularly the Basilica of Santa Croce and the Cathedral with Bell Tower. A roman amphitheatre only about half exposed in the centre of the town. I loved both the towns. Day 8 Matera, another of the reasons for me doing the tour. It was Saturday so the centre was vibrant, The Sassi district included cave dwellings carved into the countryside. These were evacuated and condemned in 1952 as a result of rhe poor living conditions. In the 1980s the cave dwellings were restored. We walked through the streets stopping at viewpoints, and hearing about the historic buildings we were passing. We visited Grotto di vico, a restored cave dwelling with appropriate furnishings and fittings. Just down was the Church of Santa Lucia alle Malve. The church goes back to the 13th century, only part is in use as a Church today. While most of us were having a well-deserved sit down and lunch. Some of our group went to the Cathedral. Matera is an incredibly place to visit. In the main section there are low steps, once in the Sassi District there are many more challenging steps and their locations means no handrails. We worked as a group ensuring everyone was safe. Overall, it was less tiring than Otranto and Lecce, maybe we are just getting fitter. Day 9 Travel North, visiting Bari, Castel del Monte then to Rodi Garganico. Again, joined by Anita in Bari. First stop was the Basilica of Saint Nicola. Inside much of the baroque work has been removed, leaving a very plain structure that has a stunning simplicity, the baroque ceiling remains. In the crypt is the miraculous column of St Nicholas, frescoes depicting his story and also the location of St Nicholas's body. Then onto the Cathedral of San Sabino. Another 12th century building, with a Rose window that after interior restoration was found the sun shines through at the summer solstice. Look on YouTube. We saw the Castle built by Frederick II in the 13th century, the person behind Castel del Monte. Opposite was Orecchiette Street, where women were making coloured pasta. Then onto Castel del Monte, as the signpost read 14km, we could see it as it at a height of 540 metres. From a car park we got on a shuttle bus, then had to walk to the Castel. It's definitely different, all based on octagons with 8 rooms of both floors, an octagonal inner courtyard. Built in the 1240s, most of the inside has been stripped out. Spectacular views. Access to the first floor was a marble spiral staircase with no rail. Repeat going down. We'll I did it, with one of our group checking I was OK on the way down. Day 10. Day of leisure, much needed for many of us. So a good wander around Rodi Garganico, visiting churches and the beach. Day 11 Peschici & Vieste. A scenic coastal tour with an optional boat cruise seeing the coastline and entering cave, two interesting towns. Both towns are perched on the edge of the sea. Vieste the coach parked at the marina, so a walk up to the town. Peschici coaches and other vehicles are not allowed past a certain point, so it's a walk down to the town and then a steady long walk back up . Day 12 Rodi Garganico to Bellaria. We left Puglia and travelled up to the eastern Marche region for an overnight stay. A driving day, mainly through rain. From the windows of the coach, you could just make out hilltop towns, deep valleys and long bridges. Day 13 Bellaria to Ferrara to Toscolano Maderno. En route to Lake Garda, we visited Ferrara. when we were told the bike is king realised it was going to be flat. Fell in love with it immediately, a sense of space and grandeur. Across the square was the Cathedral, party covered in scaffolding. We were going to call in on the way back to the coach, unfortunately closed for lunch etc. You'd think by now we would have made a beeline for such places. Tried to get into several churches on arrival no luck. Nearby attached to the Town Hall is the 57 metre high Freedom Tower inside the bottom of the tower is a striking sculpture of Victory in Chains. The Estense Castle was built by the Este family in the 14th century, a large moated brick building, with a contrasting interior courtyard . Day 14 Free Time or Lake Garda. Arrived Garda town, Friday its market day. The market area was heaving. Got to the lakeside, took photos, admired the scenery. The lake was amazing, the water was so clear, a variety of ducks and birds. Then on to Lazise, for primarily a lunch stop. What looked an interesting town with walls and a great square. Then onto Sirmoine starting with a boat trip with Franco at the wheel. Part of the trip at full throttle, then under the Fort drawbridge back to harbour. We had time to explore, I went into the old town, visited the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, had a good wander and some retail therapy. Narrow streets, with some cars as well. A pleasant end to our Italian visits. Day 15 Lake Garda to Belgium Over 1000km to do today. 3 stops on the way. Went via the Gotthard Tunnel, a slight delay but when we got through going south there was a queue of traffic for miles. Later heard just after we went through there was an accident and traffic had to divert via the Pass. To avoid heavy traffic around Basel, we went into Germany. So, we've been in Italy, Germany, France, Luxembourg and Belgium in one day. We've seen new snow on the Swiss mountains, seen rainbows, sunshine, a literal wall of rain suddenly fell giving nil visibility then a few minutes later difficult to see with the sun reflecting of the wet tarmac. Day 16 Belgium to Home. As you see it’s a full-on tour. Seen some amazing places and views.

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Peter, 9 months ago

Unfortunately the 2 drivers although they tried were not very good at being précised at explaining the areas we passed or stopped at. The periods yes but too many dates that is if we could understand them. Hotels and food were okay for us maybe not for all. The guide for three days was good, unfortunately the stand in wasn't. Felt lost when dropped off in towns where of we had little knowledge. A map handed to us beforehand would have been very useful. . Biggest gripe was the additional tours. The 2 plus hours on a 'speed boat' with views of caves and information about the stop off in an inlet ( somewhere?) was spoken all in Italian. Cannot believe we weren't given an English audio for that price. The tour around Lake Garda was very poor . It would have been better taking a couple of boat trips where you saw far more scenery and in quicker time. Then there is my Biggest of all Gripes. When you go to Rome you expect to see the Colosseum and have the opportunity to visit. This when booking we tried to obtain information as to how we could pre book with very vague reply saying only the guide would know about timings. Needless to say we never had that opportunity. This day was totally disorganised. Dropped off near the Vatican, (we were not told we had to book to go in,) This led to far too much wasted time as we had nearly 3 and half hours for a 1 hour visit. This left around 2 /2.5 hours to visit all and still the coach went straight passed the Colosseum and had didn't have time to go to the Spanish Steps. Finally make sure you are not 4th row back with all the drink bottles behind you. Very noisy and uncomfortable. Apart from all that the drivers personality was good, always checking if we needed a drink and the layout of the coach was also very good

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MS D WELLS, 9 months ago

Overall the tour was good, drivers lovely . most of the hotels were of good standard BUT 3 were very poor. Meals again were adequate but some were un edible , cold and pool standard. Again the 3 hotels of very poor standard were to be honest dirty. There were days when I was tempted to return home, yea that bad. It is clear that the “star” rating in Italy are nothing compared to other European areas. Those hotels frankly spoilt the holiday and reviewing my thoughts to if I have another tour with you, this was my second holiday with you.

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Sylvia Williams, 9 months ago

Very enjoyable.

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R Langley, 9 months ago

Excellent trip overall. Drivers Chris and Blake were brilliant. Choice of hotels very good overall. Talking with fellow passengers it was felt that perhaps 3 trips in one day was a little tiring, castellane grotte, alberabello and Ostuni: the first two were probably sufficient for one day. Also it was felt that Castel del Monte and Ferrara could have been missed for a little more time in Bellaria and at Garda. Using Dunkirk instead of Calais is a good choice. Looking forward to the next trip.

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Happy customer, 9 months ago

Good holiday, travelling a lot of miles, seeing lots of places and doing lots of walking.

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