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What to expect

Culinary Experiences

Culinary Experiences

Cooking classes & wine tastings

UNESCO-listed Cities

UNESCO-listed Cities

Explore Matera & Alberobello's beauty

Culture & Charm

Culture & Charm

Coastal towns & picturesque villages

Freedom to choose

Freedom to choose

Mix of guided touring & free time

About this trip...

Step into something truly special with Taste of Puglia — our latest culinary and cultural journey crafted exclusively for solo travellers. This isn’t just a holiday; it’s a delicious deep-dive into the authentic heart of southern Italy.

Over the course of eight enriching days, we’ll uncover the beauty of Puglia, the sun-kissed heel of Italy’s boot. From ancient olive groves and charming whitewashed villages to dramatic coastlines and time-honoured traditions, every stop invites you to connect — not only with the land, but with its vibrant people and bold, rustic flavours.

With a no-single-supplement policy and your own room throughout, you’ll enjoy the comfort of travelling solo while sharing the experience with a warm, welcoming group. Carefully designed to blend local tastes, meaningful encounters, and a dash of adventure, Taste of Puglia offers the best of Italy — solo, but never on your own.

Activity Level: Activity Level Rating
What's this?

What's included?

  • Return flights & transfers
  • Airport taxes & charges
  • Room for sole use
  • Solos Board: Daily breakfast & dinner (drinks not included)
  • Three-course lunch in a restaurant in Alberobello - first course, main course with side dish, fruit or dessert, water and ¼ bottle of wine (day 2)
  • Light lunch in Trani (day 3) and muscat wine tasting
  • Half day at a masseria with cooking class & dairy demonstration and lunch (day 7)
  • Three-course lunch in Matera (day 5) - first course, main course with side dish, fruit or dessert, water and ¼ of wine)
  • Tasting of three types of wine + snacks (day 4)
  • Welcome drink
  • Olive oil tasting at a local oil mill (day 2)
  • Entrance fees in Matera & Castel del Monte
  • Guide service on all excursions
  • Accompanying Solos Tour Leader
  • Fully Financially Protected

Passport, Visa & Entry Requirements

  • Insurance click here
  • Tourist City Tax - EUR 1.00 for initial night, EUR 1.50 per night afterwards payable to the hotel locally (amount subject to change)

Itinerary

  • Arrive in Puglia
  • Trulli, Olive Oil & the White City
  • Seaside Elegance & Medieval Majesty
  • Bari’s Charm & Polignano’s Cliffs
  • Stone Secrets & Flavours of Basilicata – Matera
  • A day to unwind – or discover Lecce & Otranto (Optional)
  • Flavours of the Farm & Hilltop Towns
  • Arrivederci, Puglia

What you'll be doing

Day One: Arrive in Puglia

Day One: Arrive in Puglia

Welcome to Puglia! Upon arrival at Bari Airport, we transfer to D'Aragona Conversano. After check-in, we gather for a relaxed welcome dinner – the perfect way to get to know your fellow travellers and start the tour in true Italian style.

  • Dinner included
Day Two: Trulli, Olive Oil & the White City

Day Two: Trulli, Olive Oil & the White City

We begin our day in Alberobello - a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its fairytale-like trulli – whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the charming old town before we enjoy a traditional lunch inside one of these historic homes. We’ll then head to a nearby oil mill, where we learn how liquid gold is produced and enjoy a tasting session of various local oils. In the afternoon, we explore Ostuni, the ‘White City’, glowing under the sun with its maze of narrow lanes and striking views of the Adriatic Sea. You’ll feel transported as we wander through its peaceful, photogenic streets and sip a cool drink in a local café before returning to our hotel for dinner.

  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Day Three: Seaside Elegance & Medieval Majesty

Day Three: Seaside Elegance & Medieval Majesty

Today we visit Trani, a charming coastal town renowned for its cathedral dramatically perched by the sea. After a gentle walk along the harbour, we enjoy a light lunch with local Moscato wine and regional sweets.


We’ll have time to soak in the relaxed atmosphere or explore artisan shops along the marina. In the afternoon, we head inland to visit the mysterious Castel del Monte, a striking 13th-century fortress with a perfectly octagonal shape. Its harmonious blend of architecture and landscape will leave you in awe as we gaze over endless olive groves before heading back to the hotel. (Shuttle bus at Castel del Monte €2.00 per person - subject to changes, to be paid locally)

  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Day Four: Bari’s Charm & Polignano’s Cliffs

Day Four: Bari’s Charm & Polignano’s Cliffs

In the morning, we dive into the culture and cuisine of Bari, exploring the old town and the Basilica of San Nicola, a site of spiritual and historic importance. At a renowned local winery, we’ll taste three wines paired with classic Apulian bites like panzerotti and focaccia. As we wander through Bari Vecchia, we might even spot local women hand-making orecchiette pasta in the streets. Later, we travel to Polignano a Mare, a coastal town of white houses and dramatic cliffs. We can take time to enjoy the sea views before returning for dinner.

  • Breakfast & dinner included

Day Five: Stone Secrets & Flavours of Basilicata – Matera

Day Five: Stone Secrets & Flavours of Basilicata – Matera

Today we journey inland to Matera, one of Italy’s most captivating cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the 'City of Stones', Matera’s ancient cave dwellings, rock churches, and underground cisterns form a landscape unlike anywhere else in the world. As we explore the Sassi with a local guide, we’ll uncover stories carved in stone — from the Palombaro Lungo, a vast subterranean reservoir, to a traditional cave home that reveals how families once lived.

We break for lunch at a local restaurant, where the regional cuisine of Basilicata takes centre stage — simple, hearty, and packed with flavour. The meal begins with a broad beans cream served with chicory and crusco peppers, showcasing the region’s love for earthy ingredients and bold textures. For the first course, enjoy Ferricelli pasta with Materana sauce, a rustic medley of olives, capers, and pezzente sausage, a traditional local salami. The main dish features Lucano black pork chops, slow-cooked in an earthenware pignata with tender potatoes, delivering depth and richness with every bite. Sporcamusi, a light puff pastry filled with custard cream, offers a sweet ending to the meal. Everything is paired with local red wine and water, reflecting the warm hospitality and proud culinary heritage of the region. (Menu is subject to change)

 

  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Day Six: A day to unwind – or discover Lecce & Otranto (Optional)

Day Six: A day to unwind – or discover Lecce & Otranto (Optional)

Today is ours to enjoy however we wish. We can take time to relax at the hotel, unwind by the pool, or explore the nearby surroundings at our own pace. Whether you’re in the mood for a quiet morning or a bit of spontaneous adventure, this is your chance to set the rhythm.

For those eager to keep exploring, we offer an optional guided tour to Lecce and Otranto — two of Puglia’s most culturally rich and visually striking towns. In Lecce, often called 'the Florence of the South', we’ll admire its golden Baroque architecture and vibrant piazzas. Highlights of the guided tour include the Church of Santa Croce, Piazza Sant'Oronzo, and the atmospheric Piazza Duomo. The visit includes an aperitif featuring a rustico leccese and a traditional caffè leccese with pasticciotto.

In the afternoon, explore Otranto, a charming coastal town with Byzantine roots. Visit the Cathedral and admire its vast 12th-century mosaic floor, one of Europe’s finest medieval artworks. Stroll through the old town, enclosed by ancient walls and facing the emerald sea. We return to the hotel in the evening for dinner and a relaxed end to the day.

 

  • Breakfast & dinner included
Day Seven: Flavours of the Farm & Hilltop Towns

Day Seven: Flavours of the Farm & Hilltop Towns

We begin the day with a hands-on cooking class at a traditional masseria in the countryside. We’ll learn how to shape orecchiette pasta and enjoy it for lunch alongside freshly made burrata, mozzarella, and ricotta during a dairy demonstration. It’s a joyful, down-to-earth experience that celebrates Puglia’s rural roots. In the afternoon, we visit Locorotondo and Martina Franca, two of the most beautiful towns in the Itria Valley. Their winding lanes and elegant buildings offer the perfect end to a week of culinary discovery.


  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

Day Eight: Arrivederci, Puglia

Day Eight: Arrivederci, Puglia

After breakfast, we say our farewells and transfer to Bari airport for our flight home – hearts full, taste buds tingling, and new friendships made.


  • Breakfast included

Accommodation

The D’Aragona Hotel & Spa Four-star October 25 & All dates 2026

This newly renovated, modern hotel boasts a strategic position for its proximity to the sea (only 8 km), the Airport of Bari-Palese (just 45 km away) in peaceful town Conversano. Hotel is located 850m (15 min walk) from the town historical centre.

Facilities include

The Hotel offers a wide range of services and has a seasonal, semi-olympic-size pool, stylish American bar, the elegant restaurant serving Apulian and national specialties, the Wellness Centre and large gardens for those in search of a pleasant moment of relax.  There is also Free Wi-Fi in public areas.

Room includes

Refined and equipped with every comfort the rooms have flat-screen/satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, minibar, telephone, air conditioning, heating, work desk, bathroom with shower or bath tub/Jacuzzi, complimentary toiletries and hair dryer. Most of the rooms have balconies of which some overlook the pool.

Dates & Prices

Departure Return Nights Price from Other Info Regional flights
24 May 2026 31 May 2026 7
£2445
   Please call for regional flights
20 Sep 2026 27 Sep 2026 7
£2495
   Please call for regional flights

Essential Information

Transfer
The transfer time from Bari Airport to our hotel is approximately 40 minutes, depending on traffic.  
What to wear
For this trip, we recommend packing light, breathable clothing for warm days, along with comfortable walking shoes for cobbled streets and sightseeing. A sunhat, sunglasses, and a light scarf or shawl will come in handy for sunny afternoons and visiting churches. Evenings can be cooler, so bring a light jacket or cardigan, and perhaps something a little smarter for group dinners.
Gratuities
We suggest a Group Collection to cover transfer drivers, guides and hotel staff of €30 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate % add on.
Currency
Euro
Passport & Visa Information
A full 10-year passport is required, valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. 
 
A visa is not required by holders of passports endorsed “British Citizen” for stays of upto 90 days in any 180-day period. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visa, a valid passport and any other travel documents for your holiday. All information provided relates to British citizens who hold or are entitled to apply for a British passport. 
 
If you are not a British citizen and do not hold a British passport, you must make your own enquiries as to the applicable requirements.
More to explore
There may be optional activities available to you during the course of your holiday, full details of which will be given out at your Information Meeting by the local guide. All tours should be paid for in Euros. The exact amount will be given at your Information Meeting. Your Tour Leader may not necessarily accompany you.
 
Optional excursion to Lecce - Otranto 10-14 Pax € 90 / from 15 Pax € 87 Rate includes bus service + guide + aperitif + entrance fees 
 
Optional excursion to Lecce, called The Florence of the South. In fact, it is the Baroque that characterises portals, spires, columns and balconies, fascinating the visitor with chromatic effects and suggestions due to the use of a particular building material, Pietra Leccese, a golden stone, hard, but at the same time particularly malleable, that allows for results of great plasticity. Guided tour of the main monuments including the Church of Santa Croce, Piazza Sant'Oronzo, the centre and vital heart of the city, and Piazza Duomo, a unique and inimitable setting. Aperitif with rustico leccese and coffee leccese with pasticciotto. In the afternoon, a guided tour of Otranto, a town with Byzantine influences that was once referred to as ‘the Gateway to the East’. Otranto Cathedral was designed to be the most authoritative church in the whole of Apulia. The Otranto mosaic is the extraordinary floor of the Cathedral Basilica, one of the largest and best-preserved medieval lithostrates in Europe. The historic centre is surrounded by ancient walls overlooking the emerald green sea. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Optional excursions are not guaranteed and are based on minimum numbers. The prices quoted are guideline only and may involve other non-Solos holidaymakers.

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