Discover Puglia

You have a morning to explore Parma, perhaps taking a visit to the 12th-century cathedral or the Teatro Regio Opera House in this delightful corner of Emilia-Romagna.

At lunchtime, board a Eurostar Italia Frecciabianca which takes you comfortably along the east coast of Italy and into Bari, Puglia’s capital, in time for dinner. Check into the iH Hotels Bari Oriente (or similar) for a 2-night stay.

Your first stop in Puglia is in its maritime capital, Bari. Known as a strategic port for onward travel to Greece or Montenegro, Bari also has a charming medieval Old Town, known locally as Bari Vecchia which sits atop a peninsula between two harbours. Not to be missed here is the Basilica of Saint Nicholas with its gilded ceiling, floor mosaics and the tomb of Saint Nicholas (otherwise known as Santa Claus).

Elsewhere, the Romanesque cathedral and Swabian Castle (Castello Svevo) are also well worth a visit. The castle now hosts regular temporary exhibitions.

Enjoy another free morning in Bari and perhaps take a wander along the seafront promenade in the stately Murat Quarter. After an early lunch, return to the station and catch a regional train through the countryside of Puglia, sharing the scenic journey with locals as you change at the small town of Putignano. Here, a connecting bus will take you to Alberobello, the home of the famous Trulli houses.

On arrival, make your way to the Palazzo Scotto (or similar) , where you’ll be staying for the next 3 nights.

Alberobello is best-known for its trulli housing, a fascinating feature of this part of Puglia. A construction with conical roof put together without mortar. Alberobello is designated a UNESCO world heritage site – as its collection of over 1,500 trulli in an townscape environment is unique. Some of the trulli are now used as shops, restaurants, and accommodation, although many are still lived in by locals.

As you would expect, Alberobello is popular with tourists, but not overrun, thanks to its relative remoteness compared to the more touristy western Italian coastline.

Catch a Trenitalia bus this morning for a 20-minute ride to the small town of Martina Franca, where you are back on the rail network. From here, take a regional train through to Lecce, right at the southeastern tip of the ‘heel’ of Italy. On arrival here, check in at the Risorgimento Hotel (or similar) for 3 nights.

Lecce is often known as the Florence of the South thanks to its impressive collection of Baroque architecture including a stunning cathedral with a five-floor belfry.

You have two full days in Lecce to explore at your own pace. The town has two main focal points, the Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazza del Duomo. The Piazza Sant’Oronzo boasts an interesting mix of modern and historic architectural styles, including the town’s Roman amphitheatre, half of which is still underground.

Lecce is also a great base for exploring the Salento Peninsula – the stunning coastal towns of Gallipoli (pictured) and Otranto are 90 minutes away by local railway and in 2½ hours you can reach Leuca, right on the ‘tip of the heel’.

Today you take a comfortable and air-conditioned Eurostar Italia Frecciargento or Frecciablanca right up the spine of Italy, via the Apennine Mountains to Milan.

Here, check in for an overnight stay at the Starhotels Anderson (or similar) conveniently located near the main station. Spend an evening exploring the centre of Milan and perhaps stop at one of the tempting restaurants for dinner. We can also add extra nights in Milan for you if you would like to extend your stay here.

It’s a fairly early start today, so make sure you are up early for breakfast in your hotel before making your way to Milan Garibaldi station for a direct TGV service to Paris. There’s a bar buffet car on the train where you can buy lunch or you might prefer to stock up on supplies in Milan before you leave.

In Paris, cross over to the Gare du Nord and catch the Eurostar for a quick journey under the Channel to London.