Family Adventure in Puglia & Matera: Sun, Stone and Southern Flavors
This ten-day family trip is taking place in the golden heel of Italy, where Puglia's beauty meets the ancient walls of Matera. Through rolling hills and ancient olive trees, you arrive at villages painted white under clear skies. Cave homes sit beside centuries-old stone buildings, each telling a different story. Trulli stand tucked into quiet corners, their round roofs weathered by time. This path winds through moments full of flavor, not just from local dishes learned in family workshops, but also from afternoons spent exploring by bike or collecting seashells on saltwater shores. Rest happens too, soft and steady, especially when evenings unfold under starlight and children laugh without rush. Every stop fits someone looking not for tourist highlights, but real connection shaped by slow days and genuine encounters.
What's included
Itinerary
Welcome to Bari Airport, where your personal driver awaits to guide you onward. From there, a short ride unfolds, leading to your rustic masseria, an old farmhouse tucked within rolling hills dotted with olive groves. Once inside, breathe quietly into the calm, letting time pass under clear skies.
Later, when daylight fades, gather around a shared table for a hearty first-night meal. Plates come alive with orecchiette bathed in rich red sauce, alongside warm focaccia pulled straight from the oven.
Inclusions:
- Private transfer from Bari Airport to masseria
- Accommodation in countryside farmhouse with pool
- Welcome dinner featuring Puglian cuisine
Once breakfast is done, walk alongside your guide into Alberobello. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its fancy trulli houses. The narrow streets of Rione Monti unfold like something out of a child's dream, with trulli houses stacked at odd angles.
Then, head toward Locorotondo, where rolling hills of vines and green olives stretch under soft light. Little ones might laugh while scrambling up tight alleyways, tasting cold gelato now and then, before returning to your masseria for a peaceful evening under the stars.
Inclusions:
- Private driver and local guide
- Guided tours of Alberobello and Locorotondo
- Gelato tasting and leisure time
Local tastes take center stage today. Step onto a home-operated olive oil farm where ancient trees line the ground, guiding you through age-old methods of pressing oil. A moment arrives when you dip bread into newly harvested liquid, feeling the rough texture and sharp flavor under clear skies.
Afterwards take part in a personal cooking session inside your masseria. You and the family will be making orecchiette, along with shaping taralli crackers by hand. Getting stuck in the kitchen like this brings real joy to everyone involved; meals later taste even better because of it.
Inclusions:
- Visit and tasting at olive oil farm
- Private cooking class and lunch
- Afternoon at leisure
Picture yourself winding through the Adriatic's edge by car, headed to Polignano a Mare, a spot where stone buildings seem rooted right into cliff faces, sea glinting below in endless blue. Instead of rushing, pause at narrow streets lined with ancient archways; peer over railings that open onto waves crashing far beneath. Viewpoints appear without warning. These small platforms carved from rock where breath catches just from looking down.
Maybe later head down to the sea in the popular Lama Monachile cave, stepping into salt-scented water under rocky walls. Afterward, find a quiet corner coffee shop where locals sip their morning beverages. You can maybe try a caffè speciale, made with lemon zest and cream.
Sometimes, just stepping outside is enough. A quick trip by boat might take you through hidden sea caves, showing natural wonders up close. Exploring from the waves gives another view entirely.
Inclusions:
- Private transfer and guide
- Guided walking tour of Polignano a Mare
- Optional boat excursion to sea caves
Drive to the charming seaside town of Monopoli, known for its lively harbor and sandy beaches. Spend the morning exploring its old town and visiting the cathedral.
Then, enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the beach. Kids can have a great time while enjoying themselves and paddling in the shallow water. On the other hand, the parents can relax with a refreshing spritz and enjoy the view. For dinner, head to a seaside restaurant serving freshly caught fish and traditional pasta alle vongole.
Inclusions:
- Private transfer to Monopoli
- City exploration and beach time
- Dinner reservation at seaside restaurant
Leave Puglia behind and head inland to Matera, one of Italy’s most extraordinary destinations. Check into your unique cave-style hotel in the Sassi district, where homes are carved directly into the rock.
Once checked in, join a guide for a stroll along narrow paths that twist and turn past ancient stone shelters. When daylight fades, the town's rock walls catch soft gold, creating a stunning and unforgettable view.
Inclusions:
- Private transfer to Matera
- Accommodation in cave-style hotel
- Guided tour of Matera’s Sassi district
Start by walking a relaxed trail in Murgia Materana Park where the landscape opens up to show the old city of Matera perched below. As you move along, your guide speaks of ancient cultures, bringing to life the stories hidden in this land's past.
Stop at a cave transformed into a church, its walls holding frescoes painted long ago. After that, head back to town, feet loose on stone streets, ready to wander into workshops where hands still shape tradition or pause at a corner café where life unfolds slowly.
Inclusions:
- Guided hiking experience in Murgia Materana Park
- Visit to cave church
- Private transfers
Head back to the coast, stopping in Ostuni, the “White City,” known for its maze-like alleys and sunny squares. After exploring this beautiful town, enjoy lunch at a family-run trattoria before continuing to your seaside hotel near Savelletri.
Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or walking along the beach at sunset.
Inclusions:
- Private transfer from Matera to Ostuni and Savelletri
- Guided tour of Ostuni
- Lunch in a traditional trattoria
Spend the day relaxing on the Adriatic coast. Families can choose to relax on the beach, rent bikes to explore the shoreline or visit a nearby water park for some extra fun.
For a cultural experience, you might choose to visit a nearby farm to learn about mozzarella-making and try fresh cheese. Enjoy a casual farewell dinner to celebrate the trip.
Inclusions:
- Full day at leisure with optional activities
- Mozzarella-making demonstration (optional)
- Farewell dinner at local restaurant
Breakfast done, the driver arrives to bring you toward Bari or Brindisi Airport for your return journey. Flying away from southern Italy, you carry honest warmth, photos packed tight with moments, plus a quiet respect for how things unfold slowly here: in villages tied by blood, under stone buildings worn gently by years.
Inclusions:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Private transfer to Bari or Brindisi Airport
