- Tour code
ITAADV01
- Start
Brindisi
- End
Rome
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
Puglia and the Amalfi Coast show two very different sides of the south. Puglia is golden stone, olive groves and slow lunches; the Amalfi Coast is steep, colorful and made for the water. This trip gives you time in both, and finishes with a night in Rome.
The first part is based in Lecce, with an evening walk through the Baroque old town, a day trip to seaside Otranto and a cooking class of Pugliese dishes. On the way to Matera you stop in Alberobello for its cone-roofed trulli and an olive oil tasting with lunch, then spend an afternoon and a morning among Matera's ancient cave dwellings and rock churches.
From there you head to Sorrento as your coastal base for three nights. Positano gets a full day of beach and town, Capri is reached by private boat with a meal on the island, and the final evening is a farewell dinner in Rome.
Hotels, transport, cooking and tastings are all arranged, and with a maximum of 16 travelers you can simply enjoy the food, the views and your group.
Why This Journey
Most visitors to southern Italy pick one region. This route links two that are hard to combine independently: Puglia and Basilicata are spread out and poorly served by public transport, and the drive from Matera across to Sorrento is a long one. Doing it with private transport means you see Lecce's Baroque, the trulli and the Sassi of Matera without losing days to connections.
It suits travelers who care about food as much as sights: a Pugliese cooking class, olive oil from Alberobello and a garden-to-table meal on Capri sit alongside the cathedrals and cliffs. It's a good fit for a first trip to the south, with enough free time on the coast to swim, shop or simply sit with a limoncello.
Where You'll Stay
Lecce (2 nights): Patria Palace Hotel Lecce, beside the Basilica di Santa Croce. Matera (1 night): Hotel San Domenico al Piano, in the upper town near the Sassi. Sorrento (3 nights): Hotel Antiche Mura, next to Piazza Tasso. Rome (1 night): Hotel Artemide, on Via Nazionale. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. This is an open-jaw trip: fly into Brindisi Airport (BDS) and out of Rome Fiumicino (FCO). Arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
The Amalfi Coast: Positano's cliffside houses and Capri's clear water
Lecce's Baroque streets, Alberobello's trulli and Matera's cave city
Wine tastings, a Pugliese cooking class, seafood and seaside nights
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travelers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary, including lunch in Matera on Day 4 and dinner in Sorrento on Day 4
- Optional activities, such as beach clubs or the nightclub in Positano
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
Make your way to your hotel in Lecce, a city famous for the ornate honey-colored stone of its churches and palazzi. After you settle in, head out and explore.
In the evening your Soca Islands Host leads the group on a walk through the historic center, past the carved facade of Santa Croce and Piazza Sant'Oronzo with its half-excavated Roman amphitheater, ending at a local trattoria for your first dinner together, with regional wine on the table.
Today takes you to Otranto on the Adriatic coast, Italy's easternmost town. Walk the seafront, stop for a coffee and step into the Romanesque cathedral, begun in the 11th century, to see its vast floor mosaic and the chapel lined with the bones of the town's martyrs.
Back in Lecce, a local chef guides you through a hands-on cooking class of classic Pugliese recipes, and then you eat what you have made. Finish with a gelato as the old town lights up.
Morning is in Alberobello, a UNESCO-listed town of whitewashed, cone-roofed trulli. Grab an espresso, chat with local artisans and try out your Italian. An olive oil tasting and lunch in the shade follow.
In the afternoon you continue to Matera, whose cave dwellings have been inhabited for thousands of years. Walk its maze of stone lanes, then sit down with the group for dinner and local wine.
There is more of Matera to see this morning, including Casa Noha and the rock church of Santa Maria de Idris, carved into the limestone above the Sasso Caveoso.
Pick up lunch in town, then it is a longer drive west to Sorrento on the Bay of Naples. The evening is free for the waterfront, a seafood dinner and a glass of limoncello.
Positano is yours for the day: stepped streets, boutiques and a pebbly beach below houses stacked up the cliff. Swim, try a beach club or wander.
Tonight the group has dinner in Positano, and those who want to keep going can dance at a nightclub set in a seaside cave.
A private boat takes you across to Capri, running past sheer cliffs and sea caves on the way.
On the island you share a hands-on meal at a local eatery, built around fresh garden produce and local wine, before cruising back to Sorrento.
Your last morning on the coast is free for the waterfront or a little souvenir shopping.
Then you travel to Rome, where the group sits down for a farewell dinner to toast the week.
Have breakfast with the group, then your departure transfer takes you to the airport.
If you'd rather stay on to see more of Rome and Italy, your Soca Islands Host can share ideas for extending your trip, and extra nights can be requested.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Patria Palace Hotel Lecce
A historic palazzo on Piazzetta Riccardi in the centre of Lecce's old town, right beside the Basilica di Santa Croce, the city's showpiece of carved Baroque stone. Piazza Sant'Oronzo, the Roman amphitheatre and the Duomo are all a few minutes' walk away.
Rooms and suites are individually styled to reflect the palace. The Atenze restaurant has a terrace, and the Sira rooftop bar looks straight across to Santa Croce, a good spot for an evening drink after the old-town walk.
Hotel websiteHotel San Domenico al Piano
A hotel on Via Roma in the 'Piano', the upper town of Matera, close to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, where the main viewpoints over the Sassi begin. The lanes down into the Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso are a short walk away.
Its position on the level upper town makes arrival by vehicle straightforward, which is not the case for hotels set inside the Sassi themselves.
Hotel websiteHotel Antiche Mura
A hotel on Via Fuorimura in the centre of Sorrento, a minute or two from Piazza Tasso, the town's main square. The pedestrian lanes of the old town, the Villa Comunale gardens and the steps down to Marina Piccola, where boats leave for Capri, are all within walking distance.
It takes its name from the old city walls it sits beside, and the swimming pool is set in a lemon garden, a welcome place to rest after a day on the coast.
Hotel websiteHotel Artemide
A hotel in a 19th-century building on Via Nazionale, between Termini station and Piazza Venezia. The Trevi Fountain, the Quirinal and Monti are within walking distance, and the Forum and Colosseum are a 20-minute walk.
The Ambrosia rooftop restaurant and bar looks out over the city roofs, and there is an on-site spa and lounge, with breakfast served daily.
Hotel websiteRooms
You'll stay at Trip Hotel.
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- +$1,650 per person
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
Room prices are per person for the May 16, 2027 departure and can differ on other dates. You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into Brindisi Airport (BDS) and out of Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO).
Proposed accommodation is Patria Palace Hotel Lecce in Lecce, Hotel San Domenico al Piano in Matera, Hotel Antiche Mura in Sorrento and Hotel Artemide in Rome (or similar hotels), subject to confirmation.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. An arrival transfer from Brindisi Airport (BDS) and a departure transfer to Rome Fiumicino (FCO) are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
7 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners are included, as described in the itinerary. Other meals are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our The Amalfi Coast & Puglia trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
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