Puglia & Basilicata Hike

Begin your adventure at 9:00 a.m. in the hotel lobby, where you'll meet your guide(s) and fellow hikers. A scenic 40-minute van ride will whisk you away to the enchanting Istria Valley, a landscape dotted with olive groves, vineyards, and the iconic conical roofs of stone trulli houses. Today's hike follows the historic “l’Acquedotto Pugliese,” a marvel of 20th-century engineering. Walk along sunken roads and cross elegant arched stone bridges, meandering through woods and farmland. This impressive aqueduct, built by 20,000 workers from 1906 to 1916, spans 2189 km and still brings water from the mountains east of Naples to the riverless Puglia region. After your pleasant hike, a short transfer brings you to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Alberobello. Here, you'll be captivated by over 1,500 trulli houses, unique round limestone dwellings with conical roofs built using a prehistoric dry-stone technique. A delicious lunch is followed by a fascinating guided tour of this charming town. Afterward, take some free time to explore on your own or perhaps enjoy a coffee or gelato in one of the sunny piazza. We arrive at the lovely Masseria Grofoleo so you can relax and maybe a refreshing dip in the pool. The Masseria Grofoleo is an 18th Century Pugliese Manor house of “Truli” and “Cummerse,” the distinctive buildings peculiar to this small part of Puglia. Our hosts, the Spagnuolo family, treat us to a home-cooked meal of regional specialties prepared in their wood-fired oven. Overnight Masseria Grofoleo.  Hike: 9.2 km/5.7 miles. Elevation: negligible. Flat terrain. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

Morning Pilgrimage: This morning we embark on an unforgettable journey along the legendary “Via Francigena,” the ancient pilgrimage route connecting Italy and northern Europe with the medieval ports of Bari, Monopoli, and Brindisi. Walk in the footsteps of countless pilgrims, tracing the stunning coastline, dipping into hidden inlets and bays, and passing by imposing medieval watchtowers. As you approach the outskirts of Polignano a Mare, be captivated by the sight of its white cliffs dramatically plunging into the azure Adriatic Sea. A newly constructed pedestrian pathway leads you along the clifftops, offering breathtaking views as you meander into this picturesque, whitewashed village. Stroll through narrow alleyways, from one charming piazza to another, and admire the 16th-century palazzi. Make your way to the famous “Lama Monachile,” a narrow cove renowned for its shimmering turquoise waters and pebble beach, flanked by rugged cliffs topped with whitewashed homes. After soaking in the beauty of Polignano a Mare, enjoy some free time before heading to the heart of old Monopoli. Here, indulge in a yummy seafood lunch at a trattoria near the old port, savoring the freshest catch and local flavors. This afternoon, wander through Monopoli’s authentic medieval and baroque architecture, taking in the rich history and vibrant atmosphere of this charming town. We return to welcoming Masseria Grofoleo. As the day winds down, we stroll into into the picturesque village of Locorotondo for a tasting of local wines in a delightful little “enoteca” followed by dinner in the village.The Hike: 9 km/5.6 miles. Elevation: negligible. Flat terrain.  Overnight Masseria Grofoleo. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

Transfer from Puglia to Basilicata and the “Alta Murgia” National Park this morning. The Murgia is a vast karst plateau that gives this region special features of unexpected ravines and gorges. We hike into a seemingly wild ravine, only to find it honeycombed with shelters and thousand-year-old rock-hewn churches. Indeed, this area has been inhabited since Paleolithic times, and more recently, the ravines were “colonized” in the 8th and 9th centuries by monastic orders. We return to the high plateau, where we are rewarded with mesmerizing views of distant Matera. A short transfer takes us to the ancient city, where we have lunch. In the afternoon, we enjoy a couple of hours of "urban trekking" in the company of a specialist guide. She takes us through the famous "Sassi," where Matera’s inhabitants lived for centuries in stone dwellings partially excavated from the rock along the steep ravines that slice the landscape. The city is riddled with caves, churches, and houses dug from the living rock. Our accommodation for the next two nights, the 4-star Hotel San Pietro (or similar), has been central to the revival and restoration of the old town. The owners have lovingly restored a complex of centuries-old buildings to give their guests a unique experience. We dine tonight at a local "enoteca" (wine shop), where you can taste some of the most exciting wines from the region. Hike: 6 kms/4 miles. Elevation gain 245 m/784 feet uphill/same downhill. Rocky terrain. Duration: About 2.5 hours. Additional 3km/2miles of urban walking in the afternoon, up and down. Overnight Matera at four star Corte San Pietro. Hotel, breakfast, light lunch, and dinner included.

We have permission to access private land and hike to an incredible site that is hidden far from view in the tortuous landscape of the Murgia. Our destination is called the Villaggio Saraceno. It is a vast complex of around 70 cave dwellings dug into the rock on both sides of a small ravine. Amongst the caves are the rock church of San Nicola al Saraceno, the crypt of Vitisciulo, and the rock church of San Luca alla Selva. Ascending the trail to the north, the vegetation suddenly opens up, leaving room to admire numerous caves and the rock church of Cristo la Selva, which is on the opposite side of the ravine. We eventually emerge from the canyon to have lunch at a local farm, where we are treated to home-cooked local specialties. Afterward, we return to Matera so you can have time to explore more of this incredible place. Or, you can relax on the hotel terrace and watch the rays of the setting sun caress the honey-colored stonework of the Sassi. Tonight is a free night, so you can eat when and where you like. Your guide will have recommendations for you.  The Hike: 10 kms/6 miles. Elevation gain/loss:296 m/947 feet. Duration: About 3 hours. Overnight Matera at four star Corte San Pietro. Hotel, breakfast, and lunch included. Dinner is not included. 

After breakfast, we have a scenic two-hour transfer to the surprising landscapes of the ”Dolomiti Lucane”.  We hike along the crest of a high ridge, which offers epic views over the spectacular terrain of the Parco Gallipoli-Cognato. Spikey, rocky peaks pierce the horizon, verdant forests cover the flanks of the hills, and distant honey-colored villages are sprinkled across the hills and valleys. As we hike,  we occasionally stop to make friends with the goats and sheep we encounter. We end up in Pietrapertosa, whose houses sit clustered beneath a jagged spine of rock. After lunch at a local trattoria, you can opt for another hour’s walk to reach the neighboring village of Castelmezzano or just rest the legs and make the trip by van. For the next two nights, we will be Peppino and Maria Giovanna guests at the Foresteria di San Leo (or similar). They greet us with open arms and make us feel welcome at their family-run “Agriturismo.” Dinner is in the dining room or on the terrace if weather permits. Hike: 8 to 10 kms/5 to 6 miles. Elevation:150 m/500 feet uphill 320 m/1,024 feet gently downhill. Overnight Trivigno. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

Our final walk is a loop that begins and ends at our hotel so we can forget about the van for a while. Hike through the woods and fields of the beautiful countryside to get to the shores of an artificial lake, where we enjoy a lovely picnic lunch prepared by Maria Giovanna. Back at our hotel, you have time to swim in the pool before joining a cooking class with Grazia who will help you prepare a sumptuous meal for our final dinner. The cooking “event” is a fun and instructive occasion to learn some secrets of Puglia’s superb cuisine. Overnight Trivigno. Hike: 12 or 15 km/8 to 9.5 miles. Elevation:uphill/negligible. 278 m/889 feet downhill. Optional return hike 278 m/889 feet uphill. Duration: About 3.5 hours.  Overnight Trivigno. Hotel, breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner included.

We transfer this morning to Potenza for 10:00 train departures to Naples, Rome, and beyond. We can also arrange a transfer to the Bari airport (at your own expense).  Breakfast and transfer included.

Some details of the itinerary may change according to the departure date of your tour. Whenever we run a tour, we make new discoveries. Sometimes they are promising discoveries, like a wonderful new trattoria, and sometimes they are bad, like a trail has been washed away. The result is that we sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding new elements to the tour or by removing something that does not work anymore. Rest assured, our goal is to always provide you with the best possible experience. We will advise you of any changes to the original itinerary prior to departure.