I took this tour this past May and absolutely enjoyed it. Our tour guide was the fabulous Alessandro. I don’t know what you specifically want to know. Wr stayed an extra night in another town, Ostuni. If I remember, the last hotel/resort was miles and miles away from town (for shopping or browsing). Even though, it’s an exquisite resort, I find that distance to be an inconvenience. We did combine it with another bank-to-back trip. I can’t see traveling that distance just for one week. I had alot of olive oil shipped from a store the tour guide took us to. The food was delicious, especially the pizza.
Like OurTravels34, I combined this tour with another one -- Bellissima Northern Italy. I was in Puglia in late May-early June this year. It was uncomfortably hot for me, but on the whole, I enjoyed it. Matera was really interesting, and I enjoyed our day in Polignano a Mare, which included a boat ride along the coast. I posted a 2-part review that you can find by scrolling down the right-hand side of this page to "Italy" and then just go to the "Week in Puglia" section.
We took this tour years ago when it was brand new. I think it’s changed a lot. The only hotel that was isolated was the first hotel the Borgo Egnasia, one of the most unusual hotels we have ever stayed in. They had a fantastic saltwater indoor pool which is important to us as we like to swim when we can. We went in late September and it was over 100 degrees on most days.
Hello Diane, we went on this tour in 2022 and we really enjoyed it, but it was already our 4th or 5th time in Italy. This tour does not really carry the jaw-dropping punch of the Classic Italy tour EXCEPT for Matera, which is a must see. Alberobello is also really charming. If you take this tour, please arrive one day early and bring your best non-slip walking shoes, because the limestone steps have been polished by centuries of use. A private guide would be helpful. Matera and Puglia are a little harder to visit on your own if you don't like driving, and the Tauck tour is very helpful to give you a flavor of the region. I agree with OurTravels34 and MCD that you could pair it with another tour but please check your logistics before you choose which other tour. Overall, the vibe of this tour is definitely more rustic country than some of the other Italy tours. (Nice hotels though!)
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I took this tour this past May and absolutely enjoyed it. Our tour guide was the fabulous Alessandro. I don’t know what you specifically want to know. Wr stayed an extra night in another town, Ostuni. If I remember, the last hotel/resort was miles and miles away from town (for shopping or browsing). Even though, it’s an exquisite resort, I find that distance to be an inconvenience. We did combine it with another bank-to-back trip. I can’t see traveling that distance just for one week. I had alot of olive oil shipped from a store the tour guide took us to. The food was delicious, especially the pizza.
Like OurTravels34, I combined this tour with another one -- Bellissima Northern Italy. I was in Puglia in late May-early June this year. It was uncomfortably hot for me, but on the whole, I enjoyed it. Matera was really interesting, and I enjoyed our day in Polignano a Mare, which included a boat ride along the coast. I posted a 2-part review that you can find by scrolling down the right-hand side of this page to "Italy" and then just go to the "Week in Puglia" section.
We took this tour years ago when it was brand new. I think it’s changed a lot. The only hotel that was isolated was the first hotel the Borgo Egnasia, one of the most unusual hotels we have ever stayed in. They had a fantastic saltwater indoor pool which is important to us as we like to swim when we can. We went in late September and it was over 100 degrees on most days.
Hello Diane, we went on this tour in 2022 and we really enjoyed it, but it was already our 4th or 5th time in Italy. This tour does not really carry the jaw-dropping punch of the Classic Italy tour EXCEPT for Matera, which is a must see. Alberobello is also really charming. If you take this tour, please arrive one day early and bring your best non-slip walking shoes, because the limestone steps have been polished by centuries of use. A private guide would be helpful. Matera and Puglia are a little harder to visit on your own if you don't like driving, and the Tauck tour is very helpful to give you a flavor of the region. I agree with OurTravels34 and MCD that you could pair it with another tour but please check your logistics before you choose which other tour. Overall, the vibe of this tour is definitely more rustic country than some of the other Italy tours. (Nice hotels though!)