APULIA AND AMALFI COAST

DAY 1: Arrive in historic, lively Bari, where you are transferred to your hotel.

DAY 2: Today, explore central Puglia, beginning in the town of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with distinct, cone-shaped trulli dwellings. Constructed as immigrant domiciles in the 15th century, they were built without binding materials so they could quickly be demolished. Continue to Locorotondo, among the most beautiful villages in Italy, perched majestically atop a hill overlooking the countryside, the town is stippled with whitewashed, flower-adorned houses with stone staircases and balconies. Visit at the beautiful terraced vineyards embracing Locorotondo, enjoy a wine tasting and an Italian typical lunch. Return to Bari, Puglia’s bustling capital city, where you traverse its winding streets and pedestrian squares on a food tour. Taste culinary treasures, including creamy burrata, handcrafted salami, handmade pasta and garden-grown vegetables sold from doorways, local beer and focaccia. Spend the remaining time as leisure.

DAY 3: Head south to Lecce, stopping en route in the “White City” of Ostuni, a monumental olive tree-swathed plateau of the lower Murgia. Take a guided walk along its sun-drenched streets and quaint, cobbled alleyways, taking in panoramas of the surrounding landscape and Adriatic Sea. See the Rione Terra district at the heart of the medieval walled village and the magnificent Gothic cathedral. As you explore, stop at the oldest bakery in Ostuni, set within an ancient building dating back to the 14th century. Visit a masseria belonging to a local olive oil producer. Sample its “liquid gold” — the crown jewel of Puglia’s olive oil production, made with trees that were planted during Roman times. Proceed to Lecce, where you check in to your hotel.

DAY 4: Spend today exploring Lecce, a Baroque “Florence of the South.” Take a scenic walking tour through town, seeing the Piazza del Duomo, the masterful Basilica of Santa Croce and the Roman amphitheater. Attend a pasticciotto pastry-making class, learning the secrets behind preparing this beloved, custard-filled confection. In the afternoon attend a wine tasting of celebrated Puglian vintages at 16th-century Castello Monaci. Tour its impressive wine museum, taking a moment to appreciate sweeping views over the stunning vineyard. Then, sit down to a candlelit Puglian dinner in a grand, private room within the historic castle.

DAY 5: Travel to Otranto, Italy’s easternmost city, a “bridge” linking the country to the Mediterranean. Upon arriving in the afternoon, take a scenic drive along the coast, seeing the Castro, Tricase Porto and Grotta della Poesia. Enclosed by Aragonese walls, Otranto’s Old Town overlooks the crystalline waters, it was founded by the Greeks in the Byzantine period as a commercial, political and religious hub and a major port of trade with the Orient. During the returning in Lecce there is the possibility to stop in Gallipoli to take an evening stroll through the historic town center of medieval. The waters off its coast offer up a veritable feast, which you can discover firsthand at the fisherman’s market. Enjoy a glass of white wine and a dish of fish crudités.

DAY 6: Transfer to Matera, among the most ancient cities on earth. This magical open-air museum — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is an inimitable tangle of cave-dwellings, magnificent Baroque palaces and beautiful stone churches. Make your way through the sassi (districts of the city) to see the dark caves of the Murgia; the rock-hewn churches of religious communities; and the elegant streets of the Piano, replete with 17th-century monasteries and palaces.

DAY 7: Depart for the beautiful Amalfi Coast, stopping en route in Pompeii, where you set out on a two-hour walking tour of the once-opulent town. The extensive and varied ruins of Pompeii offer rich insight into the history of the Roman Empire. Continue to your hotel in Sorrento, featuring unrivaled views of the Gulf of Naples.

DAY 8: Transfer to stunning Capri by private boat. Upon arrival, stroll Capri’s charming, boutique-lined streets. Then, board a public boat that whisks you to the spellbinding, iridescent Blue Grotto. Observe the magical light that illuminates the cave’s rocky walls. Continue sightseeing, or choose to explore beautiful Villa San Michele in Anacapri the Church of San Michele or the summit of Monte Solaro, reached by chairlift. Return to your hotel on the mainland for an evening at leisure.

DAY 9: Skirt the fabled Amalfi coast by private vehicle, starting with a visit to the enchanting village of Ravello, with its stunning coastal views. Take in vistas from the lovely Villa Rufolo and the Duomo, fronted by a beautifully hued, 13th-century façade before continuing to Amalfi. Pause for lunch in a delightful, sea-view restaurant. After that you may choose between take a sunset cruise along the beautiful Amalfi Coast jetting by private motor boat as you savor a twilight dinner cooked by your onboard chef, or proceed the coast to elegant Sorrento, a Belle Époque treasure of graceful streets with stunning views across the Gulf of Naples. Return to the hotel.

DAY 10: Transfer to the Naples airport and board your departure flight.