Luxury hotel holidays to Puglia

Luxury holidays to Puglia: luxury hotel holidays, touring holidays and special interest holidays

An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Puglia is an opportunity to explore a gentle land of immense character with a wealth of architectural sights and glorious scenery, both on the coast and in the interior. One of the most startling impressions of Puglia must be the contrasting colours of azure and white, enhanced by the green of olives and vines. Typical sights in Puglia are the trulli, the low lying white-washed houses with beehive-like conical grey roofs, flat fields of grain, olives and vines and here and there perfect examples of mediaeval castles or splendid Byzantine-influenced Norman churches and cathedrals. Red chillies can be seen drying from the wrought-iron balconies of white-washed houses in the villages, whilst broom and mint grow wild in the fields. The coastline of Puglia is noted for its long sandy beaches and the beauty of the hilly Gargano peninsula with bays sheltering beneath dramatic cliffs - a stunning location for your holiday. Our hotels in Puglia tend to be a mixture of 'masserie' - fortified farmhouses that have been converted and extended to be luxury hotels a short distance from the beach, historic hotels in the Baroque city of Lecce and some beachside hotels.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Italy and within Italy, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Puglia

● Food and wine holidays
● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Art, history and heritage holidays
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Highlights of Puglia

Explore the Gargano peninsula with its dramatic coastline of coves and cliffs, beaches and forested interior. Take a boat trip to the Tremiti islands off the coast of the Gargano. The Salentine peninsula should be discovered for its vineyards and olive groves, megalithic remains and grottoes including the Grotte di Castellanata.

Cultural highlights of Puglia

The cultural highlights of Puglia are to be found in the quality of the Norman religious and secular architecture and the Baroque of Lecce in particular. Highlights include Lecce's church of Santa Croce begun in 1549 by Gabriele Riccardi and with a magnificent 17th Century facade, the loggia of the 15th Century Palazzo Vescovile, the Duomo rebuilt by Giuseppe Zimbalo (lo Zingarello) and the church of Santi Nicola e Cataldo (the most important Romanesque church in the Salentine). Bari possesses the Basilica di San Nicola, one of Puglia`s first great Norman churches. The 15th Century frescoes in the church of Santa Caterina d`Alessandria in Galatina are of particular merit. In Bitanto`s Romanesque cathedral is an Ambo by Maestro Nicola dating from 1229 with a bas-relief showing Frederick II and his family.

Festivals in Puglia

Martina Franca holds the Festivale della Valle d`Itria in late July/ early August. Bari holds a historical parade of St Nicholas on 7-10 May and a procession on the sea. Galatina has a curious tradition coinciding with the Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul on 28-29 June as tarantism has survived here. Lecce has a feast for the patron saints of the city on 24 to 26 August.

Gastronomy in Puglia

Olive oil is produced in enormous quantities and this together with local fruit, wine and seafood feature in the regional gastronomy of Puglia. Specialities include Focaccia bread flavoured with olives, fennel and chicory, Panzerotti (pasta with anchovies, capers and strong ricotta cheese), Tiella di Cozze (rice, potatoes and mussels), Melanzane alla campagnola (aubergines roasted and soaked in oil, garlic and basil). Dried pasta of all shapes and sizes is also a regional speciality. Puglia also is a great wine producer. A light red is produced at Cerignola and a robust red at Bari. Red Primitivo del Salento or di Manduria are well known.

Puglia travel information

Puglia is reached very easily from the UK by air. We suggest the use of a hire-car to explore the region.

By air

There are airports at Bari and Brindisi. The closest airport for a direct flight from London is Bari with British Airways. 'No frills' airlines fly into Bari and Brindisi.

Car hire

We include a hire-car with all our holidays to Puglia. There is no additional charge for collecting your car from one place and returning it to another.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Italy and within Italy, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Puglia

● Food and wine holidays
● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Art, history and heritage holidays
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Here you will find a map of Puglia showing the locations of the hotels that we offer

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to Italy and within Italy, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers

Our special interest holidays to Puglia

● Food and wine holidays
● Cultural tours for individuals
● Private guided sightseeing
● Art, history and heritage holidays
● Family holidays

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Beach with bright blue sea and dome of church with houses built into the hillside in Positano

AMALFI COAST, BASILICATA & PUGLIA FLY-DRIVE TOUR

12-night Italian fly-drive touring holiday into Naples and out of Bari. Stays in Amalfi, Maratea and Monopoli. From £2,940 per person.
Conical grey slate roofs of the Trulli houses clustered together in Alberobello Puglia

PUGLIA AND AMALFI COAST TWO CENTRE HOLIDAY

8-night two-centre fly-drive holiday combining Puglia and the Amalfi Coast. Stay in two stunning coastal hotels of character. From £2,670 per person.
Field of poppies with olive trees in Puglia

MOZZARELLA FOOD HOLIDAY IN PUGLIA

5-night food holiday with a focus on mozzarella including a visit to a mozzarella farm and a visit to the local market. Stay at a 5-star luxury masseria hotel near the coast. From £1,850 per person.
Masseria Muzza Puglia beach hotel

BAGLIONI MASSERIA MUZZA Otranto, Puglia

A luxury boutique hotel offering best of a rural retreat and access to the sandy Puglian beaches. 40 rooms and suites. 5-star luxury. Outstanding dining.
Canne Bianche Puglia exterior rear pool sun loungers umbrellas pool terrace

CANNE BIANCHE Puglia

A boutique 5-star, low-rise hotel in gardens with access to a beach with the emphasis on natural but luxurious simplicity. Restaurant serving creative dishes using local produce. Spa and pool.
Don Ferrante Puglia rooftop restaurant overlooking the sea

DON FERRANTE Puglia

In the heart of the historic centre of Monpoli, this 5-star boutique hotel gives an authentic flavour of Puglia. Hotel has charming rooms, terrace with sea views, small pool and a restaurant.
Il Melograno Puglia hotel exterior white building trees outdoor dining area

IL MELOGRANO Puglia

This traditional masseria is a 5-star boutique hotel in gardens of olive and citrus. Authentic rooms that vary in size. There is a spa, pool, restaurant and private beach with shuttle service provided.
La Peschiera Puglia pool sun loungers clear blue skies

LA PESCHIERA Puglia

A charming, boutique 5-star hotel with 13 rooms on the beach near Monopoli. Some rooms have terraces on the seafront. Private beach and seven pools. Saleblu restaurant serves local fish and seafood dishes.
Masseria San Domenico Puglia poolside sun loungers umbrellas hotel in background

MASSERIA SAN DOMENICO Puglia

A 5-star deluxe hotel boutique hotel in an historic building offering a first-class choice of leisure activities including golf, spa, cycling, aqua gym, training and yoga.
Masseria Torre Coccaro Puglia exterior hotel building white stone traditional architecture

MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO Puglia

An historic 5-star boutique hotel surrounded by olive groves a few hundred metres from the coast. Plenty of leisure activites, two beach clubs, golf nearby and wide choice of bedrooms.
Olive trees on grass with white building and sea in distance

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA Puglia

Now a Rocco Forte hotel, this 5-star boutique masseria with 40 individually furnished rooms exudes an authentic, elegant simplicity, combining contemporary Italian living with authentic regional flavour.
Patria Palace Lecce

PATRIA PALACE HOTEL Puglia

A splendid, traditional, grand 5-star hotel with 67 rooms in the heart of this architectural gem of a city, Lecce. Elegant and comfortable, excellent restaurant, bar and super location. Many rooms with lovely town views.
Risorgimento Resort Puglia exterior hotel building

RISORGIMENTO RESORT Puglia

A 5-star boutique spa hotel in the architectural treasure trove of Lecce, with just 47 rooms and suites, housed in a building dating from the 15the century. A spa resort within a city.