Apulija – naTOURa.si

21–29 March 2026

Ten-day trip • Train • Bus

Apulia is a land best discovered slowly, layer by layer, with each visit revealing something beautiful, extraordinary and rich. Its varied and rich history is not only due to frequent changes of power in recent centuries; human history here began many millennia ago. Numerous tribes and peoples have made their homes here, carving into soft sandstone or building with the dry-stone technique, contributing to a rich cultural tradition. The Greeks, too, have maintained their presence for three millennia, preserving their music, a distinctive Greek dialect and other cultural traditions. Culinary enthusiasts will find much to enjoy, as will nature lovers, since Puglia lies on a different tectonic plate from the rest of Italy—a sign that fascinating geological stories, both beneath and on the surface, continue to shape life in Puglia today. We will discover all this in just over a week, travelling between villages and cities, hills and coasts. A little bit of everything for everyone.

BY REGISTERING BY 31 OCTOBER 2025, YOU WILL RECEIVE 5% DISCOUNT ON THE BASIC PACKAGE.

PROGRAMME
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Day 1: 20 March 2026

Early in the morning, depart by special bus to the train station in Trieste, where we will board the train and travel to Brindisi in southern Puglia. We will arrive in the evening, then take a special bus to Otranto, where we will have dinner and stay overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: 21 March 2026

After breakfast, we will first drive to the nearby abandoned bauxite mine, Cava di Bauxite , and learn about the minerals that determine the colours of the different layers of the earth. The route will then take us to the easternmost point of Italy, Punta di Otranti, from where the shortest crossing of the Adriatic Sea to Albania is located. Here, we will take some time for a general geological overview of Apulia, which is certainly unique, and we will also mention the nearby Grotta dei Cervi, where some of the richest cave paintings in Europe were discovered; unfortunately, the cave is closed to visitors. We will continue our journey to the area known as “Magna Graecia”, which was inhabited by the ancient Greeks from the 8th century BC onwards. Their descendants still live in these places today, preserving the Greek language and culture. We will stop in one of the “Greek” towns, Melpignanu, , where local residents will guide us through the old town centre and the underground olive oil mill. To conclude, they will present a cultural programme with songs in the old Greek dialect and traditional dances (tarantella, pizzica, etc.). After a pleasant social gathering, we will drive to the nearby town of Zollino, to see an unusual system of fountains. This will be followed by a drive to the hotel in Otranto, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Day 3: 22 March 2026

After leaving the hotel, we will first explore the indented limestone coast of eastern Italy and visit a cave formed by erosion: the Grotta della Poesia. From there, we will drive to the coastal city of Brindisi, where we will see the Roman column that once marked the end of the Via Appia, which connected Rome with the Adriatic Sea. We will spend the rest of the afternoon in Ostuni, also known as the “White City” because of its architecture. We will walk through the old town and then return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 4: 23 March 2026

In the morning, we will drive to the town of Alberobello, where two city districts feature characteristic buildings called trulli, which are under UNESCO protection. This architectural speciality of the Itria Valley in Puglia showcases traditional construction using the dry-stone technique, preserved to this day. We will visit the most distinctive buildings and learn about the development of trulli construction, with some free time to independently explore this fascinating town. Afterwards, we will drive to the town of Grottaglie, known for its traditional ceramics and numerous pottery workshops. In the immediate vicinity is the abandoned tuff quarry Cave di Fantiano, where locals use the beautiful setting, overgrown with Aleppo pine, as a venue for various events. We will enjoy a short tour, then drive to see the largest canyon in Puglia, Gravina di Laterza, which is sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Italy. We will walk along its edge and descend a few metres into the depths to the Croce Cave, where we will learn about the causes of the formation of the many canyons in this part of Italy. Before going to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay, we will briefly stop in the nearby forest, where the oak tree Quercus trojana grows on its western border. This species, which otherwise grows in the Balkans and in Greece as far as Turkey, is certainly something special for Italy.

Day 5: 24 March 2026
The day will be dedicated to two towns renowned for their former dwellings carved into the rocks. First, we will drive to the town of Ginosa, built above a horseshoe-shaped canyon, where former inhabitants excavated artificial caves in the canyon walls and established their homes, churches, and workshops within them. We will walk through the canyon (approximately 2.5 km), where we will also learn about the innovative methods the former “cave” inhabitants used to supply water in this karst area.
Next, we will drive to Matera, which is similar in structure to Ginosa, but larger and more prominent on the tourist map. There, people also lived in excavated caves until a few decades ago; these have now been converted into numerous shops, workshops, and galleries. There will be sufficient time to explore the city independently. Although Matera is located in the neighbouring province of Basilicata and is not formally part of Puglia, the city is definitely worth a visit for its many historical buildings. After the tour, we will drive to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 6: 25 March 2026
Today will be largely devoted to the characteristics of the Alta Murgia National Park, which has recently been granted geopark status (Murgeopark). Before visiting the largest Apulian collapse doline, Pulo di Altamura, we will visit the Archaeological Museum in Altamura to attend a presentation on an exceptional find – a complete Neanderthal skeleton discovered in one of the local caves. After visiting the doline, we will drive to the "blue" town of Casamassima and explore the old town centre, where stories and legends from the past still endure. The next stop will be at one of the ten natural karst lakes near the town of Castiglione, where we will learn about another innovative method of water supply, which also enabled the irrigation of fields in this agriculturally highly developed part of Apulia. We will then drive to the port city of Bari, where we will have time to wander through the narrow streets of the old town. With a bit of luck, we may be able to watch the typical orecchiette pasta being made on the streets and learn about the city’s rich history. Finally, we will drive to the hotel and spend the night.

Day 7: 26 March 2026
Today's first stop will focus on learning about the prehistory of Puglia, and for this purpose we will visit the dolmen of San Silvestro near Bari. Ancient tombs can be seen in several locations throughout Puglia, and the dolmen of San Silvestro is certainly one of the best preserved. From there, we will drive to the medieval castle Castel del Monte, which is remarkable for its architectural design and is therefore included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Next, we will drive towards the Adriatic coast, passing the Margherita di Savoia salt pans to the town of Mattinata, from where we will climb Monte Saraceno (5.5 km walk, 290 m ascent and descent). From the summit, we will have a wonderful view of the coast and inland towards Gargano, and along the way we will also observe spring flowers. Most likely, early types of orchids will be in bloom. After the hike, we will drive to the hotel, where we will have dinner and stay overnight.

Day 8: 27 March 2026
After breakfast, we will first drive to the mountain ridge where the UNESCO cave sanctuary of Monte San’t Angelo is located. We will discuss the extremely diverse and interesting history of this area, then descend to the coast and walk approximately 2 km along a beautiful and scenic path to Vignanotica beach. We will then continue our journey by bus along the indented and picturesque coast to the town of Vieste, which we will visit. Before dinner and our overnight stay in this town, there will be some time for independent exploration.

Day 9: 28 March 2026
After breakfast, we will drive to the heart of the Gargano National Park and set off on foot into the Foresta Umbra protected area (7.5 km walk, 60 m elevation gain). Since 2017, these beech forests have been listed by UNESCO as one of the original beech forests of Europe. After the hike, we will drive to the town of Vico del Gargano, where there will be time for a short tour and rest. We will then head to the coastal part of Gargano National Park and walk to the Palude di Sfinale wetlands (3 km walk, 30 m elevation gain). This will be followed by a drive to Vieste, where we will have dinner and stay overnight.

Day 10: 29 March 2026
After breakfast, we will drive past Lago di Varano to the coastal town of Termoli, where we will board a train to Trieste in the evening. This will be followed by a special bus ride to Ljubljana, where we are expected to arrive at around 1 am the next day.

Author of the programme and photos: © Janja Benedik, 2017-2025.
The organizer and provider of the programme: © naTOURa, Janja Benedik s. p., 2024-26.
The general terms and conditions are an integral part of the program. They are available on the website https://natoura.si.

The price per person depends on the number of registered participants.
14-15 participants: 2.080,00 €,
16-17 participants: 2.030,00 €,
18-19 participants: 1.940,00 €,
20-21 participants: 1.865,00 €,
22-23 participants: 1.800,00 €,
24-25 participants: 1.755,00 €.
Payment is possible in multiple instalments!
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
train ticket on the route Trieste – Lecce, Termoli – Trieste,
transfer from Ljubljana to Trieste Railway Station and back,
Bus transport as per the programme and all associated costs, including certain entrance fees to cities in Puglia,
9 × half board (breakfast and dinner) in a double room, including mandatory tourist tax,
guidance by a Slovenian guide with a TZS licence,
Greek afternoon with Puglian feast, cultural programme and tour of the city of Melpignano,
preparation and organisation of the trip.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES ON DEMAND:
single room: 200,00 €,
Trip cancellation insurance with Zavarovalnica Triglav,
Travel insurance abroad.
OBLIGATORY SUPPLEMENTARY FEES:
Entrance fees: Torre Pinta, trullo (Alberobello), Archaeological Museum of Altamura, Castel del Monte, Monte San’t Angelo: approximately €30.00 (pay during the trip). The price of entrance fees and local tours is calculated based on 2025 prices; in 2026, you may have to pay a few euros more.
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Any additional entrance fees, food and drinks, or items not listed in the programme.

SELECTED JOURNEY
Geološka ekskurzija na Kras (8. 11. 2025) Novoletna Srbija (29. 12. 2025 - 1. 1. 2026) Apulija (20. - 29. 3. 2026) Podeželje Severne Portugalske (24. 4. - 4. 5. 2026) Lonjsko polje (16. - 17. 5. 2026) Delta Donave (30. 5. - 7. 6. 2026) Armenija (12. - 26. 6. 2026) Pohodniška Armenija (10. - 19. 7. 2026) Bogastvo Gruzije (1. - 16. 8. 2026) Asturija (2. - 9. 8- 2026) Socotra (18. - 30. 1. 2027 - skupina A) Socotra (18. - 30. 1. 2027 - skupina B) Socotra (20. 2. - 1. 3. 2027)

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I agree that naTOURa, a travel agency, Janja Benedik s. p., will take out travel cancellation insurance for me (and my fellow travellers in the same contract) and in my behalf with Zavarovalnica Triglav d. d. for the above-mentioned arrangement.
Nič od tega, zavarovanje imam urejeno ali si ga bom uredil/-a sam/-a, oz. prevzemam tveganje potovati brez zavarovanja, paket A (4,61 % skupne vrednosti aranžmaja + 8,5 % DDV), paket B (4,21 % skupne vrednosti aranžmaja + 8,5 % DDV), paketa A in B (7,02 % skupne vrednosti aranžmaja + 8,5 % DDV).

CONSENT TO THE CONCLUSION OF TRAVEL CANCELLATION INSURANCE
I agree and confirm with my signature that under no circumstances will I request a refund of the sum insured for the travel cancellation insurance if I cancel the trip for any reason or if the trip is cancelled due to force majeure (natural disaster, war, epidemic, etc.) or insufficient number of participants. naTOURa acts only as an intermediary when taking out the insurance and the General Terms and Conditions of Zavarovalnica Triglav apply to the insurance taken out.

I agree that the travel agency naTOURa, Janja Benedik s. p., will take out international travel insurance with Zavarovalnica Triglav d. d. for me (and fellow travellers who have the same contract) and on my behalf for the above-mentioned arrangement.
None of the above, I have taken out insurance, or I will take it out myself, or I will take the risk. Travel cancellation insurance in Zavarovalnica Triglav - Package A. Travel cancellation insurance in Zavarovalnica Triglav - Package B. Zavarovanje odpovedi potovanja pri Zavarovalnici Triglav - paket C.

CONSENT TO THE CONCLUSION OF TRAVEL INSURANCE
I agree and confirm with my signature that under no circumstances will I request reimbursement of the sum insured for the foreign travel insurance if I cancel the trip myself for any reason or if the trip is cancelled due to force majeure (natural disasters, wars, epidemics, etc.). naTOURa acts only as an intermediary when taking out the insurance and the General Terms and Conditions of Zavarovalnica Triglav apply to the insurance taken out.

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