Valle d’Itria Guided Walking Tour (from trulli to sea)

The first day of the guided tour in the Valle d’Itria is dedicated to welcome and accommodation in the hotel, in the heart of Alberobello. There will be a welcome group briefing with the Puglia Hiking Tours guide to share all the information on the tour itinerary.

+/- 11.5 km

The day begins with a short private transfer that will take the group to one of the most interesting areas of the Valle d’Itria, the ‘Barsentana’ road, which connected the Puglia region from one sea to the other, from the Ionian to the Adriatic. The hub of this trade was the Church of Barsento and the surrounding community: this building, dating back to the 7th century, is one of the most unique examples of a church built using the trullo technique! After the visit, we will continue our walk through centuries-old beech forests and small caves such as the “Soap” and “Maria Santissima” caves. Finally, we will end the day with an arrival in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world capital of trulli, for a visit of the historic centre.

Height difference: +199/-131 m

+/- 14.4 km

Today’s walk winds through the heart of the Valle d’Itria where the ‘trulli’, the typical rural houses with conical roofs, are omnipresent in lush greenery amidst rolling hills.

A short private transfer will take us to Coreggia, a locality just outside Alberobello, and from here we will start cycling along the ‘Ciclovia dell’Acquedotto’, one of the largest aqueducts in Europe, now part of a local network of cycle and walking routes. We will reach Locorotondo, walking among trulli and ancient bridges, olive groves and vineyards, cherry orchards and Mediterranean scrub. This white town – included in the network of the ‘Borghi più belli d’Italia’ – celebrates the most authentic and hidden Italy and is the fitting conclusion to the third day of your guided tour. Together we will stroll through the labyrinthine historic centre, immersing ourselves in the characteristic ‘cummerse’ houses.

Height difference: +151/-127 metres

+/- 18.5 km

On this day we will leave Locorotondo behind us and, with a short transfer, reach Pineta Ulmo, a green oasis with Aleppo pines and Mediterranean scrub to be crossed at a slow pace, immersing ourselves in all the sensory impressions of the place. We will also enjoy the incredible view of the valley from the “Canale Galante” bridge, the longest and most imposing of the entire Apulian Aqueduct network, not before taking a short break at “Monte Castel Pagano”, a mysterious and fascinating place within the forest.

The simple and peaceful scenery of the Valle d’Itria will accompany us again along the route until we rejoin the “Ciclovia dell’Acquedotto” in Contrada Figazzano. We will finally reach the centre of Locorotondo once again, where a wine tasting with aperitif (included in the tour) awaits us, organised by a local winery committed to promoting the area’s native grape varieties.

Height difference: +206/-150 m

+/- 15.0 km

This is probably one of the most fascinating walks on your guided walking tour of the Valle d’Itria: amidst holm-oak woods and the scent of rosemary and thyme, we reach the Sanctuary of Sant’Oronzo in Ostuni by private transfer, located on a hilly, green path. The sanctuary is a 10th-century Byzantine church, marked by time and leaning against the rock face where the most religious Ostunians still come to worship one of the city’s patron saints. This mountainous area is the ideal place to admire the green expanse of olive trees sprouting from the red earth and almost reaching the Adriatic Sea. Continuing our walk, we will see a shimmering white town in the distance: it is Ostuni! A labyrinth of narrow alleys and white steps, Baroque gates and small courtyards awaits us for a visit. It will feel like being in a town within a town, with an almost timeless atmosphere.

Height difference: +220/-292

+/- 9.6 km

Today’s route is a walk through the most ancient history of Apulia!

A short private transfer will take us to Savelletri, a small fishing village from which we will start walking for a few kilometres along the Adriatic coast, specifically along the ancient route of the Via Traiana. We will walk along the archaeological park of Egnatia, which brings to light an important port city from Roman times, and visit both the park and the museum together (entrance ticket included in the package).

Finally, we will leave the smell of the sea to encounter the quiet of the countryside made up of large centuries-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, red earth and dry stone walls until we reach the Fasano station. From there, with one of the frequent trains, we will reach Monopoli in a few minutes.

Height difference: +82/-27 m

+/- 15 km

This is the day of the most famous, picture-postcard Puglia, made up of sea, sun and lively harbours.

A short private transfer will take us to San Vito, a small fishing village adjacent to Polignano a Mare and just 5 km from Monopoli. Here we will admire the ‘gozzi’, the typical blue boats, usually moored on the shore, used for fishing near the coast. We will also take a look at the Abbey of San Vito with its monastery, dating back to the 11th century. Walking along the coast we will discover rocky beaches, small inlets and fantastic caves carved out of the cliff, including the ‘Grotta delle Rondinelle’, the ‘Grotta Sella’ and the ‘Grotta dell’Eremita’ with the mysterious islet in front of it. During this walk we will stop in the centre of Polignano a Mare to enjoy the view of the bay from the ancient Roman bridge and enjoy a “special coffee” in the main square. We will end the stage by visiting Monopoli and walking directly to the ancient harbour. Finally, a group dinner (included in the package) awaits us in a local restaurant.

Height difference: +155/-149

Breakfast and check-out.