Rome | Rome & Puglia Tour

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Explore the many historic & artistic splendours of Rome, then head south to experience the true Puglia with accommodation in a traditional Trullo and a visit to a 'masseria', a local working farm, where you'll learn to prepare traditional Puglian pasta dishes!

Day 1: Rome

Welcome to Italy! On arrival at Rome airport, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. Check-in and then set out to begin exploring the ‘Eternal City’ on your own. 

Day 2: Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Enjoy breakfast and a morning at leisure to explore on your own, before this afternoon’s tour visiting the three world-famous symbols of Ancient Rome: Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum with skip-the-line entrance tickets included. Your tour starts at the Arch of Constantine, the largest and one of the best-preserved triumphal arches in Rome. From here our guide will take you inside the Colosseum, the most famous monument in the world and a main symbol of Rome. Our guide will explain the cruel events that took place there and answer all your questions. After exiting the Coliseum, you will visit its surrounding monuments like the Palatine Hill with the Roman Forum Archeological Area, undoubtedly the most important and attractive one in the world, thanks to its unique historical, monumental & archaeological values, as well as its sublime beauty. Just the views from the Palatine over the Forums or the Circus Maximus would be worth a trip to Italy. You will also discover the House of the Vestals, the various Temples, the Senate House, the Capitol Palace, the Sacred Way, and the Triumph Arches. The tour ends inside the Roman Forum and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is yours to spend as you please. (B) 

Day 3: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Square

Enjoy breakfast before being collected from your hotel for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Square. The Vatican Museums are one of the richest and most beloved art collections in the world: they display around 20.000 pieces of art. With such a huge amount of artwork, it’s easy to feel lost. That’s why a professional guide can make a difference. After meeting your professional guide, you’ll be given a headset and reach the Vatican Museum’s entrance, in a group of no more than 20 people. This less-stress guided tour will grant you a real skip-the-line, faster access through the exclusive official partners’ entrance, saving you the hassle of waiting in line for several hours. You’ll tour the gallery, visiting all those main spots you’ve heard about like the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Borgia Apartments. The guide will tell you everything about the Raphael Rooms and their exceptional frescoes, including The School of Athens, and will bring you to the Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling is one of the cornerstone works of High Renaissance art. The tour wouldn’t be complete without St. Peter’s Square, the open space which lies before the basilica, redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and which is itself an architectural masterpiece of the Baroque age. You’ll admire St. Peter’s Basilica (outside) which isn’t only the largest church in the world but also contains several pieces of fine art: think the canopy designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini or the Pietà by Michelangelo. The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square and you can then decide to stay in Vatican city for the rest of the day, join another tour in the afternoon, or continue exploring Rome on your own. (B)

Day 4: Rome | Bari | Alberobello

Following breakfast, make your way to the railway station to board a high-speed train to Bari in Italy’s southernmost region of Puglia. On arrival in Bari, a private transfer will take you to Alberobello, well known for its picturesque houses with cone-shaped roofs and where you’ll enjoy accommodation at one of this typical Trulo. After checking-in, you are free to explore your new surroundings. Overnight accommodation in Alberobello. (B)

Day 5: Alberobello & the Basket Maker

Today you'll discover the iconic houses of Puglia and learn about the centuries-old tradition of basket making. Your tour begins with a pleasant walk through the alleys of Alberobello with its unique cone-shaped dwellings - the 'trulli', while listening to tales and stories from times gone by. You then arrive at a 19th-century trullo where, in a special atmosphere, you can appreciate and learn how to work the dry branches coming from the pruning of the olive tree and other plants. Expert hands worn out by hard work have passed down the art of basket making and weaving from generation to generation. With the help of the master basket maker you will learn and, together with him, make a small wicker basket or a trivet to take home as a souvenir. The tour lasts about 2.5 hours and the remainder of the day is free to continue exploring the area on your own. (B)

Day 6: Masseria & Pasta Experience

This morning enjoy a wonderful culinary experience in Puglia's countryside. Meet your guide and set off to a ‘masseria’ (local working farm) where you'll be welcomed by the farmers and enjoy a tour of the property and its animals. After harvesting the produce required from the garden, the housewife will show you how to prepare the pasta and sauce for a typical Puglian dish, such as cavatelli with ricotta cheese or orecchiette with vegetables. Then relax and enjoy a convivial meal with the whole family, before returning to Alberobello. The afternoon is free to relax and spend as you choose. (B.L)

Day 7: Alberobello | Bari

Today marks the end of your Rome & Puglia vacation. Enjoy a final breakfast before your private transfer arrives to take you to the railway station or airport in Bari for your onward journey. Arrivederci! (B)

Daily Departures

Some excursions included in this Rail Tour do not operate daily. The itinerary will be modified to suit.