Self-Launched Best of Apulia: Bari to Alberobello, Ostuni & Lecce
6 days · Apulia (Puglia), Italy
Soleto Travel charges £2,280
No-markup version: ~£385 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Soleto Travel's 6-day private Puglia tour — same highlights (Bari's old town, Castel del Monte, Trani, Alberobello's trulli, Cisternino's braceria dinners, Polignano a Mare's sea caves, Ostuni and Lecce) but travelled by regional train and local bus, staying in hostels and family-run B&Bs, and joining small-group or self-booked wine, oil and boat experiences. Two bases (Bari area and Lecce) keep luggage hassle low, mirroring the operator's own two-hotel structure. Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates for one person sharing a dorm or double.
Day-by-day
Land in Bari: Murat grid, old town lanes and street food crawl
Bari
Fly or train into Bari (Bari Centrale is a 20-min walk or €1.50 bus from the airport). Check into a hostel or B&B in the Murat district, then walk the grid streets towards the old town: Basilica di San Nicola, the Romanesque Cathedral of San Sabino and the exterior of the Norman-Swabian Castle. Do your own street-food trail — focaccia barese from a bakery on Via dell'Arco Basso, panzerotti fried to order near Piazza Mercantile, and fried polenta from a stall in the old town (budget roughly €12–15 total). Evening passeggiata along the lungomare.
🚌Airport bus or train from Bari Palese to Bari Centrale (~€1.50–5); everything on foot
🛏Hostel dorm or simple B&B in Murat/old town Bari (~£22–30)
- →Self-guided walk: Murat district and Bari Vecchia
- →Basilica di San Nicola and Cathedral of San Sabino
- →Norman-Swabian Castle exterior
- →DIY street food tasting: focaccia barese, panzerotti, fried polenta
Castel del Monte, Ruvo di Puglia and Trani by local train
Bari / Trani
Take an early regional train to Andria or Corato, then the local bus or a short taxi up to Castel del Monte — the octagonal UNESCO fortress of Frederick II (entry ~€10, book a timed slot on the official site). In the afternoon continue by train to Ruvo di Puglia for its Romanesque cathedral and the Jatta National Museum, then ride on to Trani for the harbour, the Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino and a wander through the old Giudecca Jewish quarter. Finish with a glass of Moscato di Trani in a harbour-side bar before the train back to Bari.
🚌Bari–Andria/Corato regional train (~€5); local bus/taxi to Castel del Monte; Ruvo di Puglia–Trani regional train (~€3); return to Bari (~€6)
🛏Same Bari hostel/B&B
- →Castel del Monte entry and self-guided visit
- →Romanesque cathedral and old town of Ruvo di Puglia
- →Trani cathedral, Swabian Castle exterior and Giudecca quarter
- →Moscato di Trani tasting in a harbour bar
Alberobello trulli, Martina Franca and a Cisternino braceria dinner
Alberobello / Martina Franca / Cisternino
Train from Bari to Alberobello (change at Bari Centrale line towards Martina Franca; ~1h45, €5–6) and walk Rione Monti and Aia Piccola yourself — the trullo church of Sant'Antonio is free to enter and several individual trulli are open as small museums. Hop the FSE train to Martina Franca for the Baroque old town, then a 15-min bus or train to Cisternino. Book a table at a local braceria and order bombette, gnumeredd and braciole cooked on the coals, with capocollo di Martina Franca and local cheeses (~€25–30 with wine). Sleep in Cisternino or Martina Franca.
🚌Bari–Alberobello FSE regional train (~€6); Alberobello–Martina Franca FSE train (~€2.50); Martina Franca–Cisternino bus (~€2)
🛏Guesthouse or trullo-style B&B in Cisternino/Martina Franca (~£28–35)
- →Self-guided walk through Rione Monti and Aia Piccola
- →Church of Sant'Antonio (trullo church)
- →Martina Franca Baroque old town and Cathedral of San Martino
- →Dinner at a traditional braceria in Cisternino
Olive oil mill visit, then Polignano a Mare sea caves and swim
Cisternino / Polignano a Mare
Morning visit to a working olive mill in the Valle d'Itria — many family frantoi along the Cisternino–Martina road accept walk-ins or short-notice bookings for a tour plus extra virgin olive oil and bread tasting (€10–15; alternatively book a small-group oil-tasting experience via GetYourGuide). Take the train to Polignano a Mare, check in and walk Lama Monachile cove and the old town balconies. Book a shared 1–2 hour boat trip along the coast towards Monopoli to see the bays and sea caves (~€25–35, bookable on the harbour or via GetYourGuide/Klook). Skip the overpriced Grotta Palazzese restaurant — swim from the public beach and the free access points instead. Optionally stop at a family winery near Polignano/Monopoli for a cellar tour and tasting (~€20).
🚌Local bus or taxi to the olive mill (~€5–10); Cisternino–Polignano train (~€4)
🛏Hostel or B&B in Polignano a Mare (~£30–38)
- →Olive mill tour and extra virgin olive oil tasting
- →Shared coastal boat trip Monopoli–Polignano sea caves
- →Swim at Lama Monachile and the free coastal coves
- →Optional family winery tour and tasting
Ostuni's white town, then Lecce Baroque and pasticciotto
Ostuni / Lecce
Early train or bus to Ostuni — climb to the whitewashed old town, see the 15th-century Cathedral and Piazza Beato Giovanni Paolo II, then continue south to Lecce (regional train, ~1h, €5–6). Check into a guesthouse near the centre and take a self-guided Baroque walk: Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza Duomo, the Roman amphitheatre and Piazza Sant'Oronzo, plus the exterior of the Castle of Charles V. Try pasticciotto leccese from a pasticceria (€1.50–2.50). Many sights offer cheap combined tickets; Santa Croce entry is a few euros. Evening aperitivo in the centro storico.
🚌Polignano–Ostuni train/bus (~€5); Ostuni–Lecce regional train (~€6); walking in both towns
🛏Guesthouse or B&B in Lecce centro storico (~£30–38)
- →Ostuni old town and Cathedral
- →Self-guided Baroque walk of Lecce
- →Basilica di Santa Croce and Piazza Duomo
- →Roman amphitheatre and Piazza Sant'Oronzo
- →Pasticciotto leccese tasting
Slow Lecce morning and onward travel
Lecce / Bari or Brindisi
Last breakfast, a final wander through Lecce's piazzas and the Roman theatre, and a look at the free Villa Comunale gardens. Then head out: regional train Lecce–Bari (~1h40, €10–12) for Bari Palese flights, or the local bus/train to Brindisi airport (~30–40 min, €3–5) for cheap connections to Rome and beyond. If your flight is late, add a stop in Monopoli for a last swim.
🚌Lecce–Bari regional train (~€12) or Lecce–Brindisi bus/train (~€4) to the airport
🛏None (departure day)
- →Villa Comunale gardens and Roman theatre, Lecce
- →Last espresso and pasticciotto run
Self-launched vs. Soleto Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Soleto Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£385 | £2,280 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,895 per person (83%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Soleto Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£385
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Best of Apulia: Bari to Alberobello, Ostuni & Lecce cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £385 per person for 6 days in Apulia (Puglia), Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Soleto Travel?+
Yes — Soleto Travel charges around £2,280 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £385 — a saving of roughly £1,895 (83%) per person.
How long is the Apulia (Puglia), Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Apulia (Puglia), Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through Apulia (Puglia), Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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