Self-Launched Southern Italy Escape: Naples to Alberobello
9 days · Southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata & Puglia)
Globus charges £1,180
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Globus' 9-day "Southern Italy Escape": Naples, the cave city of Matera, Puglia's wine country around Manduria, baroque Lecce, the trulli of Alberobello, the Castellana caves and Bari Vecchia. Instead of a coach and tour director you'll string it together with Italy's excellent regional trains and buses (Frecciarossa/Intercity, Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, Ferrovie del Sud Est), stay in hostels and family-run B&Bs, and book the handful of guided bits (Matera sassi walk, Castellana caves, wine tasting) yourself via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct with the sites. All costs are approximate, per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Naples — pizza, chaos and the bay
Naples
Fly into Naples Capodichino and take the Alibus shuttle (€5, ~20 min) or the Metro Linea 1 into the centre. Check into a hostel or B&B around the Centro Storico or Chiaia. Ease in with a wander down Via Toledo to Piazza del Plebiscito and the Palazzo Reale, then a proper Neapolitan pizza for dinner at one of the historic pizzerias near Via dei Tribunali (€7–9 for a margherita, plus cover charge). Grab a spritz on the seafront at Mergellina if the weather's kind.
🚌Alibus airport shuttle €5
🛏Hostel or family-run B&B in Centro Storico / Chiaia (~£27)
- →Alibus airport shuttle into town
- →Evening walk Via Toledo to Piazza del Plebiscito
- →Palazzo Reale exterior & Piazza del Plebiscito
- →Neapolitan pizza dinner in the Centro Storico
Naples old town — Duomo, Veiled Christ and Vesuvius views
Naples
Skip the coach orientation drive and do Naples on foot and by metro. Start at the Duomo di San Gennaro, walk Via dei Tribunali to the Cappella Sansevero (book the 'Cristo Velato' ticket online in advance, ~€12 — it sells out), then the Museo Archeologico if you want the Pompeii backstory. In the afternoon take the funicular up to Vomero for a free panorama over the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, and walk back down through the Spanish Quarter. Optional evening: self-guided street-food crawl (fried pizza, sfogliatella, limoncello) or a GetYourGuide underground-Naples tour (~£25).
🚌Metro Linea 1 + Funicolare Centrale (~€4 day pass)
🛏Hostel or family-run B&B in Centro Storico / Chiaia (~£27)
- →Duomo di San Gennaro
- →Cappella Sansevero (Veiled Christ) — pre-book online
- →Funicular to Vomero viewpoint over the bay & Vesuvius
- →Optional street-food crawl or underground Naples tour
Naples to Matera — into the sassi
Matera
Take an early Frecciarossa or Intercity train from Napoli Centrale to Ferrandina-Pomarico-Miglionico (~2h, from €15 if booked ahead), then the local Matera bus (~40 min, €3) or a shared transfer into Matera. Alternatively there are direct Flix/Itabus coaches from Naples to Matera (~4h, €15–25). Dump your bags at a sassi-area B&B or hostel and spend the afternoon getting lost in the Sassi di Matera. Join a small-group sassi walking tour via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£25) or a Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario entry (~€3) to see how families actually lived in the caves. Dinner of lucanian pasta (cavatelli with cime di rapa) in the old town.
🚌Frecciarossa/Intercity Naples–Ferrandina ~€15 + bus €3
🛏Hostel or cave B&B in the Sassi / Piazza Vittorio Veneto area (~£28)
- →Train to Ferrandina + local bus into Matera
- →Sassi di Matera self-exploration
- →Small-group sassi walking tour (GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario entry
Matera to Manduria to Lecce — Primitivo country
Lecce
Travel day with a wine stop. Bus or train from Matera to Taranto (~1h), then a regional train or bus to Manduria in the Primitivo di Manduria wine zone (~1h). Book a winery visit and tasting directly (many cantine offer tours + 3–4 glasses for €25–35; the Produttori di Manduria / Primitivo museum is the classic stop). If you'd rather skip the vineyard, head straight to Lecce. Continue by train/bus to Lecce (~1h30 via Brindisi or Taranto), check into a guesthouse inside the baroque centre, and take a free evening passeggiata past the Duomo and Basilica di Santa Croce.
🚌Regional bus + train via Taranto/Brindisi ~€15
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Lecce historic centre (~£28)
- →Local bus/train Matera–Taranto–Manduria
- →Primitivo di Manduria winery tour & tasting (book direct)
- →Evening passeggiata past Duomo di Lecce & Basilica di Santa Croce
Lecce — baroque on foot
Lecce
A full free day in the 'Florence of the South'. Do a self-guided baroque loop: Piazza del Duomo, Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza Sant'Oronzo and the Amphitheatre, then the Roman theatre and Porta Napoli. Pop into a papier-mâché workshop (cartapesta is Lecce's craft) and try pasticciotto and an iced caffè in the morning. In the afternoon hire a bike (~£8/day) and cycle to the coast at San Cataldo, or take a local bus to Gallipoli or Otranto if you want a bigger day out. Optional: a GetYourGuide street-food and wine walking tour (~£35).
🚌Bus/bike for local trips (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Lecce historic centre (~£28)
- →Self-guided baroque walking loop (Duomo, Santa Croce, Sant'Oronzo)
- →Cartapesta workshop visit
- →Bike hire to San Cataldo or bus day trip to Otranto
- →Optional street-food & wine tour
Lecce to Alberobello — sleep in a trullo
Alberobello
Take the Ferrovie del Sud Est train or bus from Lecce to Martina Franca, then change for Alberobello (roughly 2h, ~€5). Check into a trullo guesthouse or hostel — this is the night worth splashing a little on. Spend the afternoon walking the Rione Monti and Aia Piccola trulli streets, and pay to go inside a furnished trullo (€3–5) or the Trullo Sovrano (€4) to see the conical-roof interiors. Sunset from the Belvedere Santa Lucia over the trulli rooftops is the money shot. Dinner of orecchiette with cime di rapa and a glass of Locorotondo white.
🚌FSE train/bus via Martina Franca ~€5
🛏Trullo guesthouse or hostel in Alberobello (~£30)
- →Ferrovie del Sud Est train/bus Lecce–Martina Franca–Alberobello
- →Trulli of Alberobello self-guided walk (Rione Monti, Aia Piccola)
- →Trullo Sovrano or furnished trullo interior visit
- →Sunset at Belvedere Santa Lucia
Castellana Grotte caves — underground Puglia
Alberobello & Castellana Grotte
Take the local FSE bus or train from Alberobello to Castellana Grotte (~25 min, €2–3) and book a Grotte di Castellana cave tour online in advance (~€20 for the 2-hour full route to the Grotta Bianca; shorter route ~€15). The karst chambers are genuinely spectacular. Back above ground, wander the old town of Castellana and have a long lunch. Return to Alberobello in the late afternoon — optional easy countryside walk between the trulli hamlets of Locorotondo and Martina Franca if you have energy (or a local bus between them, €1.50).
🚌FSE local train/bus to Castellana Grotte ~€5 return
🛏Trullo guesthouse or hostel in Alberobello (~£30)
- →Grotte di Castellana guided cave tour (book online)
- →Castellana Grotte old town
- →Optional countryside walk or bus to Locorotondo
Day trip to Bari Vecchia
Bari & Alberobello
Take the FSE/Bari-bound train from Alberobello to Bari (~1h30, €5) and explore Bari Vecchia on foot: the Basilica di San Nicola, the Norman-Swabian castle from outside, and the famous old-town alleys where nonnas make orecchiette by hand on tables in the street. Don't miss the Mercato Coperto for cheese, taralli and street food lunch. Catch an afternoon or early-evening train back to Alberobello. Farewell dinner at a local masseria or trattoria — a fixed-menu Puglian dinner is typically €30–35 with wine.
🚌FSE train Alberobello–Bari return ~€10
🛏Trullo guesthouse or hostel in Alberobello (~£30)
- →FSE train Alberobello–Bari
- →Self-guided walk of Bari Vecchia
- →Basilica di San Nicola
- →Mercato Coperto food market
- →Farewell trattoria/masseria dinner
Depart from Bari or Brindisi
Alberobello to airport
Catch the morning local train to Bari Centrale (~1h30, €5) and hop the 16 bus or a 30-minute train to Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport for your flight home. If you're flying from Brindisi instead, the FSE bus via Martina Franca and Ostuni gets you there in about 2h (~€8). Easy, cheap and no coach transfer needed.
🚌FSE train €5 + airport bus/train €3–5
🛏—
- →Local train Alberobello–Bari Centrale
- →Airport bus/train to Bari or Brindisi airport
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,180 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £490 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
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.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Southern Italy Escape: Naples to Alberobello cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 9 days in Southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata & Puglia). 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £1,180 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £490 (42%) per person.
How long is the Southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata & Puglia) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata & Puglia).
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, slow-travel trip through Southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata & Puglia), 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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