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Highlights
Discover beautiful Puglia on this 8-day self-guided walking tour
Discover the magical trulli of Alberobello, a designated UNESCO Heritage site that boasts one-of-a-kind architecture.
Explore the charming coastal villages of Ostuni, Cisternino and Martina Franca.
Be mesmerized by the fascinating interplay of nature and history at the Park Dune Costiere Natural Park.
Savour the rich flavours of the Itria Valley, dining on local specialties and enjoying world-class wines.
Enjoy this beautiful self-guided walking tour in Puglia’s Itria Valley, from the one-of-a-kind town of Alberobello to whitewashed Ostuni. This 8-day scenic route allows you to explore this breathtaking region at your own pace while enjoying its generous bounty of natural beauty, spectacular food and drink, and old-world charm.
Daily walks ranging from 3 to 4.5 hours will take you through the magical landscapes between Alberobello and Ostuni, leaving you plenty of time to explore the towns of your overnight stays in Martina Franca, Cisternino and Montalbano.
Explore the streets of Alberobello, marvelling at its unique architecture comprised of rows of trulli—drystone huts with conical roofs dating back to the 18th century. Walk through the scenic pastures that lead to the elegant old town of Martina Franca, where local Baroque art is on full display. Visit an artisanal butcher in Cisternino, selecting from the finest cuts of meat and enjoying a sumptuous dinner grilled on the spot right before your eyes.
Enjoy the best of Southern Italy on this tantalizing adventure in Puglia’s Itria Valley, discovering it on foot and making memories that will last a lifetime.
Enjoy this beautiful self-guided walking tour in Puglia’s Itria Valley, from the one-of-a-kind town of Alberobello to whitewashed Ostuni. This 8-day scenic route allows you to explore this breathtaking region at your own pace while enjoying its generous bounty of natural beauty, spectacular food and drink, and old-world charm.
Daily walks ranging from 3 to 4.5 hours will take you through the magical landscapes between Alberobello and Ostuni, leaving you plenty of time to explore the towns of your overnight stays in Martina Franca, Cisternino and Montalbano.
Explore the streets of Alberobello, marvelling at its unique architecture comprised of rows of trulli—drystone huts with conical roofs dating back to the 18th century. Walk through the scenic pastures that lead to the elegant old town of Martina Franca, where local Baroque art is on full display. Visit an artisanal butcher in Cisternino, selecting from the finest cuts of meat and enjoying a sumptuous dinner grilled on the spot right before your eyes.
Enjoy the best of Southern Italy on this tantalizing adventure in Puglia’s Itria Valley, discovering it on foot and making memories that will last a lifetime.
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Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive
Benvenuto! Welcome to Alberobello, the magical land of Trulli and the starting point of your walking adventure in the Itria Valley.
Settle into your accommodations before exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site. The world-famous trulli huts were constructed initially as field shelters and storehouses and have since been repurposed into local dwellings, hotels, and small shops. Two areas well worth exploring while in Alberobello are the districts of Rione Monti and Aia Piccola. Enjoy!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Alberobello
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 The Bosco Selva and Martina Franca
Today’s walk will introduce you to one of the most beautiful old towns in the Itria Valley, Martina Franca. You’ll be lead through Puglia’s beautiful “green heart,” known as Bosco Selva. Vast oak groves line the way to Martina Franca and provide a perfect opportunity to revel in the unspoiled beauty of this spectacular region.
Following pastures and high dry-stone walls typical of the valley, you’ll ascend Monte San Martino before reaching the elegant old town of Martina Franca.
Spend the rest of your day getting lost in the maze of narrow streets and Baroque piazzas that make up Martina Franca. Also known for its impeccable cuisine, make sure to scout out a spot for tonight’s dinner while exploring the town. Trying the capocollo (cured pork) is a must!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Martina Franca
Distance: 19km, 230m of ascent, 210m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Walk from Martina Franca to Cisternino by way of Locorotondo
A short public transfer, following breakfast, will take you to Locorotondo this morning.
Locorotondo is covered with stunning vineyards and is known for producing high-quality wines like the Locorotondo DOC. Visit the old town of Locorotondo and enjoy a glass of local wine before continuing to the Puglia Aqueduct, the longest aqueduct in Europe.
Following the aqueduct, you’ll make your way to the charming village of Cisternino, famous for its whitewashed houses and its fornelli (stoves). Once in Cisternino, you’ll find yourself welcomed into a reinvented butcher shop, where you’ll have the opportunity to hand-select tonight’s dinner, choosing from an assortment of the finest cuts of meat. Buon appetito!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Cisternino
Distance: 13km, 200m of ascent, 130m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Charming Masseria Stay in Montalbano
Before departing Cisternino, allow yourself to be pleasantly enchanted by its remarkable fusion of Baroque and Oriental Rennaisance architecture. Peruse the narrow streets admiring the ancient buildings this morning before setting off to the Natural Park Dune Costiere.
Short public transfer to reach Cisternino. Descending the eastern slopes of the Itria Valley, you’ll reach the natural park and discover one of the most stunning areas of protected wildland that southern Italy has to offer.
Tomorrow’s walk allows for an in-depth exploration of the Natural Park Dune Costiere. Today, you’ll continue to the agriculture village of Montalbano, where you’ll stay at a charming masseria for the next two nights and enjoy spectacular in-house dinners made with the freshest local meats and produce.
Overnight Location: Masseria in Montalbano
Distance: 13km, 150m of ascent, 400m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Day 5 Explore the Natural Park Dune Costiere
This natural masterpiece deserves a full day dedicated to exploring, and today’s itinerary allows for that!
A loop trail will take you throughout the stunning park, where you’ll walk among centuries-old olive trees and encounter the spectacular fossil dunes of the area that line the sea. Formed by the shift in sea levels, the dunes have been sculpted by mother nature for millennia.
Continuing the park’s trail to the River Morelli’s wetland, you’ll discover an area where eel fishing has been practiced since the 19th century.
Making your way along gravel roads, you’ll leave the sea behind you as you make your way back to the masseria for an enjoyable evening of relaxation and fabulous food.
Overnight Location: Masseria in Montalbano
Distance: 18km, 110m of ascent, 110m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Day 6 Discover the “White City” – Ostuni
Pleasantly charmed by the warm hospitality of your masseria stay, you’ll continue country roads alongside fields ripe with produce.
Ascending through a forest, you’ll climb towards the ancient village La Terra, set atop the highest Ostuni hill.
A detour is available today to the Sanctuary of San Biagio, which will put you in close proximity to the Archaeological Park of Santa Maria di Agnano. Here, a young woman from the paleolithic period was found, making it a sight of immense historical importance.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ostuni
Distance: 13km, 240m of ascent, 120m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Visit an Underground Oil Mill and Museum
Following breakfast in Ostuni this morning, a short path will take you back towards the sea and the Natural Park Dune Costiere.
Arriving at an ancient farmhouse in the park, you’ll have the opportunity to sample refined extra virgin olive oil and visit the ancient underground oil mills dating back to Roman times. A visit to the private museum will follow, and then also to a small 18th-century church.
Return to Ostuni for your final evening and soak up your last moments on the tour.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ostuni
Distance: 12km, 160m of ascent, 160m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, olive oil tasting
Day 8 Depart Ostuni
If time permits before departing, check out the local craftsman Tonino Zurlo and his marvellous creations sculpted from olive wood.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
2024 Departures: The departures are available daily, from February 1st to November 20th.
- Single room: from EUR1150*
- Sharing a double room: from EUR840*
Accommodation on the Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour
This tour is based in 3-star hotels, B&Bs, and a charming masseria. All accommodations offer pleasant rooms with ensuite bathrooms and great locations. Rooms are double occupancy and single travellers will pay a supplement.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other, comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel.
What’s Included in Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts and 2 dinners are included, as well as 2 tastings (day 6 and day 7).
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included.
Transportation during the Tour
Luggage transportation is also included on this tour, however, any other transfers, including the public transfers mentioned in the itinerary are not included.
Also Included
- Maps and route directions
- Phone assistance between 8 am and 9 pm
- Farmhouse tasting on Day 6
- Olive oil tasting and guided visit on Day 7
Not included
- Flights to and from Italy
- Airport transfers
- Visas if required
- Travel insurance
- Tourist taxes if applicable
- Butcher shop dinner on Day 3
- Meals or drinks and snacks not previously mentioned
- Fees not mentioned as ‘included’
Optional Extras
- Activities and excursions unless otherwise mentioned as included
- Single room supplements
- Solo traveller supplements
- Any additional nights before or after the tour
- Airport transfers
- How hard is the Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Italy?
- Are meals included on the Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour?
- How much should I budget for tourist taxes?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Alberobello to start this tour?
- Where does the Itria Valley and Coastal Dunes Walking Tour end?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to Italy?
- Are there any travel restrictions for Italy?
- When is the best time to travel to Italy for this tour?
We rate this tour as a 2 / 5. Walking time each day is between 3 hours and 4.5 hours, with 12 km to a maximum of 18 km covered. The tour allows you to walk at your own pace and take breaks whenever needed.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
7 breakfasts and 2 dinners are included, as well as 2 tastings.
Tourist taxes in Italy vary depending on accommodation star rating and might be anywhere between 0.8 to 3 euro per night per person. You should budget around 14 EUR per person for the whole trip. This tax does not apply to children up to 10 years old.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip. Get your Travel Insurance.
The closest airport to your start point of Alberobello is Bari Airport (BRI). You can get to Alberobello from the airport by train or bus, which takes approximately 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer from Bari Airport to Alberobello as a supplement or arrange your own private transfer.
The tour ends in Ostuni. From here, you can return to Bari Airport (BRI) by train, which takes approximately 1 hour. You can also take the bus, which takes approximately 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer as a supplement in advance or arrange your own private transfer to the airport.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
The best time to travel to Italy for this tour is during the late spring, early summer, and early fall. High summer can be quite hot and busy.
Customer Ratings
Slow Active Tours is a tour operator specializing in “slow pace” outdoor activities, which mainly concern cycling, trekking and snorkeling in beautiful Italy. Based in Puglia, the wonderful heel of Italy, Slow Active Tours was born from a long experience in responsible and sustainable tourism, combined with a love for culture and a strong passion for traditions, history and respect for nature.
Dynamic holidays “at a slow pace”, because in this way it is possible to savor every moment of a great journey, full of adventure, hearty breakfasts, moments of peaceful well-being, food and wine tastings, fresh dips in the most beautiful seas of Italy, smiles and chat with the locals.
Each trip includes everything you need to make the experience comfortable and to be free to travel safely.
