Vivien was such a capable and knowledgeable leader. She exuded enthusiasm for Italy which made us fall in love with Italy even more. There was a good balance of free time and scheduled time. It was a fast pace, lots of walking, but absolutely fantastic. My 16 year old also loved the experience, despite being the youngest in the group.
A Truly Fabulous Walking Holiday This was a fabulous trip from start to finish. Beautiful and diverse scenery, great walking, great weather, and a great guide (Sara Bull). The grounds and views from the farmhouse at Braccicorti are stunning and it really is a great escape from the normality of everyday life. It was lovely to be able to relax in the pool after a day's walking.
An interesting tour of this region This is an interesting tour overall. The three main places visited - Matera, Alberobello and Lecce - are all so historical and individually fascinating to explore, yet completely different. The accommodation is similarly characterful and varied; potentially having a cave room in Matera, next a trullo in Alberobello, then a converted monastery in Ostuni (my room, in the roof, had the original guttering inside the room!) and finally an old palazzo in Lecce. There is a lot of free time outside of the designated free day, which might not suit some people, particularly solo travellers who don't bond as well with others in their group (our group of twelve had six solo travellers and those who wanted to could always find someone to explore with, as everyone was pretty sociable). Although this trip is graded as leisurely, there is a lot of walking around the various places visited, sometimes involving quite steep climbs on steps/cobbles/slopes, especially in Matera.