Easy-to-moderate walking with some ascents / descents, and occasional longer days.
The season for this holiday is:
12 April 2022 - 30 June 2022
01 September 2022 - 16 October 2022
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| °C | 13 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 22 | 17 | 14 |
| mm | 81 | 65 | 73 | 43 | 32 | 22 | 16 | 31 | 57 | 87 | 90 | 82 |
We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.
7 nights: 12 April 2022 - 30 June 2022 & 01 September 2022 - 16 October 2022
Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above
| Starting | Price | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 12 - 30 Apr 2022 | £895 | £360 |
| 1 - 25 May 2022 | £940 | £365 |
| 26 May - 23 Jun 2022 | £995 | £385 |
| 1 - 20 Sep 2022 | £995 | £385 |
| 21 - 30 Sep 2022 | £940 | £365 |
| 1 - 9 Oct 2022 | £895 | £360 |
| 3rd & 4th person discount | -£85 | |
| Single traveller supplement | £85 |
Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.
Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.
Room upgrades (£ per person per night)
| Suite Hotel Santa Chiara, Lecce | ||
|---|---|---|
| Superior: 12 Apr - 30 Jun 2022 | £12 | |
| Superior: 01 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £12 |
| Masseria Alcorico, Gagliano del Capo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sea view with terrace: 12 Apr - 30 Jun 2022 | £6 | |
| Sea view with terrace: 01 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £6 |
| Masseria Panareo, near Porto Badisco | ||
|---|---|---|
| 'Comfort' double (no twins): 12 Apr - 31 May 2022 | £8 | |
| 'Comfort' double (no twins): 01 Jun - 30 Jun 2022 | £12 | |
| 'Comfort' double (no twins): 01 Sep - 11 Sep 2022 | £12 | |
| 'Comfort' double (no twins): 12 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £9 |
Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room
| Suite Hotel Santa Chiara, Lecce (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr - 30 Jun 2022 | £80 | £118 |
| 01 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £80 | £118 |
| Est Hotel, Santa Cesarea Terme (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr - 30 Apr 2022 | £64 | £112 |
| 01 May - 02 May 2022 | £84 | £137 |
| 03 May - 28 May 2022 | £64 | £112 |
| 29 May - 02 Jun 2022 | £84 | £137 |
| 03 Jun - 30 Jun 2022 | £64 | £112 |
| 01 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £64 | £112 |
| Masseria Panareo, near Porto Badisco (with dinner) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr - 31 May 2022 | £98 | £130 |
| 01 Jun - 30 Jun 2022 | £112 | £148 |
| 01 Sep - 11 Sep 2022 | £112 | £148 |
| 12 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £98 | £130 |
| Corte di Nettuno, Otranto (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr - 10 May 2022 | £64 | £94 |
| 11 May - 30 Jun 2022 | £74 | £106 |
| 01 Sep - 26 Sep 2022 | £74 | £106 |
| 27 Sep - 16 Oct 2022 | £64 | £94 |
Travelling from the UK
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh - Bari (via Frankfurt) | Lufthansa |
| Edinburgh - Brindisi (via Milan Bergamo) | Ryanair |
| Edingburgh - Bari (via Munich) | Lufthansa |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Glasgow - Bari (via Frankfurt) | Lufthansa |
| Glasgow - Bari (via Munich) | Lufthansa |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Liverpool - Bari | Ryanair |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| London City - Brindisi (via Zurich) | Swiss |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Gatwick - Bari | British Airways, easyJet, Wizz Air |
| Gatwick - Brindisi | easyJet |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Heathrow - Bari (via Rome Fiumicino) | Alitalia |
| Heathrow - Brindisi | British Airways |
| Heathrow - Brindisi (via Milan Linate) | Alitalia |
| Heathrow - Brindisi (via Rome Fiumicino) | Alitalia |
| Outward route | Airline |
|---|---|
| Manchester - Bari (via Brussels) | Brussels Airlines |
| Manchester - Brindisi | Ryanair |
This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above except those operated by Ryanair. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.
Connecting travel options - flying via Brindisi
| Outward route | Price per person |
Latest flight arrival time |
|---|---|---|
| bus Brindisi airport to Lecce (0h40, pay locally) | pay locally | 1730 |
| direct taxi Brindisi airport to hotel (0h30) | £32 | flexible |
| Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest flight departure time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi hotel to Lecce (0h40), bus Lecce to Brindisi airport (0h40, pay locally) | £32 | 1245 |
| direct taxi hotel to Brindisi airport (1h10) | £54 | flexible |
Connecting travel options - flying via Bari
| Outward route | Price per person |
Latest flight arrival time |
|---|---|---|
| rail Bari Centrale to Lecce (1h20-1h55) | £22 | 1630 |
| direct taxi Bari airport to hotel (2h) | £84 | flexible |
| Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest flight departure time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi hotel to Lecce station (0h40), rail Lecce to Bari Centrale (1h20-1h55) | £48 | 1230 |
| direct taxi hotel to Bari airport (2h30) | £116 | flexible |
If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?
We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >
Beautiful wild flowers added an awful lot to the walk we took in early May. We also loved the bee-eaters and the abundance of swifts in Lecce.
A very enjoyable walking holiday, providing a variety of beautiful scenery, including coastal stretches, quiet countryside and some time in larger historical towns and cities. The walking notes were excellent, but the reassurance provided by the gpx routes were very welcome and we would highly recommend them. Accommodation was also varied, from Masserias to friendly bed and breakfasts and city hotels.
It's hard to single out anywhere specifically as we enjoyed the whole trip immensely. What we loved were:
1) The peaceful walks among the olive groves and the endless wildflowers, poppies, thistles, cornflowers, dandelions and more. Everywhere was so colourful, it was like a Piet Oudolf landscape.
2) The coastal stretches and their dramatic views overlooking turquoise waters.
3) The charming hotels and their owners, who made us so welcome.
4) Lecce and its baroque charms and the walking tour you curated for us.
5) Our last dinner in Lecce at 3 Rane - a gourmet delight and so affordable for the quality.
INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added a further night in Lecce after our walk Pathways of Puglia
Beautiful wild flowers added an awful lot to the walk we took in early May. We also loved the bee-eaters and the abundance of swifts in Lecce.
A very enjoyable walking holiday, providing a variety of beautiful scenery, including coastal stretches, quiet countryside and some time in larger historical towns and cities. The walking notes were excellent, but the reassurance provided by the gpx routes were very welcome and we would highly recommend them. Accommodation was also varied, from Masserias to friendly bed and breakfasts and city hotels.
It's hard to single out anywhere specifically as we enjoyed the whole trip immensely. What we loved were:
1) The peaceful walks among the olive groves and the endless wildflowers, poppies, thistles, cornflowers, dandelions and more. Everywhere was so colourful, it was like a Piet Oudolf landscape.
2) The coastal stretches and their dramatic views overlooking turquoise waters.
3) The charming hotels and their owners, who made us so welcome.
4) Lecce and its baroque charms and the walking tour you curated for us.
5) Our last dinner in Lecce at 3 Rane - a gourmet delight and so affordable for the quality.
INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added a further night in Lecce after our walk Pathways of Puglia
We really enjoyed springtime in Puglia. The weather was perfect for walking. The countryside was still fresh and green with an amazing array of wild flowers and the sea views never far away. We were made very welcome at all of the five very different, but equally excellent, overnight accommodations and found the regional delicacies and wines most acceptable.
Favourite day was Day 3 even though the walk was shorter than planned. Castro is a lovely town and the route to Santa Cesarea Terme through flower filled countryside with views across the Adriatic to Albania and as far as Corfu was great. The Est Hotel was our favourite stop and we will most likely return for a longer stay.
Your correspondents hunch about the La Pignata restaurant in Otranto was well founded. It is very good value and the service and food were excellent. We ate there on both evenings.
Another great holiday with Inntravel - highly recommend. This time there was a train strike in Italy and a landslide to negotiate and we were grateful to Inntravel for making rearrangements mid-holiday for us to circumvent these seamlessly! We stayed an extra few days in Otranta at the end which I highly recommend. If you travel in late April like us, be aware that even if it is hot and sunny all the hotel swimming pools will still be closed for winter and there are no sunbeds yet to hire on the beach in Otranta.
Lecce restaurants recommendations:
I Latini
Via G. Palmieri, 46
73100 Lecce
Tel +39 0832 524578
www.ilatini.it
Not the cheapest place, but excellent meal for a special occasion and lovely staff.
'00' Doppiozero
Via Guglielmo Paladini, 2
Centro Storico
Tel +39 0832 521052
Very close to hotel. Big variety and great for a lunch snack or a full meal
La Cucina di Mamma Elvira
Via Maremonti, 33
73100 Lecce
Tel +39 331 5795127
www.mammaelvira.com
Highly recommend!
In Leuca where we were dropped off after the train down from Lecce, we found that all the many cafes and restaurants along the promenade were also shut up at the end of April. However, if you go one street back there is a really good patisserie called Martinucci where you can have lunch, cakes and ice cream before starting your walk to the Masseria Alcorico.
In Castiglione d'Otranto I recommend eating-in at the Palazzo Mellacqua which was very good.
We also ate in at the Est hotel in Santa Cesarea Terme - this is a bigger hotel with a full restaurant menu and looked better than anything else that we came across!
In Otranto there are very many restaurants (almost all fish) - all looked good. We recommend:
- Hotel Corte di Nettuno (where you are staying) has an excellent restaurant
- Vicolo Matto
Via Ciatara, 13
Otranto
Tel 389 593 6251
www.vicolomatto-fishbar.it
Patronale
Via Padre Lorenzo Scupoli 15
Centro Storico
Otranto
Tel 377 3476374
So good we ate there twice!
I have wanted to visit Puglia for a good while and could think of no better time to have visted. The scenery is stunning and the walks along country tracks and the coast was made all the better by the profusion of glorious spring flowers, in the heat of the sun the smell rising from the gorse, wild thyme, clovers, wisteria was quite intoxicating. Fields of poppies, daisies, buttercups, tassle hyacinths, irises, and orchids to mention only a few were quite breathtaking, only spoilt by site of the dying olive groves, so sad to see such devastation especially when you realise the effect it must be having on the local economy in such a poor area of Italy. On the positive side it was heartwarming to see new disease resistant trees being planted though it will be a long time before they can replace the ancient gnarled stands.
Lecce and Ortranto are well worth a visit and we extended our stays in both these places to make the most of being able to spend more time exploring these historic cities. We also had additional nights during the middle of the planned itinery to further explore the countryside and not just pass through. We were perhaps a little early as in the smaller towns few places were open, though this did mean it was generally wonderfully quiet. I would recommend a visit to the Alimini Lakes and the Baia de Turchi, taxi there and follow the Salento way back, it was too long a day to walk it both ways as we did! From the Masseria Panareo we used All Trails to help us have a lovely circular tramp to the Torre Sant'Emiliano and up onto the limestone ridge above Porto Badisco and can recommend the Agriturismo "Gotta dei Cervi" for a beer, antipasta and a good salad under the shade of the pine trees rather than the busy central port restaurants.
A thoroughly recommended journey to a beautiful part of Italy with very warm and welcoming people.
The Est hotel was beautiful. I would recommend encouraging future bookers to consider an extra night there to break up the walk and as its location and rooms are so beautiful. Had the most delicious salentan coffee with almond syrup in Castro on the sea front. Sonia and Emanuele in the Palazzo with their engaging daughter Sofia were another highlight.
Everything was organised very well, the accommodations were excellent and we really enjoyed pushing ourselves with the walks, an excellent first experience of a walking holiday! Looking forward to booking the next one.
The coastal routes were really nice and the scenery along these stretches was beautiful. Very enjoyable walks.
Time spent together is so important for us and I’m glad we trusted Inntravel to take care of all the details for our self-guided hiking trip to Puglia. This is an undiscovered part of Italy for us and from their detailed trip notes we soon realised the area was full of hidden gems. Their knowledge of the area afforded us quality accommodation and food. They are honest and true professionals and we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. You really have to go there!