A gnome village and a north African-style medina – exotic doesn't even begin to describe the stars of this tour. You'll discover the UNESCO-listed fairytale conical-roofed ‘trulli' homes of Alberobello before heading to the whitewashed hilltop town of Ostuni.
First up is Alberobello – it has to be seen to be believed. Hundreds of beehive-topped and white-tipped homes are sprawled over two hills on the southern edge of the town. The style of architecture – no mortar is used – is unique to Apulia and dates to the Middle Ages. You'll learn all about their origins as you stroll around the fairytale-like streets of the town, dropping into one for a tasting of local products.
We'll then head east to Ostuni. Whitewashed houses wind their way up a hill, like a wedding cake crowned by two limestone churches. Arched cobbled alleys have the feel of a Moroccan medina while the cathedral's curvy, three-portal façade boasts three rose windows, with central one laden with medieval cosmological symbolism.
Transport