Southern Soul Tour
Puglia Tour 2025
5 October - 14 October
Culture, Food & Wine, and Craftmanship
10 days - 9 nights
Small Group
Travel with Chiara and meet her local community.
Yes, we are from Puglia!
Join a handcrafted tour to unveil Puglia’s true soul, engage with our community and discover our favourite places.
Tour Highlights
Our Southern Soul Tour is the ultimate way to uncover the hidden gems of Puglia.
This is more than just a tour; it's an invitation to become part of our vibrant community. We'll introduce you to our local friends and network and discover off-the-beaten paths, ensuring you experience the region like a true insider.
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Hidden Gems & Renowned Locations
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Connect with our local community
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Classes and Demonstrations
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High-end accommodations
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Exclusive Estates
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Small Group
Be my Guest.
In my heart, Puglia isn't merely a region — it's a journey waiting to unfold.
Hi, I am Chiara, an Italian born and raised in Salento - the southern part of Puglia - and I cannot wait to share the places of my heart with you.
Something as fulfilling, life-changing and magical as Puglia, cannot be sheltered from the world and cannot bear the thought that someone has lived without experiencing my beloved region.
Travelling with me in Puglia means accessing hidden, nestled-in villages you've yet to discover, connecting with my local community through unique experiences and venturing off-the-beaten paths.
Tales of Puglia is proud to be a member of the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO).
Areas we will Visit
Itinerary highlights
Get a sneak peek of some of the unforgettable experiences awaiting you on our Southern Soul Tour.
Salento
Folklore, history, natural beauty, and culinary heaven all converge in Salento.
Here, we will immerse ourselves in the vibrant Southern lifestyle, savour exquisite wines, meet skilled artisans, and embrace life to its fullest.
Historical landmarks, quaint boutiques, & cozy eateries: live Baroque-ly
Experience this opulent and vibrant city right from its heart. Here, you will feel like a true local surrounded by rich history, cosy eateries, and charming boutiques at your fingertips, for a full southern experience.
Connect with the local community in this tiny village, unknown to most, yet close to our hearts. Here, we will uncover timeless traditions with the local residents and savour local dishes in a picturesque setting that captures the region’s essence.
a taste of the True Puglia lifestyle in a secret location
Itria Valley
A mesmerizing landscape of rolling hills, olive groves, and vineyards awaits.
Here, we will explore hidden gems and dive deeper into the food and wine scene.
Immerse yourself in the world of artisanal cheese at a local farm, savouring their exquisite products and uncovering the intricate crafting techniques.
local cheese & traditional crafting techniques
Sip a cup of espresso in the square of a charming small town, enjoying the timeless art of people-watching.
a sophisticated hidden Town & The art of people-watching
Aperitif, rolling hills & A Charming village
Savour an aperitif in a hidden gem nestled amidst the rolling hills, and enjoy the southern lifestyle.
Magna Grecia & the Gravine
Feel the echoes of ancient Greek civilizations resonating throughout this entire area.
Here, we'll journey through two captivating sides of Puglia: the timeless traditions and the refined elegance of its aristocratic heritage.
Step into history as we meet the heir of a local Baron and embark on a tour of their magnificent estate. We will listen as the family unveils the captivating stories behind this aristocratic property.
Welcome to our friend’s Exclusive estate
Bari & the Coast
Fresh seafood, beautiful harbours, rich history, and much more characterise this area of Puglia.
Here, we will visit a vibrant port city and venture out to the Adriatic Coast, diving into the local cuisine, traditions, and myths.
Engage in lively chats with local grandmothers as we stroll through the alleys where they sell their homemade pasta.
‘Nonnas’ & homemade pasta
Let this romantic coastal town take your breath away as we learn about the myths behind it. Explore at your pace to create unforgettable memories.
a romantic coastal town
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Accommodations
Stay at handpicked 4 & 5-star accommodations.
From typical ‘Masseria’ to historic estates, each personally inspected and vetted.
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Meals
Enjoy 22 meals in charming locations.
Including breakfast every day, full lunches and dinner, tastings and aperitivi.
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Culinary Experiences
Relish local food and wine and learn the techniques behind cheese and winemaking.
Enjoy some of the best olive oil in Italy.
Savour the experience of learning pasta techniques and cooking with locals.
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Cultural Experiences
Connect with Chiara’s local community, visit her friends’ historical estate, and tour charming masserias.
Learn ancient art techniques from local artisans and enjoy exploring towns and villages with the help of professional guides.
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Transport
Travel comfortably in a luxury air-conditioned minivan.
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Free time
Each day enjoy some free time to explore at your own pace.
FAQs
General
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Tours are designed by Chiara, who pours her passion for her region into each itinerary. She focuses on the lesser-known areas of Puglia and emphasises the connection with the local community through food, culture, and traditions.
Chiara will lead the tours herself, eager to share her local insights and the places close to her heart with you. She will connect you with the local community and her close network, allowing you to immerse yourself in the true Southern lifestyle. Should unforeseen circumstances arise, a substitute tour leader will be nominated to ensure the same knowledge, experience, and quality are delivered.
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A few weeks prior to the tour, Chiara and the tour guests will all meet online. This is an occasion to get to know each other, ask questions, and chat about the tour in more detail.
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If you wish to extend your stay in Puglia or explore other regions in Italy, we're here to help make it happen. Contact us, and we will assist you by creating an itinerary that includes our tour and allows you to discover other areas as well.
Accommodations, transport and cusine
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Luxury boutique accommodations are one of our trademarks. Our accommodations include stylish masserie (traditional farms transformed to combine their original charm with modern luxury), opulent aristocratic and noble estates such as castles and palaces, and ancient residences of the upper class. Each of these showcases Puglia's past, history, and tradition.
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We select different accommodations for your stay to enhance your experience. The vast size of Puglia (a 5-hour driving distance from the northern town to the southern end and a surface area of 19,345 square kilometres) would require long driving distances if we were to select only one accommodation as our base to explore the region, which we want to avoid to provide the best experience.
In addition, staying at different properties allows you to experience the various facets of Puglia. When possible, we try to mix the types of accommodations you stay in (from farmhouses to aristocratic estates) so you can discover different aspects of the regiorn.
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In most cases, the distances between the locations we visit are between 15 minutes to approximately 1 hour. We design our itineraries trying to ensure that transport times between each location do not exceed 1.5 hours.
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ItemOverall, Puglia cuisine is focused on carbohydrates such as pasta and bread, a wide variety of vegetables, dairy such as milk and cheese, meat including sheep, lamb and pork, fish, shellfish and molluscs, a variety of desserts (e.g. confectionaries made with almonds and nuts, shortcrust pastries with a flavoured custard etc.) and wine. description
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Item descriptionA significant portion of our tours revolves around traditional food experiences.
We do our best to cater to everyone’s needs as much as the local cuisine allows. As we want to ensure everyone has a pleasant experience, please get in touch with us to confirm that our partners can cater to your specific dietary needs.
Inclusions and Cancellation Policy
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A standard tour usually includes:
Accommodations;
Activities listed on the tour itinerary;
Meals listed on the tour itinerary;
Pick-up from the Airport indicated on the tour itinerary and drop-off at the first accommodation;
Group pick-up from the last accommodation and group drop-off at the Airport indicated on the tour itinerary;
City-guided tours as listed on the tour itineraries;
Luxury van and driver as per itinerary.
For a complete and detailed view of the tour inclusions, please refer to the tour itinerary brochure.
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A 30% deposit per person is required within 7 days of us accepting your booking A 30% (unless otherwise stated).
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We will make refunds to you less cancellation fees in accordance with the table below:
Up to 120 days prior to departure: Full refund minus a service fee of $250 per person (to cover non-refundable costs).
From 119 to 91 days prior to departure: Deposit and any instalment payments minus a service fee of $250 per person (to cover non-refundable costs).
From 90 to 61 days prior to departure: 50% of booking value.
From 60 to 45 days prior to departure: 75 % of booking value.
Within 44 days of departure or no show: 100% of the booking value.
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In the event that you are unable to participate in the scheduled tour, you may transfer your tour package to a third party, subject to the specific conditions one of these being you provide written notice to us of the intention to transfer the package, including the full name and contact details of the transferee, no later than 14 days prior to the commencement of the tour. For more information please view our T&Cs.
For a complete list, click here.
Download our Southern Soul Tour brochure to discover your day-to-day activities, itinerary, inclusions, cost and details of your next journey.