This tour that follows the Via Francigena pilgrim route will allow you to discover a fascinating slice of Puglia’s beauty, history and religious heritage. You will also visit many of the important sights in this long and narrow strip of land, surrounded by the splendour of the Mediterranean. 4400 km of land that offer an extraordinary range of architectural delights and landscapes, including 800 km of accessible coastline.
THE TOUR
DAY 1
BARI APT – BISCEGLIE
Arrival at Bari airport, meet up with our tour leader and departure for Bisceglie.
Welcome drink, dinner and an overnight stay in a 4 star hotel (Hotel Nicotel).
DAY 2
STAGE 1 — BISCEGLIE – GIOVINAZZO
Meet up with our guide and an introduction to the routes and places we will be visiting.
The tour begins with a trip to the Cathedral of Saint Peter, located in Piazza Duomo.
From there we walk to the Cathedral in Giovinazzo, which is the end of this stage.
Dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel. (Hotel Riva del Sole)
Along the way we will stop to admire the San Corrado Cathedral, located on the fringes of the old town of Molfetta. It is the most famous example of domed Romanesque architecture in Puglia.
Total distance: 18.6 KM
Time required: 5 hours
Difficulty: average
Gradients: a 47 m climb and a 60 m descent
Type of trail: mainly asphalt roads
Critical points: some stretches on the SS16 road before reaching Giovinazzo
DAY 3
STAGE 2 — GIOVINAZZO – BARI
Breakfast and departure.
Today, we start from the cathedral in Piazza Duomo and walk to the Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari, which is the end of this stage.
Dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel.
Total distance: 21.1 km
Time required: 5 hours and 50 minutes
Difficulty: average
Gradients: a 34 m climb and a 36 m descent
Type of trail: a mixture of asphalt and dirt roads
Critical points: a stretch along the SS16 road from the outskirts of Giovinazzo to Santo Spirito
DAY 4
STAGE 3 — MOLA DI BARI – MONOPOLI
Breakfast and private transport to Mola di Bari.
Today’s trail starts from the parish church of Saint Nicholas in Via Duomo,. Having visited the church we then walk to the Cathedral of the Madonna della Madia in Monopoli.
Dinner with local specialties in a nearby restaurant and an overnight stay in a hotel.
During the walk we will pass through the beautiful town of Polignano a Mare, famous for its cliff-top houses overhanging a sparkling blue sea.
Total distance: 25.2 km
Time required: 6 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty: average
Gradients: a 87 m climb and a 79 m descent
Type of trail: mainly asphalt roads
Critical points: a stretch along the SS16 road on the outskirts of Mola di Bari
DAY 5
STAGE 4 — MONOPOLI – TORRE CANNE
Breakfast and departure.
Today’s walk starts from the Cathedral of the Madonna della Madia in Monopoli and finishes in the seaport town of Torre Canne.
Dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel at Ostuni.
On the right of today’s trail we will pass the remains of the ancient city of Egnazia, which was an important centre of trade and commerce thanks to its strategic position on the Via Traiana.
Total distance: 22.2 km
Time required: 5 hours e 30 minutes
Difficulty: average
Gradients: a 57 m climb and a 70 m descent
Type of trail: mainly asphalt roads
Critical points: some stretches on the SP90 road near Egnazia
DAY 6
STAGE 5 — TORRE CANNE – TORRE SANTA SABINA
Breakfast and private transport to the seaport town of Torre Canne, the starting point of today’s walk, which will finish in Torre di Santa Sabina.
This trail snakes through the beauty of Puglia’s hinterland, following the ancient route of the Via Traiana. It offers the chance to admire the Montalbano dolmens, walk through century-old olive groves and discover the area’s rural traditions at atmospheric farmhouses and rustic olive presses. The day ends with the trail turning back to the coast at Torre Santa Sabina.
Return to the hotel in Ostuni for dinner and an overnight stay.
Total distance: 28.4 km
Time required: 7 hours
Critical points: a stretch along the SP19 near Rosa Marina
DAY 7
STAGE 5 — TORRE SANTA SABINA – BRINDISI
Breakfast and private transport to Torre di Santa Sabina.
From there we walk to the Roman columns in Brindisi, the final destination of this tour. According to local legend, these columns were erected by the Emperor Trajan to commemorate the construction of the final stretch of the Appian Way from Benevento to Brindisi.
Dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel.
Total distance: 30.6 km
Time required: 7 hours e 50 minutes
Difficulty: difficult
Gradients: a 67 m climb and a 56 m descent
Type of trail: mainly asphalt roads
Critical points: a stretch along Via di Torre Testa, just before Brindisi
DAY 8
Breakfast and departure as indicated in the programme
