Hidden Treasures of Southern Italy

Welcome to Naples! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Spend Your Day Your Way in Naples Your Southern Italian adventure begins with an orientation drive of Naples, a vibrant city oozing in character and culture. Explore more of the city with your choice of an included Globus Choice excursion. Naples Hidden Gems Discover more of Naples on a walking tour featuring the Piazza del Gesù Nuovo with its Baroque masterpiece namesake church, the historical street Spaccanapoli, dividing the old town in two, and the Santa Chiara Monastery complex including a visit to the stunning cloisters decorated with hand-painted majolica tiles. Spanish Quarters Sights & Bites Explore an authentic showcase of Neapolitan culture in the Spanish Quarter. Your Local Guide shares stories on a walk along the maze of narrow streets lined with traditional ground-floor dwellings. Look for the collection of iconic murals on Vico Totó and be treated to Naples' beloved sfogliatella - delicate layers of pastry wrapping a decadent ricotta filling. Enjoy free time this afternoon and evening. (B)

Hidden Gem Drive into the hilly region of Basilicata to reach Matera, one of the oldest towns in the world. Join a Local Guide on a fascinating walk to see the historic center with its complex of “Sassi” houses built into the local caves and visit one of the casa grotta (cave houses). Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and evening. (B,D) TOUR HIGHLIGHT Matera is a city like no other, entirely carved out of the rocky slopes of a mountain in the Basilicata region and has evolved over millennia. Explore with a Local Guide to reveal the secrets of this unique city that also served as the setting for many famous films, including Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and the James Bond 007 film, No Time to Die.

Cultivating Culture Enjoy a scenic drive into Apulia, the charismatic region with the longest coastline that forms the heel of Italy’s “boot.” [LOCAL FAVORITE] Enjoy an interesting visit to the Museum of Primitivo Wine to learn about the local production, followed by a tasting and a light lunch. Continue to Lecce for free time. (B,L) LOCAL FAVORITE Wine holds a significant cultural and historical importance in Italy, making it one of the world's leading wine-producing countries. The Italian wine culture is deeply intertwined with the country's regional diversity. The Primitivo grape is the primary grape variety cultivated in the Manduria region, and it is known for producing robust and full-bodied red wines with rich fruit flavors. Its name derives from the tendency of the grape to mature early.