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This trip was exactly what I had hoped for – a fascinating and varied tour of a part of Italy which hasn’t yet become too full of tourists. Our three centres were well chosen and close together – Matera was so interesting just to wander and get lost among the tiny winding lanes and steps, the old fortified farmhouse set in olive groves near Ostuni was so peaceful and in Alberobello we did meet tourism but worth it just to see the trulli. The walks were great – not too challenging and only took up part of the day so we had chance to explore by ourselves as well. I didn’t expect to see so many wild flowers in June. We had excellent food in a wide variety of restaurants, wine-tasting and two super picnics. We used a variety of transport, including local buses and trains, and all went very smoothly.
The view of the duomo in Matera from my hotel room (in a cave) window - I couldn't stop looking at it and taking photos in varying light conditions.
Vanessa was a super guide, bubbling over with energy and enthusiasm, very helpful and keen to share typical Italian things with us.
Good walking shoes vital for the rocky limestone paths, and potentially slippy steps in Matera.
Wonderful trip in a beautiful part of Italy. The walking was not challenging, which was a good thing given the heat in mid-June, and covered some stunning and scenic routes. Great food and accommodation in all three locations.
The views from Montescaglioso at the start of our walk
Vanessa was fantastic - knowledgeable, patient, and full of passion for her native country and region
Walking in Matera was an interesting and eye opening experience. I knew nothing of the history of this facinating “heel of Italy’ so was extremely surprised and delighted to discover it in the company of 5 other travellers and our wonderful guide Nino.
The history of Matera is so interesting and thought provoking. Wandering around the old town and seeing into the 'caves' was such a privilege. The town is incredibly stark built into a cliff with each place a cave transformed into living histories of people going back thousands of years. Alberobello was another wonderful discovery and so beautiful and unusual.
Nino was our guide, he is knowledgeable and extremely helpful. He ensured the group knew what to expect everyday and was very considerate of people's walking abilities.
Don't expect the walking to be particularly interesting. We had extremely hot weather which made the walking unpleasant for me. The walk was 9 June 2018. The walks overall were the least enjoyable part of the trip. They were not long so we had a lot of opportunity to explore on our own which was great. The villages and history was the surprise for me and made the experience wonderful. The food was disappointing to me as it was fairly plain and was very much localised. While its important to discover new foods i didnt really enjoy it. We did eat at a wonderful fish restaurant and we also got to spend half a day at the beach which was fantastic and really energised the group. One thing despite the guide saying one needs proper walking boots or shoes i think a good pair of trainers would be sufficient as long as they have a hard sole. I swapped mine and immediately felt more comfortable especially in the heat. The whole trip was incredible, it was a small group who got on well together and had many great laughs along the way. Nino was a fantastic guide who made everything wonderful, i would recommend this trip to anyone.
This was a fantastic trip with three very different locations to stay in and experience. The accommodation in each location was original and very comfortable. The walking, itinerary and our guide, Nino, were just excellent.
Enjoying the sights and views of Matera. I’d love to go back.
Nino was excellent. He was very caring and thought everything through thoroughly. He catered for everyone’s needs and tastes.
Take non-slip shoes for Matera (no high heels and nothing without a non-slip sole.
I really enjoyed our week in Puglia and Matera and getting to know southern Italy with great company and a fantastic guide.
I could have spent at least another day in Matera despite a bit of rain and a dramatic thunderstorm. I also liked the peace and quiet at the masseria and walking in the olive groves.
Barbara was a really great tour leader and demonstrated her passion for Italy and for nature with much enthusiasm and knowledge. She supported everyone in the group really well and went out of her way to make sure that every day and every walk was special.
I was glad to have my walking boot in Matera and used these most days. I should have taken an umbrella as we have a dramatic thunderstorm in Matera and a few showers on other days. An umbrella would have worked better than putting on a waterproof walking jacket because it was quite humid.
We spent a lovely week exploring the areas round Matera and parts of the Puglia region. The holiday was a very good mix of walking, guided sight-seeing and free time to do more sight-seeing or just relax with a drink at one of the many cafes, or even better eat one of the amazing ice-creams. Staying in three very different, locations, with very different accommodation means that you get a real feel for the area and the people.
The walking is very easy and pretty gentle, though I imagine that in the height of summer when it would be considerable hotter, it might feel a lot tougher. None of the walks was longer than three/four hours, which left plenty of time to do other things. This suited me, but if you are a very keen walker, you might find it a little dull.
This is a great region of Italy to visit, as though there are tourists, it is not nearly so packed as the more famous areas, and you get a much better idea about Italy than you maybe would shuffling round Florence or Rome. The other reason to visit is the food. I’ve never eaten so well on holiday, and as a vegetarian I was spoilt for choice, something that can be rather rare.
Thoroughly recommended for anyone who wants to get away and chill out for a while.
The view of the Sassi district of Matera from our hotel room. Watching the lights come one and people wandering about was fascinating. As very little traffic is allowed in the area, you get a real sense of what life would be before cars. The beauty of the flowers and herbs we saw and smelled as we walked. Poppies, orchids, scabious, valerian, wild fennel. The smell of oregano was wonderful.
Guiseppe was a knowledgeable local man, with a real love of his home area that he was eager to impart to us. He was very friendly, helpful and fun to be with.
Although the weather was warmer in England than Italy at the start of our trip, I'd recommend going early in the year. The flowers are very beautiful and the area is very green. Later in the year the Matera region gets very dry and also can be very hot. Seek out the ice-cream shops. There are a lot, selling an interesting mix of flavours, and we didn't come across a bad one.
Fantastic trip and bothe the tour guide and minibus driver were very obliging
The wonderful scenery along the way
Excellent
No
Our first holiday with Exodus went really well. We were met at the airport by our tour guide Luigina and driven to our first port of call, the Sassi District of Matera. Matera is built on a rocky outcrop, so there were lots and lots of steps. Not a good place for less able bodied people, and we thought some of the cobbled streets were a little slippy, so take a pair of sensible shoes. Our hotel room was a cave built into the rock. Very unusual, but the bathroom was a bit tired and needed a refurbish. Great local restaurants and cafes and very reasonably priced.
Our guide Luigina did a great job and had excellent local knowledge. She organised 2 picnic lunches during the week and organised an extra trip on our free day to Lecce. During walks, she pointed out many places of historical interest, but also talked about the local flora. We got to try wild almonds straight off the tree, also wild rocket and strawberry fruit. We were fortunate to be in Italy during the olive harvesting and she asked a local farmer to demonstrate the harvesting method.
The final evening’s meal, was at a Massiera (farmhouse). We did have to pay extra for this trip, but it was worth every penny (euro). The food was all locally sourced and Home cooked. It just kept on coming and coming, and I lost count of the number of courses. Wine was free flowing all evening too.
The meal on the final evening at the Massiera
English not always perfect, but she made herself understood which is all that matters. Good local knowledge and knew many good restaurants and cafes.
Take suncream, as even in October the sun was hot.
Matera was beyond expectations and the whole trip was one amazing sight and experience after another. Guiseppe, our guide, was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and amusing. This was an excellent first group walking trip and I will definitely book to go on others, based on this experience. The day off was excellent and I would highly recommend visiting Polignano al Mare and Monopoli. Guiseppe provided great supporting information for both sites after the initial possible options information.
Matera and it's recent history have left a lasting impression.
As previously mentioned, he could not have been bettered. Having been brought in at short notice, to cover for our scheduled guide on what should have been his week off, his dedication to the group and our enjoyment of the trip could not be faulted.
If you feel like too much of a mole (talpa) in your allotted room in Matera, do not hesitate to see if there is something more suitable available. It worked for us!
Marinella was a great guide, knowledgable, patient and very fit! The walks and the restaurants she found us were outstanding for food, wine and price. Thank you
A few of the meals! The company
Outstanding
Make sure you can walk 15 km in high temperatures in the full sun if you go in summer!
