Puglia self guided walking vacation

Planet

On a visit to Puglia you will encounter rich history, unique local cuisine and some of Italy’s friendliest people. Our trip includes the UNESCO World Heritage trulli of Alberobello and the Sassi of Matera, so it is important that we plan our visits to these sites in a sustainable manner. We believe the best way to experience such a destination is on a low impact walking vacation; and have planned this trip to include public transport (paid locally) where possible to keep your impact on the environment low.

This slow style of travel not only affords you more time to appreciate the natural beauty of the region but, just as importantly, positively contributes to the regions that host you.

We are aligned with “Leave No Trace”, an international organisation that has set the global standard for outdoor ethics. Through targeted education, research and outreach, its mission is to ensure the long-term health of our natural world while maintaining sustainable recreation in nature.

Our Waste Management Policy encourages our travelers to take their own reusable water bottles, coffee cups and reusable stuff sacks to avoid single-use plastics. We follow this same philosophy in our office as well as on the trail: in our London office we have banned single use coffee cups and water bottles. We use recycled paper in our office and we are working towards reducing the amount of paper we use, as well as recycling all of our paper and plastic waste

People

Our preferred accommodations we use on this trip are locally owned small hotels and B&Bs; this way we ensure your tourist spend is staying within the area and benefiting local people.

For example, when available we book the Hotel Sassi in Matera, one of the original hotels in the Sassi, which includes refurbished dwellings going back to the 1500s. Its breakfast focuses on local produce when available including Caffè Grieco which is roasted in Matera and hand-made bakery products from the Panificio San Giacomo.

We have also planned wine and local produce tasting for you in Alberobello, dinner at typical restaurants in Ostuni and Matera. Which will give you a chance to try the local flavours, meet local people and helps contribute to the local economy.

In 2000 we developed the award winning Responsible Travel Guidebook, which presented our Travel Group’s comprehensive policies on sustainable travel. Over the years our Responsible Travel Guidebook has evolved to meet the ever-changing landscape of sustainable travel. In March 2018 The Thoughtful Traveler booklet was launched, which is an easy-to-read document that empowers travelers with suggestions about how they can be part of the solution and collectively make the world a better place when they travel. Everyone is encouraged to read the Thoughtful Traveler ebook before departure.