Experience Puglia tours

If ever in or around the Puglia region you must check out Experience Puglia Tours. Angelo Coluccia was an amazing host by providing the best accommodations (apt) transportation to and from Bari airport and daily tours which included visits up to three towns each day. Some highlights were visiting churches and Basilica's, a store where cheese was made, wine tasking at a local vineyard, making pasta at a local farm house.
Obviously the food was amazing, Angelo found us local restaurants with strong ties to their communities and took time to explain each wine for that particular meal. Great surprise was when he did some family history for my wife and planned a visit to her Grandparents town of Gravina.
If you are looking for a guide that is well versed in history, food and culture than look no further than Experience Puglia Tours you will not be disappointed.

We recently did the 6 day tour of Puglia with Angelo. The tour was with 3 other couples all close friends. All I can say is wow , Angelo was so professional and friendly giving some incredible memories to take home. From the amazing lunches each day from 5 star dining to delightful rustic food we couldn't fault. The wines chosen each day to accompany the food were thoughtfully selected by Angelo to suit our taste . Angelo's knowledge of the places he took us was not only entertaining but very knowledgeable. If you want a stress free highly organised trip to Puglia you must contact Angelo for an experience you will never forget.

Visiting Puglia for the first time, we couldn't have asked for a better guide than Angelo and Experience Puglia. He made our trip unforgettable in every way. We explored a stunning variety of locations, each more interesting and breathtaking than the last. The week long tour was perfectly balanced, showcasing the coast, charming towns, wineries, and more! Angelo's deep knowledge of the area enriched our experience, making every moment both educational and enjoyable.

Coming from NYC, we love food and trying different resturants, and touring with Angelo did not disappoint. He educated us on the local specialties of the region (we may never look at olive oil the same way again) and always chose delicious wines to pair with each meal. We dined at some of the best restaurants, all thanks to Angelo's fantastic recommendations and connections, ensuring we tasted the most authentic and delicious local cuisine.

Spending a week with Angelo felt like being with an old friend. His warm personality and genuine passion for Puglia shone through, making us feel welcome and at ease. Leading up to the trip, Angelo was extremely communicative, answering all our questions promptly. He even went above and beyond by dropping us off at the airport to catch our 6 am flight on the last day!
We highly recommend Experience Puglia with Angelo. It's worth every penny (and more!). All the five-star reviews are true, so book right away—you won't regret it!

When I set out to choose a tour of Puglia nearly 12 months ago I never imagined the experience I was about to have. The itinerary ticked all the boxes, but the 6 days that followed were so much more than we could have ever expected. We were greeted by Angelo and his lovely family at our charming B&B in Gioia del Colle. Over the next 6 days we experienced all that Puglia had to offer and more. The history, culture, people were so fascinating. We were blown away by the most amazing, delicious food that I’m still dreaming about. We learned all about natural wines and tried our fair share and met one of the producers. We tried Burrata fresh from the factory floor and met a genius in the kitchen during an included cooking experience. I honestly cannot thank Angelo and Puglia enough. I can’t wait to return. Look no further than Angelo and Experience Puglia Tours for a tour filled with history, amazing wine and food you will never forget. 🙏

This seven night tour of Puglia with Angelo Coluccia was wonderful and completely exceeded our expectations. My husband and I booked the tour because it not only offered the chance to experience and learn about the history of the area but to sample the food and wine as well in a small group.

Every meal we had with Angelo was enjoyable and several were exceptional.
Angelo's background in the wine trade also meant that we visited vineyards and learnt about the local wines from experts. Not only that we also tasted and watched cheese being made as well as helping to prepare our own lunch one day.
Angelo was a delightful guide, always professional and caring, but also great fun as he imparted his amazing knowledge of Italian history in impeccable English. He was also a very careful driver and always ready to help with any requests we had.
We loved Puglia and after a week with Angelo could understand his enthusiasm and pride in his area.
The tour was well paced and varied and the B&B Cavour very comfortable.
Since returning home we have been urging all our friends to book it too.

My cousin and I recently participated in the four day tour of Puglia. As our guide Angelo commented, it was more like touring Puglia with close friends than being on a "tour". We were delighted to stay in Angelo's home town of Gioia del Colle, a perfect "home base" for our daily excursions. We visited the usual sights but Angelo's local knowledge and passion for the region really added to our experience. And did I mention the food? Each "lunch" was a gourmet experience, including an incredible meal at Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso -- featured in Anthony Tucci's Searching for Italy series. Thank you Angelo for sharing your love for Puglia with us.

We just spent 4 full days with Angelo from Experience Puglia and it was like being guided through much of Puglia with our best friend. Every detail, from our meet/greet at the Bari train station on the first day until we stepped out of the van on our last day, was pure perfection. Angelo has several sample multi-day itineraries on his website, and we were able to mix/match to plan the perfect 4 day tour. In addition to seeing the sights, Angelo is passionate about his beloved Puglia region and brings the history of each place to life. In addition to seeing places we would have never seen on our own, Angelo planned for beautiful lunches and/or wine tasting each day, with beautiful food and gracious hosts. If you want to make the most of your time in Puglia, do yourself a favor and book a tour with Angelo today. I highly recommend Angelo and Experience Puglia tours!

After researching Puglia in 2018 as we wanted a private tour as didn’t want to drive ourselves we came across Angelo & Experience Puglia.
We put together a tour for 2019 then COVID struck so this was cancelled.
I had a good feeling about Angelo, the speed in which he refunded our deposit was excellent, unlike a lot of companies at that time.
Last year we decided to pick up from where we left off and book for 2023 to include some amendments to the itinerary so we could have a private bakery lesson making Focaccia and Pizza in a private bakery, only have a tour for just the two of us and also arrange transfers after the tour to a Masseria & then onto Monopoli and back to the airport. All this was done with clear emails from Angelo.
We arrived, Angelo was waiting for us to take us to our apartment for our 7 nights stay as we had arranged our first day free. Upon arrival we decided we would like to go somewhere on our free day and Angelo very hastily arranged a private car to take us to Bari, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Most companies would say they couldn’t arrange this at such short notice, but Angelo just did.
We have experienced a wonderful itinerary, on our own with a wonderful guide, no crowds with everything explained in full, numerous questions answered. Superb food like we have never experienced in Italy before & restaurants, care and consideration throughout, even on hand in the evenings. Nothing was too much trouble.
We have travelled the world and Italy, done tours but nothing comes anywhere close to our Experience of Puglia with Angelo.
Totally off the scale.
Certainly made our Experience of Puglia something to remember for a very, very long time. Probably the best holiday we have ever had.
Do not hesitate

This is my second trip to Experience Puglia with the owner/guide Angelo.
Needless to say, I loved it enough to do it twice over 6 years. I love this part of Italy, because it is so varied in terrain, history, antiquities, food and wine . Every day with Angelo is a new and wonderful experience. On the first day he will meet you at the airport or train station and drive you to a B&B in a charming in a small town. Each day after breakfast he will pick you up from your B&B and take you on a breathtaking adventure rich in history, scenery and food that is unbelievable! Don't worry you'll also get your exercise with lots of 'steps' to prepare you for the fantastic meals. Angelo is very well informed about the rich history of the area. He is kind and very organized. I traveled with a family group both times in 2016 and 2022. It is a fun way to spend time with a group of family or friends. I cannot say enough about this wonderful experience in Puglia!

Angelo was the best.......he provided tailored tour throughout the region of Puglia that included amazing sights, wonderful restaurants and meals, individual special tours that included visiting private vineyards, and farm to table private cooking experiences that you just can't arrange yourself. We saw and visited everything that you need to experience in Puglia......I highly recommend letting Angelo arrange and show you around Puglia......he definitely know and loves this region of Italy!

From the moment we saw our guide Angelo in airport arrivals we knew we were in good hands.
Personal driver, translator, knowledgable guide and attentive host, Angelo made us feel welcome and there is no doubt that we would never have experienced authentic Italian history, culture, cuisine and hospitality without him. Each day there was contrast and interest. By the end of our four day visit to Puglia we not only made great memories but a friend in Angelo. We cannot recommend him highly enough.

We enjoyed this tour with Angelo years ago & we wanted to return. Having members of our family with us made this time even better. The food, the wine and the places made it memorable again but, most of all Angelo’s friendly and knowledgeable style of travel made it not just a “tour” but a real EXPERIENCE of a delightful and less traveled region.

Just doesn't get any better than this. Angelo, the owner and tour guide, does everything for you. He picks you up at the airport, takes you to a very nice B&B where he has made a reservation for you, takes you on a daily tour to places all over Puglia, and arranges for a multi- course lunch at excellent restaurants. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history and customs of the region.He is also a very nice person. Do not miss this extraordinary tour!!

We did the 6 day tour with Angelo last month. It was for 6 of us, all friends from Australia. We had the most amazing trip. Angelo guided us through the towns and highlights, which there were many. The small local restaurants were excellent. They were small family owned business, in out of the way places, and we were welcomed with open arms. We had ample time for the meals, which quite often consisted of up to 6 courses of local cuisine.
The Puglia wines too, were tremendous, and Angelo selected the best of the region and paired them with our long lunches.
We were accommodated in a beautiful b & b in Gioia del Colle for 6 nights, which was no more than 2 hours drive from any of the beautiful cities/towns in Puglia.
We would thoroughly recommend Angelo's tours.
Thankyou. Angelo, for an unforgettable experience!

We did the four day tour with Angelo and Experience Puglia. We can see why Experience Puglia and Angelo have such great reviews. They are well deserved. We found Angelo to be very professional and a genuinely nice man who works hard to make sure his clients have a great time. He is a wealth of knowledge about Puglian history, food and wine and he makes the area come alive with his stories and knowledge. We loved our stay in Gioia Del Colle - so lovely to stay there and the accommodation was perfect. We have come away from Puglia with so much knowledge about the foods and wines of the region and his passion was contagious. We would highly recommend Angelo and Experience Puglia for a tour of Puglia. Thank you Angelo for our fabulous 4 days touring Puglia!!

In 2013, we toured with Angelo and here is our review from then:

Needless to say, we agree with all the other reviews about this personalized tour - the integrity and passion of host Angelo, the excellent accommodations, the interesting sights and their history, the outstanding food and wine, the engaging experiences - but what makes the time spent so worthwhile goes farther, and Angelo's value-add is what sets this "tour" apart from all others.

First, you will never have to worry about anything - Angelo is punctual, books accommodations and restaurants in advance, never gets lost, is fully aware of timing yet not rushed, does not miss any obligation and is very helpful and accommodating.

Angelo's attentiveness gives him the ability to discern his client's interests and tastes, and when combined with his knowledge of the local geography, history and attractions and his organization skills, he can add/subtract/rearrange/focus the day's activities, even though the agenda seems set - this makes you feel like everything is perfectly aligned just for you. When I mentioned I loved burrata but have never found it anywhere as good as in Paris ... off we went to where mozzarella is made and burrata tasting! When I found out the Castellana Grotto was a cave, I was so disappointed it wasn't on our agenda because the artist in me loves caves ... well, we made the 11:00 entry!

Angelo is simpatico with the area's reflection of a simple life grounded in the bounty of the land. As such, his meal and tasting choices are guided by the philosophy of fresh seasonal ingredients, slow cooking, hand-made pastas and cheese, organic wines and fine olive oils - it's why eating with him turns into heavenly award-winning events! But it also makes you feel that same sense of simplicity and connection to and appreciation of the land.

Angelo's modest and unassuming approach to sharing knowledgeable history descriptions while walking around locations is captivating and brings the past back to life. It's why it feels like experiencing a place and time rather than simply touring a sight.

If you're reading these reviews thinking it's all too good to be true and skeptical of yet just another internet offer, you're just like we were. But put that all behind you - this is the real deal.

On our first international trip since covid, we included a return to Puglia in September 2021 to hang out with Angelo again and visit some new places. We love Puglia for it's rich history, charming old villages, gorgeous sea and breadbasket bounty. It's off-the-beaten path status despite this enticing offering, even in non-covid times, means it's not crowded and we thought it would be perfect for trying to be normal in a pretty safe place. Due to several covid-caused travel issues unrelated to the tour, we ended up with Angelo for only 3 days, but it was just as wonderful as our first trip and Angelo hasn't lost his touch after 8 years! Let Angelo be your friend to show you the beautiful seascapes and sea towns, gleaming white villages with their castles, forts and narrow winding alleyways and most of all, delight you with heavenly gastronomic and wine experiences!

The tour “Experience Puglia with Angelo” is one of the best tours I have been on. I spent 7 days with Angelo and five other people and had an amazing time and came home with great memories and lots of photos.
I liked having a home base to return to each day, this meant we did not have to pack and unpack each day. The town has some good restaurants which Angelo recommends for dinner.

The tour was very comprehensive and well planned, each day we visited a number of different sites: picturesque towns, churches, castles, trullis, beaches and the countryside. Angelo is very knowledgeable especially about the history of Puglia, and the food and wine of the region. He was always able to answer any questions we threw at him,
Lunches were excellent on the tour, as there was a great deal of variety. We visited a seafood restaurant at a beach, a home where we foraged in the garden and then used the produce to cook lunch, two meals in the country, one using local ingredients cooked by a family who also produced wine we consumed and two restaurant meals.

All places served fantastic food and wine. Regarding food, the highlight of the tour was visiting Antichi Sapori in Monterosso, a restaurant visited by Stanley Tucchi. The food was outstanding and I was introduced to the chef by Angelo. My other favourite restaurant was in Gioia delle Colle (our home base town) where we had another great meal. We were served some fried olives in the antipasto - Make sure you ask Angelo to introduce you to these olives, a specialty of Puglia.

Touring with Angelo is like having a holiday with a friend not a tour guide, so if you want to have a holiday in Puglia make sure you contact Angelo for his tour. I can't recommend his tour highly enough, just look at other reviews - I haven't seen a review under 5 stars.

Where to begin?!

We arrived home yesterday after a 6-day tour of Puglia with Angelo and I already can’t wait to go back again one day. Angelo provided a ‘trip of a lifetime’. When I started to research tours of Puglia I was so impressed by all the 5-star reviews of Angelo that I just knew this was the tour to book. However, we all know you can’t always trust consistently great online reviews … BUT … I now know firsthand that Angelo’s incredible reviews are well deserved.

Angelo’s “Experience Puglia” is NOT your typical tour where you’ll dine in a place alongside busloads of tourists. You will NOT be touring towns with dozens of fellow travellers with headphones, trying to hear and/or see the guide telling you about the local sights (we saw lots of those kind of tours on this trip and I was so grateful to be where I was). Instead, you experience the REAL Puglia with a small, private group, and with an incredibly knowledgeable guide (Angelo) eager for you to get to know his beautiful homeland. His goal is for you to experience the very best, the authentic best - which we did.

It’s not just a job for Angelo, it’s a passion and it is so very evident. It is truly an experience, not just a trip, and you will feel as if you have gained a friend in Angelo. I miss him already :)

I could go on and on. Just hoping I will be fortunate enough to experience it all again sometime. Thank you, Angelo!

Experience Puglia let me see Puglia through the eyes of a native, and to really learn about life in this beautiful part of Italy. I’ve been fortunate to travel extensively in Italy, and this tour will go down as one of my favorite trips.

I travelled with three friends. Angelo provided us with an expertly curated tour that introduced the history, the culture, and the people of his home region. Every day was something new and exceptional, from UNESCO World Heritage sites to stunning sea vistas to whitewashed hill towns to memorable dining experiences. Believe him when he tells you that after your lunch, you won’t be needing dinner! We particularly enjoyed being able to sample the wines and cheeses for which the region is known at their sources. Easy conversation flowed throughout our tour, and we left viewing Angelo as a friend.

Our experience in Puglia was more than we could have imagined. I highly recommend Experience Puglia.

If you want a terrific tour guide for your planned visit to Puglia, Italy, look no further than Angelo Coluccia of Experience Puglia. Angelo’s personality and charm are an immediate attraction, plus his detailed knowledge of what is becoming a must-see region of Italy makes for an exquisite sightseeing and dining adventure.

The tours include unbelievable lunches at quaint family-run restaurants. Angelo provided a select list of restaurants for dining in the evening, but we never had an appetite after the sumptuous lunches.

Accommodations were at a B&B in the small town of Gioia del Colle, an ideal spot to begin each day’s tour. The service was fantastic and the rooms spacious and perfect for a restful night’s sleep.

Angelo is carefully organized and detailed. His choice of historic local places and picturesque seaside towns to visit provided us with memorable moments.

This was one of our best Italian tours. Angelo since has become a friend and we hope to return to discover more of Puglia. On a scale from one to ten, Angelo rates a 10, and even that score hardly does him justice.

Renate and Ron Clancy