Full Review: The Lecce, Otranto, Castro, Leuca & Gallipoli Day Tour
Puglia, that sun-baked heel of Italy, has got to be one of those places that stays with you, is that not right? We went down south last spring, you see, and ever since I’ve just wanted to go back. One of the best ways to try and see a good chunk of the region in a shorter amount of time could very well be by booking yourself onto a guided tour. I figured that the “From Lecce Daily Vantour Otranto Castro Leuca Gallipoli” tour seemed like a proper whirlwind trip, and so I made up my mind and booked it, more or less to get a handle on seeing several key towns down the coast in a single day. What follows now is like a little rundown of my experience, kinda broken down so maybe it helps you make a proper good choice whether it’s your type of thing too, see?
What to Think About Before you Book That Tour
Okay, so that sort of tour which bounces you between different places isn’t actually for everyone, I suppose. A bit like one of those sample platters at a restaurant, you actually get a small taste of each town. That can sometimes be what you need. You may want to give it a think, maybe if you’re a fan of going slow, getting friendly with the locals, and so losing yourself in one area, that one speedy kind of tour perhaps isn’t your style, actually. On the other hand, should you only be there for a tight spell and need to gobble up everything as fast as possible, like those gorgeous seaside gems dotted ’round southern Puglia, then yeah, it might work. Another thing, just a heads up, some tours put loads in, very nearly overwhelming you with loads and loads of info about absolutely every single little building and street corner; that’s cool for proper history lovers, still if you would just prefer wandering and taking photos and being outside instead, you might get a bit fed up by it.
A Good Look at the Actual Itinerary and Destinations
Okay, let’s run through what we saw, like a speedy holiday montage, shall we? We rolled on out of Lecce very early – because they cram lots into the day – which means you best be ready with coffee and be awake! The actual van, or ‘vantour’, was fine and kept very clean and the driver, as a matter of fact, was pretty good getting us around all them windy roads. Anyway, first, Castro, that pretty little seaside town. We gave the Grotta Zinzulusa cave a quick look from outside, which seemed okay and would probably be good if the tour had enough time to look properly. Afterwards it was all off to Santa Maria di Leuca – now that’s actually like right down at the very end of the heel. They let us grab a quick lunch around there – basically loads of cute restaurants. That bit of Italy seemed genuinely idyllic to me. And that very blue sea; is that like anywhere else?
Gallipoli, very possibly one of the famous towns around that area, was scheduled for the afternoon, you see. Think thin, squiggly streets and churches everywhere, which are made with the local stuff, sandstone, and that pretty little harbor just brimming with activity. You know the guide seemed to love that area. Anyway we trundled on back up northwards, so to get our quick Otranto peek. That location’s kinda cool in that the history is like layers and layers of Romans and Byzantines and even Ottoman bits too, apparently. I kind of wanted another whole day just in Otranto. At the end, we were all back in Lecce by like early evening. It’s a longer kind of day, yet you see so much, it’s kind of wild actually.
What’s Good and What Maybe Could be Better?
It is true there was absolutely plenty that I found actually pretty great regarding that tour, as a matter of fact. It really worked at showcasing several really amazing bits around southern Puglia if you’ve not got any car or simply are not comfortable actually driving around there. It did work really well as an introductory run through, like a teaser almost, which has made me now wanna spend lots of time in maybe two or three of those places again some day. The people involved also definitely know lots about the area – local history is really well presented if you are into knowing like absolutely everything.
On the other hand, very naturally some bits might perhaps be better. Loads and loads of driving in one day means the group can be pretty tired, so just be mentally ready to handle the driving. Some of the stops kinda felt quite short, especially Castro; the overall pace feels a bit hectic. To be absolutely clear: this isn’t the type of tour where you have the chance of settling in and experiencing everything on a deeper level; you can still visit some sites at an extra charge. Overall you’re more on a schedule for quick hits. Oh yes – should you perhaps dislike hearing loads and loads of info, prepare for some detail! To be fair, the guide did let people just wander away when their attention had drifted a bit.
Is This Actually Worth Your Hard-Earned Cash?
Right then, you may very well wonder about like, how good the overall price/value balance actually seems on such a tour. A little similar to how it goes regarding other tours of this general type, the ‘Vantour’ thing saves lots of bother of organizing it all solo and very potentially gets you to places you otherwise wouldn’t see as easily, mostly if you are not having a car. That’s why loads of people choose these tours; it simply makes stuff easy for vacationers and for businesspeople.
So, is it actually cheap? Truth be told, it may not seem as budget-friendly in terms of what they offer against just chilling around one place by itself. However it actually can be very fairly priced to people who badly just wanna make proper use of their really very limited holiday schedule, you know? One tip; check other tour groups to get some idea of rates for other comparative tours. Now just be aware – look right into what extras get charged. As some only run super-budgetary pricing and then add extra charges for everything! And actually don’t forget, it makes proper good economic sense for one person or a pair, actually, who maybe don’t want rental car worries but still like getting around.
Some Final Ideas for The Tour
That tour seems very useful for certain types of traveller, generally. Those who seriously value efficiency perhaps, but still wish to check out Puglia beyond somewhere such as a single resort location, could see lots of potential benefits, I feel. So you will love it if you fancy the kind of organized hop-on-hop-off style stuff and wanna be guided by somebody knowledgeable. Should slow travel and loads of beach relaxation top your agenda, you will very likely not like it! Before you sign your name, also check other tours offered around Lecce, like stuff aimed just at specific coastal spots, so as to be totally sure this thing properly matches whatever you really fancy from your days out, see? Right then, whatever option you go with: I do really reckon the gorgeous bits ’round the Salento coastline will make their mark – even during quick stop-off visits!