Valle d'Itria Tour: Polignano, Ostuni e Locorotondo, da Bari

Good for transportation not information.

Viator tour information, Whatsapp communication and written materials leave much to be desired. They are very contradicting especially in regards to timing. I knew it was self guided and wish I had spent additional time researching as this would have given me a better plan for the limited time at stops. The tour felt a bit rushed but is great to avoid unreliable buses and sample different towns in one day. I would recommend but with clear expectations of service.

via Viator

Good but meh

Bus and guide were good, but really the last town has nothing to see or do. I think this should just be a pass by, shorten time and spend more in Polignano. Consider this before booking.

via Viator

A long, but fabulous day

Driver was on time. It was a great day touring g all the fabulous towns

via Tripadvisor

HORRIFIC Experience

This tour was completely misrepresented period Someone in our group had a mobility issue, and nowhere in the description. Did it mention that this would be a high activity? Or impossible poor people with a mobility issue to complete period when entering the bus. They saw One of our crew had a cane and could barely get around, and another person was on crutches, and no one mentioned that we would be dropped miles away from the sites you want to see in the towns that you go to and left there unattended for hours with no way to get around, or be. Able to maneuver to the sites. There was no guidance provided. No one spoke to you about anything. No one gave you any direction. It was literally a bus that dropped you off miles away from the things you wanted to see for the people in our group. We were not able to experience anything because we could not get the elders in our group near enough to the site from the locations of Dropbox. This was a horrible experience that you were not prepared for and no one mentioned that people with mobility issues would not be able to participate. We double checked the booking, and nowhere. Does it say the activity level or That this is not a tour for people who are handicapped. The only thing it mentions on their website is that you cannot accommodate wheelchairs or strollers. This was a complete waste of our day. Even people in the group who did not have mobility issues struggled to get to the areas and find the bus again. Everyone on the tour was complaining about how unorganized it was. The tour company was absolutely helpless. When we called to explain to them the issues And not understanding at all, it made us feel completely discriminated against, and we would never suggest anyone using this to our company again

Response from the operator: Dear Customer, thank you for sharing your concerns. We are sorry to learn that the experience did not meet your expectations. We would like to clarify that we do not consider this excursion to require any particular level of physical activity. It is not designed as a hiking or high-intensity activity. However, it is a full-day tour of approximately ten hours visiting three different towns, and therefore a certain amount of walking is naturally required in order to reach and explore their historic centres. Our buses always stop as close as possible to the areas of interest, taking into account the traffic restrictions and access regulations established by each municipality. We specifically select strategic drop-off points with the aim of minimizing walking distances. Under normal circumstances, the historic centres can generally be reached within approximately five minutes on foot from the designated drop-off points. Unfortunately, coaches are often legally unable to enter the historic centres themselves, particularly in pedestrian or restricted-traffic areas, and this is not something that the tour operator can override. For guests with significantly reduced mobility, particularly where even short walking distances may represent a difficulty, we generally recommend a more personalized private service, where transportation and assistance can be adapted much more closely to the individual requirements of the participants. Our staff nevertheless provides assistance throughout the experience, and our customer support is always available should guests have questions, difficulties or particular requirements during the tour. Had we been informed that even a very short walking distance represented a serious difficulty for members of your group, we would have been able to assess, where permitted and operationally possible, whether a different drop-off solution or another type of service could have been more appropriate. For any future excursion, we would strongly recommend informing the operator in advance of specific mobility requirements and asking whether a closer drop-off or a more personalized transportation solution can be arranged. This allows the operator to evaluate the situation before departure and propose the most suitable experience. We are nevertheless sorry that the excursion was not enjoyable for your group and appreciate the opportunity to clarify how our service and the access arrangements to the historic centres are organized. Kind regards, Apulia Smart Tour

via Viator

Not Worth It

I give honest reviews We went on the trip for 3 towns. We were picked up in a janky van. No charging ports, cup holders ... not much The van seats 8 and we were squished along side each other. It was awesome to sit shoulder to shoulder with someone who has sweated for 2 hours at each stop in 95° heat. They should have used a bigger van for comfort, but it seems good customer service is low on their list. The smelly driver never introduced himself and only spoke Italian to the couple in the front seat. He did speak English, but only spoke to the Italian couple. He had zero personality for non-Italian clients. We asked him twice to turn up the AC on the 95° day, but he did not until I texted the tour company. He was still stingy with the AC. Dude - it was 95°+. There is no tour guide. We were dumped off at the 3 towns with a booklet about sites to see. That's it. The driver never said anything to us about the towns, what to see, or where to eat. Nothing except what time to meet him and the hot van. The second town, Ostuni was a waste of time. The big ticket cathedral is being renovated and there is little to see. It would have been better on a cooler day in a bigger van with a driver who cared about all clients. Not just the Italian clients This is in my Top 5 Worst Tours A generous 2.5 out of 10.

Response from the operator: Dear Customer, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. We would nevertheless like to clarify a few aspects of the service, also for the benefit of future guests. During the excursion, when you contacted our customer service regarding the air conditioning, our team immediately got in touch with the driver and asked him to check the situation and make the necessary adjustments. Following this intervention, the tour continued as scheduled and we did not receive any further request to interrupt the service or indication that the situation remained unresolved. For this reason, our team understood that the matter had been addressed and that the excursion was continuing normally. Regarding the format of the experience, the service booked is designed as a Smart Tour rather than as a traditional guided tour with a physical guide accompanying guests throughout each destination. It includes organized transportation, assistance during the day, informational materials, digital resources and free time to explore each town independently. The driver’s main responsibility is therefore transportation and logistical coordination, while the sightseeing component is intended to be experienced independently with the support of the materials provided. The vehicle used was suitable and authorized for the number of passengers travelling. We do, however, understand that on particularly hot summer days personal comfort can vary, and we appreciate this feedback as an opportunity to further improve the overall travel experience. We are also sorry if the interaction with the driver did not feel sufficiently welcoming to you. Courtesy and attention toward all our guests are important to us, regardless of nationality or language, and this is something we always expect from the people working with us. Regarding Ostuni, temporary restoration works or changes affecting individual monuments are unfortunately outside our control. The town remains one of the destinations included in the itinerary because of its historic centre, architecture, panoramic views and overall cultural interest. We regret that the tour did not correspond to what you were hoping for, but we would also like to emphasize that our customer service remained available during the experience and acted promptly when contacted. Your comments will certainly be taken into consideration as we continue to improve both our communication and the quality of our services. Kind regards, Apulia Smart Tour

via Viator