THE PEARLS OF PUGLIA & MATERA TRAVEL ITINERARY
PRIVATE TOUR FROM BARI TO BARI
Day 1: WELCOME TO PUGLIA & BARI
Meet your tour guide at 14.00 in BARI for a fascinating walking tour through the ancient alleys visiting the Basilica of St. Nicholas, one of the most remarkable examples of Romanesque architecture, the exterior of the Swabian Castle built in Norman times and the fish market. Following this, travel to the stunning fishing town of POLIGNANO A MARE, perched on limestone cliffs, boasting stunning views and colorful narrow streets for a two nights stay in a central hotel.Dinner is included this evening in a local restaurant.Overnight in POLIGNANO A MARE
Day 2: UNESCO CASTEL DEL MONTE & BACKROAD TRANI
Wide horizons, bold colors, sometimes harsh and a bit lunar.Such is the landscape of the Murgia Valley from the Imperial Puglia, dominated by the presence of Frederick II.This morning drive takes you to the UNESCO Heritage site of CASTEL DEL MONTE,a masterpiece of medieval architecture, which dominates the countryside of Andria from its 540 meters on sea level.Continue to the beautiful fishing town of TRANI where you will explore the Cathedral of San Pellegrino, a Romanesque gem by the sea, the Swabian Castle, an imposing fortress built by Frederick II. After an included lunch in a local restaurant, you will have free time to explore the Jewish quarter, a maze of small alleyways,synagogues and artisans’shops.The elegant port is the town’s beating heart.The remainder of the day is at leisure.Overnight stay in POLIGNANO A MARE
Day 3: BIBLICAL MATERA
MATERA is a fabulous troglodyte town of prehistoric grottoes, cave tabernacles, abandoned hovels and Renaissance houses, all excavated into the luminous limestone tufa. The rock-cut cave dwellings known as the SASSI, date back to Byzantine times.With the help of a locally-grown expert, we’ll learn the stories of old and new Matera.Discover an ancient cave dwelling which tells a tale of poverty, hardship and struggle, whose history is best immortalized in writer Carlo Levi’s superb book “Christ stopped at Eboli“,comparing the Sassi to Dante’s Inferno.Today Matera contains some 3000 habitable caves.Visit a cave church-featuring medieval frescoes with their own legends that we’ll learn about.Dinner is included this evening in a local restaurant.Rest of the day is at leisure.Overnight stay in MATERA
Day 4: FAIRYTALE ALBEROBELLO,BURRATA CHEESE MAKING & OSTUNI
Today’s visit takes you to the UNESCO town of ALBEROBELLO, famous for its district of Trulli, spread over the hillside to the south of the town. These square structures have conical roofs covered with “Chiancarelle”, grey-limestone roof slabs and are crowned by differently shaped pinnacles, each with a magical significance.Your expert guide will show you an 18th century small Trullo house, giving something of the atmosphere of trullo life, with sweet, rounded rooms that include a re-created bakery, bedroom and kitchen.Today,you are invited in the house of an Apulian family for a BURRATA cheese making experience accompanied by a light lunch.Spend the next two nights in the picturesque white OSTUNI.Overnight stay in OSTUNI
Day 5: OSTUNI, LOCOROTONDO & OLIVE OIL FARM
Start the day with a stroll with our local guide through the narrow alleys and steep stairways of picturesque OSTUNI, a town which shines like a pearly white tiara, extending across three hills with the magnificent gem of a late-Gothic 15th century cathedral as its sparkling centerpiece. We will visit to a well-known museum in Ostuni which was an 18th century monastery but now houses the skeleton of a 25,000 year old woman among other prehistoric finds. Continue to the small village of LOCOROTONDO, considered one of the most picturesque ones in Italy boasting an extraordinarily beautiful and whisper-quiet pedestrianized historical center, where everything is shimmering white aside from the blood-red geraniums that tumble from the window boxes. After time on your own for lunch, we return to Ostuni to visit a locally MASSERIA-farmhouse- for an olive oil tastings and viewing an underground ancient olive mill (frantoi ipogei).Included dinner in a popular restaurant.Overnight stay in OSTUNI
Day 6: MANDURIA WINE TASTING & ELEGANT LECCE
This morning visit takes you to experience a well-known winery located in the MANDURIA region for a tasting of their wines “Primitivo” and a visit to the wine CULTURE MUSEUM.Continue to the historic town of LECCE and its glorious profusion of Baroque mansions and churches.A beautiful baroque town with a remarkable architectural confection of palaces and churches intricately sculpted from the soft local sandstone. Upon arrival, we take a private tour around the city with our locally born guide to have the key sights explained to us. Lecce is known for its crafts, most notably papier-mache’ figurines, and this display is dedicated to explaining the skills and artistry that go into a local product.Spend the last two nights of your Puglia adventure in a central boutique hotel.The evening is all yours to head to the old town for a meal or taking in the atmosphere of the evening “stroll”-LA DOLCE VITA !!!Overnight stay in LECCE
Day 6: THE MARVELS OF OTRANTO & THE SALENTO PENINSULA
This morning tour venture takes you to CAPE OTRANTO where we visit a recently restored 19th century lighthouse from where on clear days you can see the mountains of Albania.Next, we move to the beautiful walled harbor town of OTRANTO, overlooking the turquoise Adriatic sea. On a walking tour here we see the stunning Cathedral where, in the interior you can find a remarkable 12th century mosaic floor depicting the Tree of Life balanced on the back of two elephants. Dinner is included this evening in a local restaurant.Overnight stay in LECCE
Day 8: ARRIVEDERCI PUGLIA!
Morning transfers to Brindisi airport and train station.
Many travelers who claim to “know” Italy have never set foot out of Rome. But plenty of Italophiles say that the fun starts once you leave Rome’s southern city limits. Italians refer to the part of Italy south of Rome as the Mezzogiorno, which means midday and refers to the hot sun that blazes down