Puglia – from the Itria Valley to Salento

5 days

Durée

March – October

Saisonnalité

Puglia – from the Itria Valley to Salento
5 days / 4 nights

From Bari to Gallipoli : a land of light flanked by two seas with its white towns, churches and palaces with exuberant Baroque architecture, trulli, extended olive groves and « massarie » (renovated ancient farms).

Visit to various wineries and tasting of many DOCG, DOC and IGP Puglia wines :

Tasting of local products : olive oils and Burrata.
Visiting white cities such like Ostuni, Locorotondo, and Lecce, the “Florence of Southern Italy”.
A cooking class in a « masseria » followed by an on site dinner.

Day 1 : Bari and its southern coast : Polignano a Mare and Monopoli

Visiting Bari : the Basilica of San Nicola, the Swabian-Norman Castle and the sea front.
Visiting Polignano a Mare, located at the top of a limestone cliff overlooking the waters of the Adriatic, discover its beaches and its historical centre with paved alleys.
Lunch in a restaurant in Polignano hanging over the sea.
Visiting Monopoli: the Piazza XX Settembre, the castle of Charles V, the sea front.
Visiting a cheese farm production, near Monopoli and tasting the famous and creamy burrata.
Check-in at your hotel in Alberobello.
Free dinner and overnight.

Day 2 : the Itria Valley : Alberobello, Gioia del Colle and Locorotondo

Visiting Alberobello and its « trulli », classified as World Heritage, these houses with a conical roof dating from XVIth century used to be the typical rural habitat in Puglia.
Visiting a wine estate in Gioia del Colle, tasting of the red wines Primitivo and Aglianico and white wines Moscato and Falanghina.
Lunch in a restaurant in Gioia del Colle.
Visiting Locorotondo, One of the most beautiful villages of Italy, pushed on a hill it offers a superb panorama overlooking the Itria valley. Its alleys are lined with ancient buildings : the Morelli Palace, the Madre de San Giorgio church, the Madonna del Soccorso.
Visiting a wine estate in Locorotondo, tasting among other wines : Primitivo, Negroamaro and Verdeca.
Back to Alberobello.
Free dinner and overnight.

Day 3 : Ostuni, Manduria and Lecce

Visiting Ostuni, the white city, located on three hills, it stands out on the sky-line. Discover the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, Piazza della Libertà and its maze of alleys with splendid views over the Adriatic Sea.
Visiting a wine estate in Manduria, near Taranto and tasting of several wines including the Primitivo di Manduria.
Lunch in a restaurant in Manduria.
Visiting and tasting in a wine estate, near Lecce.
In Lecce, check-in at the hotel.
Visiting Lecce, the “Florence of Southern Italy” : Piazza del Duomo, Santa Croce basilica, San Oronzo square.
Free dinner and overnight.

Day 4 : Otranto, Gallipoli and Nardò

Visiting Otranto : the cathedral and its mosaic floor, the chapel of the madonne, Otranto castle and San Pietro church.
Lunch in a restaurant in Gallipoli.
Visiting Gallipoli: the cathedral, the Greek fountain, the historical centre and the Port.
Visiting Nardò: the Cathedral of San Maria Assunta with its frescoes, the church of San Domenico and that of the Immacolata built on the remains of a medieval castle, the Acquaviva castle.
Visiting a “masseria” near Nardò with its oil bar, tasting of different olive oils.
Visiting a “masseria” near Manduria, wine tasting, cooking class and on site dinner.
Back to Lecce.
Free dinner and overnight.

Day 5 : Brindisi and Carovigno

Visiting Brindisi: the Temple of San Sepolcro, jewel of the Norman architecture dating from 11th Century.
Visiting Carovigno, near Ostuni: the castle of Delantice di Frasso, the Porta Brindisi.
Lunch in a restaurant in Carovigno.
Transfer to Bari Airport.