Apulia

Arrival at Bari Palese airport. Transfer to the Tenuta Monacelle hotel, where a delicious dinner will be waiting for us.

Hotel Tenuta Monacelle offers an extraordinary opportunity to experience timeless hospitality. Staying in the trulli countryside will be like waking up in the morning in a fairy tale.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Valle d'Itria, an area with an enchanted landscape rich in caves, white trulli, ancient farms and expanses of olive groves. Alberobello, a UNESCO site, is the world capital of "trulli," traditional Apulian houses made of dry-stone and having conical domes. These unique constructions were built as temporary rural shelters, warehouses, or actual houses by smallholders or farm laborers, and to this day dot the entire Murgia region's heartland. Followed by demonstration of stone working, tasting of rosoli and local sweets. Lunch of typical Apulian products at an agritourism.

We will then visit the most beautiful villages in central Apulia. Locorotondo rises neat and silent on the top of a hill. Harmoniously rounded as the place name itself suggests, Locorotondo owes its name to the morphology assumed by the first town, which arose around the year 1000. It is famous for its white wine and meat.

Ostuni is an architectural gem, called "The White City" because of its walls and the beautiful narrow streets of its historic center, typically painted white with lime. In the surrounding countryside are typical Apulian farmhouses and beautiful centuries-old olive trees. In the evening, return and dinner at the hotel with a free evening.

Breakfast at the hotel and depart for a beautiful day in the northern part of Puglia, the Gargano. We will visit the town of Monte Sant'Angelo, the very place where Archangel Michael appeared on Mount Gargano in the 5th century. The Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel is a crossroads for pilgrimages from all over the world. The site is a trace of the Lombard presence in southern Italy and is a UNESCO site. Typical lunch.

In the afternoon we will visit increasingly picturesque and fascinating places. Castel del Monte is the most famous castle in Puglia and a UNESCO site. Built by Frederick II, it is known to be the protagonist of many legends and mysteries; in fact, it has an octagonal shape, esoteric references, plays of light and inclinations of shadow, as well as incredible numerical combinations. We will then go on to discover Trani, an elegant city that overlooks the Adriatic Sea by means of a characteristic small port. Visit the historic center and the superb cathedral, called the "Queen of the Cathedrals of Apulia," the Orthodox church of San Martino and the oldest synagogue in Europe, built because of the important Jewish presence in the city. In the evening return to the hotel for dinner and free evening.

Breakfast, relaxation and lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will depart for the city of Bari, the capital of Puglia. Located on the Adriatic Sea, it is the second largest economic center in southern Italy, known for its port and university, and for being the city of St. Nicholas, the patron saint to whom the famous Basilica is dedicated. Bari has the longest waterfront in Italy, and its historic center called "Bari Vecchia" is a combination of narrow streets and alleys, carved out between the two modern ports. This is followed by shopping and free time in the center of Bari. In the evening, special thematic dinner with theatrical and musical interlude and return to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and depart for a packed day in the southern part of Puglia, Salento. We will first visit the Tenute Al Bano Carrisi winery in Brindisino, with wine tasting and typical products.

We will then travel to Lecce, the main city of Salento located at the tip of the heel of Italy. The capital of Apulian Baroque, it is often called "the Florence of Italy" due to the many artistic works in the city. Its sculptures were made of pietra leccese, a limestone-like stone that is very soft and malleable.

After Lecce, we will travel to Otranto, the easternmost city in Italy: Capo d'Otranto is in fact the easternmost geographical point of the Italian peninsula. See the historic center and the castle, jewels thanks to which Otranto was included among the most beautiful villages in Italy. In the evening, dinner at the hotel and free evening.

Breakfast at the hotel and relax. After lunch, depart for a day of archaeological and historical discovery of Magna Graecia and Basilicata.

The capital of Magna Graecia, Taranto was founded in 706 BC by settlers from the Greek city of Sparta. Due to its strategic location in the Ionian Sea, it is one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean. Sights: center and two ports, Cathedral Di San Cataldo, Aragonese Castle and MARTA National Archaeological Museum.

Sunset excursion, dinner and entertainment at the unique town of Matera. Matera, a UNESCO site, is well known for its Sassi: extraordinary cavities carved into the rock, urban agglomerations used as houses up to 50 years ago. Matera has become even more famous as many directors have used its natural setting in their films, including Mel Gibson's "The Passion." Return to hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for a full day of scenic, naturalistic and culinary discovery. In the early morning we will visit the Castellana Caves, a karst phenomenon that is currently the largest speleological complex in Italy in terms of extension and beauty of concretions. We will reach the last cave, the Grotta Bianca, called the most splendid in the world for the richness and whiteness of the alabaster.

We will head to the Adriatic coast to visit Polignano a Mare and its sea caves by boat, with a delicious seafood lunch to follow. The historic town center overlooks sheer cliffs overlooking the sea, where balconies and flower-filled alleys provide a truly unique and exciting backdrop. In the afternoon we are treated to a traditional Apulian cooking class followed by dinner with all the products prepared during the course. In the evening return to the hotel.