Arrival at Bari Palese airport. Transfer to a hotel in the Itria Valley, followed by a delicious dinner. Discover the magical landscape of the Itria Valley with its white trulli, dry-stone walls, ancient ‘masserias’ and expanses of olive groves. The hotel offers a unique opportunity to experience timeless hospitality and the idyll of waking up in enchanting countryside, populated with fairy-tale trulli. The Apulian wine and food industry, is one of the greatest treasures of this ancient land. Discover its aromas and flavours, following wine and food itineraries which blend tradition and local culture. Apulia is characterized by its traditional products and recipes, many with DOP, IGP, DOC recognition, such as its extra virgin olive oil and Altamura bread.

Breakfast and departure for the Adriatic coast, north of Bari. The tour begins with a tasting of the most representative Apulian product, olive oil. Apulia is famous for extra virgin olive oil, obtained from the secular olive trees and is recognised as the region with the highest production of extra virgin olive oil in the world. The tour continues with a visit to a historical olive mill to experience olive oil production, first hand. Light lunch and tasting of Apulian olives, olive oil and traditional local produce. In the afternoon the tour takes in a fascinating visit to a confectionery museum, where ancient traditions and the use of original recipes guarantee the highest quality, artisan confectionery. Authentic masterpieces of confectionery art, sugared almonds are made using the finest ingredients to guarantee the highest quality and exceptional flavour. Tasting of sugared almonds. Dinner in Trani at elegant osteria and stroll around the sea city.

3rd Day
Fish&Seafood

Breakfast and departure for the Adriatic coast, north of Bari. The theme for the day is the sea; amongst its food traditions, Apulia boasts seafood products such as, marinated anchovies, salted sardines, Taranto mussels and clams. It’s one thing to eat fish, but another to be able to prepare it correctly. The morning begins with a fish-based cookery class, held at a long-established fishmonger, from where to discover the rich flavours and traditions which the sea has to offer. Lunch, consisting of the seafood dishes prepared during the cookery class, is served with the accompaniment of breathtaking coastal scenery. In the afternoon there is a visit to Bari and the atmospheric alleys famous for its orecchiette pasta. The exceptional homemade pasta such as ‘cavatelli’ and ‘orecchiette’ are served in traditional ‘barese’ style with broccoli or ‘cime di rape’ (broccoli rabe). Bari is the capital city of Apulia. Located on the Adriatic coast, it is the second important economic centre in Southern Italy. Bari is famous for its harbour, its university, and with its basilica, is considered the city of Saint Nicholas. It has the longest seafront in Italy and its old town, ‘Bari Vecchia’, is a mixture of narrow alleys, scents and colours. Dinner by the sea, followed by a night tour of Polignano a Mare and artisanal ice-cream tasting. Polignano a Mare is a wonderful town on the Adriatic coast and the native city of singer-songwriter, DomenicoModugno, known for his internationally famous song, “Volare”. The Old Town is situated on cliffs overlooking the sea, where floral balconies and alleys create truly poetic and moving scenery. Polignano was awarded Blue Flag, certification by the FEE, for its environmental and water quality standards.

Breakfast in hotel and departure for the enchanting Itria Valley. To become further acquainted with Apulian food and wine experience a cookery class at Masseria Torre Coccaro. Discover the essence of simple flavours and authentic hospitality, with an exclusive experience in a refined location. Lunch, consisting of dishes prepared during cookery class. Visit to Alberobello in the afternoon. Alberobello is a small town located in the hills, famous for its trulli. It is also the world capital of trulli and a UNESCO site. A trullo is a small, drystone constructed, traditiona lApulian house with a conical roof, which are found throughout central Apulia. Tasting of local liqueurs to follow. Free time and shopping. Dinner at renowned restaurant and stroll in the beautiful baroque city of Martina Franca.

Breakfast in hotel and departure for the Alto Salento area. The wine and food industry in Apulia owes much to its wines: Apulia boasts large scale production of high quality wines, such as, Aleatico, Locorotondo, Primitive of Manduria and Gioia del Colle and Negroamaro, recognised and lauded worldwide. The tour takes in a visit to the Al Bano Carrisi winery, now recognised by the Gotha of world wines. Al Bano, remains tied to his Brindisi roots and the family estate. The soil quality and a rigorous respect of local traditions, and organic farming methods, guarantee the excellence of the grapes produced. In the afternoon there is a visit to a salami factory which produces traditional salami in the heart of the Itria Valley, and the opportunity to taste the local capocollo, a Slow Food presidiumproduct. This area has always been dedicated to high quality salami production, due to the unique seasoning process which takes advantage of the natural air currents from the Adriatic and Ionian sea. Traditional dinner based on grilled meat and stroll around splendid Cisternino.

Breakfast and departure for the BassaMurgia area, home to mozzarella and Primitivo wine. Gioia del Colle is a thriving town in central Apulia. The tour takes in a visit to a generations-old, dairy factory, owned by a family with a passion for the art of dairying. Tasting of local cheeses and masterpieces of quality and flavour: caciocavallo silano DOP, strong ricotta, scamorza, burrata, stracciatella, nodini and mozzarellas. A visit to a renowned winery follows, with tasting of Primitive wine of Gioia del Colle. Murgia is a karst land but generously fertile: here at 300 to 500 metres above sea level, the environment is optimal for grape production. This winery produces the valued Primitive wine alongside other autochthonous varieties, for the production of wine of international excellence. In the afternoon, there is a visit to a working masseria farmhouse, which produces high quality and wholesome salami and cheese in the beautiful, tranquil and uncontaminated countryside of Putignano. The farm produces and sells local organic produce and is dedicated to the promotion of environmentally sustainable and healthy food production. Locally sourced products, direct from producer to consumer, ensure good quality and value for money. Stroll in Putignano, free time and shopping. Dinner at the best restaurant in Apulia. This osteria firmly believes in zero-km food sourcing and adheres to the Slow Food philosophy ,which respects the sourcing and seasonality of produce and the creation of a relationship between the consumer and the product. The osteria has an open-style kitchen and promotes traditional cuisine, which is closely tied to its territory and the traditions of its territory and people; it has been recognised with a host of national and international awards.

Breakfast and departure for the Alta Murgia area, home to durum wheat flour bread production. In the morning, there is a visit to a bakery in Altamura, with tasting of delicious Altamura bread, focaccia and bakery products. There is the opportunity to try the exquisite flavour of this soft bread, the result of traditional artisanal techniques, and the climatic conditions particular to this part of the territory where it is produced. The tour continues on to Matera for lunch in a deluxe, Michelin restaurant. The osteria offers a homely atmosphere with home cooking and typical, local dishes. This area is also well known for the production of oil preserved products, such as, eggplants, artichokes, peppers and courgettes. The bread dough pancakes are not to be missed! In the afternoon, there is a guided tour of Matera, free time and shopping. Matera, a unique city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its Old Town, the Sassi; amazing cavities dug into the rock that have been used as houses for centuries, and were still in use up until 50 years ago. They are urban settlements, testimony to rock-construction architecture, and folk civilization. Matera has become very famous, due to its natural breathtaking scenery, exploited by many filmmakers, for example in “The Passion” by Mel Gibson. Return to hotel; dinner with folk dance performance and demonstration of ancient crafts using original tools. Experience ancient Apulian traditions with this homage to Apulia and its natural treasures: grapes, wheat, almonds and olives. This party will let you live again the ancient Apulian productions: the fields work, the party and the ancient works of typical tools. It is a homage to the Apulian land and to its traditional productions such as wheat, grapes.

Breakfast in hotel and departure for Bari Palese airport.