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7-Nights Gourmet Puglia - Undiscovered from $2,199
Cosmos
OFFER ID 1566750
This regional affordable small group adventure of the Italian region of Puglia, (also called Apulia), focuses on traditional experiences involving local food and wine. Your Apulian experience begins in Bari and continues in Martina Franca, where you will spend six nights. Martina Franca is perched on a hilltop in Val D’Itria, a beautiful valley in Puglia famous for olive oil production and the traditional conic houses called Trulli, and it is the ideal base for exploring the region. The historic centre is a memorable maze of winding alleys, where whitewashed simplicity sits side by side with baroque extravagance. Known as the "heel of the boot" of Italy, Puglia remains a favorite holiday destination thanks to breathtaking landscapes, enchanting coastline, and culinary traditions. Among the highlights of this regional Italy vacation you can look forward to the visit of Alberobello and the old towns of Bari and Lecce, as well as other charming towns surrounded by olive tree dotted countryside. Your budget-minded vacation in Italy is never short on great food and drink, especially on this itinerary. Olive oil, orecchiette pasta, local cheese, Primitivo wine and capocollo cured meat are only some of the mouthwatering delicacies you will taste during this week. Of course, you will also learn how to cook some delicious recipes for your friends and family back home on the included cooking class. The memories of your regional tour of Puglia will remain with you forever!
7 nights from $2,199 per person
Gourmet Puglia
Day 1 ARRIVE IN BARI, ITALY Welcome to Italy! Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore with the help of the CosmosGO app. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and travel companions.
Day 2 BARI–MARTINA FRANCA Start your Puglia discovery with a guided sightseeing tour of Bari. This seaside city skirting the Adriatic Sea boasts Italy’s longest waterfront and an interesting maze of alleyways, courtyards, and historical palaces. When strolling through the narrow streets of Bari Vecchia (old Bari), pause to marvel at the local women preparing typical Apulian orecchiette pasta, made traditionally by hand.
Today’s Distance: 46 mi/ 75 km (B,D)
Day 3 MARTINA FRANCA Get to know the host town of your Puglia foodie adventure on an orientation tour. Discover local cheese and “Capocollo” ham. Of course, you will have an opportunity to taste some of these traditional delicacies.
Today’s Distance: 13 mi/ 20 km (B)
Day 4 MARTINA FRANCA–ALBEROBELLO–MARTINA FRANCA On the included half-day excursion to Alberobello, discover the iconic Trulli. These dwellings, dating from as early as the mid-14th century, are made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighboring fields. Characteristically, they feature pyramidal, domed, or conical roofs built of corbelled limestone slabs. These remarkable Trulli houses were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in 1996. The rest of your day is at leisure but consider saving your appetite for this evening’s optional dinner at a local “masseria” (farmhouse) in the Apulian countryside. Enjoy authentic Italian dishes made with ingredients fresh from the farm.
Today’s Distance: 17 mi/ 28 km (B)
Day 5 MARTINA FRANCA Spend free time to relax or explore Martina Franca on your own or delve into classic Italian customs with an optional excursion to Altamura, known for its bread-baking traditions using the ancient method of wood-burning stoves in a city of ancient palaces, churches, and cloisters. ; and discover Matera, one of the oldest, still inhabited cities in the world preserving evidence of human settlements since the Paleolithic period in its natural caves carved into the rock. (B)
Day 6 MARTINA FRANCA–LECCE–MARTINA FRANCA One of the highlights of this tour is the included day trip to Lecce. This seaside city enchants visitors with an unmistakable style, boasting monuments dating back to Roman times and, most notably, extraordinary baroque buildings that proudly bare the characteristic blonde color of the local stone. The city center’s vibrant and bustling atmosphere will entice you with its elegant, timeless alleyways and delicious local delicacies, such as the “Pasticciotto,” made with sweet short pastry and typically filled with a delicious Italian custard. Learn more about regional food by joining the exciting, included cooking class. Learn hands-on how to prepare traditional orecchiette pasta and savor it with other local specialties, paired with local wines, and good company.
Today’s Distance: 62 mi/ 100 km (B,L)
Day 7 MARTINA FRANCA–CISTERNINO–OSTUNI–MARTINA FRANCA Learn about olive oil and acquire a taste for different olive oil flavors on the included tour of a local olive farm. Continue the exploration of local towns with great traditions by spending time in Ostuni, where the ancient citadel was built on top of a hill and fortified by walls. The town is commonly referred to as "the White Town" (“La Citt Bianca” in Italian) for its white walls and its typically white-painted architecture. Quaint medieval alleyways, stunning sea views, exquisite cuisine, and ancient remains, along with a magic atmosphere, are all features of tonight’s optional discovery of Polignano al Mare, which is a great way to bid farewell to Apulia.
Today’s Distance: 37 mi/ 59 km (B)
Day 8 MARTINA FRANCA Your Puglia vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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North Bay Travel Group
(707) 484-3836