Puglia 2023
May 14 to 23 or September 15 to 24
If Italy were a boot, Puglia would be the spiky heel that juts into the Adriatic. With its back against the mountains of Basilicata, the region looks east, toward Bazantium, and rarely back towards Rome. Indeed, throughout most of its history Puglia has been isolated—geographically, politically, and philosophically—from the rest of the Peninsula. Which explains, perhaps, why this remote corner often feels like any place but Italy.
Day 1 (May 14 or Sept 15): The tour begins in Rome with an afternoon excursion along the Applian Way, a road built to connect Rome with what was then called "Apulia" and completed by Emperor Trajan at the start of the second century AD.
Day 2: Depart Rome for Puglia with a stop at Benevento, where the Appian Way passes beneath Emperor Trajan's splendid triumphal arch. Then on to the battlefield of Cannae, where Hannibal’s army dealt the Romans a devastating defeat. We end the day at Trani, a charming port city with colorful fishing boats and a cathedral that looks out to sea.
Day 3: Morning visit to the remarkable Castel del Monte, a creation of the nimble genius Frederick II. Afternoon visits to Ruvo with its Romanesque cathedral and Barletta with its colossal 5th century bronze statue of the otherwise forgotten Emperor Marcian.
Day 4: Morning visit to Bari, with its Norman-era church of San Nicolo and its beguiling historic center. In the afternoon we visit the Ancient Roman site of Egnazia, an important stop along the via Appia. We finish the day at the Hotel Melograno, a beautiful masseria-style hotel set amidst a sea of very old olive trees.
Day 5: Visit two of the iconic villages for which Puglia is famous: Alberobello with its round stone trulli, and the little yet elegant Baroque city of Martina Franca.
Day 6: Head south to Lecce, a city famous for its fanciful Baroque architecture. Afternoon tour of the city that includes Roman ruins as well as Baroque splendor. Our hotel, the Patri Palace, looks out of the city’s superbly Baroque Basilica of Santa Croce.
Day 7: Dolmen and menhirs in the morning followed by an afternoon visit to Otranto, a very ancient city with vast walls that nevertheless could not hold back the Turks when they invaded in 1481. The Cathedral has a stunning Norman-era mosaic floor, with a portrait of King Arthur! Return to Lecce via Galatina where we visit the church of Santa Caterina, with a remarkable series of Giottoesque frescoes.
Day 8: While crossing back across the Italian Peninsula, we visit Matera, a city known for its cave dwellings, the sassi, that were inhabited until the 1950s when citizens were moved to modern albeit sterile apartment blocks. Anyone who caught the most recent Bond film, No Time to Die, will remember the spectacular opening, shot entirely in Matera. Finish the day in Paestum.
Day 9: Morning visit to one of our favorite spots, the buffalo farm of Vannulo where they make what is arguably the world's best buffalo mozzarella. Farm tour followed by a mozzarella feast! In the afternoon we visit the archeological park of Paestum, which includes three of the best ancient Greek temples in existence. We finish the day at the Rome airport.
Day 10 (May 23 or Sept. 24): The trip ends with breakfast.
Flights should be booked into Rome with an arrival no later than the morning of May 14/September 15 and out of Rome the morning of May 23/Sept 24. If there is interest, Nancy will offer Rome walking tours in Rome in the days leading up to the trips.
Accommodations
One night in Rome at the Albergo Santa Chiara, superior rooms.
2 nights in Trani at the Hotel San Paolo al Convento (May) or the Marè Resort (September). Both housed in city palazzi on the sea.
2 nights near Monopoli, in May at the 5-star Hotel Melograno, in September at the Masseria Frantoio. Both hotels are housed in traditional Pugliese fortified farms.
2 nights at the 4-star Patria Palace in Lecce: superior rooms that look out on the stunning Baroque facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce.
1 night in Paestum, in May at Il Granaio dei Casabella, and in September, the Villa Rita, both charming country villas converted into friendly hotels.
Final night at the Rome Airport Hilton Hotel.
Group size:
Approximately 14 participants.
A word about food:
Expect to eat well: abundant fish, pungent olive oil, buratta like you’ve never tasted, peasant dishes honed over centuries, and arguably the best bread in Italy. Oricchiete con cima di rape, purea di fava con cicoria, pane di Altamura: the very names make my mouth water.
Rates
May: $5000 in double occupancy; $5700 in single occupancy
September: $5200 in double occupancy; $5800 in single occupancy.
Included: 9 nights in hotels, all breakfasts, one or two meals with wine and coffee each day, private bus transportation throughout the trip, entrance fees, and tips. Not included: airfare and airport transportation, room service, and items of a personal nature.
For more information or to sign up:
Italian Journeys is not your average tour operation. The combination of a small group, the wonderful food, and, most of all, the outstanding knowledge of Italy, its history, art, and culture that Nancy and Libby bring to the table lift it far above other tour experiences. You do not feel like you are traveling with a corporation, but rather that you are seeing Italy with friends.
Jim and Barbara; Washington, DC