A Week in Puglia

Arrive in Bari, then welcome to Matera

Matera, Italy

Tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Palazzo Gattini, Matera. We will meet you upon arrival at Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport on your trip to Puglia, Italy and transfer you to your luxury hotel, set in a 15th-century stone palace in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Matera in Puglia.

Nestled on the tip of Italy’s boot, Puglia welcomes with seaside delights, mouthwatering cuisine and entire cities resplendent in art, architecture and warm hospitality. Join us this evening for a rooftop welcome reception, followed by dinner in a local restaurant, and experience your first taste of Puglia’s enticing cultural delights.

Dinner

PALAZZO GATTINI

The Sassi of Matera & a 13th-century castle

Matera, Italy

Today you'll hop aboard a tuk-tuk for a ride through the winding streets of Matera in Basilicata, home to a settlement of cave dwellings that dates back to Paleolithic times – and one that starred in Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ. As you explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, our local guide shares insights about Matera's famous rock dwellings, known as Sassi (for "stone"), which you'll see piled haphazardly atop one another across the sides of a steep ravine; they began back in antiquity as natural caves and grottoes, and over the centuries were adapted as homes, and were lived in until 1960.

Go inside a typically furnished cave home, before driving to Alta Mura, the “City of Bread” for a taste of local life. Take a guided tour inside 13th-century Castel del Monte this afternoon, one of the best-preserved castles in southern Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it also is featured on the Italian version of the one-cent euro coin! Spend the evening at leisure back in Matera.

Breakfast

PALAZZO GATTINI

Baroque treasures of Lecce

Lecce, Italy

Drive through the countryside to Lecce today, stopping en route at a winery known for its Puglian Primitivo wine. Enjoy a tasting tour and lunch and continue on to your hotel in Lecce. A guided walking tour of the city's 300-year-old cobblestone streets includes a close look at its Baroque monuments and architectural sites that give credence to Lecce's nickname as the “Florence of the South" – the ornate 15th-century Chiesa di Santa Chiara; the 2nd-century Roman Amphitheater, unearthed in 1901; the Piazza del Duomo; and the allegorically dressed Basilica de Santa Croce, a must-see site inside and out. Spend the remainder of the day exploring as you wish.

Breakfast, Lunch

RISORGIMENTO RESORT

Galatina, Otranto & Zoe entertainment

Galatina, Italy

Head to nearby Galatina, home of the “Tarantella,” for a tour of the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria where you will view impressive frescoes depicting biblical stories. On a visit inside the Baroque Chiesa di San Paolo, see the church well that was reputed to have healing powers from magic spiders.

Otranto, Italy

After lunch, drive to the fortified seaside town of Otranto for a guided walking tour of its historic sites. See its famous castle and visit its medieval cathedral, home to a magnificent floor mosaic (and wooden coffered ceiling) along with its macabre crypts.

Lecce, Italy

Dinner tonight at an authentic masseria delights with a family-style farm-to-table menu that showcases ingredients grown on site and “Officina Zoe” pizzica folk music and dance.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

RISORGIMENTO RESORT

Through Puglia to Ostuni & on to your Masseria

Ostuni, Italy

Spend the morning at leisure, before driving to an Apulian masseria for a tour of its grounds and a lunch featuring locally produced ingredients. En route to your masseria hotel in Savelletri di Fasano, explore the multi-level medieval city of Ostuni, charming with whitewashed houses.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA / MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO

Trulli in Alberobello

Alberobello, Italy

Regulated by an edict enforced by the Kingdom of Naples in the 15th century, mortarless buildings and home in the southern region of Puglia called trulli were constructed only of stone during that time, with many still standing distinctively intact today. Today, visit the "barnyard district" of Rione Aia Picola in the town of Alberobello, tightly packed with alleys lined by whitewashed trulli once inhabited by the farmers who built them. There no shops or cars here, lending to the authenticity of this unique experience. See the Trulli Sovrano, the town’s only two-story trullo and its most impressive, built in the 18th century for a local priest and today a museum of religious relics. You'll have some time at leisure to explore more on your own and sample a taste of local fare.

Breakfast, Dinner

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA / MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO

Seaside Polignano a Mare & a farewell dinner

Polignano a Mare, Italy

Built into a rugged ravine pitted with caves and painted with deep blue grottoes, the seaside town of Polignano a Mare is renowned for its cliff diving; for inspiring the 1958 international hit song "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (a.k.a. “Volare”) by Italian singer, songwriter, actor and Parliament member Domenico Modugno (who was born here); and, according to the locals, for its ice cream. Enjoy time to wander in town before returning to your resort. Join us for a farewell dinner tonight.

Breakfast, Dinner

MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA / MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO

Journey home

Fasano, Italy

Your trip ends in Savelletri di Fasano. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Masseria Torre Maizza or Masseria Torre Coccaro to Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport or Brindisi Airport, regardless of time or day of departure. Ask at booking about extending your stay with additional hotel nights in Savelletri di Fasano or in Bari. You should allow three hours for flight check in.

Breakfast

• 60 days or more before departure: $600.00 per person
• 59-8 days before departure: $900.00 per person
• 7-1 days before departure: $1500.00 per person
• On departure day and later: 100% of total price
• Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
• Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
• All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
• The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

• Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• A $600 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
• Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
• Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.