Apulian Cooking & Hiking

(Option: Customized Itineraries)
Apulia (Puglia), Italy -  6 nights
Available year round (excluding July and August)

Discover the amazing region of Apulia (Puglia), or what the Italians call "Little California". Enjoy a six night culinary and active escape to the "heel of the boot", a region rich in amazing fruits and vegetables, abundant extra virgin olive oil, fantastic wines and so much more. You will experience guided walks in Ostuni, Bari, Polignano a Mare, Matera and Alberobello, three cooking lessons with a local chef, accommodations in a stunning Masseria (farmhouse), wine and olive oil tastings, and a total immersion into the incredible local delicacies of Apulia!

Apulia is known for so many things, amongst them being burrata, olives (did you know Apulia is the biggest producer of olives!), fava beans, orecchiette, 300+ sunny days a year and so many other treasures! With this holiday you will understand why the Italians choose this region as their holiday escape.

This region has it all, including quaint towns, fabulous beaches, warm people and beautiful landscapes. And not to mention castles, the famous "trulli", UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 3,000 year old olive trees and fabulous wines!  

ITINERARY

DAY ONE

BENVENUTI IN PUGLIA!

 
Arrival in Bari or Brindisi Airport where you will meet your guide and will be transferred to your home for the week, a beautiful Masseria.

Enjoy some time to relax and discover your new surroundings and meet your hosts.

Have an aperitivo before your first Puglian dinner!

Meals Included: Dinner 

DAY TWO

CHEESE, OSTUNI, OLIVE OIL & FIRST COOKING LESSON

Enjoy a continental breakfast of a selection of fresh cheeses, cold cuts, boiled eggs (scrambled/omelettes on request), focaccia/bruschetta, local fruit juices and fresh fruit.

In the late morning we will visit a cheese factory for a live demonstration of mozzarella and burrata making. 

Afterwards we will head to Ostuni, strolling through the alleys of the Old Town of the so called  White Town (“Città Bianca”). After a little exploration we ill enjoy lunch in a typical trattoria.

Following lunch, it is time to visit a fascinating olive oil estate. Here we will learn some valuable facts on the medieval peasant culture by walking through the millenary olive groves. If you can believe it, the Puglia region has over 60 million olive trees and was the first producer of extra-virgin olive oil in Italy and is the biggest single production region in the world. 

Back to the Masseria for your first cooking lesson based on fresh pasta and focaccia. Enjoy dinner of your creations.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

DAY THREE

BREAD MAKING, MATERA & HIKING

Today will be a memorable day! You will be taken to the town of Altamura where you will stop at a DOP bread producer for an insider's look at how the traditional breads of the region are made. In the bakery you will discover the techniques and secrets for making these special breads. The visit will end with a tasting of the bread you have created along with some incredible focaccia.  

And then onto incredible Matera, located right next door in the Basilicata region. Matera is an astonishing UNESCO World Heritage Site and has gained international fame for its ancient town, the "Sassi di Matera" (meaning "stones of Matera"). The Sassi originate from a prehistoric (troglodyte) settlement, and are suspected to be some of the first human settlements in Italy! Because of the ancient and primitive scenery in and around the Sassi, it has been used by film- makers as the setting for ancient Jerusalem: a good number of famous biblical period motion pictures were filmed in Matera, amongst which Mel Gibson’s blockbuster “The Passion of the Christ”.

Lunch at your leisure. 

Following lunch you will have a hiking tour in this amazing natural setting. Then back to the masseria for another exquisite dinner. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner 

DAY FOUR

 
BARI & POLIGNANO A MARE

This morning we will visit the capital city of the region, Bari, which is Puglia's prosperous seaside capital. Bari consisits of winding streets and in the charming old town section you will discover Romanesque churches, the riotous market and the elegant medieval piazzas - as well as the beautiful St. Nicola’s Basilica, home of Saint Nicolas, which is one of the most beloved saints in the whole world and Father of the legend of Santa Claus; guided walk to other remarkable historical attractions, seaside promenade and busy pedestrian shopping area.  

And the day would not be the same without a tasting of raw seafood at the fish market, along with a selection of local specialty foods in a genuine home restaurant.

On the way back to the Masseria we will stop at the picturesque town of Polignano a Mare. Here you will admire the impressive panoramas from the seaside terraces overhanging the rock, and while here, you must indulge yourself with a tasty gelato, the pride of the locals. 

Evening and dinner at leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch 

DAY FIVE

SECOND COOKING CLASS, ALBEROBELLO, HIKING & BUTCHERY

 
Today is your second cooking class. In the morning, you will learn how to cook some of the most typical Italian and Apulian dishes: discover the secrets to make perfect pizza, focaccia and other local specialties like panzerotti, calzone and taralli. Enjoy a lunch based on your efforts. 

Today's destination is Alberobello, the World Heritage Site of fairy-tale trulli. You will enjoy a guided visit of the site, with great shopping opportunities. Afterwards we will visit a local winery to taste their best wines.  

Hiking session amongst the hills covered with olive trees. 

And to end this fantastic day? How about dinner al fornello? You will be served with various cuts of local meats in a butchery (yes, an authentic butchery!) offering simple seating and local ambiance. A real Pugliese experience! 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

DAY SIX

LOCOROTONDO, COLD CUT, DESSERT CLASS

On your last day transfer to Locorotondo, the most beautiful balcony in the Itria valley, where we’ll first visit the local market and then have an aperitivo like locals. Your day continue with a transfer to a renowned factory for a taste of a great local cold cut, capocollo. 

Today's class focuses on "i dolci" - you will learn the tricks in preparing some of the best desserts and biscotti and one of Italians favorite liqueurs "limoncello" to celebrate your arrivederci dinner at its best. You will receive a certificate of attendance and we look forward to your return to breathtaking Puglia!

Meals included: Breakfast, Tasting Lunch, Dinner  

DAY SEVEN

GROUP SIZE

A minimum of 2 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 12 participants.

(The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour, not to how many persons you must have in your party. Please inquire.)

HOW TO ARRIVE

Distance from Bari airport - 49 miles/1 hour
Distance from Brindisi airport - 33 miles/40 minutes

*These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour.

BOOKING INFORMATION