After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a private tour of Bari with your tour leader. Home to many of the city’s churches and historic buildings, the area is a beautiful example of ancient medieval architecture. The Basilica of San Nicola is the symbol of Bari and, together with its square, the heart of the Old Town, Bari Vecchia. Bari's picturesque old town is a maze of alleys, and you will get to see Arco Basso, the famous "orecchiette's street" where women still make typical pasta (orecchiette) as in the old days.

Lunch at a local trattoria in the old town. 

In the afternoon, we’ll meet a fun local chef to discover the secrets behind the recipe of one of the most famous Apulian desserts, the pasticciotto. We’ll take part in a cooking class where we’ll learn how to prepare and bake this short crust pastry cases with a delicious custard filling and. The class will end with a tasting of the dessert prepared together. We’ll then have time to chat with the chef and to ask her any questions we may have and learn more about her story as a pastry chef. 

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Bari.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast, we will transfer to Putignano area for an authentical experience at a local cow farm. 

Sara will welcome us to her masseria, the place where she grew up and learned everything she knows about cows, cheese and rural traditions. She will explain to us how she looks after her cows and bulls, using the original techniques taught to her by her family but also employing modern means, in a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. 

During the practical part of the experience, we’ll learn about the various steps she takes every day to transform freshly milked milk into delicious mozzarella, ricotta, caciocavallo and many other types of cheese. We will be able to see with your own eyes with which expert movements Sara works the “pasta filata”, which we can then shape to make mozzarella ourselves, to be tasted on the spot, still warm.

Here we’ll enjoy a delicious “from the farm to the table” light lunch based on cheese products. 

On the way back to Bari, we’ll stop at one of the most popular destinations in Puglia: Polignano a Mare, a shining ancient gem perched atop a limestone cliff above the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic. Onboard the vintage "Bee", you will go sightseeing this charming town, perched atop a cliff and once an ancient landing spot for merchants and fishermen. During the visit we’ll also taste a ‘caffè speciale’ (a local specialty made with coffee, amaretto and cream and served hot) at Il Super Mago del Gelo. 

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Bari. 

Meals: Breakfast & Light Lunch

Today’s tour we’ll lead us to some wonderful new experiences at a local winery.

Michael will welcome us into the heart of the Apulian countryside, where there was once a farm for raising dairy cows, later abandoned, and which has now become a winery. 

At the beginning of the wine tour, we’ll walk through the vineyard and discover how Michael and his partners take care of it organically. This will be followed by a tour of the cellar, where we’ll learn about the entire transformation process from grapes to fermentation, ageing, refining and bottling. Here we will have the unique opportunity to take part in the production process of wine made according to the classic champenoise method, performing the disgorgement (with the possibility of buying and taking home the bottle that you will have disgorged). If you have never heard of it, disgorgement is an ancient technique that allows the yeast to be released from the bottle after the second fermentation.

Finally, we will be able to relax during a guided tasting of five locally produced natural wines, accompanied by an Apulian light lunch. We will have time to chat with Michael and ask him all the questions we want to learn more about his story as a natural wine producer.

After a light lunch, we’ll join a full immersive pizzica lesson with Mariangela. She will introduce us to the history of this traditional dance and she will also explain what “tarantismo” is – a social phenomenon linked to popular music, which characterized Southern Italy until the middle of the last century. Next, Mariangela will teach us how to dance the pizzica-pizzica, typical of the Upper Salento region.

At the end of the experience, we’ll return to our accommodation in Bari. 

Meals: Breakfast & Light Lunch

 After breakfast, we’ll depart on a full day excursion to Alta Murgia region. 

Our first stop will be Altamura, a city of ancient palaces, churches, and cloisters; known throughout Italy and beyond for its famous bread. Baked in wood-burning ovens and prepared according to ancient tradition, it has a taste and fragrance that are not easily forgotten, making it the first baked product in Europe to obtain the PDO mark.  We will go behind the scenes with one such baker, learning about tradition bread leavening and baking techniques – followed, naturally, by a tasting.

At the end of the tour, we’ll get on the bus and move to Gravina in Puglia. 

Gravina in Puglia is a characteristic rocky town perched on a ravine formed by water erosion. Upon arrival, we’ll have a guided tour of its undergrounds: Gravina Sotterranea is a must-see for anyone who decides to visit the Murgian city. The spectacular underground network that winds through the city's meanders is a rare if not unique heritage. These works of great civil engineering were abandoned for a long time until they were recovered and given new life by the association of the same name. 

After a genuine lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll continue our visit to this magical place.

We’ll walk through wonderful natural and archaeological sceneries, cross the ancient Ponte Acquedotto (featured in numerous films, including the climax scene of the latest "007 - No Time to Die"), and visit the historic center and the scenic Piazza Cattedrale. 

At the end of the day, we’ll return to our accommodation in Bari. 

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Bari. 

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch 

After breakfast and check out, we’ll depart to discover The Valle D'Itria before reaching our next destination. Wooded slopes, vineyards and endless olive groves punctuated by the coned roofs of "Trulli", unique cylindrical constructions that are peculiar to the area that made Alberobello, the famous "Trulli" village, a Unesco World Heritage. 

We’ll enjoy a walking tour through the village with our tour leader, including a visit to a Trullo house. 

A unique experience is waiting for us, a private cooking class in a typical "Trullo" with a local "mamma" Anna Clelia. We’ll cook and taste authentic, natural Apulian dishes in a friendly atmosphere, learning the iconic recipes to repeat at home for your friends and family.

At the end of the lunch, we’ll transfer to Ostuni, a whitewashed city overlooking fields of olive orchards and the sea in the distance. Ostuni with its three hills scattered with white houses made of stone and lime, it’s a labyrinth of narrow up-and-down streets winding around the splendid Cathedral and surrounded by a medieval bastion.

Check in at our next accommodation and evening at leisure in Ostuni. 

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Today we’ll make our way to a local reality to enjoy an olive oil experience. Here, we’ll have the chance to walk among the olive groves, discover the different stages of production, and learn how to appreciate the organoleptic and health characteristics that differentiate a quality EVO oil from an ordinary olive oil. Finish off the experience with a rich olive oil tasting paired with local bread and tomatoes from the garden. 

We’ll then reach one of the most fascinating villages of the whole area, the little town of Cisternino. We’ll have a walk through the medieval historical center and enjoy one of the best views of the Valle d’Itria from a natural terrace. 

Cisternino is also famous for its meat. As locals, we’ll purchase it in one of the many butchers in the historic center and have it as lunch, served at the tables outside. 

In the afternoon, we’ll return to Ostuni and enjoy the evening at leisure. 

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch 

Today our tour will lead to the South of the region, to the city of Lecce. 

Upon arrival, we’ll meet our private guide and start exploring the city. Lecce, with its magnificent architecture and long history, is also known as 'the Florence of South Italy', thanks to its Baroque buildings and churches built with the local sandstone 'pietra leccese'. Our guide will tell you everything about its history, its secrets, and gossip too! Admire the wonderful squares, the Roman amphitheater (yes, Lecce has its own version of the Colosseum!) and breathe the culture the town exudes.

You will feel richer after this visit, as your eyes will still hold the colours, the shapes, and the magnificence of the architecture.

Light lunch at a local osteria. 

After lunch, we’ll then return to our accommodation for some free time before enjoying the Farewell dinner and our last night in Puglia. 

Meals: Breakfast, Light Lunch & Farewell Dinner

Check-out of your hotel in the morning and proceed with your individual private transfer to Bari airport. 

Say arrivederci (until we see each other again!) to the stunning heart of Puglia.