Puglia & the Amalfi Coast

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1 Puglia & the Amalfi Coast Puglia, a region in southern Italy, known for its sunny weather and white-washed hill towns, centuries-old farmland and miles of Mediterranean coastline.

2 Puglia & the Amalfi Coast Puglia, a region in southern Italy, known for its sunny weather and white-washed hill towns, centuries-old farmland and hundreds of miles of Mediterranean coastline. Alberobello and the surrounding Itria Valley are home to unique stone huts with conical roofs (called trulli), a unique and amazing part of Italy. Follow this with a stay in Sorrento on the magnificent Amalfi Coast, a 50-kilometer stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy s Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Campania region. It s a popular holiday destination, with sheer cliffs and a rugged shoreline dotted with small beaches and pastelcolored fishing villages. The coastal road between the port city of Salerno and cliff-top Sorrento winds past grand villas, terraced vineyards and cliff-side lemon groves. Price From: $7,400 Inclusions 7 nights in a Double room for Solo use in 4 Star quality hotels 5 x Dinners, 1 x Lunch, breakfast daily English speaking Guide throughout Transfers as shown House wine, beer, soft drinks included exclusively for Individual Travellers Amalfi Coast Tour Cooking Lesson Porterage & Gratuities Water on vehicles 24 hour assistance during your trip

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4 Day 1 Welcome to Puglia! Arrival transfer from Bari Airport to Hotel upon request. Check-into your hotel where you have a Double room for single use for the next 4 nights. Meet your new friends at the Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks This evening enjoy a welcome dinner at Masseria Maizza 3 course dinner with wine, water and coffee/tea included. Hotel Canne Bianche Lifestyle, Bari Torre Canne (or similar) B Day 2 Enjoy breakfast in your Hotel Today we will head out and enjoy a wonderful tour of Alberobello and Polignano with our local expert English speaking guide. Duration 7 hours. Departing from our hotel we will begin our journey with our private driver and guide towards our first stop of the day, Alberobello famous throughout the world for the characteristic, conical houses known as trulli, is divided into two districts: Monti and Aia Piccola, both national monuments and UNESCO world heritage sites. The history of this unusual little town dates back to the second half of the 16th century, when the Counts ordered the farmers to build the limestone houses in dry layers, so that they could be destroyed if there was a royal inspection, since the creation of an urban settlement meant that taxes had to be paid. This area is definitely one of the hidden gems of Italy! We will then continue our journey towards Polignano a Mare, we will then enjoy a short visit of the town which will include tastings at a local shop followed by a stop for a Café Speciale! Lunch is at your leisure Dinner is at your leisure Hotel Canne Bianche Lifestyle, Bari Torre Canne (or similar) B

5 Day 3 Enjoy Breakfast in your Hotel Today we will enjoy the town of Ostuni with our private English speaking guide Duration 5 hours Just a short drive from Savelletri, the old town of Ostuni rises on the last layers of the Southern Murgia. It is a real jewel of picturesque colour as all of its buildings are rigorously painted in white. As you explore Ostuni with your guide and take in much of its history, highlights and hidden gems you will notice how the houses are very small and many of them have actually been dug out of the rock and they are often joined together by arches and semi-arches that act as buttresses and support. The Cathedral (a wonderful mix of Romanesque, Gothic & Venetian architecture) here should definitely be included on your agenda as you stroll through these beautiful lanes and alleyways where it seems that every corner you turn one view is better than the other we will have the chance to taste some local products in one of the town s wineries. (lunch at leisure today) from the many little shops along the streets in the historical center A craft specialty of this town is pottery, in the form of small whistles, miniature terracotta masterpieces and all manner of weird and wonderful objects. (Please note that in Ostuni in order to reach the highest point of the town there is a bit of walking but well worth it the views are amazing). Lunch is at your leisure Dinner is at your leisure Hotel Canne Bianche Lifestyle, Bari Torre Canne (or similar) B Day 4 This morning we will enjoy discovering Matera with our private local English speaking guide. Duration 8 hours This beautiful ancient town that our guide and local expert driver will introduce us too today has gained International fame thanks to its ancient town Sassi di Matera which means the Stones of Matera. The Sassi, or Stones here, originate from the prehistoric settlement which is highly suspected to be one of the first human settlements in Italy. The Sassi, as you will discover as you explore Matera, are houses that are dug into the rock itself which is very much characteristic of the Regions of Puglia and Basilicata. As you discover more of the nooks and crannies of this incredible town you will discover how many of these houses are really only caverns and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. You will discover that this ancient town is very similar in look to the ancient sites in and around Jerusalem which is why it has caught the eye of many film directors and movie studios. Lunch is at your leisure This evening enjoy dinner at the Hotel s restaurant 3 course dinner with wine, water and coffee/tea included Hotel Canne Bianche Lifestyle, Bari Torre Canne (or similar) B, D

6 Day 5 This morning with your Local Guide you will have a private minibus transfer from Savelletri to Sorrento. (approx. driving time: 4 hours 10 minutes) On arrival check into your Hotel The rest of the day is at your leisure Dinner is at your leisure Hotel Tramontano, Sorrento (or similar) B Day 6 Today we will enjoy exploring the stunning Amalfi Coast and all it has to offer with our local expert driver Duration 10 hours. Today we will enjoy one of the most amazing coastal drives one can imagine along the most famous coastline in Italy. Our first stop of the day will be the charming town of Positano, one of the most famous towns on the coast, which began to attract a large number of tourists in the 1950 s especially after the American John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper s Bazaar in This charming town will leave you absolutely blown away with its pink, yellow and cream villas, its quaint alleyways and lively atmosphere. We suggest a visit to the collegiate church of Santa Maria Assunta which dates back to the 1200 s, do some amazing shopping in the many boutiques or just relax, sit back, take in the atmosphere, enjoy people watching and indulge in the magic of this amazing place. Afterwards we will head towards Ravello, about a 40 minute drive, this town is quite different than the other towns on the Coast as it is above sea level, but it is just as beautiful. This small but amazing town served historically as a destination for artists, musicians, and writers including Richard Wagner, Tennessee Williams, Virginia Woolf and many more. Every year in the summer months, the Ravello Festival takes place. It began in 1953 in honour of Richard Wagner, who signed the guestbook of his local hotel with the words The magical garden of Klingsor is found suggesting that it was in Ravello that the composer found the inspiration for his Parsifal. Ravello is also famous for its beautiful 13th century Villa built by the Rufolo family and named Villa Rufolo with its Moorish style courtyard which was initially a cloister with an 11th century bell tower that overlooks the Villa and Gardens The views from the terrace are a picture postcard image of the area. At the end of the tour your driver will drive you back to Sorrento port. This evening you will enjoy a 3 course dinner at Il Tasso restaurant with beer, wine & soft drinks included Hotel Tramontano, Sorrento (or similar) B, D

7 Day 7 Today we will enjoy a very special cooking lesson in one of Sorrento s most elegant settings. Time to enjoy learning some of the best recipes this area has to offer in an amazing setting, immersed in beautiful gardens, with orange and lemon trees, a beautiful swimming pool and wonderful ceramic decorations. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed with fresh orange juice and a slice of delicious home-made plum-cake. We will then make our way to the kitchen where we will put our aprons on and begin our lesson. All the dishes will be based on the traditional Italian cuisine with of course emphasis on Neapolitan recipes. The lesson lasts 3 hours during which we will enjoy a break to visit the beautiful wine cellar and taste some of the amazing wine it holds. At the end of our lesson we will sit down and enjoy the dishes we previously prepared in this unique setting, whether it be by the pool, under the pergolato or in the winter garden by a warm fire. (10 minute walk from your hotel) 9.30 am : Arrival at Villa Ida and welcome with breakfast (orange juice and plum-cake) am : Start your cooking class am : visit of the wine cellar tasting home-made wine am : Lunch by the pool or under the Pergolato with meal previously prepared Sample Menu Neapolitan Caponata Pasta with eggplant, mozzarella and tomato sauce Lemon flavour veal scallop Baked potatoes Tiramisù Home made wine Rest of the day at leisure to enjoy Sorrento on own Tonight you will enjoy a 3 course Farewell dinner at Don Alfonso with beer, wine & soft drinks included Don Alfonso is definitely one of the best restaurants you can find in Italy, the service and quality of their dishes are impeccable. Upon arrival, one of the staff members will greet you. We suggest you ask to visit their amazing wine cellar with their sommelier. The cellar holds more than 25,000 bottles from many different countries in the world but not only when you go down the cellar be sure to make your way to the bottom of the tunnel to get a sneak peek view of the important collection of cheeses stored there!! This is definitely a unique food and wine experience that you will remember for years to come. Hotel Tramontano, Sorrento (or similar) B. D Day 8. Departure transfers are available upon request Arriverderci!