sellAPULIA EXPERIENCE

Benvenuti in Apulia! Your Perillo representative will be at the airport to meet and greet you. Upon arrival at Bari or Brindisi Airport you will be transferred to the hotel in Polignano a Mare where you will check-in, have a welcome drink, and the rest of the days activities are at your leisure. Polignano a Mare is the ideal destination for anyone who wants to slow down from the hectic pace of everyday life and enjoy a moment of well-deserved "dolce vita," or luxury.

Go back in time and discover hidden beautiful spots in Polignano and its surroundings via an Ape Calessino. The Ape Calessino, with its legendary design and shape, is a true icon. From the rounded form of the front wheel arch and steel hood supports, to its saddle style driver and passenger seats and rear light cluster with distinctive circular elements, the Ape Calessino is packed with delightful detail. Brimming with personality and Italian style, its compact size makes it easy to use on narrow roads, around tight street corners, and in small turning areas.

Experience an unforgettable day exploring through the narrow alleys of this old town leading to the wonderful terraces overlooking the sea, from the Hermit Island up to the statue of Domenico Modugno (the singer of the world famous “Volare”). Your guide will share stories and anecdotes about local people and their traditions and then you will enjoy an unforgettable tasting of local wine and typical products. During the afternoon free time is a great opportunity to bask in the warm hospitality of residents…  after such a day, you may consider the possibility to change your life and settle in beautiful town of Polignano a Mare.

Visit the worldwide famous “trulli”. Alberobello is an UNESCO World Heritage site and you will have a guided tour as this quaint town is famous for something unique: its “trulli”, cone shaped houses.

The origins of the “trulli” remain a mystery, but legends abound linking them to ancient Greece as well as theorizing their creation as a 15th-century tax dodge and even the town church itself is a large trullo.

Enjoy free time for lunch and relax in an authentic “trulli” house. You will proceed for a guided tour of Ostuni, known as the white city, which is one of the most stunning towns of Southern Italy. Clinging onto three hills at the edge of Le Murge, the old center is a spiral of whitewashed houses and cobbled streets with dramatic views towards a sea of olive trees and, further away, the blue Mediterranean. Take a sightseeing tour of marvelous landmarks such as the picturesque “S. Maria Magdalena’s Church”, the beautiful “Palazzo Ducale” and the “Santuario di S. Biagio and Sant'Oronzo”.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, and then join a half day olive oil tour and tasting. Visit the press and learn everything about local olive varieties and production methods from an expert that will explain how it is made, the importance of the cold press, and how to not only buy and store it, but how to read the label as well! Meet select producers and attend an olive oil tasting class. In this class you will learn about health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and how to use it in your food. There is so much information that only locals know and you won’t find in any tourist guidebook.

Afterwards, you will have lunch at a local restaurant and in the afternoon meet the guide and enjoy a half day guided tour of Lecce. In this lovely city, you will be impressed by the exuberant decorations on its facades. The local honey-colored sandstone is so soft to work with that the local artisans created in the past a local Baroque style (Barocco Leccese).

Then, a guided visit of the Basilica Santa Croce in Piazza Sant'Oronzo which is the site of the most important local Roman ruins, see a 25,000-seat Amphitheatre from the 1st century BC and a column which originally stood in Brindisi to mark the end of the Appian Way. Corso Vittorio Emanuele I and Via Palmieri are the two main streets of Lecce city center and down Via Vittorio Emanuele, the Duomo stands in one of the most beautiful squares of Italy. Stroll down Via Palmieri, stopping to watch artisans working on papier-mâché or on the local sandstone in their shops. After the visit you will understand why Lecce is called “Baroque Florence”!

Wake up and explore the historic seaport of Trani. Known for its Moscato di Trani wine and savory figs, this fishing town is home to a 13th-century fort and a cathedral nestled in the harbor of the Adriatic. The village’s white limestone cathedral was dedicated to Saint Nicolas the Pilgrim. Take note of the distinguishing Norman houses, a typically English Romanesque style of architecture. Medieval Trani also had one of the largest Jewish populations in southern Italy and was a Knight’s Templar site.

Afterwards, enjoy some free time for lunch in Trani. Then you will be taken to the heart of the cheese factory to discover the real Apulian mozzarella. There, yu will see the production process of the typical dairy products of the area, made by the mastery of the cheesemaker producing mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella with traditional methods. It will be a journey to discover the true taste of mozzarella and its derivatives, and you will have the opportunity to know the secrets of this ancient craft and taste the fresh mozzarella just made.

Experience a guided tour to Matera, named an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, which has been defined as the only one of its kind due to its contrasting configuration and scenery. It is the city of the Caverns and Entrenched Villages, as well as the city of the peasant houses carved in the rock and pf the frescoed Rocky Churches. Matera is also known as the city of the grand Romanesque, Apulian, and Baroque Churches and of many notable noble Palaces. It was and is still the destination of great actors and directors who find Matera a great place made for filming their movies. Mel Gibson even envisioned the “sassi” caves as the perfect backdrop for his Jerusalem sets and said, “In fact the first time I saw it I just went crazy because it was so perfect”.  Later on, enjoy some free time in Matera to make your own discoveries in this captivating city.

Your final day of the Apulia experience is at your leisure. Soak up the Apulia sunshine, visit your favorite café, or wander the narrow alleys in search of that perfect souvenir.

Be transported to the Airport via private transfer.

Grazie! (Thank you) for traveling with Perillo Tours!