TheGoldOfApulia

6 nights. Airport of arrival /departure: Bari
The region Apulia stands for amazing villages on the coast such as Polignano Mare, and Alberobello, Ostuni
or Martina Franca in the hinterland. In this tour you will not only admire the typical dwellings trulli and
stunning churches (take the cathedral of Trani for instance) – you will also have a chance to visit various
farms that produce olive oil, wine, almonds and cheeses. Agriculture plays a very important role in the
economy of Apulia – it has a varied and abundant production. Olive oil, wine and other products are distributed
on the whole territory of Italy and also exported worldwide. You will have a chance to observe the production
methods and taste their products.
Day 1: Arrive in Bari. Polignano a Mare
Land in Bari, meet your tour leader. On the way to the
hotel, stop at Polignano a Mare, a surprising village
perched on a 20 metre high limestone cliff, above the
crystal waters of the sea. You will have a chance to wander
along its narrow streets and discover sudden view
points. Free lunch.
Before you reach your hotel, you may wish to stop at the
Conversano Castle, a castle of Norman origin. Inside you
will find an art gallery.
Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel near Alberobello.
Day 2: Ostuni and olive oil
Breakfast at the hotel. You will visit Ostuni – the white
town. This charming village Ostuni seems plunged into
dazzling light - into the brightness of the whitewashed
houses that make it resemble Greece or Spain. Be
fascinated by the amazing architecture of the town, its
narrow lanes, uphill roads and old portals. The town is
slightly exotic and may resemble a medina.
This region produces excellent olive oil – Apulia’s green
gold. After the visit of Ostuni you will reach an olive oil mill,
where the excellent olive oil of Apulia is produced. The
farm has more than 1500 olive trees! Olive oil has been
produced here by 3 generations. You will taste the valuable
product and see the production methods.
After lunch at a typical agriturismo, you may wish to stop
at the beautiful Martina Franca. The town has a particularly
beautiful old town surrounded by stone walls with
prominent piazzas and winding, tiny streets. In the oldest
part of town – the Lama - you can still see the pointed-roof
buildings - a local tradition.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 3: Alberobello, Locorotondo and the
trulli
Breakfast at the hotel. The first stop of today is Alberobello,
the town of the trulli buildings. It stands on the Unesco
heritage list and is home of trulli, limestone dwellings with
conical roofs; it is a fabulous, surreal place, the only town
in the world entirely built out of these dwellings – even the
church is a fairy-tale trullo. Nowhere else you will see such
a great number of these particular houses!
Lunch at a typical restaurant.. not a surprise, too located in
a trullo! Here you can taste the typical dishes and of course
the local wines as well!
Locorotondo cannot be missed - it one of the most
beautiful borgos (villages) in Italy. Immersed into the
scenery of olive tree groves, here simple, white angular
buildings predominate. The round-shaped old town hugs
the hill and the view from the top is spectacular.
Return back to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Mistral Incoming Italia (Mistral Tour Internazionale) - Lungo Dora Colletta, 67 – 10153 Torino (Italy)
Tel.+39 (0)11 2293208 – E-mail: incoming@italia.mistral.it
www.mistralincoming.it

Day 4: Matera and Altamura
Matera, a town in Basilicata, is located close by. Matera is
a town that has “emerged from the shadows” - it will
become more and more popular as in 2019 it will have the
title of the European Capital of Culture.
With the local guide you will visit the town of cave
dwellings (Sassi) and rupestrian churches: an excellent
example of a whole town dug into the rock. It has been
used as a perfect setting for many films as a place where
Jesus Christ lived (among which, the Mel Gibson’s Passion
of Christ). Free lunch and free time at your disposal.
In the afternoon proceed in the direction of Altamura.
Altamura is famous for its bread (it has a crispy crust and a
delicious taste). You can take a walk through its centre (see
the claustra – the small squares) and enter its cathedral.
You will also visit a typical farm, located near Altamura,
immersed in the countryside of Alta Murgia. The origins of
the farm date back to the 9 th century. Here you can observe
the process of cheese production – in this farm, the typical
cheeses such as ricotta and scamorza are produced.
Reach you hotel near Altamura. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: The Natural Park Selva Reale and the
local wine
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning you will have a
chance to take a relaxing walk in the Natural Park Selva
Reale.
This park extends across the landscapes of Alta Murgia.
Here you fill find the Mediterranean vegetation and wild
animals such as deer, donkeys, wild sheep and other
species. Lunch at a typical agriturismo that serves local
dishes, complimented by local wines.
Apulia also produces a great volume of remarkable wines -
wine production has a very long tradition. The wines that
represent the region are reds and some rosé wines. So,
after lunch you will visit a well-known wine cellar that
produces such wines as Aglianico, Moscato Reale and Nero
di Troia. You will see how these wines are kept, and will
also have a chance to taste some of them..
Reach your hotel near Barletta. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Trani, Castel del Monte and almonds
Breakfast at the hotel. The first stop of today is Trani – a
beautiful town located by the sea, a historic fishing port.
You will enter its cathedral S. Nicola Pellegino (St. Nicholas
the Pilgrim), set at the water’s edge. Behind the cathedral
you will find the oldest part of the historic centre (see the
famous historic dwelling – the 15 th cent. Palazzo Caccetta
on Via Ognissanti, and the 12 th cent. church – Chiesa di
Ognissanti – built by the Knights Templar).
After a visit of the city proceed to a farm that is specialized
in almond production. This region is the largest producer
of almonds in Italy - unfortunately, this sector has declined
recently.
In the late afternoon you will reach the Castel del Monte, a
must when visiting the region! Castel del Monte is one of
the most striking
Unesco sites in
Apulia. The castel
stands on the hilltop
proudly overlooking
the landscape. It is
built in an octagonal
shape, with each of
the eight corners
sporting an
octagonal tower.
This makes the
geometric design of this fortress absolutely unique! You
can visit the towers and get on the roof terrace – the
panorama view is amazing! In the Middle Ages, it allowed
to spot the enemy from far away. Return to the hotel.
Day 7: Departure
Transfer to the Bari airport. Departure.
Mistral Incoming Italia (Mistral Tour Internazionale) - Lungo Dora Colletta, 67 – 10153 Torino (Italy)
Tel.+39 (0)11 2293208 – E-mail: incoming@italia.mistral.it
www.mistralincoming.it