See itinerary. - Italian Cultural Society

Pick up and transfer by car from Bari-Airport (if you fly to Bari) or Barletta Train Station (if
you travel by train).
Check–in at SolArt Rooms & Breakfast www.solartrooms.com, Via Mario Pagano 112,
Trani (BT). Welcome snacks and drinks offered in the rooms
Classical Pugliese dinner provided
Morning visit to Castel Del Monte: We will start the day by visiting Castel Del Monte,
“the most fascinating castle built by Frederick II”. The Castle was built in the 13th
century, with a rare geometric octagonal shape (each of the eight corners with a
tower). This makes the design of this fortress (Frederick II built many castles in Apulia)
unique, certainly at that time. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in
1996, and is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Southern Italy. Incidentally,
Castel Del Monte is depicted on the reverse of the Italian 1Euro cent coin!
Back to Trani for lunch provided on a boat in the harbor
A guided tour of Trani: the historic center is the perfect place for an afternoon walk:
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We will start the tour from the Marina, the promenade and see the white yachts and
fishing boats in the harbour.
We will continue the visit with a stop by the main monument of Trani “the
Cathedral”, dedicated to Saint Nicholas the Pilgrim, a Greek who died in Trani in
1094 while on his way on pilgrimage to Rome. The interior of the cathedral reflects
typical Norman simplicity and is lined by colonnades. It is a basilica with three apses,
built in the characteristic white local limestone. Near the main altar are the remains
of a 12th-century floor mosaic. Below the church is the crypt, a forest of ancient
columns where the bones of St Nicholas are kept beneath the altar.
The Swabian Castle: An important stronghold on the coast of Apulia castellare
system of Frederick II in the 13th century, the most modern in Europe. This is just a
short distance from the famous cathedral, strategically placed in the middle of a
bay, whose shallow waters were an excellent natural defense.
Jewish Ghetto: a tour of the little streets of the Ghetto area, which hosted one of the
largest Jewish communities of Southern Italy, in the 12th century. Much of the area
has kept its medieval ambience.
End of tour with a taste of typical sweets and cakes at Nicola’s Cafe, near the hotel.
Guided tour of Winery or Oil Mill, according to the season. We will take you through a
wonderful experience in wine or oil making. Puglia is very well known for its high quality
wine and olive oil production. This will be a special opportunity to see where these
wonderful foods come from, and will end with a product tasting.
Guided tour of Barletta historic center and Castle. Discover the most famous monument
in Barletta - the “Colossus” - a statue of a Byzantine Emperor, 6 metres tall and weighing
160 kg. The Castle was erected in the 10th century by the Normans, and was a used as
a hostel for soldiers leaving for the Holy Land during the Crusades.
Dinner provided
Guided tour to Alberobello and its famous ‘Trulli’. Alberobello is known as the Capital
of the Trulli. The trullo is a fascinating prehistoric building still in use in this region, with a
conical roof made without mortar. Alberobello has special status internationally designated a UNESCO world heritage site. Some of the trulli are now used for stores,
restaurants, and lodging. But many are still inhabited by locals.
Lunch in a local restaurant
Afternoon Visit to ‘The Caves of Castellana’, one of the most amazing natural wonders
of a wonderful Puglia. There will be guided tour of these unique caves which reach
more than 60 meters deep, full of stalactites, stalagmites, concretions, incredible
shapes, fossils, canyons and caves that began to form about 90 million years ago.
Back to Trani. Free evening.
I Sassi di Matera.Discover the Sassi of Matera, a city that originated as early as the year
7000 BC, maybe one of the first human settlements in all Italy! This is yet another World
UNESCO World Heritage Site! The Sassi are houses dug into the calcarenitic rock itself,
which is characteristic of Basilicata and Apulia. Lunch provided.
Back to Trani. Free evening.
Goodbye Trani. Car transportation provided to Barletta train station.
Train to Lecce (to purchase locally, not included) – 2 hours journey.
Afternoon: Guided tour of Lecce provided. According to Lonely Planet, “if Puglia were
a movie, Lecce would be cast in the starring role”. This beautiful city is full of baroque
buildings 17th-century building – its architecture even has its own title: “barocco
leccese”. Read more:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/puglia/lecce#ixzz3umuR4WKR
Transfer to Sanarica by car in the Southern part of Puglia, called Salento, check-in at
the 5-Star* Masseria Quadrelli http://www.masseriaquadrelli.com and enjoy a welcome
aperitif by the pool.
Dinner provided.
Guided tour of coastal town between Santa Maria di Leuca and Gallipoli. Santa
Maria di Leuca is the point of the Puglia peninsula's stiletto heel. The Greeks called it
Leukos, meaning brilliant sun, and the Romans called it "the place at the end of the
earth". Leuca is a paradise on a promontory between two seas. Its ancient origins
include paleolithic traces found in the grottoes that fill the waterfront cliffs. There are
Greek, Phoenician and Cretan inscriptions in the caves, too. There is a basilica
occupying the top of the promontory, built over the remains of an ancient temple to
Minerva.
Lunch and Dinner included.
Guided tour of coastal town between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca. The
Southern Pugliese coast is full of small towns and beaches to explore, including Porto
Badisco, where – if the weather is warm enough – we can relax on beautiful
sheltered stretches of sand are tucked into the low cliffs and wonderful sea
caves.
Lunch and Dinner included.
Free day – optional – to relax by the pool or head to the beach or do some shopping
before leaving!
Or Transfer to Lecce Station or Airport
Note: accommodation and breakfast are included for this day in the final cost.
Departure - transfer to Station or Airport
PRICE:
Price per person (based on 2 people minimum) in double room: Euros 2,200 ($2,400 at
December 2015 exchange rate)
Price per person (based on 2 people minimum) in single room: Euros 2,600 ($2,900 at
December 2015 exchange rate)
The trip is available at any time of year subject to availability, except between 1 July –
31 August.
The trip can be customized on request – it can be made shorter or longer in duration.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Airfares to and from Italy.
Train ticket to Lecce.
Travel insurance.
Meals and beverages other than those mentioned above.
Tips.
PAYMENTS
TERMS OF PAYMENT: Payment shall be done as follows:
• 50% deposit at the moment of booking
• balance to be paid upon arrival
PAYMENT METHODS:
• Deposit by wire transfer to Account in Italy (details to be provided)
• Credit card payment in person
CANCELLATION POLICY:
You can cancel your reservation up to 30 days before departure, but a 20% nonrefundable fee will be applied unless you reschedule the trip to a future date.