Day 1
Depart USA for
Bari, Italy
Day 2
Polignano a Mare
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni
7 p.m.—Gather
with your fellow travelers and enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the hotel this evening.
Day 3
Polignano a Mare/Bari
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Lunch, Dinner)
8:30a.m. Enrichment: The History, Agriculture
and Beauty of Apulia. Apulia has
been tempting travelers since the ancient Greeks first glimpsed its rugged
coastal beauty. Study the enduring influence of the region’s diverse cultural
inheritance on architecture, food and languages, and learn how the rocky terrain
produces thriving olive groves and vineyards.
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Discovery: Beautiful Bari.
The ancient seaport of Bari boasts
narrow lanes and a pretty harbor with colorful boats bobbing on their moors.
Visit the historic port, and wander the tight tangle of medieval streets in the
city’s Old Town. Admire the carved Apulian-Romanesque portal of the 11th-century
Basilica di San Nicola, which houses the relics of Bari’s patron saint, St.
Nicholas. Inside is a marble Episcopal throne and striking mosaic floor.
Traverse the seafront promenade where exhilarating views are revealed with each
turn. Stroll the renowned Murat quarter. This modern heart of the city is laid
out in a rectangular grid-plan and was designed by Joachim Murat, Napoleon's
brother-in-law. Sit down and savor a lunch of local fare.
2:45-4:30 p.m. Discovery: Walking Tour of
Polignano a Mare. Discover why
this vibrant fishing village, which rises from limestone cliffs molded by the
Adriatic, makes the ideal base for exploration of the region. Pass through the
Porta Vecchia gate to the stroll the cobbled streets of Old Town, fragrant with
flowering plants and freshly baked goods. Along the way, peek inside the
workshops of local artisans, and experience the warm hospitality of local
residents.
6 p.m.—This
evening, gather at the hotel and visit with your fellow travelers during a
Welcome Reception, followed by dinner.
Day 4
Polignano a Mare/
Alberobello/Locorotondo/Martina Franca
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Lunch)
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. — Discovery: Martina Franca
and Locorotondo Winery Visit.
Visit Martina Franca, the largest town in the Valle
d’Itria. Located in the heart of Apulia, Martina Franca was once a fully walled
city. Today, many of the original towers and gates still exist though many were
removed or renovated for roads. In the Old Town, walk under the Porto Santo
Stefano — one of the town’s remaining Renaissance and baroque gates — into the
Piazza Roma. See the 17th-century Palazzo Ducale and the honey-colored Basilica
di San Martino, which features sculptures by Stafano da Putignano and Giuseppe
Sammartino. Continue through the Valle d’Itria to the municipality of
Locorotondo to visit I Pàstini. This family-owned vineyard grows white grape
varietals such as Verdeca, Bianco d’Alessano and Fiano Minutolo. Enjoy a tour of
the property and learn how the Carapelli family combines traditional wine-making
techniques with more modern practices. See the property’s new cellar, ancient
farmhouse and vineyards. Enjoy a tasting of wine made from Puglian white grapes
and enjoy the peaceful ambience of this countryside retreat over a light lunch,
before continuing to Alberobello.
Discovery: Trulli Fascinating Alberobello.
Unusual
dome-shaped buildings dot the Apulian countryside, but it is in the enchanting
city of Alberobello where you find the largest concentration of the mysterious
dwellings known as trulli. Found nowhere else in the world, these whitewashed
limestone structures are pieced together without mortar, their pointed
fieldstone roofs painted with primitive Christian and pagan symbols. More than
1,000 trulli cluster Alberobello’s cobblestone streets, which are recognized as
a UNESCO World Heritage site. 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.
5:30 p.m. Enrichment: The History and
Architecture of Lecce and Ostuni.
Explore southern Italy’s rich architectural heritage, focusing on Lecce, “The
Florence of the South,” and Ostuni, the “White City.” Learn about the local
stone used in Lecce’s architectural development and how Ostuni’s practice of
uniformly whitewashing their buildings can be traced back to the plague of the
17th century.
Day 5
Polignano a Mare/
Lecce/Ostuni
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Dinner)
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Discovery: Barocco Leccese
and The White Town of Ostuni.
Witness Lecce’s florid baroque architecture carved from honey-colored stone by
17th-century architects. More fanciful than typical baroque, the voluptuous
caryatids, whimsical garlands, fruit, crests and lyrical scrolls comprising
Lecce baroque are a treat for the eyes. Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and
admire the elaborate façade, rose window and intricately carved capitals. Walk
to the center of the Piazza Sant’ Oronzo to see the Roman Column crowned with a
bronze statue of St. Oronzo, the first bishop of Lecce appointed by St. Paul in
A.D. 57. Next to the column, the shallow rows of seats within the elliptical
Roman amphitheater date from Emperor Hadrian’s era and once held 20,000
spectators.
Free Time:
Enjoy leisure time in Lecce. Relax in the Piazza
Duomo, or step into one of Lecce’s many shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Continue to Ostuni where gleaming, whitewashed
buildings cascade over the side of its hilltop perch. Get lost in the
labyrinthine passages of the Old Town, visit the magnificent cathedral, and walk
atop the ancient city walls for wonderful vistas of olive groves and the sea.
Back in Polignano a Mare this evening, gather for
dinner at a local restaurant. Pulgian cuisine is a tasty medley of Mediterranean
flavors, where menus are crafted with homegrown flavors and family heirloom
recipes. Meals may be based around homemade orecchiette, focaccia and crusty
breads, sheep cheeses, and specialties made from freshly caught fish and locally
sourced meat. Seasonal vegetables, such as fava beans, artichokes, tomatoes,
beans, peppers, onions and courgettes, enhance the simple dishes.
Day 6
Polignano a Mare/Matera
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Lunch)
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Discovery: Matera — The
2019 European Capital of Culture.
Visit the Sassi districts of Matera, a 2019 European Capital of Culture, and
witness its dramatic saga of rebirth. Initially gouged out by troglodytic
nomads, these rock-hewn cave dwellings were carved from limestone tufa, and some
showcase intricate, ornate façades. Honeycombed throughout the Sassi are more
than 100 rock churches decorated with delicate frescoes carved between the
8th-13th centuries by monks seeking refuge from the Byzantine Empire. The caves
provided homes to the people of Matera until the 1950s, when the population was
rehoused. By the 1980s, people began returning and the Sassi became a UNESCO
World Heritage site in 1993. Savor
southern Italian cuisine during lunch in Matera.
Free Time:
Enjoy some free time in Matera to make your own
discoveries in this captivating city.
Options include the museum with art of Carlo Levi, the Mother Church of
Purgatory, and more.
5:30 p.m.
— Lecture: Cinema and the History of the
South.
Join Northwestern University Prof. Domietta
Torlasco for an informative presentation
Day 7
Polignano a Mare/
Trani/Biscegli
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Lunch)
8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Discovery: Trani.
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. We will visit
the only active synagogue in Puglia and learn about its Jewish community.
Enrichment: Meet the People and Olive Mill
Outing. Visit a family-run olive
mill in Bisceglie for a guided tour, and learn about the fascinating history and
cultivation process of olives. Enjoy the smooth, sweet smells and buttery
flavors of these regional specialties. Following lunch at the olive mill, gather
with some employees or owners of the mill for an open-forum discussion about
their life in Italy.
5:30 p.m. Enrichment: We will hear a lecture on
Contemporary Italy. In 2011,
Italy celebrated the 150th anniversary of its unification as a single state.
Compare the rich cultural heritage and slow-paced lifestyle of southern Apulia
with its northern neighbors.
Day 8
Polignano a Mare
Hotel Covo dei Saraceni (Breakfast,
Dinner)
Free time:
Your final day in Italy is free to spend at
leisure. Soak up the final rays of Apulia sunshine, visit your favorite café or
restaurant or wander the narrow alleys in search of that perfect souvenir.
Options include a boat tour, the caverns, the nearby port town of
Monopoli, or relaxing at your hotel.
6 p.m.
Tonight, share your favorite experiences with your fellow travelers as you
gather for a Farewell Reception and Dinner.
Day 9
Return to USA