Fall head over heel for Puglia
Puglia, Italy
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"Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy." -- Bertrand Russell
Castellana Grotte, Puglia (Apulia)
Come and discover the heel of the boot of Italy, this beautiful land between two seas. Puglia is unspoiled, with endless ancient olive groves and vineyards, and small Medieval towns that are UNESCO world heritage sites. Come explore its cone-roofed trulli and white sand beaches with me this spring. Puglia is off the beaten path for now, but it won’t be for long—Wine Enthusiast named it one of its Top 10 Wine Regions of the World for 2013 and National Geographic included it in its “Best Trips 2014.”
With its wind-swept landscape and charming towns painted completely white—accented only by flirty red geraniums—Puglia is unlike any other region of Italy. Each of the small hillside towns we visit in Puglia has its own unique character.
And the food! That’s the really exciting part of this region, the cradle of the Mediterranean diet. We will be cooking and tasting seasonal local fruit — including just-picked strawberries and cherries —plus a variety of greens and ocean-fresh seafood. You will discover Puglian dishes, wines and cheeses in cooking classes and restaurants.
We’ll take a morning sail along the coast so you can take in the scenery and the contrast of the white towns with the sparkling blue sea. During our stay, you will learn to truly understand the beauty in the simplicity of the life in Puglia.
We will stay at a masseria which is secluded in the countryside. It is a country house which is walled (originally to protect it from pirates and bandits) plus they produce wonderful olive oil.
Puglia seems familiar but it’s not—and that is what will charm you.
Price
Price per person based on double occupancy:
$4250 for participants in the full program sharing a double room
$1600 Single supplement
Deposits and Payment Information
A deposit of $1500 per person is required. A reservation will not be considered confirmed until we receive the deposit, reservation form and have a minimum of 6 reservations.
Call Julie for check for availability Phone: 707.227.5036.
To reserve your spot contact Julie via email (Julie@CookingwithJulie.com) or call 707-227-5036 for your reservation form.
Trip Highlights--Experience the best of Puglia:
• Learn how to select and use extra-virgin olive oil; taste the regional wines and cheeses.
• Sail along the coast of Puglia on the deep blue Adriatic Sea.
• Discover Matera--it is one of the oldest (3BC) inhabited cities in the world and like no other place you've ever visited with its cave dwellings.
• 4 cooking classes with Julie at the masseria, including pizza in an outdoor wood oven
• Visit a local extra-virgin olive oil mill and winery
• Enjoy 8 nights accommodation at a masseria
• All meals (including local wine), travel services with the tour itinerary, service charges and VAT
Sample itinerary
Day 1 Saturday |
• Pick-ups at Bari airport and Monopoli at train station
• Arrive in Puglia. Transfer to Masseria, where you will join Julie and the rest of the group. Settle into your room.
• Welcome antipasti and wine reception in the garden, featuring local wines and other local specialties, followed by a three-course dinner at the masseria.
Day 2 Sunday | Martina Franca
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Walking tour of Martina Franca followed by lunch in a local restaurant
• Cooking class followed by dinner at the masseria
Day 3 Monday | Ceglie Messapica
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Walking tour of one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, Ceglie Messapica, famous for Biscotti di Ceglie Messapica — cookies made with sweet almond paste with a hint of citrus and filled with cherry jam or other fruit
• Visit a botanical conservatory in the center of the Itria Valley. They grow 700 varieties of fruit trees and 350 of figs alone! Lunch following the tour.
• Hands-on cooking class followed by dinner at our masseria
Day 4 Tuesday | Monopoli + Polignano a Mare
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Explore the morning market alongside a local resident and tour the ancient port city of Monopoli, set on the Adriatic coast
• Tour Polignano a Mare, a picturesque town on the cliff by the sea
• Lunch in Polignano a Mare
• Visit a local masseria for a wine tasting and tour
• Hands-on cooking class at the masseria — fish and seafood from the Adriatic Sea
• Dinner at the masseria
Day 5 Wednesday | Alberobello & Locorotondo
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage site in Alberobello to visit the trulli
• Visit to the fairytale town of Locorotondo
• Lunch in Locorotondo
• Visit olive mill
• Hands-on cooking class followed by dinner at the masseria
Day 6 Thursday | Matera
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• After a short drive to Basilicata, a enjoy a walking tour of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site including the Sassi area
• Lunch in Matera at a top local restaurant featuring local food
• Hands-on pizza cooking class at the masseria
• Pizza party at masseria
Day 7 Friday | Monopoli
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• We set sail from Monopoli for a morning cruise on the deep blue waters of the Adriatic sea
• Lunch at the masseria
• Dinner at a local restaurant
Day 8 Saturday | Ostuni
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Dinner at a local restaurant: personally meet chef, tour kitchen, and watch him demo one of the dishes for our dinner
Day 9 Sunday | Castellana Grotte
• Breakfast at the masseria*
• Drop-off at train station or airport provided
* Breakfast will be fresh local fruits, locally baked breads and cheeses ranging from ricotta drizzled with honey to buratta, served alongside pastries, jams and yogurt. Espresso, coffee, tea and juice will be provided. When it is warm enough, breakfast will be served on the terrace.
Please note that accommodations for special food needs may not be possible.
PRICING
Price per person based on double occupancy:
$4250 for participants in the full program sharing a double room
$1600 single supplement
Deposits and Payment Information
A deposit of $1500 per person is required. A reservation will not be considered confirmed until we receive the deposit, reservation form and have a minimum of 6 reservations.
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How to get there
BY PLANE: Bari Airport
BY TRAIN: Stazione F.F.S.S. di Monopoli
This is an experience you don’t want to miss. Share it with someone special to create a memory of a lifetime.
To register Julie via email or by US mail to P.O. Box 5412, Napa, California 94581.
Passports & Visas
A valid passport is required of all participants. It must be valid at least 6 months after date of return to the U.S. The name on your reservation must match the name on your passport. Non-U.S. citizens must consult with the appropriate consulates to determine if any visas are needed.
It is suggested that all passengers, regardless of the passport they hold, check with the appropriate consulates of the countries being visited to determine if any visas are needed.
