ItalyTourTravel

The Mediterranean Flavors of Southern Italy

The map says Italy but there's a distinctly Greek feel to the Puglia region, nestled between the spur and the heel of the country's boot-shaped perimeter. Villages of whitewashed cottages, sapphire skies, gently rolling hills and a stretch of sunny Adriatic coastline make Puglia the perfect place to explore the Mediterranean Old World. Amid acres of centuries-old olive groves and almond orchards you'll discover Roman ruins, hidden caves and intriguing trulli structures unique to the region. Evenings, dine on rustic and savory Pugliese cuisine and overnight in centuries-old lodgings laden with luxuries.
 

Tour Itinerary

Days 1-2 Monópoli Meet in Monópoli
• Pedal through groves of gnarled olive trees
• A sea of shimmery olive orchards confirms Puglia as Italy’s largest producer of olive
   oil
• Pedal to the cool limestone caves of Grotte di Castellana
• The sun-bleached port town of Polignano a Mare, with its narrow winding streets,
   beckons riders for a visit.

Day 3 Barsento
Follow rolling country roads lined with ancient stone walls through the fertile Val d’Itria • Explore the hilltop town of Alberobello, a World Heritage Site and home to thousands
  of curious round stone buildings called trulli
• Soak in pastoral Puglia with a ride over gentle hills blanketed with olive groves.

Days 4-6 Savelletri di Fasano
Spend the morning in Alberobello’s historic town center
• Ride through well-tended vineyards to picturesque Locorotondo, where Puglia’s most
  notable white wine is produced
• Learn about the history of olive oil and sample some of the region’s finest before
   enjoying a Pugliese feast at Il Frantoio, home of an ancient oil press
• Spin to Egnazia, ruins of a Roman port city dating to the 5th century B.C.

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
INN TRIP

2003 DATES
9/7-12, 9/14-19, 10/5-10, 10/19-24

TRIP PRICE
$2,698
(all meals except 3 lunches)

SINGLE ROOM CHARGE
$600

BIKE RENTAL
$150

MEET/DEPART
Bari, Italy / Bari, Italy

Relais & Châteaux & Traditional Taste

Il Melograno
Monópoli (2 nights) A historic Relais & Châteaux lodging with luxurious antique-filled rooms and renowned Pugliese cuisine.