Puglia: The Hidden Gem of the Italian Boot -

PUGLIA: THE HIDDEN GEM OF THE ITALIAN BOOT
10-Days/9-Nights - Departs Daily on a Private Basis
Bari, Matera, Polignano a Mare, Alberobello & Locorotondo, Lecce, Ostuni, Otranto, Gallipoli

The heel of the Italian boot is the most southern and most eastern part of the country. The region is called Puglia. For many, their past experience of Puglia was perhaps catching a ship to Greece. Today, Puglia is a hot destination for travelers who want to expand the range of their Italian experiences and enjoy the bountiful seafood and beaches of Polignano a Mare, Lecce and other cities. In fact, this vacation has it all, beautiful sun-soaked resorts with great amenities, beautiful beaches, wonderful day trips to broaden your cultural and historical understanding and Italian, or should we say, Puglian cuisine. Ten days, 9 nights to relax, refresh and be revitalized the Italian way on both the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas.

ITINERARY

Day 1	Arrival at Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla and Rental Car Pick-Up
	Bari Hotel: Oriente Hotel

Day 2	Matera
	Matera Private Walking Tour (2 hours)
	Matera Hotel: Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita

Day 3	Matera
	At Leisure

Day 4	Alberobello and Polignano a Mare
	Drive to Conversano and Private Alberobello Tour Departing from Conversano (4 hours)
	Polignano a Mare Hotel: Calaponte Hotel

Day 5	Ostuni and Polignano a Mare
	Private Olive Oil Farmhouse Tour and Ostuni Tour Departing from Conversano (4 hours)

Day 6	Polignano a Mare
	At Leisure

Day 7	Lecce
	Lecce Hotel: Risogimento Resort
	Afternoon Mozzarella Cheese, Pasta, and Focaccia Making Class with Dinner in Lecce (3 hours)

Day 8	Lecce
	Private Tour of the Italian Heel From Lecce. Including Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leica and Otranto (8 hours)

Day 9	Lecce
	Afternoon Market Tour and Cooking Class (4 hours)

Day 10	Departure Day. Return Car to Bari airport.

Here is a map and some weather charts.

FAQ
CAN I TRAVEL WHEN I AM ABLE, OR AM I LOCKED INTO A FIXED SCHEDULE?	The package can be purchased and travel started when YOU are ready to travel. The best months to travel in Italy are late April/May to early October. The ideal time to be in Italy is before and after summer/early autumn- after most tourists have gone home.
CAN I CUSTOMIZE THIS ITINERARY?	Absolutely! You can travel the itinerary shown, or any variation of this itinerary, whenever your schedule permits. You tell us when you can travel and whether you want to alter the details of the trip and we will get you prices for your version of the trip.

HOW MANY TRAVELERS WILL BE ON THE TRIP?	As many as you choose to travel with, this is NOT a tour with a group of people you do not know that has a fixed start, a fixed end date, and a tour bus with 40 people. This is your trip. You can book this trip for 2 people, for a large family or a group of friends.

WHO ARE THE TOUR GUIDES?	Tour guides are specific to the tours that are described. The guides are deep subject matter experts for their tours. (We do get asked.... if you happen to travel on the same dates as us, we will be glad to be your traveling partners, not the tour guides, but you can be sure that we will have stories to tell!)

HOTELS	The hotels shown in this Trip Summary will always be 4 Star or better. Your actual hotels are determined by availability when the package is purchased. Breakfast is almost always included. Room category and price varies by hotel, room availability, and seasonality.

COST	Cost of this package as shown is a function of when you choose to travel and the prices charged at that time for hotels, excursions, tours, etc. We are happy to provide you with costs once the dates are known and if you make any changes to the itinerary. Please note that the costs we will quote you for this package will not include international airfare or travel insurance.

Let us know when you would like to travel and any changes you want to make to this package and we will prepare a customized proposal for you. Call us at 941-677-8840 or 818-219-4993.