Winter in Italy: Puglia’s Hidden Gems
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At a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Discover the Baroque beauty of Lecce — the “Florence of the South” — on an expert-led walking exploration of the Old City.
- Learn the vast history of the Sassi de Matera, a troglodyte settlement and one of the oldest cities in the world.
- Marvel in the unique trulli houses of Alberobello, historic homes built during the 16th century that are now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 03:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously)
Afternoon: After checking in at the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Unless specified otherwise, the majority of transportation will be provided via motorcoach thereby necessitating ascending and descending a few steps. All meals include wine and water. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We’ll then enjoy a welcome cocktail together at the hotel before dinner.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow road scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Walking about 4 miles, approximately 2 hours in both morning and afternoon; flat terrain.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll begin with a lecture at the hotel with our Group Leader focused on discovering the Baroque in Lecce. Afterwards, we will board our motorcoach and ride to the center of Lecce. We will embark on an expert-led walking field trip of Lecce with emphasis on finding examples of the Baroque that were discussed earlier. We will explore the old city, its iconic Baroque monuments, Piazza Duomo, and we will walk by some beautiful noble palaces. We will walk to an ancient Palazzo located in the historical center of Lecce for a hands-on cooking lesson.
Lunch: At the cooking school, we’ll enjoy the dishes we’ve made during our lesson.
Afternoon: We will continue our walking field trip of Lecce’s Old City to explore the Roman Amphitheater, the Roman Theatre, and the Basilica of Santa Croce. At the end of the walking field trip, we will have some free time before meeting again at a predetermined time to return to the hotel. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Drive to Otranto is about 60 miles; approximately 1 hour throughout the day. Walking about 2 miles; approximately 1 hour total for the day on flat terrain.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll board our motorcoach and ride to Otranto, a town of Messapians (a pre-Roman population known for breeding horses) which, in the wars of Pyrrhus and of Hannibal, sided against Rome. Now, Otranto is a town in a fertile region situated on a rocky spur on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. While in Otranto, we will go on an expert-led walking field trip with our Group Leader through its old town, a maze of little alleys, to see its signature monuments including the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata and its incredible mosaic floor depicting, among other things, The Tree of Life. UNESCO World Heritage has recognized the town as “Peace Messenger Site” for its melting pot culture brought by all the different populations which merged here.
Lunch: At a restaurant in Otranto.
Afternoon: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon will be Free Time.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Driving about 85 miles, approximately 2 hours throughout the day. Walking about 2.5 miles; approximately 2 hours; cobblestone paths; some benches on which to rest.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we will board our private motorcoach and begin our transfer to Ostuni. During our ride we will stop at a local oil mill and walk among olive trees dating back thousands of years. The visit will start with an introduction given by an olive oil expert on how olive oil has been produced through the ages. We’ll then continue our transfer to Locorotondo and go on an expert-led field trip in the charming circular whitewashed village, which has a beautiful view over the trulli-peppered Val D'Itria. Locorotondo is widely regarded as one of the "Most Beautiful Borough of Italy" and it is a prime example of an Italian “White City.”
Lunch: At a restaurant in Locorotondo.
Afternoon: We will then complete our transfer to Ostuni, and check into our next hotel. We’ll explore the town on foot with our Group Leader.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Driving is about 72 miles total; approximately 2 hours total, with stops for field trips at various locations. Walking about 3.5 miles total on mostly flat terrain; approximately 3 hours total.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will board the motorcoach and head to Alberobello for a full morning walking field trip throughout this the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Alberobello, which is situated on the second step of Le Murge, south of the Canale di Pirro. As we explore, this fairy tale town, we soak in the sights of the iconic white limestone trulli with their conically pointed roofs. Our Group Leader will give a lecture on the Trulli architecture in Puglia. We will then ride to the picturesque small village of Polignano a Mare, with its blue sea, its white houses and little alleys.
Lunch: At a restaurant in Polignano a Mare.
Afternoon: Polignano a Mare is the native town of Domenico Modugno, world famous for his song Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare), sang also by Frank Sinatra. Back to the hotel our Group Leader will give a lesson on particular Italian gesture.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach. Drive to Matera is approximately 130 miles; about 3.5 hours throughout the day. Walking about 2.5 miles; approximately 2 hours total for the day; Sassi is very rocky; several steps and slopes; be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Via motorcoach, we will ride to Matera where we will embark on an expert-led walking field trip of the Sassi di Matera, the oldest part of the city. This area was declared a UNESCO world heritage site because it is considered to be the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region that is perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first settlements can be dated back to the Neolithic period, approximately 7 thousand years ago, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history.
Lunch: At a restaurant in Matera. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with your fellow Road Scholars.
Afternoon: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon will be Free Time.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.
Breakfast: At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes our program.
Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!