Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria: Southern Italy From “Heel” to “Toe”

After checking in at the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 6:00 p.m. 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, coffee, and water. Periods in the 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. Before dinner, we’ll enjoy a welcome cocktail together at the hotel.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know each other, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead.

At the hotel.

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 with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of Lecce with emphasis on finding examples of the Baroque discussed earlier. We will walk by its iconic Baroque monuments, churches, and even some ancient Roman ruins including the Basilica of Santa Croce, Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the Roman Ampitheatre, Cathedral’s Square, and some Baroque Noble Palaces. We will visit the Jewish Museum. The remainder of the morning will be free for independent exploration of Lecce before meeting back at a predetermined time.

At a local restaurant in Lecce.

We will continue our walking field trip of Lecce’s Old City to explore the Roman Theatre, the Church of Saint Matthew, and some less touristy areas of the Old Town. We’ll then return to the hotel.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach and ride to Galatina. We’ll set out with our Group Leader on a walking field trip in Galatina and visit the Basilica of Santa Caterina to admire its beautiful frescoes. It is regarded by many to be “The Assisi of Salento” in comparison to the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi because of its many frescoes painted by various talents from all over Italy in the early 15th century.

At a restaurant in Galatina.

Carrying on via motorcoach, we will continue to Gallipoli where our Group Leader will lead our exploration of the Old Town. We’ll explore the Baroque noble palaces, walk along the city walled overlooking the Ionian Sea. The term “kale polis” means “beautiful city” in Greek, which helps to elucidate the origins of the modern name, Gallipoli. Afterwards, we will also get to see an underground olive oil mill located below the Palazzo. We’ll then return to the hotel.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will ride to Otranto, a town of Messapian (pre-Roman origin) which, in the wars of Pyrrhus and of Hannibal, sided against Rome. Now, Otranto is a town and commune in a fertile region in the province of Lecce, situated on the east coast of the Salento peninsula, and famous for breeding horses in earlier times. While in Otranto, we’ll set out with our Group Leader on a walking field trip through its Old Town to see its signature monuments including the Cathedral di Santa Maria Annunziata and its incredible mosaic floor depicting, among other things, The Tree of Life.

At a restaurant in Otranto.

We will enjoy some free time in Otranto. 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. We’ll then return to the hotel and our Group Leader will give us a lesson on particular Italian gestures.

On your own.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

We’ll stop en route to Ostuni at the archeological site of Egnazia for an expert-led field trip through its museum and ancient Roman and pre-Roman ruins, complete with an on-site lecture. We will then continue our transfer to Ostuni and check into the hotel in time for lunch and a welcome drink.

At the hotel.

After lunch we’ll explore the town on foot with our Group Leader.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will ride to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Alberobello, which is situated on the second step of Le Murge, south of the Canale di Pirro. It was born as a farming village near an oak-forest and this is the origin of its name, which was originally “silva arboris belli.” All around Alberobello, the rolling countryside is planted with vines, olives and almond trees and dotted everywhere by clusters of trulli (dry stone huts with conical rooves), which take their name from the Greek tholos (cupola) and give the whole area a social characteristic that is unique to Italy: born following the division of landed property, they constitute the so-called phenomenon of scattered population. Each family group lives on its own land without forming urban centers; these microcosms are based on an estate averaging two hectares in size, all farmed, with a trullo standing in at the center and dominating the land. We will enjoy an on-site lecture on the trulli architecture of Puglia.

At a restaurant in Alberobello.

After riding to the small village of Locorotondo, we’ll explore the white town on foot with our Group Leader before returning to the hotel. At the hotel, the hotel chef shows us how to prepare traditional recipes of Puglia in a special cooking demonstration.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

After riding via motorcoach, we’ll begin our day by visiting Grottaglie with our Group Leader. Grottaglie is the capital of ceramicas and pottery in Puglia. We will visit the "quartiere delle ceramiche" and the Museum of ceramics located in the castle. Continuing on, we will transfer to Manduria, known for the production of the Primitivo red wine and we will visit a local winery with an expert staff member of the winery. We’ll learn about the local wine grape growing traditions of the region, see the cellars, visit the Primitivo museum and hear about the production process, all on site. Afterwards we will be treated to a wine tasting so we can sample the flavors of the region.

At a local winery, we’ll have a light lunch enriched by local products and wines.

We’ll then return to the hotel via motorcoach with the remainder of the afternoon free.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board the motorcoach and head to Bari for a full morning walking field trip with our Group Leader throughout this picturesque port city and its historical center on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. We will see the Basilica of San Nicola, the outside of cathedral, the outside of the castle, and the main square of the Old City.

On your own in Bari

Free time in Bari before returning to the hotel.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

Via motorcoach, we will transfer 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, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem.” The first settlements can be dated back to the Neolithic period, approximately 7,000 years ago, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history. We will be joined by a local expert for a lecture on what the Stones know. We will check in at the hotel.

At the hotel.

We will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of the Palombaro Lungo, a spectacular underground cistern dating back to the early 19th century. It held much of the water supply for Matera and was located in the main square just a short distance from the hotel. We will then return to the hotel.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will begin with a lecture at the hotel with our Group Leader on the Calabria, a real melting pot. We will then ride to Castelmezzano for a walking field trip through the city nestled into mountain slopes. From the striking sight of Emilio Caizzo’s square, we’ll first learn about its history, cultural customs and curiosities. The village is known as “the pearl of the Dolomiti Lucane” and is regarded as one of Italy’s most beautiful sites, with notable people hailing from it, from skyscraper architects to members of the Knights Templar. The main church of the village, Santa Maria dell’Olmo, contains beautiful pictures and statues, dating from the Middle Ages to the 17th century with various styles from the Byzantine to the Baroque. As part of our walking field trip, we will hike to the mountain summit to overlook the town. Those who do not want to hike may wait below in the village and enjoy time in the park or exploring the quaint streets.

At a restaurant in Castelmezzano.

We will return to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon will be free in Matera.

On your own.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

After checking out of the hotel, we will board our private motorcoach and transfer to Reggio Calabria. We’ll stop en route to Civita for a walking field trip through the village reaching out the viewpoint overlooking the Canyon of the Raganello river.

At a restaurant in Civita.

We will then continue our transfer to Reggio Calabria and check into the hotel in time for dinner.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, our Group Leader will present a lecture focusing on the Italian emigration to America. We’ll visit the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia, or National Museum of Reggio, home to the famed Riace Bronzes, which are among very few surviving examples of Classic Greek bronze statuary.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

We will enjoy some free time in Reggio.

On your own.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board our motorcoach and ride to Tropea, the jewel of Calabria. It is an impressive seaside village with iconic houses built into the clifftop and enchanting views over the turquoise waters of the ocean.

At a restaurant in Tropea.

We will return to the hotel. Free time.

Dinner on your own.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will ride to Casignana, and visit the Villa Romana dated back to the 1st century AD, remnants of large Roman baths, with mosaic floors and all the main structures still standing. We will then ride to Gerace, a medieval town known for the large Byzantine-Romanesque-Norman Cathedral and its Crypt.

On your own in Gerace.

We will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of Gerace. We will then return to the hotel.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We board our motorcoach and ride to Palmi. We will visit the house of the culture with an impressive collection of artifacts of the peasant civilization. After the museum, we will make a short stop at the "Promontorio di Sant'Elia", from where usually the Eolian Islands together with the Strait of Messina can be spotted. We will then ride to the fishing village of Scilla and visit the old district of Chianalea.

On your own in Scilla.

We will return to the hotel. Free time.

At the hotel. Share some of our favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with fellow Road Scholars.

Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel depending on departure time. This concludes our program.

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!