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A crowded beach nestled between high rocky cliffs and white buildings in the coastal village of Polignano, Puglia, bordering clear turquoise water.
Italy

Puglia & Basilicata: Ancient Cultures & Living Traditions

Program No. 25750RJ
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
11 days
10 nights
What's Included
Included
19 meals ( 9B, 6L, 4D )
4 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Ostuni (BR)
Puglia & Basilicata: Ancient Cultures & Living Traditions
Oct 10 - Oct 20, 2028
Program Number 25750
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag.
Afternoon:
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.

We will learn from the Group Leader as well as local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips; we will also participate in a cooking class led by a local chef. Program-related transportation will be primarily via motorcoach unless specified otherwise, necessitating ascending/descending a few steps. Meals will include wine, coffee, and water with other beverages available for purchase.

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. During the winter months, some stores are closed during the afternoon hours.

Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/weather 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 a motorcoach; driving about 47 miles throughout the day, approximately 1.5 hours total riding time. Walking about 3 miles, approximately 1 hour. In Ostuni, the terrain is uneven and may involve short uphill stretches and a few steps. In Alberobello, the terrain consists mostly of stone-paved streets, including ancient cobblestones, small hills, and uneven alleys with some steps. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Leaving the hotel, we will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of the city. Ostuni is one of the most renowned destinations on the Brindisi coast. The white city, as it is called for the color of the facades of the houses and its religious buildings, is located on three modest hills located a few hundred meters from the sea. its historic center is unmistakable for the blinding whiteness of its homes. The oldest nucleus is literally clinging to the steep sides of a hill, whose perimeter is traced by the Aragonese city walls which protected the borders from attacks carried out by Saracen pirates. Today, only eight of the fifteen original watchtowers remain. The historic center of Ostuni has winding streets, steep stairways, small squares, small courtyards and alleys of incredible charm. The entire ancient nucleus is divided into two parts by Via Cattedrale, the only one that reaches the top of the hill, on which stands the stupendous Cathedral, a building that admirably blends Gothic, Romanesque and Venetian elements in its lines. From here it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view of the plain of olive trees below which extends to the sea. The Cathedral is one of the most precious jewels of the city. This majestic church, built between 1435 and 1495, represents a perfect blend of Gothic elegance and Renaissance harmony. The façade, embellished with a central rose window decorated with 24 rays, is a timeless work of art, capable of enchanting anyone who contemplates it. But it is inside that the Cathedral reveals its splendor, with frescoes, sculptures and paintings that tell the thousand-year history of the city. The painted flat ceiling and the baroque chapels create a unique atmosphere, which seems to envelop the visitor in an embrace of beauty and spirituality. Worth admiring is the magnificence of the wooden crucifix, sculpted by a local artist in the 17th century.

We will board our motorcoach and ride to Alberobello.
Lunch:
On your own in Alberobello. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
We will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of city. Alberobello stands on two hilly mountains. On the eastern hill there is the new city with modern architectural features; on the other summit, facing west, the trulli line up, in an urban agglomeration divided into two districts: Monti and Aia Piccola, both national monuments and recognized as a World Heritage Site since 1996 by the U.N.E.S.C.O. Already particularly fascinating for their architecture, with their rectangular or square plan and domed roofs made entirely of dry-set limestone, the trulli are shrouded in an atmosphere of mystery because, even today, no one can say exactly what their origins: probably already present in prehistoric times, they are today defined as "an expression of Apulian orientalism", a definition that immediately ignites my imagination. There is also a pinch of mysticism to mystery and imagination and the Aja Piccola and Rione Monti neighborhoods seem to come straight out of a fairy tale. On many of the domes of the trulli that are concentrated in the monumental area, in fact, it is easy to see esoteric symbols with a mythological or religious meaning, traced in white ash, and all the trulli have a decorative pinnacle on top whose different shapes had the aim of chasing away evil spirits or bad luck. We will enjoy an on-site lecture on the trulli architecture of Puglia held by our Group Leader. The remainder of the afternoon will be free for independent exploration of Alberobello before meeting back at a predetermined time. 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.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 94 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking about 3 miles total, approximately 3 hours. Lecce, the terrain is most flat. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
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 Lecce. The history of Lecce is rich and fascinating. From an artistic point of view, the buildings and noble palaces are characterized by the Baroque style. The artistic relevance is accompanied by the historical-cultural one, which bears the signs of construction from the pre-Christian and Roman era in the opulence of churches, buildings and monuments such as the Palazzo dei Celestini, the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Duomo, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Roman Theatre, the Charles V Castle, Porta Napoli, and Porta San Biagio. Lecce is a town characterized by columns, arches, numerous rose windows, but also by the typical small squares and unexpected alleys. Its monuments are custodians of centuries of history, and witnesses of the artistic and cultural evolution of the city. 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. a center of culture and permanent exhibition on the presence of Jews in Lecce throughout time. The Museum has seven halls illustrating the history and lives of Lecce Jews. The area bears many signs of the local Jewish identity, such as the hollow for the mezuzah, the mikvaoth baths in the foundations of the church believed to have been built over one of the city’s synagogues.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Lecce. During lunch we will enjoy a “pizzica" show, a traditional music and ballet of considerable social and cultural importance. It is surrounded by religious beliefs and something mythological which has always fascinated people since old times. Pizzica was a therapeutic element against a disease (tarantismo) and was considered the only remedy against the bite of the tarantula (spider).
Afternoon:
We will continue our walking field trip of Lecce’s Old City to explore the Roman Theatre, walk by the Church of Saint Matthew, and some less touristy areas of the Old Town.

The remainder of the afternoon will be free for independent exploration of Lecce before meeting back at a predetermined time.

We’ll then return to the hotel.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 65 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking about 1 mile, approximately 1 hour; Grottaglie, has cobblestone paths; there are some benches on which to rest. Winery, uneven surface. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach and ride to Grottaglie with our Group Leader. Grottaglie is the city of ceramics, a city that is pure color and ancient history. The characteristic of Grottaglie ceramics is that of transforming traditional objects once used on tables into works of design and thus giving life to a new way of conceiving the home. The result of techniques and styles in which tradition, contemporary aesthetics, research and experimentation intertwine. Each project is a small journey into forgotten places, it is a revisitation of ancient forms of the Grottaglie tradition in the past used only for domestic use. The result? Objects characterized by simple and elegant lines, trendy colors, such as grey, dove gray and earth tones interspersed with subtle and strong graphic signs. We will start with a visit to the museum of ceramics located in the castle and we will then continue to the ceramic district. Inside the ceramics district we will admire the artefacts on display, and we will visit a ceramic laboratory where the master craftsmen will show us the different phases of ceramic manufacturing.

We will then continue our ride 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.
Lunch:
At local winery in Manduria, we’ll have a light lunch enriched by local products and wine.
Afternoon:
We will return to the hotel, and the afternoon will be free time.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 65 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Egnazia, the terrain is uneven with cobblestone paths. In Polignano a Mare, the terrain is generally flat but can be slightly uneven in places with stone-paved alleys.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our private motorcoach and ride to Egnazia, once an important Messapian and Roman settlement, Egnazia offers a fascinating insight into the ancient civilizations that shaped this part of the Adriatic coast. We will visit the Archeological Site and the National Museum of Egnazia where we will learn about the history of Egnazia, the myths and its evolution from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. We enjoy an on-site lecture held by a local archeologist/expert

We will then ride to Polignano a mare, one of Puglia’s most scenic seaside villages dramatically perched on limestone cliffs above the Adriatic Sea. Its historic center, narrow lanes, white houses, sea caves, and panoramic balconies create one of the most evocative coastal settings in the region.
Lunch:
On your own in Polignano a mare.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll explore the old part of the village with our Group Leader. Polignano a mare is a place where history, culture, and breathtaking coastal scenery come together, Polignano a Mare has been inhabited since prehistoric times and later flourished under Greek and Roman influence. Today it captivates visitors with its whitewashed houses, labyrinth of narrow alleys, flower-filled balconies, hidden piazzas, and spectacular panoramic terraces overlooking the sea. During our leisurely walk through the old town, we'll discover its timeless atmosphere, admire the famous balconies suspended above the cliffs, and stroll along the picturesque waterfront while enjoying unforgettable views of one of Italy's most iconic coastal landscapes.

We will return to the hotel.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 112 miles throughout the day, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Walking about 3 miles total, approximately 3 hours total. In Bari, narrow, stone-paved streets with some uneven surfaces and steps; mostly flat terrain. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach and head to Bari, the capital of Puglia bathed by the Adriatic Sea and famous throughout the world for the relics of Saint Nicholas preserved in the Basilica of the same name. The city stands out for its extraordinary historical and architectural treasures, preserved both within the metropolitan core and in its magnificent surroundings. We will walk to a private house in Bari Vecchia to discover the authentic flavors of Puglia in the heart of Bari Vecchia, the ancient quarter where the city's culinary traditions were born. Led by a renowned local chef and passionate guardian of Bari's gastronomic heritage, this hands-on experience combines traditional recipes, local ingredients, and contemporary interpretations of Apulian cuisine. A unique opportunity to experience the true culinary soul of Bari.
Lunch:
At the private house. We will enjoy the results of our cooking lesson.
Afternoon:
We will walk with our Group Leader through the Città Vecchia (Old Town), visitors discover its most authentic character, with signs of its past scattered through the local alleyways. We will visit the Basilica of San Nicola, a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture, built during the Norman domination between 1089 and 1197 to hide, according to legend, the Holy Grail. Along these narrow streets, local women still prepare the famous orecchiette by hand using only semolina flour, water and traditional techniques passed down through generations. This living culinary heritage provides the perfect introduction to the gastronomic traditions that have shaped Bari and Puglia for centuries.

Free time in Bari Vecchia before meeting back at a predetermined time.

We will return to the hotel
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 93 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours total riding time. Walking about 1 mile, approximately 1 hours. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we will board our private motorcoach and transfer to Matera. We will stop en route at Metaponto, an important ancient Greek settlement of Magna Graecia. Closely linked to wheat production and to the legacy of the philosopher Pythagoras, Metaponto was once a flourishing cultural and agricultural center. We will visit the impressive Palatine Tables, the remains of a Doric temple dedicated to Hera, and the National Archaeological Museum.

We will then arrive at the hotel in time for lunch.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
Free time
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 3 miles total, approximately 1.5 hours. Sassi is very rocky; several steps and slopes; be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of Matera, a rare jewel of Basilicata, a miracle of time that reveals itself to the visitor with an overwhelming charm. In Matera there is neither the sea nor the mountains, yet the "little" that there is to do in this city represents the essential thing capable of bringing back to life what is being lost today. Hence the white flag that was assigned to the city, whose color indicates surrender, that sense of peace that can be felt walking through the winding streets of the old city, admiring the viewpoint of the stones and appreciating the hospitality of the locals who tickles the heart. Matera owes its charm to the crypts and rock churches that arose following the Byzantine and Benedictine monastic settlements, but above all to the stones declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. To understand the importance of the stones we must take a leap into the past, imagining that until sixty years ago they represented the housing complex of the population of Matera, made up exclusively of farmers. Today the stones represent the essence of Matera, a testimony of the past that crystallizes the era of the 1950s. The labyrinth of houses that seem to fit together gives life to a singular panorama with a homogeneous and always elegant color, from which the bell tower of the Cathedral stands out. We will embark on an expert-led walking field trip of the Sassi di Matera, the oldest part of the city. We will be joined by a local expert for a lecture on what the Stones know. We will embark with our Group Leader on a walking field trip of the Palombaro Lungo, a large underground cistern unique in the world! Going down into this hypogeum is like taking a dive into the past, discovering the secrets of the hydraulic engineering of the city of the Sassi.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant in Matera.
Afternoon:
Free time.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 108 miles throughout the day, approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Walking about 1.5 miles, approximately 1 hour on cobblestone streets. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach and ride to Castelmezzano, a fairytale medieval village which, with its unique landscapes in the world, is able to enchant even the most demanding tourists in a stay to be experienced among traditions, history and sustainability. A village where nature still occupies an important role, while the work of man is perfectly intertwined with its shapes and colors, without affecting it, but rather enriching it with amazement and beauty. We will visit with our Group Leader this enchanting village whose structure itself is a source of admiration for anyone who goes to this strip of land in search of views to immortalize and atmospheres. magical to breathe. The colorful houses clinging to the rock and nature as far as the eye can see say a lot about how surprising the view it offers visitors can be. We will live a unique experience indeed, a dream to be lived with open eyes immersed in surreal scenarios between nature, history and mystical legends, regenerating for body and mind and collecting wonderful memories.

We will walk to a local restaurant and have a special cooking demonstration, enhanced by a lecture on the beneficial use of wild herbs and essential oils.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Castelmezzano. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell lunch.
Afternoon:
We will return to the hotel, and the afternoon will be free time.
Dinner:
On your own.
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 “Getting There” information 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 like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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