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Day
1
Welcome to Puglia
- Private transfer from either Bari or Brindisi Airport (your choice, both work for this trip) to our masseria along the coast
- Welcome cocktails poolside with Andy and Eugenio
- A first night dinner in the traditional osteria Cibus in Ceglie Messapica—a hymn to this corner of Puglia with a tasting of local salumi, cheeses, and pasta
Day
2
A First Deep Dive
- Breakfast in the shade on your own time at our Masseria
- A visit to Francesco Carriero farm to see how pata negra pigs are transformed into the famous local salume, Capocollo di Martina Franca
- Rural Pugliese cookout at the farm: beer, grill, sun, vibes
- Dinner at our masseria, with a lesson in making local specialties such as orecchiette and focaccia barese from the acclaimed chef Pasquale Fatalino
Day
3
A Butcher’s Feast in Martina Franca
- Languorous morning with optional time on the nearby Adriatic coast
- Lunch in Grottaglie, a Norman village nestled in the limestone ravines of Salento
- Post-prandial visit with the artisans at Nicola Fasano ceramics, now in its 18th Generation (yes, 18 generations) of firing Puglian ceramics
- Transfer to the classical town of Martina Franca
- Apertif followed dinner in the greatest of all traditional fornelli, Da Riccardo, to taste an array of region’s best meats: bombetta, straccetti, gnummarieddi, and more
Day
4
Slow Matera
- Roadtrip! Pack an overnight bag (we’re keeping our rooms at Belvedere) and head west into the fabled lands of Basilicata.
- Check in at the luxury cave dwelling hotel Sextantio in Matera
- Light lunch with cheese and salumi in Latteria Rizzi
- Visit and aperitif in a traditional grotta from XVII century
- Dinner at the big-plate, big-flavor destination Stano
- A night exploring the hill town of Matera
Day
5
Formaggio e Pane
- Check out from Sextantio and head for the hills (of Alta Murgia)
- Spend the day in Alta Murgia with our friends the Dicecca brothers to discover the area and its cheeses, flavored with the herbs that grow in these mountains
- Lunch with the DiCecca brothers in the hills
- Sample Altamura’s traditional bread at Di Gesù bakery
- Transfer back to Puglia, light dinner in the lowlands
- Back to our familiar rooms at Masseria Belvedere
Day
6
The Fruits of the Sea
- Leisurely morning at the Masseria with yet Pugliese breakfast
- A visit to the iconic pasta producer Benedetto Cavalieri, famed for its Ruote Pazze and other artisanal pastas
- Lunch at Osteria degli Spiriti in Lecce
- SIESTA
- A lesson on the fish from Torre Guaceto and a great dinner with the flavor of the sea in the contemporary osteria XFood, which is known for working with neurodivergent individuals from the local community
Day
7
Olive Oil and Wine
- Puglia is one of Italy’s biggest producers of olive oil, and its centuries-old olive trees are one of the region’s biggest attractions. Near the fairytale stone-house village of Alberobello, we’ll have an insider’s visit to Intini Olive Oil, which makes a gorgeous product with indigenous varietals
- A beautiful last lunch at Botteghe Antiche in the village of Putignano
- Farewell party in Masseria La Cattiva, a young and eccentric natural winery whose founders have been feeding our wine supply lines throughout the week
Day
8
Arrivederci
- One final languorous breakfast at our Masseria
- Private transfer to Bari or Brindisi Airport for flights home
What’s Included
- All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks and beverages between meals
- Expertise and services of our experienced trip leaders: at least one guide and one host per trip
- Additional guides and experts from the region
- All transportation during the trip except when taking a taxi or ride app independently during unscheduled time
- Transfers to and from the airport or wherever you are on the day the trip starts and ends
- Daily Roads & Kingdoms gifts related to the themes, activities and narratives of each trip
- All gratuities for accommodations, meals, guiding or transport
What’s Not Included
- International airfare to and from the journey (note: some trips begin and end at different airports)
- Personal bar tabs (when not with the group)
- Personal laundry or spa services
- Personal travel insurance
There may not be a single person in all of the Republic better qualified to know what to eat, at what time of year, and with whom, than Eugenio Signoroni, pictured above far left. After a long editorial career at the iconic Slow Food, he branched out to write prolifically on Italian food culture in all parts of the boot. In addition to editing the authoritative Osteria d’Italia guide, he is the host of Lievito Madre, one of Italy’s top food podcasts. A perfect host for this journey.
The author of Café Morocco and many other books is considered one of the great culinary minds of the Mediterranean and the Arab world. Born in Beirut to a Syrian father and Lebanese mother, she has been Sotheby’s representative for the Middle East, run an antique shop in Paris, served as art advisor to members of the Kuwaiti ruling family, and amassed a legendary private art collection that she then sold to launch a new life as an author. Her books on Middle Eastern food have won her countless accolades (the New Yorker called her 2018 book, “Feast: The Food of the Islamic World,” one of the 10 best cookbooks of the century so far).
With panoramic views of the Adriatic coast, this gorgeous coastal masseria that will be our home for most of the trip combines sophisticated accommodation with glorious, multi-faceted al fresco areas, including, of course, a sea-facing infinity pool. Masseria Belvedere is also perfectly located for exploring the hidden gems of Puglia. What more could we want?
Truly a hotel like none other, Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is situated within Matera’s UNESCO-listed labyrinth of caves, ancient dwellings carved into the stone face of the hill upon which Matera is perched. Beautifully carved arches in heavily pocked stone walls have been renovated using traditional techniques and tools into a singular luxury cave hotel.
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While it was food focused, it was so much more! Everything was of such high quality and interesting. Everyone was friendly and warm.
Kathleen S.
Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024 -
Eugenio is so kind and passionate about his country, the food, and the people. The level of thoughtfulness he put into every experience was amazing.
Renee V.
Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024 -
The lunchtime cookout really touched us all…They were bringing us into their family to experience their food and life and that just hit differently.
Steven D.
Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024
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