Puglia
Day One: Bienvenido a Puglia
Upon arrival at the airport, you’ll be whisked off to your hotel by chauffeured Mercedes van. Check-in and meet your hotel owner, then enjoy a welcome drink and exclusive gift. The early afternoon is free to enjoy Puglia’s stunning scenery before you meet a VIP at 5pm – the Mayor of Otranto, who is also a writer specialising in history and architecture. He’ll give you an exclusive private tour of the city’s UNESCO-listed castle and cathedral, before you enjoy your first tasting of Puglia’s exceptional cuisine, at the renowned L’Altrobaffo restaurant, in a romantic setting opposite the castle. Here, acclaimed chef Cristina Conte creates contemporary dishes from Puglia’s excellent produce and has devised a unique menu for Awesome Experiences’ customers, to showcase some of the regional delights.
Overnight at your chosen hotel
Classic: Tenuta Centoporte
Premium: Naturalis Bio Resort
Deluxe: Furnirussi Tenuta
Meals included: Dinner
Day Two: Well oiled
Enjoy some relaxation time today – we’ve included a three-course lunch at your hotel so you can eat well without travelling far. At 5.30pm, when the heat of the day dissipates, you’ll be taken to an exclusive tasting with the owner of organic olive oil producer, Aléa, famous for its award-winning olive oil laced with edible gold. The Aléa farm has been run by the same family for four generations, and they are passionate about the type of olives they use, when they harvest and, of course, the final product. Afterwards, your driver will take you onwards to Lecce, the region’s most important city. Packed with Baroque buildings fashioned from limestone and decorated with gargoyles and flower-bedecked balconies, it’s an enchanting place to spend the evening. A private guide will take you on a trip through the streets, searching out the most incredible examples of baroque art and architecture. Then you’ll have dinner in an off-the-tourist trail restaurant serving traditional Puglian fare, before returning to the hotel.
Overnight in your chosen hotel
Classic: Tenuta Centoporte
Premium: Naturalis Bio Resort
Deluxe: Furnirussi Tenuta
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Three: Tea time
This morning you will have the unique opportunity to visit Puglia’s only organic tea and infusion factory. San Demetrio is surrounded by olive groves and woodland, and focused on making health-giving teas from ingredients grown on site. During your exploration with San Demetrio’s owner, you’ll visit its 5,000 sq m botanical garden, enjoy a tea tasting and find out more about tea-making process and the medicinal properties of the ingredients. Afterwards, you’ll be driven back to your hotel to relax and prepare for an evening packed with festivities at Masseria Le Stanzie: built around 1200, this ancient manor is home to Puglia’s oldest olive mill. You’ll have the chance to explore the property on a private tour, before settling down to a traditional meal and the lively music of the tarantella – an ancient dance thought to have its origins as a 15th-century trance cure for poisonous spider bites.
Overnight at your chosen hotel
Classic: Tenuta Centoporte
Premium: Naturalis Bio Resort
Deluxe: Furnirussi Tenuta
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Day Four: And relax…
We’ve kept this day free for you to do as little or as much as you like: sunbathe by the pool, explore your hotel gardens, take a taxi to one of Otranto’s little bays or board the coastal bus to the sandy resorts further afield. This part of Puglia is renowned for its friendliness – and you’re never far away from a fabulous meal.
Overnight at your chosen hotel
Classic: Tenuta Centoporte
Premium: Naturalis Bio Resort
Deluxe: Furnirussi Tenuta
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Five: Arrivederci Italia!
After breakfast, you’ll leave your hotel bound for the airport and your flight home.
Overall meals included: 3 breakfasts and 2 dinners
What's included:
- Private transfers unless stated otherwise
- Private tour of Centro Storico and Oranto Cathedral with the Mayor of Otranto
- Private tour of Aléa olive oil farm
- Private tour of San Demetrio tea factory
- Meals as listed
- Mandatory taxes and service fees
What's not included:
- International flights to/from the start/end point of our experiences
- Tips for guides, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff
- Any visa, customs, airport taxes or similar charges before or after the tour
- We cannot guarantee the included hotel breakfast for early departures
- Drinks during meals unless stated otherwise
- Personal expenses, such as laundry
Accommodation
Classic - Tenuta Centoporte
Premium - Naturalis Bio Resort
Deluxe - Furnirussi Tenuta
Your hotel options for this experience are Classic, Premium or Deluxe:
Classic ★★★
Classic hotels provide mid-range accommodation (minimum three-star rated), with comfortable rooms and private facilities. We’ve selected these hotels based on positive client feedback.
Premium ★★★★
Premium hotels are typically upper mid range (usually four star), with more amenities than our classic choices. They all have comfortable rooms with private facilities and have received good client feedback.
Deluxe ★★★★★
Deluxe hotels are luxury hotels with excellent facilities and service, usually categorised as 4.5 or 5 star. Clients rate them extremely highly.
When booking an experience, please remember that the hotel category you select is for the whole tour. Please note that the actual hotel selection will be driven by availability at time of booking.
BOOK ONLINE at 'Ready to Book' above on PC or 'CONTINUE' on mobile,
or CALL 0208 432 0885 for assistance with booking
To check other related European trips, click here.
GETTING THERE
Typical return Economy flights from London to Brindisi take around 4 hours and costs around £200.
Experience start point: Brindisi
End point: Brindisi
All holiday departures up to 30th June 2019 are part of our Pioneers' Club promotion. Click here for more information.