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7-day Agritourism Small Group Food Tour in Puglia
Basilicata and Puglia are as yet untouched parts of Southern Italy. Here is where you will find some of the most beautiful towns, villages and scenery in Italy. One of the treasured jewels is the city of Matera, the third most ancient city in the world. Matera is famous for its remarkable cave dwellings (known as the Sassi), some of which have been lived in for more than 9000 years!
Southern Italy is a very special and unique place and you have the opportunity to engage with its people, food and culture. Visit incredible places, indulge in some fantastic food and engage with a range of wonderful and hospitable local people. From tours with local historical experts to uncovering some of the secrets of Materan cuisine you will have a truly incredible experience that you will never forget.
Guests are invited to take part in an all inclusive, unique and immersive experience that sees them staying at a beautiful agriturismo farm with an Italian family and experiencing a range of cultural and culinary experiences that take them deep into Lucanian and Southern Italian culture. Experiences include comfortable en-suite accommodation in the farm house, which is surrounded by olive groves, orange trees and a WWF protected nature reserve complete with a stunning reservoir. Situated about 13 km away from Matera, guests discover an Italy undisturbed, with opportunities to visit special places in Basilicata and Puglia, meet local artisans, musicians and people and eat organic, zero kilometre, farm to table food.
Slow Tours offers a number of other Small Group Tours in Europe
Arrival
Arrive at Bari ariport for transfer to your accommodation. Free time to unpack and settle in. Lunch/dinner served depending on time of arrival
A day in Matera
Start the day with a fresh breakfast including homemade Italian cakes and Marisa’s homemade marmalades and jams. Other types of breakfasts will be available also throughout the week - guests just need to ask!
After breakfast, take the short 13 km trip to the ancient city of Matera where guests will meet their English speaking tour guide and spend the morning exploring the breathtaking Sassi di Matera.
For lunch, guests are taken to a very special bar situated deep in the Sassi, where you will enjoy beautiful views over a light lunch and a cocktail. After relaxing, you will be taken to an even more incredible view with time to explore, eat an ice cream and look around the shops.
In the late afternoon, guests will visit a local baker who will lead them through an hour long workshop in making the famous ‘Pane di Matera’ (Materan Bread). Massimo will explain the history and culture of this unique bread and also show everyone exactly how it’s made. In the evening, return to the agriturismo for a home-cooked dinner.
A day with the locals
Guests will get the chance to learn how to make typical Southern pasta like orecchiette and cavatelli. This fun hands-on lesson might be harder than it looks but it’s a unique experience! Then it will be time for a traditional family lunch and a siesta. This Agriturismo offers one of the best places to do this in Southern Italy. Guests can take a snooze or enjoy the terrace with a glass of wine. They can join Greg and Silvia (and dogs) on a leisurely walk around the WWF protected nature. In summer of course, you can take a dip in the swimming pool.
In the evening, you will be taken back to Matera to experience the city at night. Once there, you will visit an incredible cave wine bar in the Sassi where you will be treated to an evening of wine tasting and food pairing.
A day in the mountains
After breakfast we take the 80 minute drive to the Dolomiti Lucane - the dolomite mountains of the South. Here we will visit two of the most beautiful mountain towns in all of Italy, Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa, where guests can wander around, meet the locals and enjoy the stunning views. For lunch, we meet our good friend Daniele at his lovely mountain town restaurant who will prepare a delicious treat of local products and wine for us.
In the afternoon, we return back to the agriturismo and take a nice siesta before visiting friends at another local agriturismo for a pizza.
A day in Puglia
After breakfast, we take the one hour trip over the border into Puglia and visit the famous and charming seaside town of Polignano a mare. After a visit to the beach and a famous statue of a famous son of Polignano, we head to a quaint seafood restaurant for fresh seafood and tasting of some local delicacies, with of course local wine! Guests will have an opportunity to explore the old town of Polignano, perhaps do a spot of shopping and exploring.
After lunch, in late afternoon, we head to Alberobello (about 35-40 mins drive) where guests can explore the fascinating ‘Trulli’ houses that make Alberobello famous. In the evening, we return to the farmhouse for Marisa’s dinner.
Mozarella day
After breakfast, we welcome our good friend Antonio to the farm who will demonstrate the fine art of making mozzarella and fresh Southern Italian cheeses. Antonio is a ‘Casro’ (cheese-maker) with over 40 years of experience and he will lead guests through this special demonstration, learning all the secrets to creating this famous culinary delight. A traditional lunch and a siesta will follow.
Dinner will be served in the evening and guests will be treated to a very special performance by a famous folk band from the region who will entertain them with their funny stories, fascinating instruments and soulful folk songs of Matera and Basilicata. Of course, there will be dancing also!
Departure
After a final breakfast you will be transferred either to Bari Airport or a local train station..
If you would like to drive yourself before or after your tour, ask us for a quote on any brand new Renault, Peugeot or Citroen vehicle for driving in Europe.
Pick up your vehicle from most capital cities in Europe and return it to your drop off destination. Top insurance cover. Email [email protected] for a competitive quote
8
After a wonderful week we reluctantly departed our agritorismo yesterday and are now in Bologna. Greg and Sylvia, along with Silvia’s parents Franco and Marisa, were the most wonderful and generous hosts. The accommodation in the farmhouse was very comfortable and the food and wine excellent! The program was perfect and Greg and Silvia made sure we visited the hilltop towns in the surrounding countryside and experienced all the culture, food, wine and history the region has to offer. We thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone interested in Slow Food and learning about the way of life in southern Italy. Thanks for booking this trip for us! - September 2023