Ciao a tutti,
Come state? I am still buzzing after the most fabulous week in Puglia leading a truly delightful group of people during my first ever tour!
It was probably the most in-person social interaction I’ve had since before the pandemic and I’m totally here for it. In my day-to-day life, I work completely remotely at home and something I’ve really missed is face-to-face contact and social interaction with real people. Something I think that many of us can relate to post-pandemic! Keep reading for a run-down on how our week in the land of olive oil and the sea played out.
In case you’re interested, I also have a blog post on some of my favourite places in Puglia if you’re planning a self-guided trip.
The Puglia Untold Italy Tour
Day 1: We whisked our intrepid travellers from the Bari train station and made for our favourite countryside restaurant that we were introduced to earlier this year by a local friend. An incredible 4-hour lunch in the most stunning (and relaxed!) of settings awaited, and it was truly the most perfect beginning to an unforgettable week. After that, we checked into our glorious Masseria accommodation and enjoyed a relaxing spritz together as the sunset.
Photo by Rhianna May
Day 2: The day began in pretty Martina Franca. Lunch was at a fabulous caseficio (or dairy) where we learned how they make burrata and mozzarella. We had some free time back at our gorgeous Masseria to enjoy the pool, before heading out to fairytale Alberobello in the evening. Tears were involved when our guests laid eyes on these Trulli houses. It was so incredible to have a small part in making our guests’ travel dreams come true - the very dreams that sustained so many during the lockdowns of the last two years!
Photo by Rhianna May
Day 3: Polignano al Mare kicked off our day with a serious bang! Everyone was truly taken away by its beauty. In the afternoon, we headed to a local olive oil mill and winery where we got to taste some local specialties. In the evening, we enjoyed a relaxing cooking class and rolled up our sleeves to make orecchiette pasta!
Day 4: Ceramics! And a secret garden! That’s all I’ll say about that, as it’s truly top secret. Our guests were wowed (and so was I!) In the afternoon, we enjoyed a casual lunch in white-washed Locorotondo, and that evening we had some free time in pretty Monopoli.
Photo by Rhianna May
Day 5: Of course, no tour to Puglia would be complete without a stop in beautiful Lecce. Compared to Florence, Lecce is gorgeous in its own right and full of baroque personality. After a full day with some free time included, we enjoyed a delightful seafood dinner on the beach in Savelletri.
Day 6: We left Puglia for an overnight stay in Matera, the city of sassi. Our guests checked into the most amazing cave-style hotel called Il Palazzotto and tears ensued once again from the sheer beauty of it all! Our favourite part? Watching the city light up at night during our rooftop aperitivo. Magical!
Day 7: We wrapped it all up with a fabulous food tour in Bari! We saw the fishermen on the pier and sampled the freshest raw seafood imaginable. Next, we wandered through the labyrinth of streets that is Bari Vecchia and scoffed down piping hot slices of focaccia Barese. We learnt about the history along the way, and stopped at San Nicolas (or the Church of Father Christmas!), watched the talented Barese women roll out orecchiette while munching on panzerotti, and ended with creamy gelato.
It was truly the most special week and one I’ll remember forever. Our group of ten travellers from Australia and the United States formed such a tight-knit bond over the week as we created lasting memories together - our WhatsApp chat is still humming lively!
Something that stood out to me as I spoke with each of our guests is that they loved having everything taken care of during our tour. They knew we’d take them to only the best local restaurants, order the must-try dishes & wine for them, translate everything into English for them, get them from A to B in comfort on our luxury minibus, check them into unique and beautiful accommodation, and guide them through this gorgeous region of Italy with ease.
We’re working on a little video we put together during the tour, so our guests can tell you themselves what they enjoyed (and would do differently next time), so stay tuned on that.
If you’d like to join us in Puglia, our 2023 dates are up! Take a look at our late May 2023 tour or September 2023 tour now. If you have any questions about the tours, don’t hesitate to send me or Katy from Untold Italy a message - we’d love to have you.
That’s it for now! Later this week I’m jetting off to Sicilia to join the last 5 days of the Untold Italy Sicily tour. I’m so excited, as I haven’t been to Sicily since 2018 when I went to the incredible Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School and fell in love with this Southern region. I look forward to sharing what we get up to there next time.
Buona settimana!
x Liv