ARRIVAL AT CASTEL DEL MONTE AND VISIT OF THE “FEDERICIANO” CASTLE.

Castel del Monte is one of the most important castles in Italy because of its unique shape that is an harmonisation of several influences from the northern part of europe to those of the classical world.

It is a unique work of art of the Medieval architecture that reflects the humanity of the founder Federick II Roman Emperor.

The same site has been named UNESCO world heritage in 1996.

LUNCH IN A FARM HOLIDAY.

DEPARTURE TO LECCE.

ARRIVAL IN A HOTEL IN LECCE, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

LECCE AND ITS WONDERS.

MORNING: GUIDED TOUR OF THE TOWN.

A tour guide will lead the group through the streets of the historical center of the town telling the history of the city from the Messapian and then Roman origins until the renaissance and the baroque times.

Itinerary: Duomo Square and its Cathedral (entrance fee), the bell tower, the bishop palace and the Seminary palace.

St. Irene church, the former she patron Saint of the town, St. Oronzo Square that contains Roman, Renaissance and modern period buildings and The Holy Cross Basilica (entrance fee) and Celestini Palace that are the best example of the Leccese Renaissance and Baroque style.

At the end of the walking tour the Charles the V Castle (internal courtyard).

LOCAL FOOD AND WINE TASTING.

Duration: 2,30 hrs approx.

LUNCH IN A TYPICAL LOCAL RESTAURANT IN LECCE.

FREE TIME IN THE AFTERNOON – Group might also be taken to the sea on request OR NATURALISTIC TOUR – Visit to the Natural riserve of the Guaceto Torwer by the reserve trolley (The Guaceto tower is a marine protected area that is also a natural reserve under the Italian country control).

It has an unique ecosystem because of its biological diversities that include the marine riserve, a wetland and a thick Mediterranean scrub with myrtle, mastic and holm oak. Close to the white sandy beach with crystal waters you can also visit sand hills, swamps used by amphibious and migratory birds and poseidonia prairies.

Duration: 2,30 hrs approx.

COME BACK TO THE HOTEL DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

TOUR OF THE ADRIATIC COAST.

MORNING: GUIDED TOUR OF OTRANTO.

Tour gives you the opportunity to visit Otranto, also known as the “Gateway to orient”, discovering the story of the 800 martyrs of the town and visiting the enigmatic mosaic flooring of the Cathedral.

Itinerary: Land Gate, Alfonsina tower, The Cathedral (where you may visit both the chapel containing the bones of the martyrs and the mosaic flooring), the Aragonese Castle, the Bulwarks and the St. Peter Basilica.

Duration: 90 mins

Lunch in a local Farm Holiday close to Otranto

AFTERNOON: ZINZULUSA CAVE AND LEUCA.

Visit to the Zinzulusa Cave (A majestic entrance carved out from a rock facing the sea, it is one of the greatest karstic features in Salento. The cave takes its name from the popular imagination that has always seen in the stalactites of the grotto the rags, also called ”zinzuli” in local dialect).

Visit to St. Mary from Leuca (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Leuca or the finibus terrae) Opposite to the church the famous light house that welcomes foreigners to Italy; in the middle a large square that makes you see the infinity of the sea and the point where Ionian sea meets the Adriatic.

COME BACK TO THE HOTEL DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

TOUR IONIAN COAST.

MORNING: GUIDED TOUR OF THE ST. CATHERINE BASILICA IN GALATINA AND GALLIPOLI.

First town to be visited is Galatina and its extraordinary St. Catherine Basilica.

Itinerary: It is said that St. Peter stopped by in Galatina during his journey to get to Rome from Palestine indeed, the main church is dedicated to him and contains the rock where the Saint used to sit: but the town is also an incredible sequence of palaces of an astonishing beauty that also hide the secrets of the “tarantismo”; possessed women who needed to be exorcised to set them free by demons.

Flagship of the town is the St. Caterina from Alessandria Cathedral a Romanic church full of frescoes in “giottesco” style second only to the one in Assisi.

The morning tour continues among the winding streets of the historic center of Gallipoli, located on a rock in the sea where you can get there only walking along an old carparo stone bridge; during the tour you can visit the St. Agatha Cathedral and others churches that belonged to all the different confraternities of the town as the St. Christine church, the Madonna of Canneto church, and the St. Francis church plus the Hellenic fountain.

LUNCH IN A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT IN TORRE PALI.

FREE TIME IN THE AFTERNOON – YOU CAN GO TO THE BEACH OR BOAT TOUR IN TORREVADO

Setting out from Torre Vado and sailing in the Ionian sea you land in Santa Maria of Leuca. The boat trip includes the entrance in four grottos (Drago, Stalla, Tre Porte and Fiume); during the geographical excursion historical explanations will be given before visiting grottos.

You might also take a swim close to the caves weather permitting.

Duration: 2 hrs

COME BACK TO THE HOTEL DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

VALLE D’ITRIA TOUR.

MORNING: GUIDED TOUR OF OSTUNI THE WHITE TOWN.

Ostuni is located at the southernmost part of the Murgia hill, and it may be immediately spotted because of its white houses. The old part of the town is surrounded by the Medieval walls and inside them a labyrinth of strict , winding and bumpy streets where you may easily get lost.

Itinerary: Passing through Nova Gate, you will be immediately amazed by the unique urban structure of the town featured by buildings of different heights linked by flying buttresses and staircases that link the diverse town levels.

As you get to the Cathedral street you will be dazed by the rococo façade of the St. Vito of the Monacelle church, that is also the Seat of the South Murgia pre classic civilizations museum; then proceeding along the Trinchera square you will find the XVth century Cathedral, the Bishop Palace and the Seminary one linked by the Scoppa arch.

The walking tour finishes in Libertà Square with its City town Hall, the St. Francis church and the famous St. Oronzo steeple.

Duration: 2 hrs

LUNCH IN A FAMOUS FARM BUSINESS CLOSE TO OSTUNI WHERE YOU WILL TASTE COUNTRY COOKING

AFTERNOON: ALBEROBELLO AND ITS TRULLOS

The Itria Valley is surrounded by three different districts Bari, Brindisi and Taranto and it is famous for its “trullo”houses and pretty hamlets.

Itinerary: Tour is dedicated to the discovering of the history of Alberobello famous throughout the world because of its “trullo” houses named UNESCO world heritage in 1996; visit includes a walk along the streets of the Aia piccola and Monti districts.

Duration: 1,30 hrs

LEAVING TO MATERA

ARRIVAL AT THE HOTEL IN MATERA

CHECK IN, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

VISIT TO THE “SASSI” TOWN.

Matera was named UNESCO world heritage in 1993, and it was recently nominated European Capital of Culture in 2019; it is called the “sassi” town because of the uniquenesses of its historic center made up by two districts, the Barisano and Caveoso Sasso and the Civita one.

Itinerary: Starting from Vittorio Emanuele Square our tour guide will let you visit the Seat square (XV century), Duomo square with its Romanic church (XIII century) and the wonderful view from the Barisano sasso. Then you will climb down towards another sasso to visit the “Madonna della Virtù and San Niccolò dei Greci” cave complex; incredible examples of architecture carved out from the rocks.

Walk along the Caveoso sasso and visit to one of the furnished grotto houses. Visit to the Longbards cemetery and climbing up along Ridola street.

Duration: 3 hrs

LUNCH IN A RESTAURANT LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE MATERA SASSI.

LEAVING FROM MATERA AND ARRIVAL TO MONTE SANT’ANGELO.

MORNING: TOUR OF MONTE SANT’ANGELO.

Monte Sant’Angelo offers an amazing view on Gargano and it houses the Sacra Grotta (Holy Cave), in which the Archangel Michael made its appearance and pilgrims from all over the world come to visit it.

Monte Sant’Angelo, located on the south of Gargano promontory, overlooks on one side the Tavoliere tableland and on the other side the Gulf of Manfredonia.

The Sanctuary of San Michele is a UNESCO world heritage site and is a precious evidence of Lombard art in Italy. A rock-hewn staircase takes down to the Sacra Grotta (Holy Cave), the mystic place where the Archangel made its appearance and an important pilgrims’ destination.

In the neighbourhood Junno, the old part of the town, stroll through the houses built on the ground floor and the alleys, while the bakers cook make the traditional ostie ripiene, sweets filled with almonds and honey. The history still echoes off the walls of the Norman castle, home of Frederik II, the Rotari tomb and the complex of San Francesco, where there is the Museum of Gargano Popular Arts and Traditions.

Itinerary: Sanctuary, Holy Cave, Junno District, Rotari Tomb, St. Francis complex.

LUNCH IN A TYPICAL LOCAL RESTAURANT IN THE OLD TOWN.

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