Puglia, the heel of Italy is a region warmed by the sun, surrounded by sea, incredible white sand beaches, tasty food and wines, becoming every year more popular. The “Masserie, 16 th century farms built under the Spanish rule, dot the landscape, some of which have been converted into  elegant holiday houses, while art and history are everywhere. Lecce, Galatina, Galatone and Nardò are jewels of barocco art. The local stone, a compact-grained marbled limestone “honey coloured, that can be carved with a penknife”, used as a building material greatly enhanced the creativity of local artists. Gallipoli is built on a headland extending into the Ionian Sea, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, with the reflections of blue and water everywhere. Before the arrival of Normans,  who left left their beautiful castles, some of them built by Frederick the Second, this part of Italy was under the influence of Byzantium. And in the midst of olive trees and bare landscape it’s not unusual to find medieval bizantine churches with beautiful frescos. As for the food and the wine, Puglia is one of the Italian regions most worthy of praise. Everywhere you go, you will taste fresh vegetables and products from the garden full of flavour. Seafood and fish from the local fishing farms are accompanied by fresh white wines made from Bombino, Verdeca, Trebbiano vines or some fresh and perfumed rosè . As for red wines, especially at the far end of Puglia, the area called Salento, where in the summer you can watch to tipical dances like the “Pizzica”, the most famous wines are Negramaro and Primitivo. Both strong red wines, with a good quantity of tannins, the result of grapes with early ripening, they are harmonic and elegant in taste, having hd a long period of ageing in barrels.

DAY 1

Arrival at Brindisi airport and transfer to the Masseria.  Check-in, orientation meeting and introductory lesson with our professional sommelier (the history of wine and its cultural importance, the main vines of Puglia). Afternoon at Baia de Turchi beach. Dinner at the Masseria.

DAY 2

After breakfast we’ll move on to Gallipoli, the pearl of Salento and visit the fish market, and take part to a cooking lesson with local traditional fish.  Visit to the old town and the beautiful cathedral of Sant’Agata. Return to the Masseria. Relax an aperitif with local fresh white wine by the pool. Dinner.

DAY 3

Visit to the baroque cities of Galatina and Galatona. Independent lunch, Visit to a wine cellar (lesson: tasting wine, the senses of tasting, the link between wine and territory). Dinner at the Masseria.

DAY 4

Visit to the old town of Otranto and its Byzantine churches and medieval chapels. Afternoon of relax at the beach or in the Masseria SPA and swimming pool. Cooking lesson and dinner in the Masseria.

DAY 5

Visit to Lecce, known as the “lady of Baroque” and its historical center, a UNESCO Heritage site rich with beautiful churches and monuments in white stone. Independent lunch. Return to the Masseria. Dinner.

DAY 6

Visit to the beach of  Pescoluse, the so called “Maldive of Salento”. Visit to Santa Maria di Leuca. Independent lunch. Visit to a wine cellar to taste the famous rosé from Puglia. Farewell dinner in a local restaurant by the sea.

DAY 7

Breakfast, transfer to the airport of Brindisi.