Apulia Tour - The Unexpected South
7 NIGHTS/8 DAYS
Bari – Castel del Monte – Trani – Bitonto – Matera – Alberobello – Locorotondo - Lecce – Otranto – Ostuni – Brindisi
Transfer to the castle of Castel del Monte. In 1240, Frederick II of Swabia had the grandiose castle, which dominates the surrounding plain, built on the top of an almost perfectly conical hillIts perfect octagonal shape and the use of the number 8 throughout its construction is striking: 8 towers 24 metres high, 8 rooms on each floor, 8 windows to the outside.
Continuation to Trani: on a promontory stands, isolated, the elegant cathedral, one of the most beautiful examples of Romanesque style in Apulia. It dates back to the 11th century and was built over a crypt. On one side of the church, and connected to it by an arch, is the slender campanile.
Continuation to Matera, a very picturesque town, built on the slopes and at the top of a deep ravine. Most of the houses have been carved into the rock. Visit to one of the cave churches, such as the church of Santa Maria d'Idris, inserted inside a rock formation called Monterrone.
We will head towards Lecce crossing the Terra dei Trulli. The Trulli are whitewashed houses with conical grey stone roofs of considerable height and are found only in this area. Alberobello is the main place to see these unique constructions.
Continuation to Locorotondo, with a circular historic centre, hence the name of the town, surrounded by the unique urban wineyards: here you will join a unique wine tour and olive oil making experience, the rural traditions of centuries-old olive trees and vineyards that yield extra virgin olive oil DOP and delicious DOC and IGT wines: Negroamaro, Aleatico and Primitivo.
Continuation to Ostuni, which has a beautiful historic centre, completely white, giving it the air of a Greek town. The cathedral has a gothic façade with undulating profiles and a baroque interior.
Visit of the main monuments of the city in baroque style in Lecce. The main characteristic of this style in the city is the elaborate and imaginative sculptural decoration in the soft local stone. The cathedral, situated in a beautiful square, dates from the second half of the 17th century and is the work of Giuseppe Zimbalo.
In the afternoon, transfer to Otranto. The town is on the edge of Italy, on the Salentine Peninsula. It is dominated by the Aragonese castle, flanked by powerful round towers. At its foot, surrounded by walls, is the old town with the cathedral, whose origins date back to the 12th century. Inside, the magnificent mosaic floor, made in 1165 by a Byzantine monk, stands out for its bright colours and rich symbolism.
Transfer to Galatina and visit of the church of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a large Gothic basilica completely covered with frescoes depicting scenes from the Apocalypse, Genesis and the life of Christ. Its style is exotic in this part of Italy as it evokes the frescoes of Assisi.