“Discover Basilicata” Tour​

After breakfast at our agriturismo, we'll head off to Matera. Matera, "The town of Stone" became the first site in the world declared a "cultural landscape" by UNESCO World Heritage. This unique town, built into a hillside where caves and houses merge together, is a place where great directors of cinema have set their films due to its penetrating and evocative atmosphere. Enjoy a private guided walking tour, see what a sassi home used to look like, and visit some of the rupestrian churches. After lunch we'll visit an artisan and get a hands-on lesson on how to make some of the local crafts, followed by by a bread workshop to learn how to make the traditional Lucana bread.

Dinner tonight at our agriturismo with local wines. (B, L, D)

Today after our breakfast, we'll head out to the farm's olive grove, where we'll help in the annual fall harvest. We'll learn all about growing olives harvesting, and the production of olive oil. Then it's off to the mill to watch our hard work be pressed into the liquid gold known as Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We'll also get a chance to learn how to taste olive oil and what the qualities of a good olive oil are. In the afternoon we'll have a pasta workshop. This hands-on lesson offers you the chance to learn how to make the various types of fresh pasta that define Southern Italian cuisine. You'll learn all the various techniques that go into making the wide variety of shapes of pasta made in this part of Italy - from cavatelli to orecchiette.

Then relax for the rest of the afternoon before we head back into Matera to visit a fascinating wine bar cave. Here we'll enjoy a light dinner combined with a wine-pairing. Truly a unique experience. (B, L, D)

After a leisurely breakfast at our accommodations, we will head off to see some very unique and interesting local villages in the Basilicata region - one is even a ghost town!

For nearly fifty years, the town of Craco has stood uninhabited. In 1963, the last 1,800 residents were forced to leave this village for their own safety due to the risk of earthquakes and landslides.

Today, thanks to the dramatic landscape and unique atmosphere, Craco has been the set of many movies including 'Saving Grace' , James Bond 'Quantum of Solace' and the hanging of Judas scene in Mel Gibson’s the 'Passion of the Christ'.

We'll also visit two other tiny villages in this area with some very unique history. Dinner with local wines at our villa. (B, L, D)

Today after our breakfast, you'll learn all about fresh cow milk cheeses and how to make fresh mozzarella with the local "Casaro" (cheesemaker).

This resident cheesemakercomes from a long line of Southern Italy mozzarella makers and there's not many people in the world who know more about this than him.

In this demonstration we will guide you through the process of making this wonderful cheese and then, of course, you'll get to taste it!

In addition to the fresh mozzarella that we will make, we will have the opportunity to taste some of the other local cheeses of this region.

Italian cheese is world famous but some of the most well known Italian cheeses can be found in Southern Italy.

After lunch, we'll enjoy a special wine tasting. In this wine tasting experience, we'll lay out a variety of Southern Italian wines for you to taste with our own 'Sommelier' or (wine expert) to guide you through the different flavors. (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we'll depart for the Dolomites of the South, where you can find the beautiful mountain towns of Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa. Set amongst majestic mountains and lush scenery, these towns will show you yet another side to the wonder that is Basilicata.

Both villages belong to the “I Borghi più belli d'Italia” (The most beautiful villages of Italy), an association of small Italian towns of historical interest​.

Here you will also find the “Volo dell’Angelo (flight of the angel) – A zip line adventure that takes you on a journey between the peaks of Castelmezzano to the village of Pietrapertosa.

It is one of Basilicata’s most exhilarating tourist attractions that is not for the faint of heart.
Dinner with local wines at our agriturismo this evening.(B, L, D)

After breakfast at our agriturismo, we'll head out to see some sites in the region of Puglia. We'll first stop in Poginano a Mare, a cozy and charming little town on the Adriatic coast with beautiful narrow streets, romantic balconies, and breathtaking views of the sea.

For lunch, we'll be savoring some local seafood delights (options available for non-seafood eaters).

In the afternoon, we will travel on to explore another iconic town of Puglia: Alberobello. This fairytale town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous for its unique "Trulli" - the conical shaped homes.
Farewell dinner tonight at our villa. (B, L, D)​

Early morning breakfast at our agriturismo as we say our goodbyes.

We'll board our vans and depart for the Bari Airport.

Bid Arrivederci to Italy! (B)