Puglia Tour

Apulia, a pagan and religious land.

 Taranta, the traditional dance of Salento, and religious processions tell the story of a civilization and of its relationship with its own territory.

Most people know the Tarantella as the iconic popular music form of rural Southern Italy, but it is far more than that. It is the manifestation of a tradition that is rich in mythology and social significance, some of which have never been fully explored. It is said that the tarantella originated as a cure for people affected by the bite of the tarantula. Now this historical form, the taranta pizzica (the bite dance).

The basis of the Pizzica is the tambourine from Lecce that is played with a particular technique, playing the basic rhythm, with its percussion, and an ordered chaos, with the rattles.

Bodies vibrate with the music, in the atmosphere and among the crowd in the hot summer air.

The bite of the local tarantula is not merely a physical event, but a psychicological eruption, a mystery wrapped in legend, a secret of the soul.

It began therefore as a therapeutic dance, of old medieval origins, as an exorcism for the women who had been contaminated by the bite of the tarantola.

For other anthropologists the dance of the Pizzica has origins that go back to the ancient Greeks and are connected to the Dionysian mystery rites.

The rite is still alive today in the Salentine Greece in The Night of the Taranta.

Salentine Greece is one of the best examples of the folklore representation of the taranta.

Every summer a series of itinerant concerts in the 8 municipalities of the Salentine Greece climax in a final concert at the end of August. Many contemporary musical groups have helped to bring this form of music back to life.

Puglia—the boot heel of Italy—is one of the country’s best-kept travel secrets.

On this unusual tour, stay at stylish resorts inside masserie (ancient fortified farmhouses) or Trulli and experience Puglia’s rich cultural heritage of undiscovered towns, white sand beaches and wonderful food , wine and ……traditional music.

Begin in Castel del Monte  where the Emperor Frederick II built this castle near Bari in the 13th century. He imbued it with symbolic significance, as reflected in the location, the mathematical and astronomical precision of the layout and the perfectly regular shape. A unique piece of medieval military architecture, Castel del Monte is a successful blend of elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient and north European Cistercian Gothic. You will stay 2 nights in a beautiful 4 stars hotel, with all the comfort and you will test local products and you will have 1 cooking lessons.

Next drive to Fasano / Noci,  In the Murgia of Trulli and Grotte , green heart of Puglia region, where you will stay 3 nights in a unique Masseria- Trulli Resort ****. You Will enjoy day trip through countryside scented with Mediterranean pines to explore interesting towns and historical sites nearby. You will visit Alberobello, walk among hundreds of limestone trulli—beehive-shaped dwellings—stopping inside to shop for locally produced handicrafts. Visit the archaeological ruins at Egnazia—an ancient Roman site with stone roads, mosaic floors and an early-Christian church. You will fallow a wonderful path through the secular olive oil trees .

Continue to Ugento in the South west of Apulia , but during the trip you will stop and have a wonderful Tour of Lecce  Puglia’s cultural capital. Visit the town’s most famous landmarks—a Roman amphitheatre, and Baroque churches and palaces built of ornately carved limestone. Taste local wines such as Primitivo and Negroamaro at an enoteca.

Arrived in Ugento you will stay 4 nights in the beautiful and antique building date back 1850 and completely restored , located in the Historical centre of Ugento. The city is the ancient Uxentum, and claims to have been founded by Uxens, who is mentioned in the Eighth Book of the Æneid. In ancient times it was an important city. In 1537 it was destroyed by the Turks. Under Byzantine domination it had Greek bishops.

During these 4 days you will test local food , wine and first of all you will enjoy the local traditions . You will see how the local farmers work , how to make extra-virgin olive oil (from the trees to the final oil) , you will learn how dance the Pizzica and how play the tamburello(tambourine) .

We will show you the heart of Apulia straight from the local habitants.

Tour Features:

Hotels :

Park Hotel ****Andria , Masseria**** Noci, Resort**** Ugento

9 nights accomodations

Daily breakfast

5 lunch

9 dinner

 2 cooking lessons

1 relax massage

2 pizzica and tambourine lessons

1 visit to the local farm

1 visit to the local frantoio

1 visit of the local archeological museum with the cripta entrance

1 day archeological trip

NOT INCLUDED:

Meals and beverages not stated on itinerary or substitutions to menus

Tips to guides and drivers

Other expenses of a personal nature

 Flight

So have a look the singles programmes and chose the one who suite you better!

If you need to change something…don’t worry everything is possible and we will customize your own programme , according with your flight and your needs.

The pictures on left and right sides show you the Hotels/Resorts selections , landscape and cities , events and details of the programme.

For further information about price and condition please contact us at info@italiantreasures.uk.com .

We will give name of the hotels and detail programme after payment of non refundable deposit .

info@italiantreasures.uk.com