2015 North-South Italy tour – 21 days -12-15 guests

An exciting journey through time with blending landscapes from North to South ... history, culture and art ... from the Romans & the Ancient Greeks to present time.

Arrival : Venice Airport Departure : Brindisi Airport

Day 1

VENICE / BASSANO DEL GRAPPA

Arrival at Marco Polo Venice Airport.

Board your de-luxe 19-seater minibus with driver,

transfer to Bassano del Grappa which provides an

enchanting doorway into the life and culture of

the Veneto Region. With its magnificent wooden

bridge designed by Palladio and its reputation as

leading producer of the Italian liquor grappa, the

town provides an interesting true experiences for

culture mavens and art lovers.

Accommodation at downtown 4-star hotel.

Balance of day at leisure.

Overnight.

Day 2

BASSANO DEL GRAPPA

Breakfast.

Morning private tour of Bassano del Grappa,

afternoon visit of an artisan Grappa distillery.

Overnight.

Day 3

BASSANO DEL GRAPPA / RAVENNA

Breakfast. Today you will depart to Ravenna, the

capital of byzantine mosaics! Ravenna is a treasure

chest of art, history and culture. The basilicas and

baptisteries of the city contain the richest heritage

of mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries

and eight historic buildings included in the World

Heritage List of UNESCO.

Accommodation at downtown 4-star hotel.

Overnight.

Day 4

RAVENNA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning tour with local guide will take you to

visit the splendid Mausoleum of Galla Placidia,

erected in the 5th century A.D. and the tomb of

the great poet Dante, who finished "The Divine

Comedy" in Ravenna and died there in 1321, the

Mausoleum of Theodoric, and the magnificent

basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe.

Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight.

Day 5

RAVENNA / CHIETI

Breakfast at the hotel – departure to Chieti, a

small town of Abruzzo Region, a seductive

landscape with an awesome architectural and

agricultural heritage.

Hotel accommodation will be on the hills, at 4-

star hotel, for a couple of nights.

Day 6

CHIETI

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning at leisure.

From these enchanting hills, you can admire

the beauty of the Majella peeks and the deep

blue Adriatic Sea.

Afternoon tour of Masciarelli Winery

Including a wine tasting in this unique

location.

Overnight.

Day 7

CHIETI / VIESTE

Breakfast at the hotel – Departure to Apulia

Region, enjoying wonderful panoramas along

the Adriatic Sea, a stop will be made in

Termoli with its pretty old borgo before

reaching Vieste, on the Gargano

Promontory.

Overnight at 4-star hotel.

1.

Day 8

VIESTE / MATTINATA / VIESTE

Breakfast at the hotel.

Enjoy a full day excursion to admire the

Gargano Promontory , stop in

Mattinata with breathtaking views !

Overnight .

Day 9

VIESTE / MATERA

Breakfast at the hotel – Departure to the small

Region of Basilicata, a seductive landscape

with an awesome town to discover, Matera !

Overnight at downtown 4-star hotel.

Day 10

MATERA

Breakfast. Full day guided tour of Matera.

Dug into the tufa are the Sassi and villages, the

Roman and Baroque churches, the noble

buildings. This city still bears the unique signs

of prehistory and history.

Overnight.

1.

Day 11

MATERA / POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari)

Breakfast. Departure to Polignano a Mare, not far

from Bari, in Apulia Region.

Overnight at 4-star hotel.

Day 12

POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari) / CASTEL DEL MONTE /

ANDRIA / TRANI / POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari)

Breakfast at the hotel - Guided tour of Castel del

Monte - wine tasting at the Winery Rivera with

light lunch in Andria – Trani visit - return to Hotel.

Overnight .

Day 13

POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari) / ALBEROBELLO /

MARTINA FRANCA / POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari)

Breakfast at the hotel - guided tour of Alberobello –

Cisternino with oil tasting at The Frantolio of extra

virgin oil - Martina Franca - return to Hotel.

Overnight .

Day 14

POLIGNANO A MARE (Bari) / OSTUNI / LECCE

Breakfast at the hotel – Departure to Lecce, on the

way stop and visit Ostuni, known as "The White Town"

due to its whitewashed buildings, it’s one of many

white towns settled during the 11th century.

Arrival in Lecce, overnight at 4-star hotel.

Day 15

LECCE

Breakfast at the hotel – Half day guided tour of

Lecce, the Baroque Capital of Apulia Region, this

town is home to gorgeous churches and noble

palaces as well as Roman ruins, tour will take you to

the Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo,

which once held up to 20,000 spectators and in

Piazza Duomo, a square widely considered as one

of the most elegant in southern Italy.

Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight.

Day 16

LECCE / OTRANTO / LECCE

Breakfast at the hotel – Guided full day excursion to

Otranto, with lots of true artistic and architectural

jewels. The city tour will start from the old

town where you can enjoy an amazing panoramic

view of the bay. Not far away is the Cathedral

which features a mosaic floor representing the tree

of life. The Byzantine church of St. Peter is another

pearl of Otranto, housings precious frescoes. A

little further on, to protect the port, there is the

Castle built in 1226.

Overnight in Lecce.

Day 17

LECCE / S. MARIA LEUCA / LECCE

Breakfast at the hotel - guided tour of Santa Maria

di Leuca where the calm and crystalline waters of

the Ionian Sea mix with those of the intense and

azure Adriatic Sea.

Santa Maria di Leuca is famous for the iconic

lighthouse. Next to the lighthouse is the large

Sanctuary, or Basilica, De Finibus Terrae ("End of

the Land", 1720-1755), built to commemorate the

passage of St. Peter during his travel to Italy. It is

devoted to Saint Mary lying on the former site of a

Roman temple dedicated to Minerva. The basilica is

connected to the port through a 284-step staircase.

Return to Hotel.

Overnight in Lecce.

1.

Day 18

LECCE / GALLIPOLI / LECCE

Breakfast at the hotel – Departure to Gallipoli for a

full day tour of “the gem of Salento”, located on

the Ionian Sea. The city is actually in two parts,

linked together by a bridge.

Entering the city, you’ll first see the Greek

Fountain, the city’s emblem. The Santa Cristina

Chapel is also nearby, as is the Santa Maria del

Canneto, which is a unique church with a nave and

two side aisles. The ancient Aragonese castle sits

brooding above the modern city, and the Saint

Francesco medieval church abuts the city’s ancient

walls. The tour will also take you to the Tafuri

Palace, built in the 18th century and featuring

rococo designs. The Church of Purity and Saint

Francesco D’Assisi Church are both nearby as well.

The Church of the Souls, the Church of Santa Maria

of Angels and the Church of the Crucifix are also

well worth visiting.

Overnight.

Day 19

LECCE / PORTO CESAREO / BRINDISI

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning excursion to Porto Cesareo, a town of Ionian

Salento, with predominantly sandy coastline with very

fine sand. In the "Bacino of Strea", the water level

remains low for several meters from the coast. Another

nice feature of the place, the presence of a large number

of fishmongers and restaurants, with cuisine based on

fish; Porto Cesareo, in fact, owns the largest fleet of

vessels throughout the Great Salento (in one street

leading to the sea there are 15 fish shops and fish

markets are frequent, when the vessels go back to the

port). The town lies on a peninsula at the end of which

stands the Torre Caesarea of the sixteenth century , built by

Charles V. This peninsula, juts into the sea for about 300

meters towards the small island known as "Lo Scoglio" or

the "Isola della Scogliera. Proceed to your hotel near

Brindisi. Overnight at 4-star hotel.

Day 20

BRINDISI

Breakfast at the hotel – Guided tour of Brindisi with its

Ancient port, the Roman columns, symbol of the city, the

Cathedral Square with the Seminary, the Archaeological

Museum, the Balsamo's Lodge, the Temple of St. John,

the archaeological area of San Pietro degli Schiavoni, the

Granafei-Nervegna Palace.

Overnight.

Day 21

BRINDISI

Breakfast at the hotel – Departure transfer to Brindisi

Airport.

End of our services.

2015 indicative package prices - 21 days / 20 nights (***) :

12 paying pax in double occupancy +1 free in single : from EURO 6.450,00 net per person

14 paying pax in double occupancy +1 free in single : from EURO 5.850,00 net per person

Including :

Private de-luxe 19-seater minibus with driver at disposal for the whole itinerary including

drivers’ expenses, highway tolls, parking and permits, vat tax

20 nights hotel accommodations bb basis at 4-star hotels or moderate 4-star hotels :

Local guides and tour activities as per itinerary

Ferry tickets, wine & oil tastings as per itinerary

Lunches & dinners & city taxes & tips are NOT included, to be paid directly to the hotels

(***) possibility to shorten the tour according to clients’ needs, this itinerary is just a

suggestion.

Package prices : on request