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Ostuni & Olive Oil

Today we experience first-hand, one of Puglia's most important treasures: its olive oil! Visit one of the area's beautiful "Masseria" to discover how olive oil has been made in this area since the bronze age. This visit provides a fascinating insight into olive oil production.

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Walk the beautiful grounds of the estate and of course, enjoy an olive oil tasting. Then it's off to the magical "white city" of Ostuni, an imposing citadel overlooking the area's olive plains all the way to the Adriatic. Its tiny winding streets of the oldest quarter are known by the Arabic term the "Casbah" and certainly look more eastern than the stereotypical piazzas of Italy. Enjoy lunch in a traditional restaurant before our guide takes you on an in-depth walking tour to reveal some of the town's hidden treasures before we return to your hotel for an afternoon and evening at leisure.

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Alberobello

Just few clicks from the Unesco site of Alberobello, surrounded by ten hectars of green olive trees and golden wheat, lies an authentic farm and family run estate that offers a series of experiences you'll never forget. From the high quality extra virgin olive oil produced on site to the handpicked olives immediately pressed in the plant onsite to the flour and semolina produced in the wheat mill dating back to the 1950's, today is a true cultural immersion.

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Choose among a series of unique experiences or combine them all for a day full of adventure:

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• Olive Oil Morning

A halfday totally dedicated to the olive oils and their secrets, as we learn to analyze and recognize the specific characteristics of extra virgin olive oil. Our tour starts with a short walk through the centuries~old olive groves, followed by a visit to the olive mill to see all the phases of the transformation process. Then we're off to take part in an olive oil tasting session and learn all the organoleptic characteristics of the best extra virgin olive oils. Your visit ends with a tasting of homemade local products.

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• Handmade Olive Soap

Have you ever tried to make your own soap using only natural olive oils? Well today you will. You're experience starts with a short explanation about cosmetic ingredients and the importance of olive oil in cosmetics. Then we're off for a visit to the farm to seek out the medicinal plants and their uses. Our adventure ends with a course of saponification where we'll make our handmade soap using traditional moulds and aromas.

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• Cooking Adventure

A halfday experience dedicated to Apulian cuisine and its traditions. Our tour starts with a visit of the mill, where the master miller shows us the secrets of wheat and pasta. We'll learn how to recognize tender and hard wheat before jumping to the kitchen to cook! Our lesson shares the secrets to make at home, traditional apulian dishes, like friselles and orecchiette pasta. We'll cook our products in an old wood oven before moving to the meal, accompanied by typical local dishes.

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• Mozzarella Making

A dedicated 90 minutes to milk and local dairy products. Once at the masseria, you'll be welcomed by the dairyman, who will show us the on~site milk production and create the kneaded~curd cheese right before you eyes, making tiny, tasty mozzarellas.

Then its time to roll up your sleeves and get your fingers wet, as you'll twist, turn, and try your hand at making fresh mozzarella & even some farm fresh burrata. We'll taste a variety of dairy and other homemade local products.

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Light Cycling & Olive Oil Experience

Puglia has thousands of flat, secondary roads, and is a true paradise for bikers of all ages and levels. Today we get off the beaten track, breathe in the scents of nature, and get up close and personal with the olive trees.

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Meet our expert bike guide at the hotel for a detailed bike fit before we set off inland. After about 7 miles through scenic country lanes, you'll take a break at a beautiful 15th-century Masseria for an olive oil tasting with the estate's passionate owner. Then we pedal back towards the coast, through a fishing village and along the seafront until you arrive back at your start point. Our biking guide will not only lead you, but they are highly experienced guides who will genuinely enhance your experience and share stories of the Puglia region. Our discreet, fully-equipped support vehicle will also be on hand at all times for any assistance or if any guest simply wants to take a break!

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Burrata & Trulli

Today we go in search of Puglia's famous trulli houses. These cone shaped dwellings are unique to the region and in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello you see a concentration of over 1,000 trulli houses. Our expert guide will bring the history of this picturesque town to life.

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Then its off to discover the secrets of cheese~making in the ancient traditions of Puglia. You will meet a local cheese artisan at his farm for a demonstration in the art of making fresh burrata. You may even get to twist a knot of mozzarella or two! You'll see the room where the mozzarella is aged to make the famous scamorza and, of course, sample a selection. A taste of some of the farm's best produce along with some of the freshest cheese you will ever eat!

Bread of Altamura, the Wines of Puglia & the Sassi of Matera

Today we drive to the town of Altamura where you will stop at a DOP bread producer for an inside look at how traditional breads of the region are made. Here we'll be welcomed into the bakery where the techniques and secrets for making these special breads will be revealed. Your visit will conclude with a tasting of the renowned Altamura bread and some incredible focaccia.

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Puglia has a fascinating history of wine and is currently enjoying considerable acclaim for its wines in all categories. High quality wine making is a relatively recent phenomenon in the region and as a result the majority of the wine makers are young, dynamic and passionate. We will visit an award~winning vineyard for a tour of the winery, its enormous cellars, and the distillery. A wine tasting follows, accompanied by some typical snacks.

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Next is a visit Matera, a unique and ancient city perched high on a beautiful hillside and only recently open to tourists. This famed UNESCO World Heritage Site is just across the border from Puglia, in the Basilicata Region, and was awarded "European Capital of Culture 2019". Our expert guide will lead you on a walking tour of the 'sassi', ancient cave dwellings restored for current use as homes, shops, and restaurants. We'll enjoy a delicious lunch based on the exceptional cuisine of this region before bidding farewell to this enchanting place.

Baroque Lecce & Cooking Class

Today we journey to Lecce, the Baroque capital of the Salento provence, known as the "Florence of the South". Meet a local chef to visit the simple food market at Porta Rudiae and buy produce for today's cooking class. From here it's a short walk to the beautiful cooking school in the heart of Lecce's old city. Your chef will share secrets of the region's culinary traditions while you get hands on in making a delicious-course lunch. The course lasts 2-3 hours, plus dining time.

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After lunch, embark with our guide on a fascinating and detailed walking tour of this city rich in history, architecture, and culture. From the Roman amphitheater to the noble palazzi, the city is just brimming with imposing sites. Lecce is also known for its pastries and we will be sure to try some of the city's famous "pasticciotto leccese".

Bari & it's famous Ladies of Pasta

The best way to get under the skin of a new culture is to dine in the house of a local. This is true of any place in the world, but in Bari this is a magical combination of incredibly warm hospitality and really delicious cuisine. Food is in the life blood of the 'Baresi' and to share in its traditions is to really get a taste of life in Puglia. This prosperous seaside city is the capital of Puglia and is characterised by tangled streets in the old town, lively markets, spacious medieval piazza,s and the beautiful San Nicola Basilica. The city also boasts a lovely seafront promenade and an elegant pedestrian shopping area. Your expert guide and host will take you on a fascinating and detailed walking tour of this city rich in history, culture and gastronomy. We'll meet one of the local ladies, famous for making "orecchiette" pasta in the little alleyways of the old town. Their speed and precision will amaze you! Following the pasta experience, we will dine in the one of the old houses for a traditional lunch Puglia-style! And we'll bet after this meal, you'll appreciate the Italian tradition of "siesta"!