Seven (7) Day Premier Culinary Trip 2011

Live the life of a culinary professional for 7 days and 6 nights while exploring the diversity and exceptional quality of Pugliese proteins, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and other local products. Puglia, which lies in the heel of the boot along the sun- drenched Adriatic Sea, is a hearty farming region and the world’s largest producer of olive oil. Local dishes reflect a rustic ingenuity with flavors that invoke a comforting nostalgia. Pugliese pastas and breads are handcrafted from locally grown durum wheat. Sauces feature fresh eggplant and fava beans, as well as wild game and fowl. Mussels and octopus from the nearby sea are prepared to a state of elegance only simplicity can produce. Olives, grapes, figs, cherries, turnips, almonds, tomatoes...all are ingredients grown in Puglia and, in the hands of the region’s cooks, transformed into dishes that warm the souls of food enthusiasts the world over. With a maximum of only 8 guests, this trip will offer an unparalleled, intimate culinary experience.

WHAT YOU GET!!!

An outstanding culinary travel experience

Peace of mind knowing you are with the most professional travel and tour company in Puglia

Walking tours of the region’s most characteristic towns with local guides

6 nights lodging at a unique farmhouse in the countryside

Access to the freshest ingredients from surrounding markets, gardens, orchards, and vineyards

5 cooking classes with local chef Laura Giordano

6 special breakfasts

6 memorable lunches

6 extraordinary dinners

Guest shuttles and transfers

Special activities each day o Excursions to local markets o Olive grove tour and oil tasting o Bread making class o Mozzarella making class o Pasta making class o Wine and liquor tasting class

We recommend you arrive in Bari no later than the night before the start of your tour. Day 1 – Sunday: Our group will meet about 11:00 am in Bari for a walk through the city. We will then shuttle to the town of Polignano a Mare, which is perched on steep cliffs overlooking the Adriatic Sea. We will stop here for a lovely lunch at Chichibio before heading to Masseria Gelso Bianco, your new Italian home! This beautifully restored villa, situated in the serene countryside just 3km from Alberobello, is surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and gardens offering the freshest local ingredients. You will have the afternoon off to settle in, read, explore, or take a walk of the property. We will start our evening with an aperitivo with Chef Laura Giordano before moving into our first cooking class together, where we will prepare our opening dinner. Day 2 – Monday: After a lovely continental breakfast at the villa, we will head into Monopoli at 9:00 am to shop at the local market with Chef Laura. We are sure you will love the experience of buying the day’s groceries at this quaint outdoor market, which has the freshest ingredients available. After visiting the market, we will take a walk around this picturesque coastal town and stop for a family-style lunch at Osteria Perricci, a fantastic local eatery that will be serving the morning’s catch from the Adriatic Sea! Following lunch, we will shuttle to an olive orchard where we will walk the grounds, learn about production, and taste the oil. Finally, we will head back to the villa for an evening cooking class with Chef Laura, using the ingredients selected this morning at the market. Buon appetito! Day 3 – Tuesday: After breakfast at the villa, we will drive to the town of Altamura to explore. On the way, we will stop at a DOP bread producer for a lesson in traditional bread-making. Next, we will head to Matera for lunch at Latteria Rizzi, followed by an afternoon guided walk of the town’s stunning ancient sassi caves. After a busy day, we will shuttle back to the villa for some late afternoon rest and free time before heading out to a decadent dinner at one of the region’s most noted restaurants.

Day 4 – Wednesday: After breakfast, we will head into the nearby town of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to meet local superstar Mimmo for a walk through town. After stopping for lunch, we will have a lesson in making fresh mozzarella with local cheese artisan Dina, followed by an orecchiette pasta making class. The evening will start with a guided liquor tasting, followed by a cooking class with Laura where we will use the pasta we made along with the freshest market ingredients to prepare our dinner. Day 5 – Thursday: Today we will visit Ostuni, known as the “White City”. After shopping at Ostuni’s market, we will take a walk of the city with local guides. Then, we will have a special lunch and wine tasting planned at the Li Veli winery. After our time in Ostuni, we will travel to Lecce for an architectural and historical walk, before heading back to the villa for some free time. To wrap up the day, we will use our fresh market ingredients from Ostuni for our evening’s cooking class and dinner with Chef Laura. Day 6 – Friday: After breakfast, we will be happy to offer you a free optional shuttle to the city of Martina Franca for the morning. For lunch we will head to a restaurant by the sea in the town of Savelletri, where we can sample some of the most exciting seafood from the Adriatic. After a relaxing afternoon by the sea or at the villa, we will have an aperitivo together before sharing our last cooking class with Chef Laura, where we will prepare our farewell gala dinner accompanied by fine wine. Day 7 – Saturday: After our final group breakfast, the Southern Visions/Active Cultures Travel team will shuttle you to the Bari airport and bid you farewell. We hope that you will have gained the exposure to the region’s cuisine that we promised. We are sure you will be changed for the better after your time in Puglia, for it is a place that has changed us all.

Price per person based on double occupancy Single Supplement Standard Room $3399 $479 Junior Suite $3659 $659 Suite $3899 $829

Arrival and Departure Logistics After reviewing the following information, please inform us of your arrival and departure plans. Please be sure to note these important contact numbers, in case you need assistance before, during, or after your trip – Puglia: +39 340 264 4128 or +39 392 185 7704; USA: +1 800 737 5760. Start of the tour Your tour begins in Bari. We recommend you arrive no later than the night before the start of your tour. Please see the end of this itinerary for Bari hotel recommendations. We would be happy to arrange a shuttle for you from the airport or train station in Brindisi (at an extra charge). Please let us know during the booking process of your intentions so that we can make all the necessary arrangements. Conclusion of the tour On the final day of your tour, we can shuttle you from the villa back to the Bari airport. We can also return you to the Brindisi airport or train station (at an extra charge) or make suggestions for continuing your journey in Puglia. Flight arrangements We recommend flying into Milan or Rome. You can catch a flight to Bari (airport code: BRI) or from either city. Or, if you prefer to see the countryside and perhaps enjoy a pre-tour stay in another Italian destination, you can make your way to Puglia by train. The trip from Rome takes about 5 hours; from Florence, it’s about 7 1⁄2 hours; from Milan, expect approximately 8 1⁄2 hours of travel. Transportation between the Bari airport and train station A taxi ride between the airport and train station takes 25-30 minutes and costs around €20. An Autolinee Tempesta bus takes approximately 30 minutes and costs €4.15. Booking Italian train travel You can purchase Italian rail tickets from any train station in Italy. Many stations are equipped with automatic ticket machines, from which you can purchase tickets and reservation coupons for travel throughout Italy and for principal cross-border routes. The machines accept cash, credit card, or ATM card with PIN. There are sometimes unpredicted system outages in the smaller stations, so we recommend booking your entire journey in advance of your trip (see below) or at a major train station at the start of your trip. For more information on train travel in Italy, visit www.trenitalia.com. There you can purchase tickets and make seat reservations with your credit card. There is also a great website called www.raileurope.com where you can purchase individual rail tickets as well as rail passes. Another option is to purchase tickets and make reservations through your own travel agent.If you travel on one of Italy’s faster trains, such as Eurocity, Intercity, or Eurostar, you’ll be charged a supplemental fare in addition to

the regular ticket price. If you travel on one of these trains without a supplemented ticket, you’ll be fined. Don’t panic, though; it is almost impossible not to get the proper ticket nowadays, especially if you buy online or from a machine, where the supplement is automatically included in the cost. Intercity and Eurostar trains require a seat reservation. Reserving a seat is not mandatory on other trains; however, you may want to pay the extra charge for a guaranteed seat, especially if you travel during a peak period or local holiday. Otherwise, you risk having to stand for a part or all of your trip. On Italy’s slower trains (Rapido, Espresso, Regionale, Inter Regionale, and Locale), reservations and supplemental tickets are not necessary. Boarding the train The platform number will be listed at least 10 minutes prior to departure on the small TV screens and larger schedule boards in the main station area. If you are travelling without a seat reservation, you will need to validate your “open” ticket by stamping it at one of the small yellow machines located on each train platform (the machine stamps the date and time on the open ticket to prevent multiple uses). If you forget to stamp your ticket before boarding, tell the on-board ticket inspector immediately to avoid a supplementary fee. WHERE TO STAY BEFORE & AFTER YOUR TOUR BARI PALACE HOTEL Via Francesco Lombardi 13 70122 Bari Tel +39 080 521 6551 www.palacehotelbari.it/eng/index.html GRAND HOTEL LEON D’ORO Piazza Aldo Moro 4 70122 Bari Tel +39 080 523 5040 www.grandhotelleondoro.it/e_index.php HOTEL VILLA ROMANAZZI Via Giuseppe Capruzzi 326 70124 Bari Tel +39 080 542 7400 www.villaromanazzi.com

HOTEL ADRIA Via Zuppetta 10 70121 Bari Tel +39 080 524 6699 www.adriahotelbari.com/english/hotel.php HOTEL BOSTON Via Piccinni 155 70122 Bari Tel +39 080 521 6633 www.bostonbari.it/index.php?&lang=en

MATERA LA CASA DI LUCIO Via San Pietro Caveoso 66 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 531 2798 www.lacasadilucio.it/en/ HOTEL SANT’ANGELO Piazza San Pietro Caveoso 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 531 4010 www.hotelsantangelosassi.it/en/ LOCANDA DI SAN MARTINO Via Fiorentini 71 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 525 6600 www.locandadisanmartino.it/en/hotel/ LECCE HOTEL PATRIA PALACE Piazzetta Riccardi 73100 Lecce Tel +39 083 224 5111 www.patriapalacelecce.com/eng/index.htm HOTEL DELLE PALME Via Leuca 90 73100 Lecce Tel +39 083 234 7171 www.hoteldellepalmelecce.it

HOTEL RIDOLA Via Morelli 13 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 531 8811 www.hotelridolamatera.it/index.php?lang=en ALBERGO DEL SEDILE Recinto Sedile 4 (Piazza del Sedile) 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 533 3436 www.albergodelsedile.it HOTEL IN PIETRA Via San Giovanni Vecchio 22 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 534 4040 www.hotelinpietra.it/page/home_e.php ALBERGO ITALIA Via Ridola 5 75100 Matera Tel +39 083 533 3561 www.albergoitalia.com/eng/ GRAND HOTEL TIZIANO Viale Porto d'Europa 73100 Lecce Tel +39 083 227 2111 www.grandhoteltiziano.it/index_en.asp B&B PALAZZO ROLLO Via Vittorio Emanuele II 14 73100 Lecce Tel +39 083 230 7152 www.palazzorollo.it/palazzorollo/