Land of Trulli and Masseria – Apulia

Apulia is best known for its characteristic cuisine and the diversity of its territory. During our hands-on Mediterranean cooking classes, you learn the ancient secrets of Mediterranean cuisine. A Mediterranean diet is not only healthy but also famous around the world for its deliciousness. You for example learn a very simple cooking method based on extra-virgin olive oil that has the ability to make you twenty years younger, so scientists claim.

You savour the taste of Apulian bread, pasta, orecchiette and pizza, focaccia, panzerotti, cheese and burrata, delicacies with mozzarella, fish and meat, extra-virgin olive oil and wine as you experience famous locations such as the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the trulli huts of Alberobello, Castel del Monte and the stones of Matera and enjoy the beautiful landscapes, ancient cities, the mediterranean breeze and so much more.

You see picturesque and agricultural centres consisting largely of trulli huts, bringing, in addition to a vaguely fairytale-like atmosphere, considerable architectural interest and a UNESCO World Heritage recognition. In Alberobello alone, there are more than 1,500 trulli huts of various types.

A trip to the Castellana Caves, one of the largest and most suggestive karst-cave systems in all of Europe, will certainly make for a remarkable experience as well. Discovered in 1938, the Caves have a lot to offer both for amateurs and true spelaeologists, with their rich complex of stalactites, stalagmites, tunnels and chambers, of which the famous White Cave is the best example. After leaving the excavations of Egnatia behind, you reach the historic center of Polignano a Mare, a charming city overlooking the crystal-clear sea.

Each day of this 4-day programme, which can be easily extended to 7 or 8 days, is dedicated to a star in the culinary tradition of Apulia and takes you to one or more unmissable jewels of the territory.

Bread and Focaccia day

During your Bread and Focaccia day you will get a guided tour of Matera, which has belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage since 1993 and has been called unique in the world because of its configuration and conflicting landscapes. Matera is a city of caves, of entrenched villages, of peasant houses carved into stone, of stone churches with frescos, of great Romanesque and Baroque churches and of important mansions that once belonged to noble men. It's a city that reminds one of, geologically speaking, antique Jerusalem and Cappadocia. It has been the destination of so many artists and their masterpieces, and it continues to be a favourite destination of many famous actors and directors that have chosen Matera as the place to shoot their films. For instance, Mel Gibson shot his masterpiece “The Passion of the Christ” here. You will also see Altamura, the city of bread. You get to visit a baking workshop where you learn how to make various kinds of bread and other bakery goods, such as bagels, breadsticks and focaccia and where the manual preparation and leavening of the dough is explained. Afterwards, you will enjoy the taste of warm bread and focaccia fresh out the oven.

Cheese and Olive Oil day

During your Cheese and Olive Oil day, you make a trip to a dairy farm that produces cheese, during which you can witness the making of mozzarella and bocconcini, products that are very typical of this area. You will also participate in a tasting of fresh and mature cheeses and an olive oil tasting.

Pasta

During your Pasta day, you will make a trip to a handicraft factory known for its production of fresh pasta. Everything in this family-run business is completely artisanally produced. The dough is hand-made from eggs, flour and water and is flattened with a rolling pin on a wooden table. You get the chance to help out during the preparation of the dough and you get to select the molds so that you get the type of pasta you prefer, whether it be noodles or orecchiette from Bari.

You will also visit a local farm with an adjoining mill, which is known for the excellent quality of the oil it produces. The owner will give you a tour of the company and the mill, explaining how to recognize and savour the best extra-virgin olive oil. A sampling of oil, croutons, bruschette and olives is also included. In the mill there will be a cooking lesson, after which you get to meet the chef that will be cooking your (included) lunch.

Afterwards you will be off to the city of Trani, where you will visit a most famous cathedral known as the “Queen of Cathedrals of Apulia”, built in honor of St.Nicholas the Pelgrim, the magnificent Svevo Castle along the seaside, the Jewish Church, the Church of All Saints, the courts located at the historic Court Hall, the beautiful church of Santa Teresa, which stands on the harbor, and the monastery located on the peninsula of Colonna. The Municipal Gardens along the coast with their pine and oak trees and finally the breathtaking harbour with its characterstic pub restaurants, various shops and The Fort at dock of the port will certainly be of great interest to you as well.

Wine and Cooking day

During your Wine and Cooking day you will attend a cooking class where a highly skilled chef will help you prepare specialties from Apulia. You will also make a trip to a renowned wine cellar and meet the sommelier who will teach you about the traditional grape varieties of the region, grape imports and new trends, traditional DOC appellations and historical production figures. There will of course be a wine tasting, with Apulian croutons and bagels on the side.

Afterwards you will be transferred to the area of Castel del Monte. First you will enjoy your lunch at a characteristic farm in the vicinity and afterwards you will visit this UNESCO World Heritage castle itself, of whose buildings the most mysterious were built by Frederick II of Swabia around 1240. Their Octagonal shape on the one side represents a rigorous architectural scheme whereas the other side symbolizes more mystical aspects. Castel del Monte was added to the list of National Italian Monuments in 1936 and to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1996. The mysteries of this castle will not fail to charm and seduce you!