2015 north-south italy tour · breakfast at the hotel ravenna / chieti – departure to chieti, a...
TRANSCRIPT
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