Mezzogiorno Mysteries

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2009 Tours

Contents of this page

Preliminary Itinerary
The Accommodation
Tour cost?
What is included? What is not included? Your Host Neil Moore

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	Mysteries of the Mezzogiorno A journey through Italy's south through Abruzzo, Basilicata & Puglia
	with Neil Moore
	Sunday 17 to Sunday 31 May 2009 Euro 4350 per person in twin share AUD 7200 Subject to change Call 1 300 65 66 79 (Australia) to reserve a place

	You will stay in a mountain village in the Abruzzo, a seaside ceramics town of Vietri, at Matera in Basilicata, and in Puglia at Locorotondo Guided visits with local guides in Pompeii, Matera and Lecce

Living Italy explores the ancient past and the exhilarating present in this fascinating journey from the great mountains of the central Apennines to the castles of Frederick II and the Saracen strongholds of Southern Puglia stopping at Vietri on the coast on the way.

Known as the 'Mezzogiorno', the Italian south is a fascinating mix of Greek, Norman, Arab, French and Spanish influences. With a history significantly different from that of the north, this half of what was once the Kingdom of the two Sicilies has seen greater misery but also periods of extraordinary splendour and cultural ambition which have left abundant traces throughout the region. From the towering mountains of the Abruzzo - perhaps Italy's last frontier with it's inaccessible hilltowns and forests still providing refuge to wolves and bears - to the flatlands of Puglia with thousand year old olive trees and magical clusters of the strange conical houses known as trulli, you will be constantly reminded that there is no other place that matches the cultural richness of Italy.

The country we travel through is fascinating and at times spectacular. Excellent meals of local produce will be included at strategic places within the itinerary, and the whole package will be threaded together with Neil Moore's insights on history, art, architecture and contemporary life. And of course we will feel obliged to compare the local wines to those in our previous Italian tours.

Highlights

The castle and octagonal church at Calascio, (built high on a mountain from which you can almost see the whole width of the italian peninsular)
The beautiful Romanesque abbey of San Clemente at Casauria
Pompeii and Herculaneum
The Archaeological Museum in Naples
Ancient Greek ruins of Paestum (equal of anything in Sicily)
Matera, Unesco site, troglodyte city unique in Italy
The Romanesque cathedral of Trani
The trulli houses of Alberobello & surrounding towns - idiosyncratic conical architecture also unique in Italy
The Spanish derived baroque of Martina Franca, Ostuni and Lecce
Castel del Monte

The Accommodation *SPECIAL FEATURE **

Unusually for Living Italy we stay at different locations on this program, but some of these are amongst the most extraordinary accommodations to be found in Italy and are worthy destinations in themselves. The focus is on accommodation where the rooms are spread out within an urban habitat, not necessarily connected one to another, and provide an unforgettable experience of really living the life of the locals.

In the Abruzzo A ghost town revived through the acquisition by one owner of a significant proportion of a stunning mountain top village, with the aim of recreating as far as possible its original atmosphere and aspect while still providing the high standards required by today's discerning traveller. It is a unique and unforgettable experience and like no other hotel.

In Matera our accommodation is nestling in the heart of the 'sassi' area of Matera, a troglodyte town and a world heritage Unesco site where the houses are the built facades to caves excavated in the soft volcanic cliffs. Our rooms are in these caves! Recently the setting for Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ, the place has been inhabited continuously since Neolithic times.

In Locorotondo our accommodation is situated in this fascinating whitewashed town built in concentric circles in the midst of a landscape of 'trulli', the remarkable conical stone houses that are such a feature of this part of Puglia.

In Otranto we stay in a stylishly renovated small villa perched on top of the sea walls of the city - now a fashionable seaside resort - with stunning views across the straits of Otranto to the mountains of Albania visible over the water.

	Detailed itinerary

	This is a preliminary itinerary with details of activities on some days still to be added. B L D means that breakfast, lunch and/or dinner will be included that day.

Sun 17 May Arrivals O'night Santo Stefano D
The tour begins at Rome's Fiumicino Airport at 10.30am followed by lunch at the port of Fiumicino, where the Tiber meets the sea, before a group transfer to Santo Stefano in the Abruzzo. Welcome drinks and dinner in the ancient dining room at the accommodation. [We highly recommend - particularly if travelling with Emirates - arriving one day early and staying overnight at the Airport Hilton Hotel to refresh after the flight.]

Mon 18 May Castles and Monasteries O'night Santo Stefano B
Today we visit the extraordinary castle of Calascio and the nearby octagonal church in what can only be described as an exhilarating setting. Lunch at Calascio (not included). In the afternoon a visit to Campo Imperatore and a view of Italy's tallest mountain south of the alps.

Tue 19 May San Clement di Casauria O'night Santo Stefano B
A free morning to enjoy the town of Santo Stefano. Afternoon visit to the renowned romanesque monastery of San Clemente at Casauria.

Wed 20 May Scanno O'night Santo Stefano B

The entire day is taken up with a visit to the hidden town of Scanno. Driving past turquoise mountain lakes, returning we visit some of the spectacular small hilltowns in the area .

Thu 21 May Sulmona & Vietri Overnight Vietri B D
Leaving this mornign to transfer to Vietri we stop first at the town of Sulmona, home of the poet Ovid. After lunch we head for the Amalfi coast and a change of historic pace, arriving in the 21st century at Vietri.

Fri 22 May Pompeii & Herculaneum Overnight Vietri B
A guided trip to the the ruins of Pompeii, ancient Rome’s most famous ghost town. Free time for lunch around Pompeii. We drive to Herculaneum for a visit to the buried city.

Sat 23 May Naples Overnight Vietri B

The National Gallery in Naples to view part of the world richest collection of portable archaeological artefacts including the Farnese Hercules and the frescoes and mosaics from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Included in the day is a guided tour of the historic centre of Naples itself.

Sun 24 May Paestum & Matera O'night Matera B

Viewing the best Greek ruins on the Italian peninsular and the delightful small museum from the painted tombs of ancient Poseidonia. Then onto Matera - Unesco world heritage sight, the “sassi” make up a unique and extraordinary urban landscape which we explore at our leisure this afternoon

Mon 25 May O'night Matera B
Guided tour of Matera. Afternoon free to explore the town and its shops.

Tue 26 May Matera & The Chapel of Original Sin O'night Matera B
We travel to the chapel of The Original Sin - the Sistine chapel of Rupestrian wall painting. Wine tasting included.

Wed 27 May Trulli & Masseria O'night Locorotondo B L
Travel to the area of the famous Trulli. After setlling into our accommodation we have a delicious lunch featuring local produce, and a wine tasting at a local “masseria” just outside of the town. The afternoon is free to explore the town of Locorotondo.

Thu 28 May Castel del Monte, Trani & Polignano O'night Locorotondo B
Drive to the Emperor Frederick II's amazing octagonal hunting lodge of Castel del Monte, used by Umberto Eco as the concept for the octagonal library in Name of the Rose.

Fri 29 May Martina Franca, Alberobello O'night Locorotondo B
Visit stylish Martina Franca. and then on to Alberobello, city of the trulli,.

Sat 30 May Ostuni & Lecce O'night Locorotondo B
In the morning we travel to the elegant town of Lecce where we have a guided tour and time off for shopping. Visit the white town of Ostuni in the afternoon..

Sun 31 May Departure B
Transfer to Bari airport where the tour officially ends.

The tour officially ends at Bari airport at around 10am. If your flight leaves before this time we will arrange a separate transfer for you from the accommodation. Additional charges will apply.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the tour is EURO 4350 / AUD 7200 per person in twin share accommodation. A non-refundable deposit of EURO 800 / AUD 1350 per person is required to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled. A limited number of single supplements is available at an additional cost of EURO 1000 / AUD 1650 in a single room or EURO 1400 / AUD 2300 in a double room. Final payment is due by 17 Feb 2009. The tour is costed on a minimum of 8 people travelling and is limited to a maximum of 16 passengers. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rate fluctuations the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.