Mysteries of the Mezzogiorno

A journey through Italy's south through Abruzzo, Amalfi & Puglia

 

 

with Neil Moore

 

Sun 25 May to Sun 8 June 2008

 

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, on the Amalfi coast, at Matera in Basilicata, and  in Puglia at Locorotondo and the ancient seaside town of Otranto.

Guided visits will be made to  L'Aquila, Amalfi, Pompeii, Paestum, Matera, Trani, Castel del Monte,  Martina Franca, Alberobello, Ostuni 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 the Amalfi 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.

 

 

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
  • The Abbey of Montecassino, foundation monastery of the Benedictines (destroyed in WW II, many Australian and NZ casualties, then totally rebuilt)
  • Herculaneum with the architecture there being better preserved than Pompeii and including upper stories
  • The early medieval Duomo of Amalfi (strong byzantine influences)
  • Ancient Greek ruins of Paestum (equal of anything in Sicily)
  • Matera, Unesco site, troglodyte city unique in Italy
  • The Norman cathedral of Trani
  • The trulli houses of Alberobello & surrounding towns - idiosyncratic conical architecture also unique in Italy
  • The whitewashed Spanish derived baroque of Martina Franca, Ostuni and Lecce.(also the extravagant baroque of the cathedrals of the last two)
  • Cathedral of Otranto with it's amazing medieval Tree of Life mosaic covering the whole floor

 

 

The Accommodation    *SPECIAL FEATURE **

Unusually for Living Italy we stay at six different locations on this program, but some of these are amongst the most extraordinary 'hotels' to be found in Italy and are worthy destinations in themselves. Three of them in fact are of the 'albergo diffuso' form where the rooms are spread out within an urban habitat, not necessarily connected one to another, and provide an unforgettable experience. The distance we cover makes a number of the transfers longer than would be ideal, but 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.

NEAR L' AQUILA, Sextantio  is our most radical 'albergo diffuso: here made possible 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.

 

AMALFI  Lloyds Baia Hotel Vietri An 'ordinary' four star hotel but with full frontal views of the Gulf of Salerno, roof top sea-view dining and spectacular seafront terraces.

 

MATERA. Locanda di San Martino is other 'Albergo diffuso' this time 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.

 

LOCOROTONDO. Sotto Le Commerse is our third albergo diffuso, 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.

OTRANTO. Palazzo dei Mori. 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 25 May          Arrivals                                       O'night Santo Stefano   D
The tour begins at  Rome's Fiumicino Airport at 10.30am with a group transfer to Santo Stefano in the Abruzzo. 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 26 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. In the afternoon a visit to Campo Imperatore and a view of Italy's tallest mountain south of the alps.

Tue 27 May         Sulmona                                       O'night Santo Stefano   B
In the morning a visit to the renowned romanesque monastery of San Clemente at Casauria, followed by a trip to nearby Sulmona, home of the poet Ovid. In the afternoon transfer to L’Aquila and a guided tour of this pretty regional capital.

Wed 28 May         Transfer to Amalfi                     Overnight Amalfi           B
Stopping at the fascinating town of Scanno and passing by Montecassino we head for the Amalfi coast and a change of historic pace, arriving in the 21st century at Vietri.

Thu 29 May          Pompeii                                   Overnight Amalfi            B L D
 A guided trip to the the ruins of Pompeii, ancient Rome’s most famous ghost town. Lunch at Il Principe not just Pompeii's leading restaurant, this is one of the best in all Campania.

Fri 30 May            Capri                                         O'night Amalfi                B D
Boat trip along the entire Amalfi coast and then the rest of the day at leisure wandering around the island of Capri.

Sat 31 May           Paestum /Transfer to Matera    O'night Matera              B
On our way to Matera in Basilicata we visit Paestum - ancient Poseidonium – which has amongst the best preserved Greek ruins in the Mediterranean in a beautiful setting by the sea.

Sun 1 June           Matera                                          O'night Matera                B
A Unesco world heritage sight, the “sassi” of Matera make up a unique and extraordinary urban landscape which we explore at our leisure today.

Mon 2 June            Trani                                           Overnight Locorotondo  B L
One of the prettiest sights on Puglia’s Adriatic coast. We explore the town with its breathtaking Norman cathedral rising sheer from the sea, and lunch in a restaurant with a view over the port full of fishing boats. In the afternoon we transfer to Locorotondo, visiting Polignano on the way

Tue 3 June            Locorotondo                             Overnight Locorotondo  B D
We are now in the area of the famous Trulli, and this morning we have the opportunity to see them close up when we have a wine and local food tasting at a local “masseria”. The afternoon is free to explore the town of Locorotondo.

Wed 4 June        Martina Franca, Alberobello     Overnight Locorotondo     B 
Morning visit to Alberobello, city of the trulli, and then on to elegant Martina Franca where we lunch. Tour of the town in the afternoon

Thu 5 June        Ostuni & Wine tasting /Transfer to Otranto    Overnight Otranto B
Guided visit to the white town of Ostuni in the morning. After lunch a local wine tasting and then transfer to our last hotel at Otranto, with a view across the water to the mountains of Albania

Fri 6 June        Lecce                                                      Overnight Otranto          B
Today we travel to the beautiful town of Lecce  where we have a guided tour followed by lunch. On our return to Otranto we visit the extraordinary mosaics in the cathedral.

Sat 7 June       Otranto                                                   Overnight Otranto         B D
A day in Otranto entirely at leisure. Optional visit to beaches and a cave complex not far from the town

Sun 8 June      Departure                                                                                    B
Transfer to Bari airport where the tour officially ends.

The tour officially ends at Bari airport at around 1 pm. 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 24 March 2008. The tour is costed on a minimum of 12 people travelling and is limited to the 12 rooms we have reserved for the tour. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rate fluctuations the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.