Slow Taste of Puglia + Matera
An Off-Season Deep Dive into the Food & Cuture of Southern Italy
November 8-15, 2026
NEW TOUR!
Take a slow journey with me to Italy’s deep south – the warm & welcoming region of Puglia and the fascinating ancient city of Matera. Although Puglia is now firmly on the world's radar - and with good reason - during this off-season tour, we'll experience it differently, guided by warm and colorful locals and free from tourist crowds. And since we're in southern Italy, you can expect mild weather even in November!
About
We'll take a deep-dive into Puglia's rich food and wine culture and explore its many prized local delicacies – still-quivering fresh burrata cheese, crusty bread from ancient ovens, hand rolled orecchiette pasta and bright green, newly-harvested olive oil, as well as fine wines produced from native grapes. We'll take our time exploring Bari where everyday life for its lively locals still revolves around street food traditions and the daily catch. From there, we'll slow it down even more and stay in pretty seaside Monopoli, where you'll take your evening passeggiata among locals rather than tourists. Of course, we'll make the obligatory visit to the iconic fairy-like white trulli houses of Alberobello (though our guide has some secret corners to show you!), we'll also explore the butcher shops of lesser-known Cisternino and the celebrate the proud artisanal food traditions of Altamura. We'll devote an entire day to Lecce, the Baroque beauty known as the "Florence of the South" and an elegant city with intricate alleyways and ornate churches. We will also explore the singular Matera, located in the neighboring region of Basilicata, an important cultural gem of the Italian south and perhaps one of the most historically fascinating cities in Italy, known for its Sassi dwellings, where we will stay in a restored cave hotel for two nights and delve into the traditions of "la cucina povera."
Trip Highlights
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Benvenuti al Sud!
Arrive in Bari at your leisure on Sunday, November 8th - check in and relax at the five-star Grande Albergo delle Nazioni, take a passeggiata along the lungomare, have dinner at a local trattoria, sleep off the jetlag...and get ready for our official tour kick-off the following morning!
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Day 2
Lively & Local Bari
We'll kick off our week with a guided food crawl of Bari Vecchia with local guide Giorgio, who will not only introduce us to Bari's local street food traditions, but also to some of his friends in the city’s historic center. Visit the “orecchiette ladies,'' who make pasta in the streets in front of their homes and sample local street foods such as focaccia barese and panzerotti.
You'll have the afternoon free to shop and explore some of Bari's colorful corners, including the lively Madonnella neighborhood, before we meet for an aperitivo at a local bar followed by a seafood dinner at a favorite restaurant.
Day 3
Coastal Towns & Wines
This morning, we'll visit a local winery for a guided wine tasting of Puglia's native grapes and ad hoc lunch on the beautiful estate. After lunch, we'll explore one of the most picturesque coastal towns in all of Puglia – Polignano a Mare. Renowned for its characteristic beach nestled between cliffs, you'll have plenty of time for photos, exploring and watching locals leap from the cliffs into the sea. Wander, shop and don't leave town without trying un caffe speciale’– a hyper local drink from Polignano!
We'll then move on to pretty Monopoli, our home base for the next three nights and check in to the elegant and historic Don Ferrante. Relax and unwind before we meet for dinner at my favorite local trattoria.
Day 4
Cooking & Trulli in the Valle d'Itria
Welcome to the fairytale countryside of Puglia’s Valle d’Itria! This area of Puglia consists of endless olive groves, vineyards, and of course, the iconic coned roofs of i trulli, traditional stone huts that were once inhabited by locals.
Our day begins with a cooking class at a family-run masseria in the countryside. After rolling up our sleeves with the resident chefs, we’ll enjoy the fruits of our labors, as well as some other local specialities, for lunch.
Then it’s time to explore a few of the valley’s most important jewelbox towns with a local guide - Locorotondo and Alberobello. The latter is famed for its trulli houses and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. We’ll then enjoy a quintessentially Pugliese dinner at a macelleria-braceria in lovely Cisternino, a butcher shop that turns into a casual eatery and grill at night where we will celebrate the feast of San Martino!
Day 5
Baroque Lecce
Today, we will travel further south to elegant, Baroque Lecce. Dubbed the ‘Florence of the South’, this beautiful town is famous for its many churches and its stunning golden sandstone buildings. We meet our local guide for a walk through the historical center of Lecce which includes a stop at the Roman amphitheater and hidden sights down the city’s many picturesque alleys. Along the way, we'll stop to taste some local street food specialties including a sweet pasticciotto. We'll head back to Monopoli where dinner is on your own tonight.
Day 6
Bread & Cheese in Altamura
This morning, we’ll check out of our hotel and bid arrivederci to Monopoli as we head inland. Our first stop is all about bread and cheese in the old town of Altamura. Led by one of Puglia's most-lauded cheesemaking families, we'll visit a caseificio and experience the production of the region’s prized cow’s milk cheeses including burrata and caciocavallo (and of course, get to taste them!). We’ll then walk to the center of Altamura, known for its bread-baking tradition, and visit one of the oldest forni (ovens) in town. After our tour, we’ll make our way to the heart of the Alta Murgia National Park for a cheese-centric, wine-paired lunch.
After lunch, we’ll journey across the rocky Murgia valley to the fascinating city of Matera, our home for two nights. Unpack, relax, take a stroll, and then meet for a welcome aperitivo overlooking Matera's Sassi. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Day 7
Magical Matera
After breakfast, we’ll meet an expert local guide for an in-depth private walking tour of Matera and its ancient neighborhoods, the Sassi. An authentic open-air museum that recalls human life from the Stone Age to the present, Matera sits on a rocky ridge, divided into Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano. Our guide will walk us through the city’s art, anthropology and architecture and uncover how Matera went from once being known as la vergogna d’Italia (the shame of Italy) to a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We’ll have lunch together, at a local restaurant and in the afternoon, explore Matera’s rich tradition of artisans including masters of the cuccù, a terracotta whistle with great cultural significance to the city, wood carving, ceramics and jewelry. That evening, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner together at a local trattoria in the Sassi.
After breakfast the following morning, our driver will drive us to the Bari airport.
WHERE WE’LL STAY
We will stay at three 5-star properties. For the first two nights of the tour, we will stay the JR Grande Albergo delle Nazioni, a modernist hotel located right on Bari's Lungomare. For the next three nights of the tour, we will stay at the elegant Don Ferrante Dimore de Charme, located in the historic center of the pretty seaside town of Monopoli, close to restaurants, shops and cafes, making it a lovely and comfortable base for getting acquainted with the town. For our final two nights, we will stay at Sant'Angelo Luxury Resort in Matera. Sant'Angelo is a luxury hotel carved into the tufa stone that makes up the city of Matera. This property has some of the best views of the Sassi, modern furnishings & amenities and is located in the middle of Matera, making it the perfect spot to explore the historic center on foot.
**Please note that this trip would be quite challenging for travelers with mobility issues. Neither hotel is equipped with an elevator and both require walking up several steps. As such, tour guests must be comfortable exploring on foot - the ability to walk at a comfortable pace, over uneven surfaces, and to navigate stairs is a must.**
TASTE OF PUGLIA + MATERA 2026
DATES: November 8 -15, 2026
RATE: $5190.00 per person, in double occupancy room**
RATE INCLUDES:
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Double occupancy room with private bath for seven (7) nights at three historic 5-star hotels (a few rooms with twin beds are available)
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Breakfast & lunch daily
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Four dinners
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Wine included (with sit-down lunches & dinners)
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All ground transportation via private coach and driver
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Any entrance fees, tours and local guides
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Taxes and service charges
**Single supplement of $1540.00 applies (very limited availability)
NOT INCLUDED IN RATE:
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Airfare
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Trip insurance
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Meals not outlined above
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Gratuities for drivers, guides and hotel staff
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Optional activities during free time
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Gifts and personal purchases including snacks and refreshments not included in, or in excess of, what is included on the guided tours and planned meals/activities or purchased during “free time” or during spontaneous stops along the way
Number of Participants: A minimum of eight (8) participants is required for the program to occur. The maximum number of participants for the program is 12.
Getting to & from Bari:
Arrive in Bari at your leisure on Sunday, November 8th - check in and relax at the hotel, take a leisurely passeggiata along the lungomare, grab a bite to eat, sleep off the jetlag...and get ready for our official tour kick-off on the morning of Monday, November 9th. We will drop guests off at the airport in Bari early in the morning on Sunday, November 15th. Please inquire if you need advice planning transfers for the next leg of your journey.
Deposit & Terms & Conditions: A $1000 non-refundable deposit (for administrative fees) per person payable by check to Three Little Guys LLC (D/B/A Majella Tours), is required at the time of the reservation of the tour for each participant. Final payment of the balance must be received no later than 120 days prior to the first day of the tour. Upon payment of the deposit, the tour registrants expressly agree to be bound by the Terms & Conditions set forth in the Tour Agreement.
