Treasures of Southern Italy

In flight.

• Arrival of the group at Naples Airport.
• Welcome by the local French-speaking tour leader and coach transfer to the hotel in the area.
• Check-in to the rooms.
• Dinner and overnight stay.

• Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Naples.
• Welcome by the local French-speaking guide.
• Full day dedicated to exploring the city: historic streets, majestic churches, castles, art, and traditions.
• Dinner at a pizzeria (½ liter of mineral water included).
• Return to the hotel at the end of the day.

• Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for the excursion to Capri.
• Welcome at the port by the local French-speaking guide.
• Round-trip boat crossing, island tour by minibus, visit to the Villa San Michele in Anacapri (entrance included).
• Dinner at leisure in Capri.
• Return to the hotel at the end of the day, supper and overnight stay.

• After breakfast, depart for the Amalfi Coast. With its exceptional panoramas, the Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a remarkable example of Mediterranean landscape. At every turn, you’ll be treated to a dazzling spectacle.
• Photo stop in Positano, then continue to Amalfi for a visit to the village and the Cathedral of Saint Andrew (entrance included). Dinner on your own.
• In the afternoon, boat crossing from Amalfi to Salerno.
• Transfer by coach to your hotel in the Paestum area.
• Check-in, dinner, and overnight at the hotel.

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit to a renowned farm for breeding water buffalo: explore the modern stables, participate in the milking, and enjoy an artisanal demonstration of how Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is made. Light dinner included (half a liter of water).
• In the afternoon, guided tour of the archaeological site of Paestum, famous for its remarkably well-preserved Greek temples. Admission included.
• Return to the hotel, supper, and overnight stay.

• Departure for Matera after breakfast.
• Arrival in late morning.

Free dinner.

• 2-hour guided tour to discover Matera, a city in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. Perched on a rocky spur, it overlooks barren plateaus and arid hills dotted with white villages. Discover the Sassi, the troglodyte quarters, and visit the Casa Grotta.
• Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

• Breakfast then departure for Lecce, nicknamed “the Florence of the South.”
• 2-hour guided tour discovering:
  • Porta Napoli (Naples Gate);
  • Via Palmieri;
  • Basilica of Santa Croce, renowned for its richly decorated Baroque façade;
  • Roman Theatre;
  • Piazza Sant’Oronzo;
  • Piazza del Duomo, entirely surrounded by Baroque buildings, one of the most remarkable squares in Italy (exterior visit of the monuments).
• Free dinner then departure for Otranto for a 2-hour guided tour including admission to the Cathedral of Otranto.
• Check-in at a hotel in the Lecce area, dinner and overnight stay.

• Departure after breakfast for Santa Maria di Leuca, the meeting point between the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea.
• Visit to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae.
• Free dinner.
• Continue to Gallipoli for a visit to the historic center and an underground olive oil mill.
• Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

• Morning devoted to a cooking class.
  • Experience a unique culinary adventure: learn the secrets of local gastronomy.
  • Prepare traditional handmade pasta and seasoning sauces.
  • Cook the dishes and enjoy a seated tasting meal (dinner featuring the dishes you’ve prepared).
• In the afternoon, depart for Ostuni, the “White City” of Apulia. This hilltop town is distinguished by:
  • Its narrow, winding streets.
  • Its bright whitewashed houses.
  • Its typically Mediterranean atmosphere.
• Check in at the hotel in the Ostuni area.
• Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

• Departure for the Grotte di Castellana (also called the Castellana Caves), a vast complex of natural underground cavities in a limestone substrate. These caves are considered one of the most remarkable cave systems in Italy and Europe (entrance included, short visit).
• Continue to Alberobello for dinner at leisure.
• In the afternoon, enjoy a two-hour guided tour of the historic district and its trulli—those curious rural houses built using a bold technique: circular plan, dry-stone walls topped by a small conical dome. The district, entirely composed of trulli, creates a magical landscape.
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

• After breakfast, depart by coach for Polignano a Mare.
• Meet the local guide for a boat excursion along the rocky coastline and sea caves of this charming town perched on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.
• Then, continue on to Bari.
• Dinner at leisure on-site, followed by a guided tour of the historic center nicknamed “Bari Vecchia,” a true maze of lively alleyways.
• Return to the hotel in the Ostuni region.
• Supper and overnight stay.

• Breakfast, then departure by coach to Trani, an elegant coastal town renowned for its majestic Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture by the sea (entrance included).
• Lunch on your own, then return to the Naples region in the afternoon.
• Hotel check-in, dinner, and overnight stay.

• Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for an unforgettable day combining nature and history.
• Bus ascent up to 1,000 m on Mount Vesuvius, then shuttle to the starting point of the hike.
• Hike on foot to the summit to admire the active crater and the view over the Bay of Naples.
• Then, stop at a winery for a tasting of typical wines, including Lacryma Christi, accompanied by a light lunch.
• In the afternoon, guided visit of the archaeological site of Pompeii (entrance included).
• Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Coach transfer to Naples Airport.
• Departure assistance and return flight to Montreal.