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Food & Wine Tasting Tour in Puglia, Italy
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Our Top Cooking Vacations in Puglia, Italy in 2025
With more than 300 days of sun a year and 500 miles of coastline, Puglia, or Apulia, is the “heel” of Italy’s boot, and home to such towns as Bari, Brindisi, and Lecce, which you can discover on our cooking vacations in Puglia, Italy. It is a land of grains, olive oil, a warm climate, full-bodied wines, and fresh seafood.
Our cooking vacations in Puglia Italy are hands-down some of our best! The rural landscape is populated with fortified castles, olive groves, and whitewashed Trulli, distinctive conical-shaped dwellings that distinguish Puglia from other parts of the country. Puglia is one of the oldest settled parts of Italy, and the archeological sites (early Italic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and more) and stunning Baroque cities provide a wealth of cultural explorations to round out your culinary tour.
You’ll find olives here, as well as grapes, figs, and almonds. Local cuisine specialties include seafood risotto, fava beans, orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta), as well as burrata, a creamy cheese somewhat like mozzarella.
Similar to an agriturismo, masserias are country homes that operate in Puglia both as hotels and working educational farms. During this perfect cooking adventure for foodies, your accommodations are located near Brindisi at a masseria surrounded by olive trees that were planted more than 400 years ago. The unique estate has been renovated and altered over the past few centuries; rooms that were once noble quarters are now charming rooms for guests. The masseria is a family affair, run by a brother and sister team, and the latter, Chiara, will be your cooking instructor during your Puglia cooking vacation.
Puglia Food Experience Holidays Highlights
In this getaway to Puglia — which gets 300 days of sunshine a year — discover the local cuisine with five hands-on cooking classes with a local chef! Your amazing Puglia food experience includes:
- hands-on cooking classes at the manor house of a family-owned farm
- wine tastings and local producer visits
- excursions to Matera, Bari, Ostuni, Polignano ,and Alberobello
- accommodations at a charming, recently renovated masseria
- transfers and transportation
Puglia is one of Italy’s best kept secrets, as you will discover when you explore this one-of-a-kind foodie destination during our cooking vacations.
Itinerary
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Day One
- Arrive at either Bari or Brindisi airport, and group transfer to the masseria, your accommodations for the week.
- Take some time to settle in and relax.
- Get to know the family, and enjoy an aperitivo with them. Welcome dinner at the masseria (beverages paid locally).
- Overnight.
Day Two
- Following breakfast, visit a cheese factory for a live demonstration of how to make mozzarella and burrata, and enjoy a tasting of this wonderful cheese with other local products for lunch.
- Next, visit an ancient oil mill in the Ostuni area to learn about this “green gold.”
- After, take a walk through the old town’s small alleys and enjoy an apperitivo overlooking the sea.
- Return to the masseria for the first of your hands-on cooking courses in Puglia, which will focus on fresh and filled pasta and the local glory – focaccia.
- Dinner to follow based on your efforts.
- Overnight.
Day Three
- Breakfast.
- In the early morning, depart for Matera in the Basilicata region, an awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site that has become famous worldwide for its ancient town “Sassi di Matera” which translates to “stones of Matera.” This prehistoric settlement is thought to be among the first human settlements in Italy, and it’s been featured in a variety of filmmakers as the setting for ancient Jerusalem. Visit a traditional bakery for a tasting of the city’s famed bread.
- Lunch on your own.
- Enjoy some free time on your own in the afternoon.
- Dinner tonight is in the masseria (beverages paid locally).
- Overnight.
Day Four
- Breakfast.
- In the morning, take part in your next cooking class to learn about traditional pizza and other local specialties like panzerotti, friselle, and taralli.
- Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- Take a very picturesque drive through Itria Valley. Visit a local winery for a wine tasting, then to head to Alberobello, the UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its fairytale trulli. While there, experience a guided visit of the site.
- Finish your day with a wonderful dinner al fornello, where you’ll be served various cuts of meats from the local butcher. This is a rustic and completely Pugliese experience!
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breakfast.
- In the afternoon, head to the capital city of Bari to explore the old town. This guided walk will take you to remarkable historical attractions — such as the beautiful St. Nicola’s Basilica, home to Saint Nicolas, a beloved saint and father of the Santa Claus legend — as well as the seaside promenade and busy pedestrian shopping area.
- For lunch explore the local street food scene, including street food such as focaccia, sgagliozze, and popizze.
- Drive south to the picturesque town of Polignano a Mare to admire the impressive panoramas from the seaside terraces. Perhaps indulge in a gelato while there.
- Return to the masseria and rest of day at leisure to enjoy the gorgeous estate. Dinner on your own, either at the masseria, or we can organize round trip transfers for dinner in a local town such as Monopoli.
- Overnight.
Day Six
- Following breakfast, depart for an excursion to Locorotondo, a beautiful town in the Itria valley, and visit their local market, where you’ll enjoy an apertivo like the locals.
- Transfer to a renowned factory to taste the local cold cut, capocollo, for lunch.
- Return to the masseria for your final cooking class, where you’ll discover the tricks of Pugliese desserts and cakes, such as biscotti, and Italian limoncello.
- Farewell dinner to follow based on your efforts, along with a certificate of attendance.
- Overnight.
Day Seven
- Breakfast and check out. Group transfer to Bari or Brindisi airport.
Apulia Culinary Trip Details
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Included in the 6-Night Puglia, Italy Food and Wine Tour
Accommodations6 nights accommodation at the Masseria (mezzanine room or 2-room apartment)
Food & Beverages- Daily breakfast
- 4 lunches (including 2 tasting lunches)
- 5 dinners
- Wine, water, and coffee with all meals
Classes & Instructors
Your 3 hands-on cooking classes take place in the kitchens of your masseria and will be led by either Chiara or one of the other family members, or by the chef of the property, Damiano. Chiara has managed the masseria’s restaurant since 2007, and has led cooking shows for the Puglia Region Authority, as well as an educational laboratory for a group of foreign journalists. In the past, Chef Damiano has worked for a number renowned Puglia restaurants. Both specialize in Apulian cuisine, and look forward to sharing a rich culinary tradition with you during our 7 days culinary vacations.
Classes will feature:- fresh and filled pastas and focaccia
- pizza and traditional Apulian savory pastries
- desserts
Excursions
- Excursion to Matera
- Visit of Bari
- Visits of Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, and Alberobello
- Excursion to Locorotondo
- 1 winery visit
- 1 cheese producer tour and tasting
- 1 salami producer tour
- 1 oil mill tour
- 1 traditional bakery visit
Transfer DetailsRound-trip group transfers from/to Bari or Brindisi airport. (Late arrivals or early departure transfers may incur an additional fee. We would be happy to confirm transfers with you before you finalize your travel arrangements.)
Not Included
- Wine with meals (paid for locally), EXCEPT after cooking classes
- Local city tax, where applicable (a few Euros per person per night, payable at the hotel)
Accommodation Information
Surrounded by 400-year-old olive trees, the Masseria Salamina, located just a short distance from the Adriatic sea, is a relaxing getaway full of historic charm. The rooms are located in the main house and the surrounding buildings and reflect the history of the area. All rooms offer air conditioning, heating, safe, LCD TV, Wi-Fi, and hair dryer. The property itself features a restaurant specializing in traditional Apulian cuisine as well as a swimming pool with a beautiful view of the sea.
The masseria where you stay
The sitting room of the masseria duri
The masseria in Puglia
Bedroom at the manor house
Bedroom of the masseria where you stay
A bathroom at the Masseria hotel where you stay on your Puglia cooking vacation
A bedroom at the Masseria where you stay on your culinary tour in Puglia
The pool at the Masseria hotel where you stay on your culinary tour in Italy
The farm in Puglia where you stay on your culinary vacation in Italy
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Pricing & Dates of Italian Cookery Vacations in Puglia
Find the dates and pricing for our culinary vacation tour packages in Puglia, Italy.
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Puglia, Italy Food Tours Pricing
Low Season 2025 January 8-Mar 28; November 3-December 22See moreUS$5745 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$960 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Upgrade to a manor suite: please inquire.
Puglia, Italy Food Tours Pricing
Mid Season 2025 January 1-7; March 29-May 30; September 23-November 2; Dec 23-31See moreUS$5830 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$960 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Upgrade to a manor suite: please inquire.
Puglia, Italy Food Tours Pricing
High Season 2025 June 1-September 25See moreUS$6150 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$960 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
Balance payment due 60 days prior to tour start date. Questions? Please contact us!
Upgrade to a manor suite: please inquire.
Puglia Gourmet Holidays Dates 2025
See moreOur Italian cooking vacations in Puglia are available year round for a minimum of 2 people. If you’d like to customize your Puglia cooking vacation, just drop us a line or give us a call and we’ll get started crafting the trip of your dreams.
Sample Puglia food tour dates follow: Other start dates are also possible, please contact us for availability!
2025
Please inquire for availability during these periods:
Before April 25th
June 20-26
July 15-20
After October 20th
Other dates may also be available on request: please inquire!
We Can Help Plan The Best Cooking Holidays in Puglia, Italy
Explore the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables lovingly applied in the flavorful yet simple local authentic Italian cuisine during your cooking vacation in Puglia.
There are many ways we can help with to make your cooking vacation in Italy the trip of your dreams.You May Also Like Other Italian Foodie Vacations
Take a moment to explore the list of our other decadent cooking holidays and culinary tours in Italy.
FAQ
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What is the most famous dish in Puglia?
One of the most popular Apulia dishes is orecchiette con le cime di rapa – handmade orecchiette pasta with turnip tops. In fact, orecchiette pasta (which translates as “little ears”) is probably Puglia’s most iconic food, and you can observes rows of housewives and nonne (grandmothers) making them for the local restaurants in the Old Center of Bari. Other popular Apulian dishes are panzerotti, a type of turnover, and tiella barese, a dish featuring potatoes and mussels.
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What is the best time to visit Puglia?
Spring, early summer, and fall are the best seasons to visit Puglia. High summer is hot but also popular, with higher prices to match demand. If you are a beach-lover, then you should choose the warmer months to take advantage of Puglia’s many stunning beaches. But if you want cooler temperatures and wonderful produce, spring and fall are your best bets. We’ve also had clients enjoy traveling to Puglia over the winter months!
