A Taste of Puglia with Chef Anita Lo  
April 26 – May 3, 2024
(Sold out)

Italy's Heel – Puglia

The heel of Italy, Puglia extends for some 250 miles from the north to its southernmost tip. Its coastline is lapped by the Adriatic and the Ionian seas and dotted with magnificent beaches and coves; its numerous pretty towns and villages are full of architectural, historical and cultural interest; and its excellent cuisine is humble by tradition and tasty by nature.

Chef Anita Lo

Chef Anita Lo appeared on the first season of Top Chef Masters and finished fourth out of 24 chefs. Her first cookbook, Cooking Without Borders, which highlights her passion for bringing multicultural flavors to her American kitchen. In 2014, The New York Times, Chef Lo received prestigious three stars for her restaurant, Annisa. 
 
In 2015, Anita Lo was the first female guest chef to cook for a State Dinner at the White House, under the Obama administration. After 17 years and holding a Michelin star for nine consecutive years, Lo closed Annisa to pursue her next adventure. Her second book, Solo: Easy Sophisticated Recipes For a Party of One, was published in 2018. She was recently awarded the Order of Agricultural Merit from the French government.
 
Chef is working with the Tour De Forks, hosting culinary tours around the world.

Strada delle Orecchiette

Itinerary

Day 1: April 26
We recommend arriving a day early. Bari (BRI) is the closest airport - 30 minutes.
Tour de Fork's exclusive expedition begins in Trani, at the Mare Resort Hotel. Check-in is available from 2:00 pm. Meet your fellow travelers at 5:30 pm for a stroll to the picturesque Trani Harbor, a former Roman settlement that grew under the Spanish kingdom and Venetian traders. Discover the Jewish Quarter, visit the Templar Church, walk around the fish market and marvel at the glorious, bleached-out Romanesque cathedral.
Welcome dinner by the harbor.
Day 2: April 27
Breakfast at hotel. Depart at 9:30 for the countryside where seas of olive groves cover the landscape.. At a local bio-dynamic estate, taste the native varietals – Nero di Troia and Bombino.
Lunch will be at a Slow Food Osteria. Continue to Polignano a Mare, and enjoy a walk through serpentine alleys. Taste the hyper-local caffè speciale - a mix of coffee, lemon zest, cream and almond liqueur.
Return to Trani at around 6:00 pm. Evening and dinner at leisure with recommendations for wining and dining.
Day 3: April 28
Breakfast at hotel. Depart at 9:30 am for an off-the-beaten-path adventure to Bitonto, a former Roman agricultural settlement. Stroll through the old town where the ovens have been cranking out focaccia, taralli and loaves of bread for over 4 centuries.
Lunch will be in the coastal town of Giovinazzo. Continue south to Bari, capital of Puglia, and walk in the historic center. We'll see orecchiette being made in the street by the nonnas.
Return to Trani around 5:30 pm for some relaxation, before a pizza dinner at Lievito72. Pizzaiolo Andrea Giordano’s expertise comes from a 7th-generation family of bread makers. Overnight in Trani.
Day 4: April 29
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Matera and enjoy a private guided walk. An ancient city of natural caves, Matera was known as the "shame of Italy" for decades. In the 1950s, the poverty-stricken city was evacuated over public health concerns. But thanks to locals, Matera has been thoughtfully redeveloped and in 2019, was Europe's Capital of Culture.
Time for a light lunch and some free time before returning to Terlizzi for dinner at one of the classic eateries in Puglia - Fornello Pronto, a butcher shop that becomes a barbecue and grill for specialty meats. Overnight in Trani.
Day 5: April 30
Breakfast at hotel and check-out. Departing early at 8:00 am to the Valle d'Itria, and Alberobello, an astonishing Unesco World Heritage Site. A walking tour of the town will reveal the unique dry-stone conic dwellings.
Continue to Martina Franca, and buy food for tomorrow's cooking experience.
Lunch will be in Locorotondo with a burrata,and mozzarella tasting.
Continue towards Ostuni, a charming town with white washed houses, and winding alleys adorned with lush plants and flowers.
Continue to Minervino di Lecce and Palazzo Ducale Venturi, our 5* hotel. Dinner will be at Osteria Origano.
Day 6: May 1
Breakfast at the hotel. Our day begins at 9am for a guided walking tour of Lecce, a baroque town with visits to the Cathedral, Santa Croce and the old Roman theatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo. Sip an iced coffee with almond syrup or window-shop along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
Time and lunch at leisure before returning to the hotel for our cooking class and dinner with Chef Anita Lo.
Day 7: May 2
Breakfast at hotel. Depart at 9:30 am for Salento, the Southern most part of Puglia. We'll explore Otranto and its its medieval castle and a beautiful Romanesque Cathedral. After a stroll and a cafe Leccese, continue to Gallipoli, encircled by water, with a picturesque ancient marina and harbor, reserved for small fishing boats.

Enjoy lunch at leisure. Return to the hotel at around 5:00 pm for some relaxation before our farewell dinner at Masseria Le Stanzieis one of the oldest rural buildings in the region. The farm dates back to the early 1500s.
Day 8: May 3
Breakfast at hotel and checkout.
End of tour

Thank you for traveling with Tour de Forks.

Please Note: The closest airport is in Brindisi (1.25 hours).
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Inclusions

• 8 days/7 nights boutique hotels
• Private tours with local guides and experts
• Daily driving services 
• Most meals with selected wines
• Exclusive access and tastings
• Entrance fees
• Daily breakfasts
• Hands-on cooking class with Chef Lo

Exclusions

• International roundtrip airfare
• Travel insurance
• Airport transfers
• Activities not included in itinerary
• Hotel incidentals including room service, laundry service and hotel bar tabs
• Food and beverages not included in itinerary
• Gratuity for tour guides

Pricing

Cost:
$7,500 per person, based on double occupancy

Deposit: $1,000 per person

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