2018 Primetime Emmy
& James Beard Award Winner

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  • The bread basket of Italy

    Puglia: The True Dolce Vita

    May 4-11, 2025

    ?

    The heel of the boot has mainland Italy’s longest coastline, white-sand beaches, winds from the Sahara desert—and the perfect climate for its centuries-old olive groves. Puglia’s rich agricultural legacy includes the fairytale stone villages of the Valle d’Itria and a hearty cuisine that gave the world burrata and orecchiette. Spend some time in Puglia’s laid-back embrace. 

    Inquire Now
    Eugenio Signoroni

    Local Guide

    Editor of Osterie d’Italia
    Eugenio Signoroni

    Anissa Helou

    R&K Host

    Cook, Renowned Author
    Anissa Helou

Overview

Puglia: The True Dolce Vita

The heel of the boot has mainland Italy’s longest coastline, white-sand beaches, winds from the Sahara desert—and the perfect climate for its centuries-old olive groves. Puglia’s rich agricultural legacy includes the fairytale stone villages of the Valle d’Itria and a hearty cuisine that gave the world burrata and orecchiette. Spend some time in Puglia’s laid-back embrace. 

  • Italy
  • May 4-11, 2025
  • from $11,450
Map
  • Italy
  • May 4-11, 2025
  • from $11,450
Puglia: The True Dolce Vita Inquire Now

DISCOVER PUGLIA:
DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

Day
1

Welcome to Puglia

  • Private transfer from either Bari or Brindisi Airport (your choice, both work for this trip) to our masseria along the coast
  • Welcome cocktails poolside with Andy and Eugenio
  • A first night dinner in the traditional osteria Cibus in Ceglie Messapica—a hymn to this corner of Puglia with a tasting of local salumi, cheeses, and pasta
Day
2

A First Deep Dive

  • Breakfast in the shade on your own time at our Masseria
  • A visit to Francesco Carriero farm to see how pata negra pigs are transformed into the famous local salume, Capocollo di Martina Franca
  • Rural Pugliese cookout at the farm: beer, grill, sun, vibes
  • Dinner at our masseria, with a lesson in making local specialties such as orecchiette and focaccia barese from the acclaimed chef Pasquale Fatalino
Day
3

A Butcher’s Feast in Martina Franca

  • Languorous morning with optional time on the nearby Adriatic coast
  • Lunch in Grottaglie, a Norman village nestled in the limestone ravines of Salento
  • Post-prandial visit with the artisans at Nicola Fasano ceramics, now in its 18th Generation (yes, 18 generations) of firing Puglian ceramics
  • Transfer to the classical town of Martina Franca
  • Apertif followed dinner in the greatest of all traditional fornelli, Da Riccardo, to taste an array of region’s best meats: bombetta, straccetti, gnummarieddi, and more
Day
4

Slow Matera

  • Roadtrip! Pack an overnight bag (we’re keeping our rooms at Belvedere) and head west into the fabled lands of Basilicata.
  • Check in at the luxury cave dwelling hotel Sextantio in Matera
  • Light lunch with cheese and salumi in Latteria Rizzi
  • Visit and aperitif in a traditional grotta from XVII century
  • Dinner at the big-plate, big-flavor destination Stano 
  • A night exploring the hill town of Matera
Day
5

Formaggio e Pane

  • Check out from Sextantio and head for the hills (of Alta Murgia)
  • Spend the day in Alta Murgia with our friends the Dicecca brothers to discover the area and its cheeses, flavored with the herbs that grow in these mountains
  • Lunch with the DiCecca brothers in the hills
  • Sample Altamura’s traditional bread at Di Gesù bakery
  • Transfer back to Puglia, light dinner in the lowlands
  • Back to our familiar rooms at Masseria Belvedere
Day
6

The Fruits of the Sea

  • Leisurely morning at the Masseria with yet Pugliese breakfast
  • A visit to the iconic pasta producer Benedetto Cavalieri, famed for its Ruote Pazze and other artisanal pastas
  • Lunch at Osteria degli Spiriti in Lecce
  • SIESTA
  • A lesson on the fish from Torre Guaceto and a great dinner with the flavor of the sea in the contemporary osteria XFood, which is known for working with neurodivergent individuals from the local community
Day
7

Olive Oil and Wine

  • Puglia is one of Italy’s biggest producers of olive oil, and its centuries-old olive trees are one of the region’s biggest attractions. Near the fairytale stone-house village of Alberobello, we’ll have an insider’s visit to Intini Olive Oil, which makes a gorgeous product with indigenous varietals
  • A beautiful last lunch at Botteghe Antiche in the village of Putignano
  • Farewell party in Masseria La Cattiva, a young and eccentric natural winery whose founders have been feeding our wine supply lines throughout the week
Day
8

Arrivederci

  • One final languorous breakfast at our Masseria
  • Private transfer to Bari or Brindisi Airport for flights home

What’s Included

  • All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks and beverages between meals
  • Expertise and services of our experienced trip leaders: at least one guide and one host per trip
  • Additional guides and experts from the region
  • All transportation during the trip except when taking a taxi or ride app independently during unscheduled time
  • Transfers to and from the airport or wherever you are on the day the trip starts and ends
  • Daily Roads & Kingdoms gifts related to the themes, activities and narratives of each trip
  • All gratuities for accommodations, meals, guiding or transport

What’s Not Included

  • International airfare to and from the journey (note: some trips begin and end at different airports)
  • Personal bar tabs (when not with the group)
  • Personal laundry or spa services
  • Personal travel insurance

Meet Our Hosts

Eugenio Signoroni

Local Guide

Eugenio Signoroni

EDITOR OF OSTERIA D’ITALIA

There may not be a single person in all of the Republic better qualified to know what to eat, at what time of year, and with whom, than Eugenio Signoroni, pictured above far left. After a long editorial career at the iconic Slow Food, he branched out to write prolifically on Italian food culture in all parts of the boot. In addition to editing the authoritative Osteria d’Italia guide, he is the host of Lievito Madre, one of Italy’s top food podcasts. A perfect host for this journey.

Anissa Helou

R&K Host

Anissa Helou

Cook, Legend, Renowned Author

The author of Café Morocco and many other books is considered one of the great culinary minds of the Mediterranean and the Arab world. Born in Beirut to a Syrian father and Lebanese mother, she has been Sotheby’s representative for the Middle East, run an antique shop in Paris, served as art advisor to members of the Kuwaiti ruling family, and amassed a legendary private art collection that she then sold to launch a new life as an author. Her books on Middle Eastern food have won her countless accolades (the New Yorker called her 2018 book, “Feast: The Food of the Islamic World,” one of the 10 best cookbooks of the century so far).

Where You’ll Stay

Masseria Belvedere

Masseria Belvedere

Coastal Masseria

With panoramic views of the Adriatic coast, this gorgeous coastal masseria that will be our home for most of the trip combines sophisticated accommodation with glorious, multi-faceted al fresco areas, including, of course, a sea-facing infinity pool. Masseria Belvedere is also perfectly located for exploring the hidden gems of Puglia. What more could we want?

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita

CAVE LUXURY

Truly a hotel like none other, Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is situated within Matera’s UNESCO-listed labyrinth of caves, ancient dwellings carved into the stone face of the hill upon which Matera is perched. Beautifully carved arches in heavily pocked stone walls have been renovated using traditional techniques and tools into a singular luxury cave hotel.

  • While it was food focused, it was so much more! Everything was of such high quality and interesting. Everyone was friendly and warm.

    Kathleen S.
    Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024

  • Eugenio is so kind and passionate about his country, the food, and the people. The level of thoughtfulness he put into every experience was amazing.

    Renee V.
    Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024

  • The lunchtime cookout really touched us all…They were bringing us into their family to experience their food and life and that just hit differently.

    Steven D.
    Puglia: The True Dolce Vita 2024

DISCOVER PUGLIA:
PAST TRIPS GALLERY

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Puglia: The True Dolce Vita Inquire Now
R&K League of Travelers

Ready for a new adventure?

Inquire Now.

    Fill out the form to join the waitlist. We’ll reach out if space opens up.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How large are your groups?

    We have a maximum of 12 travelers for each trip. Our guiding light: how many people could cram into a perfectly-sized bar in Ginza? That’s how many we want to travel with, that’s how we came up with that number. Each trip has at least two members from the R&K team.

    Do I really have to do an interview?

    Yes! We don’t offer a way to book online, because we want the chance to talk to each of you about how you like to travel, and about what we do on our trips. That includes spouses and partners! Don’t sweat it, we have an appropriately high acceptance rate, but it is a requirement, whether by Zoom or by WhatsApp.

    Is there a solo traveler supplement?

    Yes, we have an $1800 solo traveler supplement ($1o00 for four-night trips).

    Should I get travel insurance?

    Roads & Kingdoms is a fully insured travel provider but we recommend you purchase travel insurance for yourself to cover costs you might incur through change of plans, flights, etc. We do not have a recommended provider, but there are many reputable providers available online and the signup process is not onerous.

    What is included in the price?

    Our journeys are meant to free you from any financial decision-making whatsoever during the week, if you choose. You’re responsible for your own international airfare to our starting city. But then we take care of everything else, from tipping to transportation to hotels and meals and drinks along the way. You’re only responsible for personal bar tabs (when not with the group), personal laundry, or personal spa services.

    What happens if R&K cancels a journey?

    This has not happened in the post-acute-COVID period—nor do we anticipate it happening—but we do reserve the right to cancel or postpone a trip up to 100 days before departure. In that case, you would receive a full refund, including the $1500 deposit.

    CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE VEGETARIANS?

    The short answer is yes! Any trip can be adapted, but some work better than others. Salamanca and the World of Jamón, for instance, would probably not make sense for a vegetarian, whereas Tbilisi and the Western Winelands works well. Animal products do feature heavily throughout our journeys, and many include whole-animal barbecues, ceremonial slaughter, or other traditional culinary methods that might be off-putting to those who abstain.

    Traveler Rights And Responsibilities

    The League of Travelers is meant to be that: an intimate group of travelers who accompany us to some of our favorite places to spend time with some of our favorite people. That is why we interview all potential travelers. These trips are not for everyone, and we just want to be sure the vibe matches. Mostly, for you, that means treating the people who make these trips possible, from drivers to somms to waiters to hotel staff, with decency. We will do our best to accommodate special requests, but we don’t have fulltime concierge or waitstaff on these trips, we have chefs and writers and storytellers. Our groups are a diverse bunch, so please also come with an open mind and heart for your fellow travelers. And in exchange, we pledge to open all doors we can to you. We promise we will have poured our whole selves into these journeys, and we will do everything in our power to make it a wondrous experience.

    Refund And Deposit Policy

    We require 50% downpayment to secure a spot. Second payment due 60 days after first payment. If you cancel up to 60 days before the start of the trip, the trips are fully refundable except for a nonrefundable $1500 deposit. Within 60 days we will refund everything except the $1500 deposit if we are able to replace your seat, otherwise you must contact us to see if a transfer to a later journey is possible. If we cancel a trip for any reason, the entire trip, including the $1500 deposit, is fully refundable.

    Dates

    2025

    Destinations

    Europe

    Asia-Pacific

    Latin America

    Africa