Alumni Campus Abroad: Apulia ~ Italy - TRIP CURRENTLY FULL/WAITLISTED

TRIP CURRENTLY FULL - WAITLIST ONLY

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From $2,395 per person based on double occupancy, air and VAT not included
Operated by Alumni Holidays International (AHI)

Overview
Kissed by the Adriatic sun, southern Italy’s Apulia region is a land of olive trees, impressive Norman castles and charming hilltop towns overlooking aquamarine seas. Settle into Polignano a Mare, a town with a decisively Greek feel and a spectacular coastal setting. Walk along narrow cobblestone streets to see its Old Town and other highlights. Travel to Leece to admire its lace-like baroque architecture and to Ostuni to view dazzling white buildings. Delight in the quaint fishing village of Trani. Marvel at the unique pointed, helmet-like roofs of the houses in Trulli, and the cave houses and caverns in Sassi. Discover the legacy of the famous Hohenstaufen Emperor, Frederick II, with a tour of the 13th-century Castel del Monte. Join us on this exciting adventure to one of Italy’s little-known regions and discover why this area has been settled, and contended for, since time immemorial.

Itinerary
Day 1 :  In Transit from North America

• Air Program travelers will depart their gateway city for Bari, Italy. The AHI Travel Group Air Program offers advanced seat assignments on most airlines; an air price guarantee that includes all fuel surcharges and airport and airline taxes; arrival and departure transfers, including baggage handling; and many other benefits.

Day 2 :  Polignano a Mare, Italy

• Arrive at Bari Airport. After passing through immigration and customs, Group Air Program passengers will be met by an AHI Travel representative in the arrivals hall. Independent Air Program passengers who are able to join the group transfer and Land Program passengers who have purchased an AHI transfer should proceed to the group flight arrivals hall to meet the AHI representative.
• Transfer to the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni. Rising above rocky limestone cliffs and overlooking the luminous Adriatic Sea, this elegant hotel is situated near the historic center of Polignano a Mare, and reflects the authentic character of this quaint coastal town. After checking in, your luggage will be delivered directly to your room. Your AHI Campus Director will be with you throughout your journey to handle all program logistics and will be available daily to assist with sightseeing arrangements, dinner reservations, shopping suggestions and any other assistance you may require.
• Join your fellow travelers for a festive Welcome Reception and Dinner at the hotel this evening.

Day 3 :  Polignano a Mare / Bari

• Educational Focus: Italy’s Deep South
  Bathed in golden light, the primal allure of the Apulia region has been tempting travelers since the ancient Greeks first glimpsed its rugged coastal beauty. Study the enduring influence of Apulia’s diverse cultural heritage on the region’s architecture, food and languages. Learn how the rocky terrain produces thriving crops including the ubiquitous olive groves and vineyards.
• Excursion: Polignano a Mare
  Rising from limestone cliffs molded by the glittering Adriatic, discover why this luminous fishing village makes the ideal base for exploring the southern region. The heady scent of sea, sun-warmed rocks and flowering plants wafts on the breeze as you wend your way through village streets. View ancestral homes, ancient churches, Mediterranean stairways and graceful, flower-strewn arches while exploring Old Town. Experience the welcoming warmth of village residents who cheerfully embrace you as one of their own.
• Excursion: Beautiful Bari
  Journey to the capital city of Bari, a vibrant seaport since ancient times. Colorful boats bob in the harbor, tangible illustrations of the town’s prosperous fishing industry. Tour the historic port, and wander the tight tangle of medieval streets in the city’s Old Town. Glimpse daily southern Italian life—women hand-rolling pasta outside while craftsmen patch ancient doorways. Admire the carved Apulian-Romanesque portal of the 12th-century Basilica of St. Nicholas which houses the relics of Bari’s patron saint. Inside is a marble Episcopal throne and striking mosaic floor. Traverse the seafront promenade where exhilarating views are revealed with each turn. Stroll the renowned Murat quarter, this modern heart of the city is laid out in a rectangular grid-plan and was designed by Joachim Murat, Napoleon's brother-in-law.
• Local Flavor: Enjoy regional specialties for lunch in Bari.

Day 4 :  Lecce / Ostuni

• Educational Focus: Lecce and Ostuni’s Architectural History
  Learn the storied past behind two of Apulia’s great architectural treasures. The cities of Lecce and Ostuni were once settled by the Greek and Messapi, from there the stories diverge. Lecce is celebrated for its 17th-century Lecce baroque style carved from the area’s malleable, golden tufa stone by such masters as Giuseppe Zimbalo. The “White Town” of Ostuni is regarded as an architectural gem due to its Greek-influenced whitewashed buildings.
• Excursion: Florence of the South
  Witness Lecce’s florid baroque architecture carved from honey-colored stone by 17th-century architects. More fanciful than typical baroque, the voluptuous caryatids, whimsical garlands, fruit, crests and lyrical scrolls comprising Lecce baroque are an unparalleled treat for the eyes. Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and admire the elaborate façade, rose window and intricately carved capitals of this quintessence of Lecce baroque style. Walk to the center of the Piazza Sant’Oronzo to see the Roman Column crowned with a bronze statue of St. Oronzo, the first bishop of Lecce appointed by St. Paul in AD 57. Next to the column, the shallow rows of seats within the elliptical Roman amphitheater date from Emperor Hadrian’s era, and once held 20,000 spectators.
• Local Flavor: Enjoy a delicious lunch in Lecce.
• Excursion: The White Town
  This afternoon, travel to the radiant hillside town of Ostuni. Gleaming in the warm, Italian sunshine, the city’s cluster of whitewashed buildings spills over the hilltop and cascades down its side. Lose yourself in the labyrinthine passages, intriguing corners, shady courtyards and narrow stairways of the city’s medieval Old Town. Visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral, standing proudly at the city’s highest point with its symmetrical façade and rose window. Walk the ancient city walls for wonderful vistas of olive groves and the idyllic Adriatic Sea.

Day 5 :  Bisceglie / Trani

• Educational Focus and Excursion: Meet the People and Olive Farm
  Visit a family-run olive farm in Bisceglie for a guided tour. Learn the fascinating history and cultivation process of this versatile fruit and afterwards enjoy a tasting. Local Flavor: Lunch will be served on the Olive Farm.
• Excursion: Discovering Trani
  Throughout the Middle Ages, Trani endured as one of the Adriatic’s prime southern ports. Merchants from Pisa, Amalfi and Genoa played a significant role in shaping the city, once home to the largest Jewish community in southern Italy. Tread the polished stone streets of the medieval Jewish Ghetto which encompasses four synagogues and houses displaying Norman decorative elements. Dramatically perched at the water’s edge is the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Nicholas, consecrated in 1143 in honor of the Greek pilgrim assassinated in Trani in 1094. The cathedral’s bronze doors contain 32 sculpted panels and are considered among the period’s best in Southern Italy. Across a stone bridge stands the extensively restored fort built by Frederick II in the 13th century.

Day 6 :  Alberobello / Matera

• Excursion: Trulli Fascinating Alberobello
  Unusual dome-shaped buildings dot the Apulian countryside, but it is in the enchanting city of Alberobello, that you find the largest concentration of the mysterious dwellings known as trulli. Found nowhere else in the world, these whitewashed limestone structures are pieced together without mortar, their pointed fieldstone roofs painted with primitive Christian, love and pagan symbols. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, more than 1,000 trulli cluster Alberobello’s cobblestone streets. Their origins remain a mystery, but legends abound linking them to ancient Greece as well as theorizing their creation as a 15th-century tax dodge due to the ease of their demolition and reconstruction. View the only two-story trullo at the Piazza Sacramento. The 50-ft. trullo was built during the 19th century as headquarters for a religious fraternity and secret Carbonari sect.
• Local Flavor: Journey to the ancient town of Matera and savor traditional southern dishes for lunch at a local restaurant.
• Excursion: Sassi di Matera
  Hawks circle overhead and the pungent scent of wild thyme and mint fills the air as you descend the ravine to Matera’s rock-hewn cave dwellings known as sassi. Film directors appreciate the area’s resemblance to ancient Jerusalem, and Mel Gibson’s controversial Passion of the Christ was filmed here. Initially gouged out by troglodytic nomads, the tiered sassi are carved from limestone tufa, some showcasing ornate façades. Honeycombed throughout the sassi are more than 100 rock churches decorated with delicate frescoes, carved between the 8th and 13th centuries by monks seeking refuge from the Byzantine Empire. The caves provided homes to the people of Matera until the 1950s, when the population was rehoused. By the 1980s, people began returning and the sassi became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Day 7 :  Andria

• Excursion: Castle del Monte
  Visit this magnum opus of secular medieval architecture commissioned by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in the 13th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s a geometric study of strange symmetries. Constructed of quartz-embedded limestone blocks, the bastion’s octagonal shape forms eight austere towers of eight equal rooms on each of the castle’s two floors, and symbolizes the transitional phase between Earth and the heavens. The second floor’s graceful arched windows and sumptuous decorative vestiges suggest it once held the emperor’s apartments. The eclectic blend of architectural styles is intriguing as is the refined plumbing system that recycles rainwater. Lacking any defense features, it’s theorized the castle may have been used as a hunting lodge and personal retreat.
• Cultural Event: Italian wine production can be traced back to ancient times, and Apulia produces more wine than any other part of the country. Visit a working winery and learn about traditional Italian wine-making methods used to transform the region’s sun-drenched autochthonous grapes into ambrosial reds, roses and whites. Sample regional varieties.
• Local Flavor: Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Day 8 :  Polignano a Mare

• Educational Focus: Italy and Apulia Today
  Once comprised of nine separate kingdoms, in 2011, Italy celebrated the 150th anniversary of its unification as a single state. Join a discussion concerning contemporary Italian society. Learn how a country which has had more than 60 governments since World War II, and currently has 74 registered political parties, still functions effectively. And discover how the rich cultural heritage, traditional values and slower pace of southern Apulia compares with its northern neighbors.
• Independent Exploration: Enjoy a day at leisure for further exploration of the village, caves and grottoes of Polignano a Mare, or investigate other intriguing areas of the sun-washed southern countryside.
• Celebrate with fellow travelers at a Farewell Reception and Dinner at the hotel.

Day 9 :  In Transit to North America
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flights to North America. Transfer and flights are provided for Air Program participants.

Note: Itinerary sequence and/or scheduled events may change. Many excursions in this program involve an element of walking.

Accommodations
Seven nights in Polignano a Mare, Italy, at the first-class Hotel Covo dei Saraceni: Above a rocky promontory overlooking the luminous Adriatic Sea, the 4-star Hotel Covo Dei Saraceni is situated near the historic center of Polignano a Mare, reflecting the authentic character of this quaint coastal town. After an active day of exploring, unwind with a glass of wine or a meal at Il Bastione. The hotel’s restaurant offers terrace seating with panoramic views, and specializes in fresh seafood and delicious regional cuisine. Each spacious room showcases a stunning view of the cobalt sea, and features wrought-iron accents, ceramic tile flooring, and air conditioning.

Activities and Events

• Informative educational programs presented by local experts will enhance your insight into the region:
  History, Agriculture and Beauty of the Apulia Region
  The History and Architecture of Lecce and Ostuni
  Meet the People: visit a family-owned and-operated olive farm to sample its product
  Contemporary Italy and Apulia
• Personal VOX listening devices allow you to hear every word from your expert English-speaking guides.
• All excursions:
  -Highlights of Polignano a Mare
  -Discover picturesque Bari, capital of the Apulia region.
  -See Lecce, called the Florence of the South, and its beautiful architecture.
  -Immerse yourself in medieval Trani.
  -Wander the narrow, whitewashed streets in Ostuni.
  -See truly unique houses with their pointed, helmet-like roofs in Trulli.
  -Visit Frederick II’s mysterious Castel del Monte.
  -Sample regional wines on a winery tour.
• Attend a Welcome Reception and Dinner.
• Gather for a Farewell Reception and Graduation Ceremony followed by a Farewell Dinner.

Extensive Meal Program

• Enjoy seven breakfasts, five lunches and four dinners; tea or coffee with all meals, wine with dinner.
• Sample authentic regional specialties during select meals at featured local restaurants.
• Take advantage of leisure time to try the local cuisine independently.

Many Included Extras

• Consultation services of a dedicated Passenger Service Representative prior to departure.
• Services of an experienced AHI Travel Director throughout your trip.
• Detailed travel and destination information to assist in your planning.
• Tipping of excursion guides and drivers.
• Complimentary travel wallet.

Air Program
For your convenience, AHI offers a flexible Air Program featuring special air fares available at an additional cost in conjunction with the Land Program.
AHI has designated specific Group Air Schedules for this departure utilizing scheduled, round-trip jet service between North America and Bari, Italy. Those participating on these flights will enjoy:

• Transfers between the arrival/departure airports, including baggage handling.
• Prices are dependent upon dates, air routes and class of service chosen and will be reflected on your Reservation Confirmation, which will be sent to you upon receipt of your reservation. Air schedules will be sent with your Final Invoice approximately 90 days before departure.
• Prices quoted to you will include all domestic and foreign governmental airport departure taxes and fees and any applicable fuel surcharges.
• AHI ticketed passengers will also receive Automatic $250,000 Flight Insurance, subject to policy terms.