The Culture of Food in Puglia
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Puglia
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May 11-17, 2025
The whitewashed coastal towns, dramatic cliff-lined ocean views, unique ancient architecture, and exquisite local cuisine of Puglia are what my dreams are made of. I am eager to explore and eat my way through this part of Italy, which I have long admired. I feel so fortunate to have Elizabeth Minchilli and Via Rosa design this special trip through the region, where we will stop to explore all the good things the region has to offer: freshly caught fish, some of the best olive oil in the world, massive loaves of rustic bread and hand made pasta.
I’m as interested in the people who grow the ingredients as those who create the delicious food. We’ll be visiting farms, dairies and bakeries run for generations. There is no better way to understand a place than to know the food, its history, and the story of those lovingly making it. Each farmer, baker, winemaker, and cheese maker have their own connection to the land and to the generations of people who traveled that land before them. That’s how culture is built. That’s how flavor is developed, and art is made. That’s what excites me about travel.
I am thrilled to discover Puglia for the first time IRL. I’ll be on a quest to taste the almond desserts, gelato, and cream filled pastries. Pastry may be my true love, but I also love pasta, seafood, and all the other food we will discover together. If you, too, are curious and hungry, I hope you will join me and our Italian guides for a delicious tour of Puglia. – Zoë
Sunday: Arrival & Introductions
Hotel
We’ll begin our week in one of Puglia’s most beautiful cities: Lecce. Our stay will be at the elegant Hotel Patria Palace, where you can check in anytime after 3 pm and have a chance to settle in before meeting everyone later that evening. Waiting for you in your room will be some welcome snacks to enjoy, a canvas tote bag to collect goodies throughout the week, and a guide to Elizabeth Minchilli’s favorite spots in Lecce and Monopoli.
Drinks & Dinner
At 7 pm, we will meet for a glass of prosecco to start our week. If weather permits, we will be on the panoramic rooftop of the hotel. Otherwise, we will be in the lovely salon downstairs. Zoë and Angelo will be letting you know a bit about them, and what you’ll be doing this week.
We will then head out to dinner, walking a few blocks through the historic town center to one of our favorite restaurants. Family-run, this private space feels more like a home than a restaurant. We’ll start our week enjoying specialties like burrata and orecchiette and begin learning about the local wines.
Monday: Cooking & History
Market & Cooking
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll meet our friend Gianna for a market walk and cooking lesson. Gianna has one of the oldest cooking schools in Lecce. We’ll stroll through the town center, stopping for a coffee before heading to the market. Then we’ll go to her palazzo to prepare a traditional menu, from appetizers to desserts. Finally, we’ll gather around the table to enjoy our lunch, paired with local wines.
Afternoon
A bit of rest after our big lunch.
Lecce
In the early evening, we’ll meet for a walk through town with Angelo as our guide. Lecce has a long history and is one of Italy’s most important baroque towns. Often called the Florence of the south, we’ll learn about the fascinating architecture which dates back to Roman times. This walk will also help orient you for the rest of your time here.
Aperitivo
We will end our day together with an aperitivo at a little bar nearby.
Tuesday: Galatina & Gallipoli
Galatina
After breakfast, we head to Galatina to wander the streets and visit the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, constructed in the 14th century. The unique fresco cycle, which covers the entire interior, is one of the most important medieval spectacles in Italy.
Just as important, we will have a mid-morning snack: a pasticciotto. It was in this town, in the 18th century, that the first pasticciotto was baked. These cream-filled pastries are made all over Salento these days, but the bakeries in Galatina still produce the best ones. We’ll be tasting one hot out of the oven.
Gallipoli
We hop back on our bus and head to the coast to the ancient port town of Gallipoli. We’ll wander through town as Angelo explains the history. You’ll also have some free time to visit the shops or walk along the sea. Then we’ll have lunch at one of our favorite seaside restaurants. Located right on the port, we’ll enjoy lunch made with a specialty of the area: shrimp.
Dinner
After a long day of eating, tonight you are on your own in Lecce for dinner. We can suggest some wine bars or nibbles or else a regular restaurant or pizzeria if you are hungry after our big lunch!
Wednesday: Olive Oil & Fornello
Lecce > Monopoli
After breakfast, we will be packing our bags to change hotels. But before we get to our new destination, we have quite a full day.
Olive Oil
Puglia is one of the largest producers of olive oil in Italy. Today, we will visit an olive oil press that produces some of the best oil in the region. We will learn how it is pressed and have a formal tasting to explore what goes into making a great olive oil.
Martina Franca
This jewel of a town is the beating heart of the Valle D’Itria. Its importance as a commercial center translates into gorgeous baroque architecture. We’ll walk through town, making our way to lunch which will take place at a typical type of restaurant in this area: a fornello. These are small butcher shops where you can pick out your meat to be cooked in traditional wood-burning grills. You’ll enjoy a hearty lunch of local specialties.
Monopoli
After lunch, we check into our new hotel in the beautiful seaside village of Monopoli. The hotel is unique, carved into the ancient walls surrounding the town and into the sea. Each room is unique and special. You will have some time to settle in, and then we’ll meet for a quick walk through town so you can get oriented.
Dinner
On your own. We are happy to help you make plans.
Thursday: Bari
Bari
After breakfast, we’ll set off for Bari to meet Giorgio, who will take us through some of his favorite local spots. We’ll start with a stroll along the lungomare, arriving at the old fish market to meet local fishermen. Depending on the catch of the day, you might even get to taste Bari’s famous ‘fisherman’s breakfast’—freshly caught raw fish. Next, we’ll dive into the winding alleys of Bari Vecchia, where life spills out onto the streets. Homes open directly onto narrow alleyways, offering glimpses of families gathered around their tables. With Giorgio as our guide, we’ll explore the neighborhood and meet the famous orecchiette ladies making pasta by hand.
Lunch
Next, we’ll explore one of Bari’s signature dishes: Spaghetti all’Assassina. Unlike traditional pasta, this dish is cooked similarly to risotto, with a rich tomato broth gradually added to the pan as the pasta cooks until it turns irresistibly crispy. After a cooking demonstration, we’ll sit down to try this famous dish.
Polignano
On our way back, we’ll stop by the stunning seaside town of Polignano a Mare for a walk and a gelato at one of Puglia’s most famous gelaterie. Pick your favorite flavor, or maybe try one of their special coffees!
Evening
Tonight you are on your own. We are happy to help you make plans.
Friday: Valle d’Itria
Masseria
After breakfast at the hotel, we are off to an early start to visit a typical Apulian masseria. For three generations, this farm has been run with love, tradition, and innovation. The family will be sharing their stories with us, as well as opening their home.
After a tour of the estate, we will settle into our first workshop. A master cheesemaker will teach us how to braid mozzarella and stuff burrata.
Then we will visit their farmhouse bakery, where we’ll try our hands at making the fiddly orecchiette.
Finally, we’ll sit down for lunch and taste the cheeses, cured meats, bread, focaccia, and pasta, all made on the farm. A feast!
Alberobello
If you’ve only seen one photograph of Puglia, chances are it’s one of Alberobello. This fantastical little village is made up of structures that are called trulli. These round, cone-topped stone buildings date back centuries. Their origins remain a mystery. Angelo will explain how these structures came to be as we wander around this Unesco-protected town, popping in and out of trulli. Also? We’ll be walking off lunch!
Farewell Dinner
This evening we will meet for our last dinner together. We’ll be heading to our favorite restaurant for a final fishy feast.
Saturday: Departure
Check-out
Our tour is officially over, and after one last breakfast, you will be checking out of the hotel in Monopoli. Let us know where you are headed, and we can arrange transfers to the airport or train station in Bari or Brindisi.
Is This Tour For You?
The Culture of Food
All of our tours are about exploring places through the culture of food. This means that almost all of our activities are food related. You can expect big meals and often snacks in between. If you do not have a big appetite, have food intolerances, are squeamish, or are a picky eater, this is not the tour for you.
Food Intolerances
Since we are in southern Italy, the cuisine is focused on the Mediterranean Diet, so there will be plenty of vegetables. That said, many of our group meals revolve around local food traditions and may include fish or meat and almost always cheese. If you are a vegetarian or lactose intolerant, you will not go hungry, but you will also not be experiencing the full range of the food culture we will be exploring.
Activity Level
Each day we will be exploring a new town or village. Our days are often long and will involve walking up to an hour or more. While the level is never overly strenuous, you must be able to keep up with the rest of the group.
Travel Companions
Many of our clients find out about us through social media and know what to expect: days spent exploring the culture of food through visits to farms, markets, and more. If you are thinking about bringing along a traveling companion (friend, spouse, relative, partner), please make sure they are aware of the types of things we will be doing. If they are not interested in food, visiting farms, eating in rustic settings, etc., they won’t enjoy this tour.
Pricing:
Double occupancy (2 people in 1 room): €5500 per person
Single occupancy (1 person in 1 room): €6500 per person
Since our tours are based on small family-run businesses, we reserve the right to vary the specifics of the itinerary. We may switch days, add/change activities, or substitute locations. We send out an updated itinerary within 30 days prior to the start date.
The fee includes:
- 6 nights in 5-star hotels in Lecce and Monopoli – Buffet breakfast in hotels
- All of the meals, activities and transportation outlined above
- A branded tote bag
- A copy of Sophie Minchilli’s book The Sweetness of Doing Nothing
Not included:
- Transportation to and from Italy
- Transportation to and from hotel
Each tour is limited to 12 participants
Thank you for an amazing experience. I really enjoyed meeting the group and experiencing the magic of Puglia together.
Annie
Your Host for the Week
Zoë François
Zoë François is the author of the New York Times Best-selling book, ZOË BAKES COOKIES, the IACP Best Baking Cookbook, ZOË BAKES CAKES, and co-author of the best-selling ARTISAN BREAD IN FIVE MINUTES A DAY series. Zoë is also an Emmy-nominated TV host of A Party with Andrew & Zoë, Zoë Bakes, and Silos Baking Competition, all on HBO MAX. Zoë was formally trained as a pastry chef at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. She has been the executive pastry chef at several Twin Cities’ restaurants, taught baking and pastry nationally and her work has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Food52, Today Show, Cherry Bombe, Better Homes & Gardens and more. Zoë’s portfolio of work can be found on her award-winning Instagram account @zoebakes, on her ZoëBakes YouTube Channel, in her Zoë François Substack Newsletter and on www.zoebakes.com.