The Culture of Food in Salento & Central Puglia
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Puglia
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March 22-28, 2026
I’ve been spending time in Puglia since before I was even born. My father, Domenico, is from the capital, Bari, and his family home there has been our base to explore the entire region. I’ve since built a career there, sharing my passion for the region through social media, tours, and my book.
My good friend Angelo Calianno, a freelance photographer and journalist, was born in Puglia. He decided to become a professional tour guide to be better able to share his knowledge and passion for his home.
During this six-day tour, you’ll have the time to truly explore all we love about Puglia, from a completely food-centric point of view of course. We’ll wander in small towns and through the countryside, tasting, drinking, eating, cooking, learning, and having fun.
We’ll be based in Lecce and Monopoli, staying in two very different luxury hotels. The days will be full, with adventures both in the countryside and in cities. But don’t worry; you’ll have downtime as well, in the evenings, to head off on your own and explore. I hope you will join me, and let me introduce you to my friends and the places that I love most in Puglia. – Sophie Minchilli
Day 1: Arrival & Introductions
Arrival
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 Via Rosa tote bag to collect goodies throughout the week, and a guide to our favorite spots in Lecce and Monopoli.
Drinks and Dinner
At 7 pm, we’ll gather for a glass of prosecco to kick off the week, introduce ourselves, and discuss what’s ahead. We will also meet Angelo, our local tour guide, who will be with us the entire week, providing historical context and sharing stories of his home and family.
Then, we’ll take a short walk through the historic town center to one of our favorite family-run restaurants. The evening will be filled with local specialties like burrata and orecchiette, and an introduction to the local wines.
Day 2: Cooking & History
Market and Cooking Class
After breakfast, we’ll meet Gianna, who runs one of the oldest cooking schools in Lecce. We’ll start with a market walk, stopping for coffee along the way, before heading to Gianna’s palazzo to prepare a traditional menu, from appetizers to desserts. Lunch will be the fruits of our labor, paired with local wines.
Afternoon
After our meal, enjoy some downtime to relax or explore at your own pace.
Lecce Walking Tour and Aperitivo
In the early evening, we’ll meet Angelo for a guided tour of Lecce. Known as the “Florence of the South,” Lecce boasts stunning Baroque architecture and a rich history dating back to Roman times. This walk will also help orient you for the rest of your time here. We’ll end the day with an aperitivo at a nearby bar.
Day 3: Galatina & Gallipoli
Galatina
After breakfast, we’ll visit the charming town of Galatina to wander the streets and visit the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, constructed in the 14th century. Its unique fresco cycle, which covers the entire interior, is one of the most important medieval spectacles in Italy.
Next, we’ll travel 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. We’ll then enjoy a seafood lunch featuring local specialties, including the area’s famous shrimp.
Dinner
After a long day of eating, you are on your own in Lecce for dinner tonight. We can suggest some wine bars or nibbles or else a regular restaurant or pizzeria if you are hungry after our big lunch!
Day 4: Olive Oil & Fornello
Lecce → Monopoli
This morning, we’ll pack our bags to change hotels. But before we get to our new lodging in Monopoli, we have quite a full day.
Olive Oil
Puglia is one of Italy’s largest producers of olive oil, and today, we’ll visit a press known for crafting some of the region’s best oil. We’ll learn about the pressing process and take part in a formal tasting, discovering the key elements that make an exceptional olive oil.
Martina Franca
Next, we’ll explore the beautiful town of Martina Franca, the heart of the Valle D’Itria. Its significance as a commercial center is reflected in its stunning baroque architecture. As we stroll through town, we’ll head to lunch at a typical local spot: a fornello. These butcher-shop-restaurants allow you to choose your meat, which is then cooked in traditional wood-burning grills. You’ll enjoy a hearty meal of regional specialties.
Monopoli
After lunch, we’ll arrive in the seaside town of Monopoli and check into our new hotel, Don Ferrante. The hotel is unique, carved into the ancient walls surrounding the town. You’ll have time to settle in before a quick orientation walk through town.
Dinner
Tonight is yours to explore Monopoli at your own pace. Restaurant recommendations can be found in our guide.
Day 5: Bari
Bari
Today we will spend the day in Bari, Puglia’s lively capital city. Our friend Giorgio, a Bari native, 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.
Old Bari
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.
We will learn how this literal cottage industry came about and why the women of Bari Vecchia set up tables in the streets to make and sell bags of pasta. They make orecchiette differently than in the rest of Puglia, using a unique technique that speeds up the handmade process so quickly it’s hard to catch!
Spaghetti all’Assassina
For lunch, we will get to eat one of Bari’s most famous pasta dishes: Spaghetti all’Assassina. Unlike most pasta, this one is cooked sort of like risotto, by adding a tomatoey broth to the pan as the pasta cooks until it gets crispy. Difficult to describe, impossible to resist. For dessert a local dessert called sporcamuss, which translates as ‘messy mouth’ due to the impossibly crisp crust covered with powdered sugar.
Evening
Tonight is yours to enjoy Monopoli.
Day 6: Valle D'Itria
Masseria
This morning, we’ll head out to discover the fresh cheeses of Puglia: mozzarella, ricotta, and burrata. We’ll visit a traditional Apulian home. This family-run small-scale cheese maker in the heart of the Valle d’Itria has been run with love, tradition, and innovation for generations. Here we’ll learn the art of mozzarella braiding and burrata making from a master cheesemaker. Then, we’ll sit down in the family’s dining room, to a meal of farm-made cheeses, cured meats, and freshly baked bread.
Alberobello
If you’ve seen just one photo of Puglia, chances are it’s from Alberobello. This enchanting village is famous for its trulli—centuries-old, round stone buildings with cone-shaped roofs. As we wander through this UNESCO-protected town, Angelo will share the fascinating history of these unique structures, as well as his own personal experience living in one! We’ll also have the chance to step inside a few trulli.
Farewell Dinner
After returning to Monopoli, you’ll have the afternoon to relax and explore before we gather for our farewell dinner. We’ll celebrate with a seafood feast at one of our favorite local restaurants.
Day 7: Departure
Check-out
The tour has concluded, and you’ll be checking out of the hotel.
Is This Tour For You?
The Culture of Food
All of our tours are designed around experiencing a place through its food culture. Nearly all activities are food-focused, with generous meals and often snacks in between. If you have a small appetite, significant dietary restrictions, are squeamish, or a particularly selective eater, this tour may not be the right fit. Our trips are best suited for those who are excited to eat adventurously, try new things, and fully engage with the local culinary traditions.
Food Intolerances
Southern Italy’s cuisine is deeply rooted in the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on vegetables, grains, and seasonal ingredients. That said, many of the traditional dishes we enjoy together include gluten, fish, meat, and cheese. While guests with dietary restrictions will always be fed, they may not experience the full range of the food culture we showcase. We’re happy to accommodate where possible, but flexibility is key.
Activity Level
To fully enjoy our tours, it’s important that you feel confident in your mobility. Each day includes exploring a new town or village, with walking up to an hour or more—often on uneven ground, stairs, and getting in and out of vehicles multiple times. While not overly strenuous, you must be able to move comfortably with the group without assistance.
Travel Companions
Many of our guests find us through social media and know what to expect: a full week centered around food, with visits to farms, markets, and rustic kitchens. If you’re bringing a companion, make sure they’re equally enthusiastic. If they’re not interested in food or rural experiences, they likely won’t enjoy the trip—and that can affect everyone’s experience.
Pricing:
Pricing:
Double occupancy (2 people in 1 room): €5600 per person
Single occupancy (1 person in 1 room): €6300 per person
The fee includes:
- 3 nights at Patria Palace Hotel, Lecce
- 3 nights at Don Ferrante, Monopoli
- Daily breakfast
- All of the meals, activities and transportation outlined above
- Gratuities
Not included:
- Transportation to and from Italy
- Transportation to and from hotel
Itinerary:
Our tours focus on small, family-run businesses, so we reserve the right to adjust the itinerary as needed. Days may be switched, activities added or changed, and locations substituted. A final itinerary will be sent 30 days before the tour begins.
Group Size:
This tour is limited to 12 participants.
Via Rosa does a great job curating the days to incorporate history as well as delish food. A fabulous week in Puglia getting to know their friends, wonderful farmers, producers and people! A real insider's experience!
Janet
Your Host for the Week
Sophie Minchilli
Sophie Minchilli is a writer, tour leader, and co-founder of Via Rosa, which she started with her mother, Elizabeth Minchilli and has been leading food tours in Rome and throughout Italy since 2015. Her favorite part of the work is connecting with the people who grow, prepare, and preserve Italy’s culinary traditions. Her deep relationships with farmers, restaurant owners, baristas, and shopkeepers—many from an older generation—are joyfully visible in the videos she shares on social media. Sophie’s approach to life is rooted in slowing down and savoring everyday pleasures, a philosophy she shares in her book The Sweetness of Doing Nothing: Living Life the Italian Way with Dolce Far Niente. She documents her daily life and travels on Instagram and TikTok and also makes guest appearances on TV including the Puglia episode of Season 2 of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, available on CNNgo and Discovery+. (here is a clip)