Puglia – Italy : Johanne’s group

Mon. 27th Sep : Arrival – Transfer from Bari to your hotel in Matera.
Pick up at Bari Airport to match the Ryanair flight from Dublin (FR 7358 – Dublin 1:00 pm to Bari 5:15 pm) and transfer to your hotel in Matera, 1 hour 30 minutes (not included). Wed. 29th Sep : Transfer from Matera to Peschici
Pick up at your hotel in Matera in the afternoon and transfer to Peschici (around 3h15 transfer) to the 3 star family run hotel Elisa ideally located in the centre of Peschici. You will arrive with time to settle into your room, and to take time on your own to discover the area and why not go for a swim!
Briefing in the evening with your local leader about the program of the week.
Dinner included. Thu. 30th Sep : Walk Around Peschici
Today’s walk will involve no transfer as you will walk directly from the hotel. You will follow a track along the coast, the “COSTA dei TRABUCCHI and the SIGHT TOWERS”. You will pass by caves inhabited since the Bronze Age (II millennium BC). You will walk along nice beach like Procinisco beach; Punta, Trabucco and San Nicola beach; Zaiana beach; Bay of Manaccora; Trabucco, Torre and Calalunga beach; Turkish beach. Return to the hotel following a track inland through the olive grooves.
Breakfast & dinner included. Picnic lunch not incl. Fri. 1st Oct : Monte Sacro – “The path of the Orchids” – 852 m
Transfer of about 1 hours in the morning. You will walk the botanic trail to Monte Sacro (852 meters above sea level) known for the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey “SS. Trinity “dating back to the 11th century. Amazing views from the top.
You will finish your walk, down to the town of Mattinata, nicknamed the “butterfly” of Gargano, amazing with its colours, the history of this Roman city as well as its splendid coastline.
Breakfast included. Picnic lunch & dinner not included. Sat. 2nd Oct : Foresta Umbra
In the morning, short transfer (about 40 min) to the Umbra forest centre. The Umbrian Forest is millenary old forest of the Gargano. For some, the name Umbra should come from ancient populations of Umbrians (a prehistoric tribe of the Celtic branch). This forest is one of the biggest in Europe. It has a surface of about 10.500 hectares and occupies the north-eastern part of the Gargano national park. You will see a beech tree specie (Fagus silvatica) which, going up towards the highest altitudes, thickens to create one of the most beautiful beech woods in Italy. Lovely nature walks.
Transfer back to Peschici.
Breakfast & dinner included. Picnic lunch not incl. Sun. 3rd Oct : Free Day
Today you can explore Peschici and discover its amazing Architecture. Why not also visiting the compellingly gruesome Museum of Torture in Peschici’s Castello which is a fascinating diversion from the town’s spectacular hilltop labyrinth. Alternatively you can relax at the hotel or go to one of the nearest beach around like Spiaggia di Procinisco or Spiaggia di Marina di Peschici
Breakfast included. Lunch & Dinner not included. Mon. 4th Oct : One walk Vignanotica
Morning transfer (about 45 min ). The walk starts inland and finishes by the sea. The itinerary develops along a very suggestive route from a panoramic point of view. From the high, white cliffs that overhang into the sea, looking south, you can see Bay dei Mergoli and Bay delle Zagare. In this site the vegetation is dominated by the ubiquitous Aleppo Pine, Rosemary, Lentisco, Cisto and other typical essences of the coastal area. We reach the Bay of Vignanotica, also known as the Bay of Seagulls, where in the past nested a large colony of Royal and Common Seagulls.
Breakfast included. Picnic lunch & dinner not included. Tue. 5th Oct : Walk around Veste (self guided)
After a short transfer of about 30 min, this itinerary, offers us an other angle of the Gargano lovely landscapes, including the coast along the “COSTA dei TRABUCCHI”. Also you will walk by the limestone slabs, olive groves, mixed woods, karst phenomena and an extensive necropolis of the Dauna age (VI-III century BC). You will see other typical elements of the fascinating Gargano coast like the Trabucchi, the watchtowers, the rocky ridges, the sea caves and the bays. According to some local historians it is thought that the origin of the Trabucchi dates back to the Phoenicians’ time. This important fishing system, still in use nowadays, was built in areas where the sea had a depth of at least five meters, a sandy seabed, oriented in a south-east or north-west direction and at the confluence of sea currents, rich in fish. Reach the hotel at the end of the walk by foot.
Breakfast & dinner included. Picnic lunch not incl. Wed. 6th Oct : FAREWELL!
Transfer to Bari airport to match Ryanair flight to Dublin (FR 7359 – Bari 11:35 am to Dublin 2:00 pm).
Breakfast included. Lunch not included.