Jewish Heritage in the Italian Peninsula
KOSHER
Jewish Apulia and Basilicata Tour
8 days: 3rd May - 10th May 2023
DAY 1
Wednesday, 3rd May
Overnight: BARI 4 ★ Hotel Oriente or similar
Approx. at 7:00 PM- Arrival at the international airport of Bari, Transfer to Hotel.
Meet your tour guide.
8:30 PM Welcome dinner in a local restaurant.
Overnight: BARI
DAY 2
Thursday, 4th May
Overnight: BARI 4 ★ Hotel Oriente or similar
Transfer to the city of Trani and visit the Giudecca quarter with the active synagogue of Scalanova, Swebian castle dominating the sea and Romanesque cathedral.
Transfer from Trani to Castel del Monte area.
Lunch in a local restaurant.
After lunch visit the most representative castle of the region: Castel del Monte, built by Fedrick II who also ruled Jerusalem. Learn about his figure and his relation to Jewish culture.
Back to the city center of Bari and a short stroll along the Apulian-Romanesque monuments: Norman Castle, Jewish catacomb, Duomo of Saint Nicholas, promenade by the sea.
Dinner on own
Overnight: BARI
DAY 3
Friday, 5th May
Overnight: BARI 4 ★ Hotel Oriente or similar
Transfer to Matera historical center and guided visit to one of the most interesting, unusual, and memorable tourist destinations in Italy. It is a town famous for its extensive cave-dwelling districts, the Sassi. Wander the lanes alongside the picturesque cave-filled cliffs and learn the history of this fascinating place that has been inhabited for centuries. Visit the cave churches and the old Jewish quarter.
Lunch in a local restaurant.
After lunch Driving back to our hotel in Bari for a relaxed afternoon and preparation for Shabbat
Shabbat Dinner in a local rest.
Overnight: Bari
DAY 4
Saturday, 6th May
Overnight: LECCE 4 ★ 8 PiuHotel or similar
After breakfast transfer to Alberobello and guided visit of the picturesque Trulli village including the visit of the casa rossa, which between 1940 and 1943, was populated by people coming from British colonies, Jews from Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, ending in Auschwitz
Transfer to the Ostuni area in order to visit the olive oil farm, learn about olive oil production in Apulia, visit the ancient olive trees and mill, and Olive oil tasting.
Lunch on an Olive oil Farm.
After lunch depart for a visit and walking tour of the city of Ostuni. Rising high above the vast olive-carpeted plateau of the lower Murgia, Ostuni has long been an awe-inspiring sight for those traveling across Puglia. Strong defensive walls and tumbling clusters of white-washed houses wind around the hillside, at the top of which, proudly surveying the surrounding land, sits the magnificent Gothic cathedral.
Continue to Lecce and check in hotel
Dinner in local rest
Overnight: Lecce
DAY 5
Sunday, 7th May
Overnight: LECCE 4 ★ 8 PiuHotel or similar
After breakfast depart for a guided tour of the Medieval Lecce: old Jewish neighborhood, Belloluogo tower st. Niccolò and Cataldo Church and its monastery, where a fresco displays the conversion of a Jew to Catholicism through the ritual of baptism. Continue with a Guided tour of the historic center of Lecce: the majestic Santa Croce Church, the nearby Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the Roman Column and the remains of the huge Roman Amphitheatre, Piazza Duomo, the Seminary, the elegant Bell Tower, and the superb Cathedral.
Lunch on your own at the city of Lecce.
After lunch, continue to Palazzo Taurino, Meeting with Fabrizio Lelli (Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature, University of Salento and Director of Palazzo Taurino – Medieval Jewish Lecce). Prof. Lelli will introduce you to the main phases of Jewish history in Lecce and will show you around the Jewish Museum, which stands on the remains of a 15th -century Synagogue.
Enjoy a drink: sipping Kosher Salento wine and tasting local Kosher products.
Dinner in a local restaurant.
Overnight: Lecce
DAY 6
Monday, 8th May
Overnight: LECCE 4 ★ 8 PiuHotel or similar
Transfer to Nardò and a guided tour of the still partly enclosed within its medieval walls town: the old Jewish section and Le Cenate, an area known for its elegant 18th to early 20th century villas, used after WWII to accommodate Jewish refugees in the local DP Camp.
Transfer to Santa Maria al Bagno. This picturesque sea-front village hosted, between 1944 and 1947 Jewish refugees who had survived the Holocaust. visit the Jewish Museum (Museo della Memoria e dell’Accoglienza) with its unique murals.
Lunch in Santa Maria al Bagno.
Departure for Gallipoli and guided tour of the old town center, an island only reachable by a bridge, with its lovely Baroque architecture and breath-taking views of the radiant colors of the Ionian Sea. Back To Lecce
Dinner on your own.
Overnight: Lecce
DAY 7
Tuesday, 9th May
Overnight: LECCE 4 ★ 8 PiuHotel or similar
Departure to the Mediaeval city of Otranto for a half day tour… walk around the city bastions, and visit the Aragonese castle and the famous cathedral, consecrated in 1088 and adorned with a fine mosaic floor representing the months and the Old Testament. Visit the church Crypt supported by 42 marble columns and the nearby church of San Peter with its Byzantine frescoes.
Free time for lunch on your own in the city of Otranto. back to Lecce
Free afternoon
Farewell dinner in a local restaurant in Lecce.
Overnight: Lecce
DAY 8
Wednesday, 10th May
Late departure from Lecce to Bari international airport (2 hours driving).
*10-12 May possibility to extend the tour and stay extra nights in Lecce –
€240 per double room, €200 for a single room, for the 2 nights B&B – transportation to airport and meals on your own.
Board:
Daily breakfast in hotels, Lunches, and Dinner as per the list:
May 3 – Dinner
May 4 – Lunch local restaurant
May 5 – Lunch local restaurant, Shabbat dinner local restaurant
May 6 – Lunch at Olive oil Farm, Dinner in a local restaurant
May 7 – Dinner in a local restaurant
May 8 – Lunch local restaurant
May 9 – Dinner local Restaurant
May 10 – Light Lunch
Transportation:
- Air Conditioned Tourist Bus minimum 48 seats
- Group transfers upon Arrival and departure
- 7 Days Sightseeing
- Water on the bus for guests
- Overnights and meals to driver
Guide: 7 days leading and guiding:
Moshe Ben Simon, local guides when needed.
Includes:
- All entrances fees and attractions according to the itinerary
- Beverage in meals 2 glasses of wine, water, and Sparkling water
- Porterage at hotels
- Whisper System
NOT INCLUDES:
- PCR/Antigen test upon arrival or departure – IF NEEDED.
- Any other meals not mentioned
- Personal expenses, beverages, and insurance
- Border tax/visas/flights
- Additional costs arising from a direct relating to dealing with covid-19
Price Per Person: in Euro €
By 20-30 €2250
Single supplement €400