A weekend in Puglia you will never forget!

Join us for an amazing weekend in Puglia, Italy! Enjoy a three-day experience at The Aia, in the beating heart of Salento, with plenty of activities that will take you to different areas of the region. Learn to cook traditional Apulian dishes under the guidance of an Italian chef, who will share their expert knowledge with you, get your hands dirty, mastering the ancient art of papier-mâché sculpture, and taste amazing wine straight from the vineyard! Pamper yourself while enjoying our luxurious facilities, including a swimming pool, garden restaurants, children's play areas and much more.

This is a very special package we put together with the amazing people at Authentic Puglia Tours and it will take you to some of the most beautiful corners of our peninsula. It is a well-rounded experience, taking in both the stunning natural beauty of the Ionian coast and Lecce's impressive cultural heritage. Here's what you can expect:

Get ready for your weekend in Puglia!

DAY 1 – Cooking class and a visit to Nardò

You will get a car rental from the airport, and you will get to The Aia to check in and get settled. This will be your first taste of our all-Italian experience: we have arranged for you to drive an icon of Italian style! Fiat cabrios and other similar models will be waiting for you on your arrival. Here, we will offer you an exclusive cooking demonstration and our chef will teach you a few secrets of Apulian cuisine and share wisdom that has been passed down for generations. After the cooking class, you will dine in our magnificent garden. During the day, you will also visit Nardò – one of the most beautiful and most ancient towns in Salento, that has turned into a cultural hot-spot over the past decade and is now attracting artists, intellectuals, and young professionals from all over the world.

weekend in puglia cooking class and a visit to nardò

DAY 2 - Papier-mâché class and sightseeing in Lecce

After breakfast, an exclusive papier-mâché workshop will be waiting for you in Lecce. Papier-mâché is a noble and ancient art, that has been practiced here for centuries and is part of the local tradition and folklore. Papier-mâché statues made by local masters are works of art in their own right and they often sell for thousands of Euros. After lunch, we will offer you a guided tour of Lecce. This beautiful city is a must-visit for art and culture lovers. Not only it contains some of the most magnificent examples of baroque architecture in Southern Italy, it also holds the traces of many ancient civilizations that made this region their home over the millennia.

DAY 3 - Wine tasting in Cellino and trekking in Porto Selvaggio

Do you love Italian wine? Then this is the perfect trip for you. On the morning of the third day, you will get to visit the lovely Masseria Li Veli, in Cellino San Marco, near Brindisi. Enjoy a complete tour through the Masseria, discover its history, and explore the gorgeous vineyards surrounding the estate. The visit includes an explanation of the winemaking process, from harvesting to marketing, covering vinification, aging, and bottling. And of course, you will get to taste a selection of the Masseria's current vintages. Wine tasting will be followed by lunch in the Masseria.

In the afternoon, it will be time to allow nature to win back your affections, after you have been wooed by Italian culture for the best part of three days. Hiking in the Regional Nature Park of Porto Selvaggio is an incredible experience. This park covers an area of 1100 hectares in the municipality of Nardò and its hiking trails offer a relaxing, easy, and yet exciting experience that even inexperienced hikers can undertake with no difficulty. Its harsh rocks and pine forest surround a series of little natural gulfs, where the blue-green water of the Ionian Sea is so clear you will be able to see the rocky bottom teeming with marine life. After your hike, you will get to enjoy one of the most dramatic and impressive sunsets of your life.

What the package includes

The package, which can be purchased directly from Authentic Puglia Tours (for information, contact them via email at vincenzo@authenticpugliatours.com or call them on WhatsApp at +393466044787), includes car rentals as per description, three nights in a double room with breakfast at The Aia, a cooking class with dinner, a papier-mâché laboratory in Lecce, a guided tour of Lecce, a wine tasting with lunch in Cellino and one trekking afternoon in Porto Selvaggio. The total cost is 990 Euro per person. Bookings are possible with 100% payment upon confirmation, by credit card (+3% fee) or bank transfer. Cancellation is possible with a full refund up to two weeks before your arrival, with 50% refund up to one week before arrival and with no refund if you cancel less than one week before arrival. The whole package is customizable according to available time, specific interests, and time of the year.