“Get a luxury experience in Salento”
(No availability) 7 Day Gay Sightseeing Tour and Cooking Vacation in Salento, Puglia
Salento, Puglia, Italy
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Luxury Culinary Vacation in Italy
Welcome to Salento, the Southeastern-most tip of Puglia, the heel of the boot of Italy. This luxury gay Salento food and wine tour is your opportunity to explore the world-famous food in this amazing location, connecting Ionian and Adriatic seas. This tour combines the must-see sights of the area with a sophisticated exploration of the best food and wines of Southern Italy. You will be taught how to cook like a local, thanks to the support of the best local chefs. Moreover, you will also eat like kings on this tour as the gastronomy included will ensure you indulge and you will also have a day on a boat excursion looking at Puglia from another angle. Despite the exciting activities, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to relax, unwind, and shop!
Meet the instructors
Sergio
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Highlights
- Sightseeing tour in Salento
- Learn to cook like the locals
- Wine tasting of exclusive vineyards
- Visit local markets and learn all about the ingredients of Puglia
- Visit key sights including Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca
- This tour is open to all levels of cooking skills
- Breakfast, 4 lunches, and dinner are provided
- 6 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
6 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 8 participants
Airport transfer available:
Brindisi – Salento Airport (US$ 88 per person)
Brindisi – Salento Airport (US$ 88 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
16:00
Check-out Time:
10:00
You will be accommodated in a double en-suite room in a 4-star hotel or private villa in Salento, Puglia, Italy.
Program
What you will experience
- Explore the top cities in the area, Lecce, Gallipoli, Nardo’, Otranto and Galatina
- Learn to cook like a local with hands-on cooking lessons from a Pugliese chef
- Learn to make fresh pasta
- Buy local produce in the local markets, a good opportunity to practice your language!
- Prepare a tasty meal with the chef - a key part of Puglia cuisine
- Dine in an awarded restaurant
- Winery and vineyard visit to explore the local wines of the region
What you will taste
- Olive oil from centuries old trees with a degustation of several types of olive oil
- Wine tasting of the region’s local wines including wines made from indigenous
- Local cheeses such as burrata, caciocavallo, and cacioricotta
- Pastries and desserts including the famous pasticciotto
- Focaccia and taralli
- Fresh seafood
- Local fresh produce including fave (beans), rape (stems and leaves of broccoli), and courgette flowers
- Italian Liqueurs such as Amaro and Limoncello
- An array of meals showcasing the best of Puglian cuisine
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Salento!
The Italy Gay Travels team will greet you at the private villa they have reserved exclusively for the group or the amazing 4-star hotel facing the sea they have selected for this small group tour. This is where the Gay Salento Food and Wine Tour adventure begins! Make yourself comfortable in your room and make sure to arrive hungry: a delicious welcome aperitif dinner prepared by your hosts is the apt start to the tour.
- Meals: Dinner (aperitif dinner with wine included)
Day 2: Cooking class Salento style and pizza night
After a fresh breakfast, you have your first hands-on experience: a cooking lesson from a local chef. The lesson will focus on cooking typical Salento dishes and exploring the variety of local ingredients used. Cooking in Salento, and Puglia as a whole is very seasonal and therefore recipes differ from one month to the next. Time to learn which vegetables grow in which month!
The program also has a ‘waste not’ attitude so don’t be surprised to see parts of vegetables used that are generally thrown away. Recipes have been handed down from generation to generation and truly represent the Mediterranean diet. The session is hands-on and time is taken to ensure that everyone is happy and confident by the end of the experience. Naturally, you eat what you've made :)
After digesting your meal, you relax by the pool in the afternoon. Get your speedos out and swim. In the evening, you head to one of the beautiful towns in the surroundings. A culinary tour in Italy would not be complete without Pizza: in the evening, you make your way to one of the best Pizzerias around. A couple of digestives or a gelato finish off the evening in proper Italian style.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and pizza dinner
Day 3: Boat trip around Castro and Otranto
After a hearty breakfast, the group is headed to one of the most beautiful towns along the Puglia coastline, Castro. This area is frequented by celebrities for its awe-inspiring untouched landscapes and natural beauty. You make your way to the port of the town and board a private boat to discover the magical surroundings of the area and its amazing sea caves.
The boat ride will last a couple of hours: a dip in the water anyone?
After a light lunch, you head to Otranto, the Easternmost part of Italy. The place is postcard famous for its East meets West architecture and white sandy beaches.
In the afternoon, you make your way back to the accommodation. Some free time before returning to the dinner table: your hosts will prepare a superb dinner, inspired by the best local recipes.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (wine included)
Day 4: Market stalls and cooking class
After breakfast, you visit one of the local farmers’ markets. Here you discover how the locals go about their daily lives. Along with your hosts and a local chef, you will experience the markets in a truly authentic way. Once you have bought the ingredients, you make your way back to the villa.
Back in the kitchen, you again get to learn the tricks of this amazing cuisine with a hands-on class with your hosts. You also learn how to make fresh pasta from scratch. The typical homemade pasta of the area is called ‘Orecchiette’ which gets its name based on the shape that resembles ears. Give it a go and before you know it you will be a master!
Later in the afternoon, you visit one of the local towns in the surroundings and enjoy dinner Puglia-style
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (wine included)
Day 5: Wine tour in Nardo’ and Lecce
Today, you head to one of the best-known wineries in the area, where you taste wines that are unique to the area of Salento. The traditional varieties that are grown include Primitivo and Negroamaro.
Afterwards, you head to the seaside. Just 10 kilometers away from Nardo’ are the typical villages of Santa Caterina and Santa Maria al Bagno, adjacent to the stunning Porto Selvaggio (Wild Port) Natural Reserve. You enjoy a light lunch by the sea while spending some quality time by the beach.
Later in the afternoon, you head to Lecce, the baroque capital city of Salento. After a guided walk in the center of the so-called Florence of the south, everybody is left free to enjoy the city as they wish: a couple of hours for shopping, a spritz, a gelato. Feel free to do as you please, but make sure to join the group again for the evening meal: you will enjoy dinner in the historic center at a restaurant that showcases the local produce, including typical dishes such as ‘ciceri e tria’ (chickpea dish) and ‘fave e cicoria’ (cicory and fava beans).
You will finish the evening with a few drinks in some of the best gay-friendly bars in Lecce.
- Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Day 6: Olive oil experience, Gallipoli, and farewell party with the locals!
After a hearty breakfast, the Gay Salento Tour will head to a typical ‘Frantoio’ (farm-producing organic extra virgin olive oil). Here you will learn the history of the ancient olive groves planted by the Romans and their uses from then until now. Marvel at the ancient trees that dominate this landscape. This is followed by a degustation of olive oils.
You will also explore Gallipoli, a port town famous for fishing boats and fresh seafood. Meander through the little alleyways and see the locals going about their trades. This town will steal your heart!
The afternoon is spent back at your accommodation where you can relax and unwind and prepare for the Barbecue night. Italy Gay Travels will invite a few locals to join the group for an unforgettable final evening around the grounds of the villa or the hotel. Those willing to party can make their way back to Gallipoli, the gay capital of Southern Italy where you can enjoy a drink or two at the local gay bar or dance the night away in its gay club.
- Meals: Breakfast and barbecue dinner.
Day 7: Goodbye and see you next time!
The Gay Salento Luxury Food and Wine Tour is over. It’s time to say goodbye. No tears please: it’s only goodbye until the next time!
One week is not enough? Then you should consider joining Italy Gay Travels for their back-to-back Verdi Tour: discover the best Opera Music between Italy and Austria!
- Meals: Breakfast
Instructors
Sergio Scardia
Sergio is an Italian gay travel blogger. He is also known as Scruffy Gios, the scruffy Italian traveler. He is 100% Italian. He was born in Taranto a few years ago (more or less). Taranto is one of the cities in the beautiful region of Puglia, the so-called ‘heel of the boot.’ He loves the finest things in life: the sea, beach, nice nights out, cozy nights in, great food, and good wine. All this is quality of life for him. He loves the amazing gay lifestyle: gay bars, gay clubs, pubs, gay beaches, gay cruises, gay holidays - in fact, anything rainbow will do!
Location
Salento
Sun, Sea, Salento! This is the part of Puglia that is sun-kissed all year long. You will find people on the beach at Christmas, no jokes! Accompanied by excellent Mediterranean cuisine, genuine hospitality, an amazing landscape, and breathtaking stretches of beaches, it is no wonder Salento is the ideal spot for gay travelers and a select number of celebrities.
A green peninsula fringed by two seas, this is a magical stretch of land where quaint fishing villages and beautiful towns are hidden amongst the olive trees and vineyards that dominate the landscapes. Ancient Masserie (manor farms) have been transformed into sophisticated hotels or agriturismo and wine-tasting estates. Take a hike and discover early Christian churches or visit the many ancient olive pressing mills. Marvel at the natural wonders this area offers including sea caves at Castro and Santa Maria di Leuca.
Lecce, the largest Baroque city in the South is a must for any itinerary to Puglia. Churches and palazzos are embroidered in Tuffo (Lecce stone), and courtyards, secret gardens, and a surprising Roman amphitheater await you in the heart of the city.
Historically, many parts of Salento were fishing villages, and the traditions and customs are still upheld today. Visit places like Portoselvaggio and Gallipoli where you will still see the fishermen at work and fresh markets and restaurants serving up local dishes of fresh fish. In this area craft objects out of papier-mâché and local stone, these are used to create masks for the festivals (not quite Rio but equally impressive). Don’t leave Salento without trying at least one ‘Pasticciotto’, a pastry from this area that has a crème filling.
Beautiful Baroque in Lecce
Aptly named ‘the Florence of the South,’ Lecce is a stunning Baroque City only 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away from the Adriatic Sea. Marvel at the architecture with palaces and churches that line the streets inside the city’s three ancient gates: Porta Rudiae, Porta San Biagio, and Porta Napoli. Visit the castle built by Charles V and designed by Gian Giacomo dell’Acaya. The Roman Amphitheatre, adjacent to the central Piazza Sant’Oronzo, offers an intriguing insight into the city’s history.
Gay Gallipoli, Italy’s fastest-growing gay destination
Gallipoli, meaning 'the beautiful city', is fast becoming the gay hotspot of Italy. Who can blame them, with beautiful beaches and incredible views, coupled with cafes, restaurants, beach bars, and clubs, it is no wonder people flock here in their thousands over the summer. Just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Lecce, the old town sits perched on a limestone island.
The walls, bastions, and towers, which originally defended the town from invaders, now protect it from rough seas, while also preserving the charm of days gone by. If you want authentic charm then stay in the old city but if you are after a beach experience stay in the many apartments or hotels south of Gallipoli, a long stretch of beautiful beach with great beach clubs including Samsara and G Beach (popular with gay tourists).
Otranto
Otranto’s ancient city center (‘Borgo antico di Otranto’) has been recognized by UNESCO as a ‘Culture of Peace Messenger Site.’
Stroll along the Lungomare degli Eroi at the foot of the ancient city center then make your way to the old town. Visit the Aragon Castle and the Cathedral which has a precious mosaic floor and the relics of 800 martyrs killed by the Turks in 1480. If you have time, visit the emerald-green lake set amidst coral-colored hills of the Bauxite quarry, just outside the town.
Food
On this holiday, all breakfasts and dinners plus 4 lunches are included.
The cuisine of the Salento region is rich in fresh vegetables, fish, seafood, and herbs: a Mediterranean diet with a creative twist, and always using the most seasonal ingredients. It is no surprise that the region is developing a reputation as a foodies destination.
This Gay Salento Food and Wine Tour will teach you how to cook like a local, thanks to the support of the best local chefs. They will be more than happy to share with you the tricks of the trade from recipes handed down over centuries. You will have a taste of the best wines in the area (do Primitivo and Negroamaro ring a bell?).
Discover the best olive oils and learn how to distinguish and develop your palette. Puglia is one of the biggest producers in the world. You will also eat like kings on this tour as the gastronomy included will ensure you indulge.
The tour will make sure to show you the key sights of Puglia and Salento: Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli, Nardo’, and Santa Maria di Leuca are only a few of the places you will visit! It sounds like a lot but there will be plenty of opportunities to relax, unwind, and shop.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Spa treatments
This Gay Salento Food & Wine Tour also offers onsite massage treatments for those wishing to unwind and relax if the kitchen gets too hot! Let Italy Gay Travels know if you wish to book these extra treats!
What's included
- 6 nights accommodation with breakfasts, dinners, and 4 lunches included
- Soft drinks, local wine, and beer throughout the week included
- Dinners are all 2-3 courses with drinks included
- 2 cooking classes
- All transfers required on the tour
- Wine and olive oil tasting experiences
- Information material
- ‘Italy Gay Travels’ provides a tour manager for the duration of the trip, who will coordinate all activities and accommodation
- All costs / entry fees for the activities listed in the itinerary are included
- All transport during the tour is included. Transport is in a car / van / minibus
- 24-hour phone assistance
What's not included
- Flights
- 2 lunches
- Personal expenses
- 3.5% credit card commission fee
- Insurance and everything not listed as Included
- A tip from 100 EUR for the tour leader and his staff is strongly recommended
How to get there
Recommended Airports
BRI
Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport
152 km
Transfer not provided
BDS
Brindisi – Salento Airport
58 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 88 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport (BRI) or Brindisi – Salento Airport (BDS). Upon arrival, you will be greeted and briefed on the activities of the week ahead. You will be provided with an assistance number you can call Italy Gay Travels at any time during your stay.
Airport: Brindisi – Salento Airport
Airport transfer available:
Brindisi – Salento Airport (US$ 88 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
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