COUPLE’S EXCURSION

Activities

Your Adventure Awaits

On Wednesday, April 24, you and your guest may select one hosted activity. Check out these activity descriptions and make your selections during registration. Activity selections may not be changed after April 1, 2024.

Wine Tasting and Lunch at Terre di San Vito

On this excursion, you’ll visit the Terre di San Vito estate—located in Contrada Rascinuso—for a delicious wine tasting and lunch! The estate’s land is ideal for vineyards and olive trees, which make it the perfect locale for an afternoon of Apulian wine tasting. From great-grandparents Gianluca and Lauretta to Francesco and Lucia (with their children Elena, Giovanni and Giacomo), this is a family with a strong connection to the land and tradition of working in the fields to give life to Terre di San Vito.

Difficulty Level:

Easy

Includes:

Tour, wine tasting and lunch

What to Wear & Bring:

Flat comfortable shoes for walking on uneven surfaces, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen

Restrictions:

None

Cooking Class and Lunch at Masseria Salamina

Get ready for an authentic Italian culinary experience! You’ll gather ingredients and work them into traditional Apulian dishes. A Mediterranean cook will then share traditional Apulian cuisine secrets and guide you in making freshly prepared delicacies, such as pasta and focaccia, using products from the region. After the class, you will then enjoy the fruits of your labor with a delicious Apulian lunch.

Difficulty Level:

Easy

Includes:

Cooking class and lunch

What to Wear & Bring:

Comfortable walking shoes

Restrictions:

None

Alberobello and Cisternino

Explore two beautiful Italian villages on this excursion! Alberobello is an extraordinary urban landscape in Puglia. It can be seen in all its uniqueness when admired from the terrace just next to the church of St. Lucy (situated on a hill facing Rione Monti). From here, you can see the historic center filled with hundreds of stone dwellings, with an infinity of trulli from large to small, including an unusual twin trullo or trullo Siamese.

Cisternino is one of the pearls of the Valle d'Itria. The small village is known for its hospitality, high-quality restaurants and historic architecture. It’s here you can take in views of perfectly preserved trulli and historic buildings, such as the Governor's palace, the Bishop's palace and the Capece tower.

Difficulty Level:

Moderate

Includes:

Time to explore and two tours

What to Wear & Bring:

Flat comfortable shoes for walking on uneven surfaces, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen

Restrictions:

None

Olive Grove Experience and Tasting

Puglia is known worldwide for its olives! On this tour, you’ll visit Masseria Brancati—an authentic jewel of an olive estate—that has a preserved underground olive mill dating from Roman times and a more recent olive mill dating from the 1880s. Today, it serves as a museum of the area’s olive cultivation history. Masseria Brancati produces superior quality organic extra virgin olive oil, and upon returning to the farmhouse, you’ll visit both olive mills and taste it for yourself, along with a mini course on organic olive oil and how to recognize it. Following the tour and olive oil tasting, you will then be treated to a picnic under one of the thousand-year-old olive trees.

Difficulty Level:

Easy

Includes:

Tour, picnic lunch and olive oil class

What to Wear & Bring:

Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat

Restrictions:

None

Locorotondo Walking Tour and Wine Tasting

Locorotondo is a nearby historic town that you won’t want to miss out on exploring! From medieval-era architecture to beautiful churches, there’s something to discover around every corner. Then, enjoy tasting four wines of your choice at Bufano Winery, accompanied with delicious small bites.

Difficulty Level:

Easy

Includes:

Tour and wine tasting

What to Wear & Bring:

Comfortable and flat shoes for walking on uneven surfaces, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat

Restrictions:

None

Coastal Trekking and Picnic

Adventure through the Natural Park of the Coastal Dunes on this scenic adventure! As you explore the area, you’ll visit the Morelli River’s wetland, olive trees and an olive grove. After your trek is done, enjoy a delicious rural picnic with food and wine trucks.

Difficulty Level:

Active

Includes:

Tour and lunch

What to Wear & Bring:

Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat

Restrictions:

None

Vair Spa at Borgo Egnazia

Sink into relaxation at Vair Spa, whose philosophy centers around the Science of Happiness. Therapists, artists, musicians and dancers join together, using aromatherapy and treatments inspired by the land’s ancient beauty to create personalized paths to happiness.

Massage (50 Minutes)

This relaxing massage treatment melts stress and tension away.

Facial (45 Minutes)

Take some “you time” with this moisturizing facial—your skin will thank you!

Difficulty Level:

Easy

Includes:

Treatment

What to Wear & Bring:

Comfortable clothing and slip-on shoes (don’t bring valuables)

Restrictions:

None

Bike Experience and Picnic

Immerse yourself in monumental olive trees and reach the ancient Via Traiana that connected Rome to Brindisi by bike! You’ll learn about the history of olive oil, from the cultivation to the harvest of the olives and passing through the different production methods. During your bike ride, you'll visit an underground oil mill, a fortified farm, the Dolmen of Montalbano and an olive grove.

Difficulty Level:

Active

Includes:

Bikes, olive oil tasting and lunch

What to Wear & Bring:

Closed-toe shoes, comfortable lightweight clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat

Restrictions:

250-pound weight limit

Grotte di Castellana Caves Experience

The Grotte di Castellana, located in the picturesque region of Puglia in southern Italy, is a mesmerizing underground cave system that offers visitors a unique and awe-inspiring journey into the Earth's subterranean wonders. Renowned for its breathtaking stalactite and stalagmite formations, the Grotte di Castellana is one of the most impressive karst cave complexes in the country. The Grotte di Castellana is not only a natural wonder but also a site of geological and historical significance. The caves have served as a canvas for the passage of time, preserving the history of the Earth and providing a fascinating glimpse into the forces that have shaped the landscape over millennia.

Difficulty Level:

Active

Includes:

Tour and transportation

What to Wear & Bring:

Closed-toe shoes, comfortable lightweight clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat

Restrictions:

None

Golf at San Domenico

San Domenico Golf is located where the Puglian countryside meets the azure of the Adriatic Sea, perfectly nested between the slopes of the Itria valley and the touristic port of Savelletri. Characterized by a combination of strategically positioned bunkers and intricate mistral-oriented design, this prestigious links course winds through gentle slopes, zigzagging among centenary olive trees and glimpses of the ancient city of Egnathia. This challenging course has been home to the PGAI Instructor Championship and home to the Italian PGA Championship.

Difficulty Level:

Active

Includes:

18-holes of golf, golf cart, rental clubs (if needed)

What to Wear & Bring:

Golf attire

Restrictions:

None

ACTIVITIES

Optional On-property Classes

On April 25, you’ll have the option to partake in one of the below on-property classes. Activity selections may not be changed after April 1, 2024.

Pasta Making

plus

Learn how to make homemade pasta in traditional Puglian shapes, such as orecchiette and cavatelli. You’ll then use your pasta to create a delicious local dish!

Gelato Making

plus

Become an ice cream maker for a day and learn how to make homemade ice cream with local seasonal products.

Mediterranean Cooking

plus

Discover the secrets of Italian cuisine and Mediterranean culture as you prepare dishes with legumes, vegetables and fish.

Learn and Eat

plus

Create a dish with vegetables straight from hotel garden! Combined with homemade pasta, you'll end up with a delicious local Puglian dish.

Wine and Olive Oil Tasting

plus

Taste a selection of four local wines accompanied by Puglian appetizers, along with four Puglian olive oils.