HEEL OF ITALY (Apulia)

( with Arawjo Tours)

May 13-May 21, 2017

Saturday, May 13

Arrival in Lecce

Lecce is a historic city of 94,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the third province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Apulia. It is the main city of the Salento Peninsula of the heel of Italy and is over 2,000 years old.

(above image on left from postcard) Dinner with Ray and Bette

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Sunday, May 14

Lecce City Tour

Visiting the Duomo

Visiting the Castle

Courtyard of the Basilica (Dianne talking with Apprentice Guide)

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Monday, May 15

“White City” on a hill / Ostuni

(above image from postcard)

Ostuni is a city and commune, located about 8 km from the coast, in the province of Brindisi, region of Apulia. The town has a population of about 32,000 during the winter, but can swell to 100,000 inhabitants during summer. It is among the main towns attracting tourists in Apulia. It also has a British and German expatriate community. Ostuni also has an industrial zone; the region is producer of high quality olive oil and wine.

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Tuesday, May 16

On the road to Matera with stop in Alberobello

Alberobello, literally "beautiful tree") is a small town and commune. It has about 10,700 inhabitants and is famous for its unique trullo buildings. The trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.

Overview of Matera

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Wednesday, May 17

Matera is a city and a province in the region of Basilicata in Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Matera and the capital of Basilicata from 1663 to 1806. The town lies in a small canyon carved out by the Gravina. Known as "la Città Sotterranea" (the Subterranean City), its historical center “Sassi”. along with the Park of the Rupestrain Churches, is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

On October 17, 2014, Matera was declared Italian host of European Capital of Culture for 2019

(above image from web source)

City Tour Matera

Casa Grotta (four images from web source)

Matera Rupestrian Churchs (image from web source)

Santa Maria de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone

(images from post cards)

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Thursday, May 18

On the road to Vieste with stop at Monte Saint Angelo

(image below and comment from Wikipedia)

Monte Sant'Angelo as a town appeared only in the 11th century. Between 1081 and 1103, Monte Sant'Angelo was the capital of a large Norman dominion under the control of Count Henry, who was a vassal of the Byzantine Empire. The grotto (above photo) which houses the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel where according to legend, St. Michael appeared in 490, 492 and 493, has been the site of many famous pilgrimages, which started from Mont Saint-Michel. Pope John Paul II visited the sanctuary in 1987.

Arawjo Group visiting Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel

(image on right from postcard)

(Contemporary chapel)

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Afternoon Visiting Vieste

Vieste is a town, comune and former Catholic bishopric in the province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. A marine resort in Gargano, Vieste has received Blue Flags for the purity of its waters from the Foundation for Environmental Education. The area covered by the comune is included in the Gargano National Park.

(two images above from Web Source)

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Friday, May 19

Free time in resort town of Vieste

(afternoon gelato break with Linda and Tom)

Saturday, May 20

Special Boat trip to Tremito Islands

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Sunday, May 21

Arrival in Bari / City Tour

Bari is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea in Italy. It is the second most important economic center of mainland Southern Italy after Naples and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas. The city itself has a population of about 326,799, as of 2015, over 116 square kilometres (45 sq mi), while the urban area has 700,000 inhabitants. The metropolitan area has 1.3 million inhabitants.

(very old theatre on square and pre-tour gelato)

Arawjo group in front of Basilica of St. Nicholas

Basilica of St. Nicholas

(two images below from web source)

Cathedral of San Sabino

(two images below from web source)

NOTE: 65% images from Dianne cell phone; 35% from Jack camera;

All city information from Wikipedia

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The End

Additional Travel Photos at

http://www.retkuprof.com/TravelPhotos.html