Puglia Food and Wine Tour - Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 2025 - SOLD OUT!
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Puglia Food and Wine Tour - Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 2025 - SOLD OUT!


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Join Keli and Marilee in Puglia the "heel of the boot" of Italy. Puglia is a corner of Italy that is off the tourist track and features a bounty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, some of the most unique villages in Italy, and a food culture centered around "Liquid Gold" olive oil.

September 27 - October 4, 2025

Poggi Bonsi owner Keli Sim DeRitis and Iola Wines owner Marilee Bramhall will guide you through the heel of the boot of Italy as you indulge in regional cuisine and the best of southern Italian wines. Our base will be Masseria Petrarolo, a beautifully restored 350-year-old fortified farm situated on 148 acres of olive groves with sweeping views of the Adriatic Sea. The masseria is fully staffed with a chef, breakfast cook, housekeeping staff, and consierge. Service includes daily maid service and laundry service is available for an additional charge.

Tour Cost: 

Superior Suite: $4,550 per person (SOLD OUT!)
Premium Suite: $4,350 per person (3 remaining double-occupancy King suites available with king bed or two twin beds)

A $750 per person deposit will reserve your spot on the tour,* final payment is due June 1, 2025. 

Price includes:

Ground transportation to and from Bari.

Luxurous double-occupancy rooms with king or twin beds and en-suite bathrooms.

7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 7 dinners including local wines. Some evening meals will be prepared by our personal chef, one will be a cooking class, a few will be enjoyed in local restaurants, and 1 will be prepared by our group at the villa.

All field trips and ground transportation.

All cooking classes, wine education, and winery tours.

Registration: Tour is limited to 14 guests

Price does not include:

Airfare which can be arranged through Bob Kerr at Travel House
Tips for guides and household staff.
Alcohol consumed outside of lunch and dinner.


NOTE: Trip insurance is required, this can also be purchased very reasonably from Travel House, through AAA, or travelinsurance.com

Email keli@poggibonsitours.com or call Keli Sim DeRitis at 206-714-8278 for more information.

*Tour Cancellation Policy:

Tour deposits and final payments are non-refundable.Trip insurance is required so we are all protected if an emergency prevents travel. Trip insurance is reasonable and can be purchased from Travel House or through TravelInsurance.com. 

Tour highlights which can be modified depending on the interests of our group:

 


Masseria Petrarolo is located a few miles from Monopoli on the Adriatic coast of Puglia. The fortified farm sits on 148 acres of olive groves and lavender fields with views of the Adriatic Sea, 9 luxury suites, two swimming pools, tennis court, and a Turkish Hammam.

 


We'll visit Alberobello with a licensed guide and discover the village of the Trulli (little stone towers built without mortar). As we wander the cobbled stone streets, we'll shop, and enjoy lunch in one of the many eateries. This village has a rich history in linen production and you will find many examples of fine table linens for sale.

 



We will visit the unique villages of the area including Monopoli, Pogliano a Mare, Locorotondo, Ostuni, Matera and more as time permits.

 


One day we will travel into Basilicata and visit the legendary village of Matera. Once considered "the shame of Italy" this magical town was recently named European Capital of Culture. We'll be guided through the narrow alleys and stairways and enjoy a rustic gourmet lunch in the ancient Caveoso sector.

 



Puglia is the largest producer of olive oil in Italy. We will taste sine kicak olive oils and learn about production as we discover the proper way to taste olive oil while sampling their many varieties.

 


Puglia is a penninsula surrounded by crystal azure sea and our group will enjoy discovering two of the most popular beachside towns; Monopoli and Pogliano a Mare.

 

Pasta us is on the menu in Puglia, and orcchiette (little ears) pasta is a the traditional shape. We'll visit the Marella Pastificio to see their production process and have the opportunityt to taste plenty of varieties. We'll even have pasta making class with our in-house chef and try our hand at turning out this unique pasta!

 *Deposits are non-refundable.

About Your Guide


Keli Sim DeRitis is an artist, entrepreneur, enthusiastic traveler, and cookbook author. After many years working as a graphic designer, a life-changing trip to Italy in 2000 led to a new career. Keli founded Poggi Bonsi, an Italian-themed kitchen store in 2001. Owning the shop required extensive travel through Italy and France to source products and cultivate partnerships. Along the way Keli learned to prepare regional specialties from both home cooks and professional chefs. Keli has been teaching cooking classes and organizing tours to the European countryside since 2014. She closed her beloved kitchen business in 2017 to focus on leading tours and sharing the unique history and culinary traditions of areas off the tourist track. Keli is the mother of two adult sons who both love to cook and travel ... she lives in Seattle with her husband and their two dogs Dante and Remi.
Marilee Bramhall, wine educator and founder of Iola Wines, vividly remembers her first sip of wine; a left bank Bordeaux which paired perfectly with a wonderful dinner prepared by her Dad. That single sip led to a lifetime of curiosity and wonder. After nearly a decade in the WA and CA wine industry Marilee began her study of old-world wines. Since then, she has completed, with the Highest Honors, the certifications for French Wine Scholar and Italian Wine Scholar. She has completed WSET L3 with Merit and is an Approved Instructor for the Wine Scholar Guild's French Wine Scholar program. In addition, Marilee has completed programs with the Bureau Interprofessionel des Vins De Bourgogne in Beaune, France: A Masterclass for Wine Educators and a Five-Day Bourgogne Wines Intensive Masterclass in Bourgogne, France. Marilee sources and direct imports organic wines from top women winemakers in France and Italy for the online wine shop and wine clubs at iolawines.com.  Marilee lives in Seattle with her husband Christopher.