Fabulous trip in Puglia, all thanks to Angelo!
Author: Lee McIntyre
Date: 13/1/2010 hour 22:3:54

For the first time ever, my husband and I decided to hire a private guide on our trip to Puglia, since we didn't want to rent a car on our own. I had read many positive reviews of Angelo's small group tours on many travel forums, and his approach — combining trips to interesting historical sites with stops at great restaurants to sample the local foods and wines — sounded like a perfect match with what we like to do on vacation.

In fact, hiring Angelo turned out to be an inspired idea - as another guest has commented, this is THE way to see Puglia! I really can't recommend it enough. My husband and I felt completely spoiled by the attention Angelo gave to making sure we had a wonderful trip.

Angelo was truly an outstanding guide. He used his local knowledge to pick out places to visit that each had something unique to offer. From Gioia del Colle to Trani, to the Trulli houses in Alberobello to the Sassi in Matera, and beyond, Angelo had great stories to share. Angelo was also an expert on the local food specialties, and his selection of restaurants that he took us to was immpeccable.

While we kept to a schedule, it never seemed like we were in a hurry or needed to make it anywhere fast - there was always time for that extra picture, that pause to enjoy a spectacular view from a vantage point picked out for maximum effect. Angelo brought an enthusiasm and friendliness that made every day a real pleasure; by the end of the tour he hardly seemed like someone we'd only met at the start of the trip.

To experience the real Puglia, don't hesitate to sign up for a trip with Angelo!

This is the way to see Puglila!
Author: Ruth and Tom Spina
Date: 24/10/2009 hour 14:46:52

This is the way to see Puglia!

Our six-day tour with Experience Puglia was outstanding. Angelo’s standards for restaurant and hotel selection are superb. His command of English is wonderful - as is his ready, refined sense of humor. Too, Angelo is always willing to go the extra mile to help his guests enjoy more of the province he obviously loves. The combination of his deep knowlege of the region with his wonderful skills as an instructor has us easily remembering so many important and warm details of this Southern Italian province. The sparkling seaside towns, the family winery, the broad influence of eleventh-century Federico II, and especially the breathtaking views of Matera, are permanently lodged in our memories. The hour-and-a-half walk in Grotte de Castallena, plus our personal tour of Castel del Monte were certainly memorable as well. Puglia provides a beautiful example of blended cultures. Through Experience Puglila we saw early Arabian, Norman, Swabian influences as well as the gorgeous Baroque city of Lecce. We have travled for decades in Italy, mostly on our own. Angelo’s skill and sense of responsbility as a private guide made this a trip that stands out!

Five Stars for Angelo
Author: John (and Dolores) Castagna
Date: 6/10/2009 hour 18:10:42

There aren't enough adjectives to describe the eight days we spent in Puglia during September 2009 in Angelo Coluccia's hands. From our first meeting on our arrival at Bari's airport, through his actual 6-day tour and, finally, his assistance maneuvering us through Bari's train station when we departed Puglia, he was wonderful.

Angelo is not only well-versed in the art, history and culture of Puglia, he is also willing to go that extra step not normally found with most tour guides. We will always remember the day that our camera developed an "alien disease" just prior to our arrival in Alberobello. The camera would not take any further pictures nor allow access to the pictures already taken. As mysteriously as the "disease" occurred, it disappeared later that evening through some fiddling with the camera controls. Angelo readjusted our tour so that we could return to Alberobello two days later, just so we could take those pictures. He even brought along his camera for our use in case the "alien" returned. Luckily, it never did.

There was the time that, on the way to our wine tasting, Angelo stopped to purchase some locally produced fresh mozzarella and taralli. He explained that the best way to really judge a wine from local grapes is to taste it with food produced in the same area. Now, how many guides would go to that trouble?

Beyond Angelo's accommodating nature, there were the fine restaurants with great food and wine, especially Antichi Sapori (in its own special class), the comfortable hotels and the wonderful sites visited. We've made many trips to Italy. This one with Angelo stands out. We would recommend it to anyone.

Perfect!
Author: Dale Mott
Date: 28/9/2009 hour 0:37:46

"Perfect" is the best way to describe our time with Angelo. From tasting Primitivo in the beautiful Puglian countryside to an absolutely unforgettable lunch at Pietro Zito's Antichi Sapori to cookery classses, this was an ideal way to sample the glorious abundance Puglia has to offer. Angelo, thank you for everything!

retired teacher
Author: Hilda Takeyama
Date: 7/5/2009 hour 2:35:53

I was not sure about hiring someone over the internet, but Angelo was a winner!
Unfortunately, he had other guests at the same time but the substitute guide did a wonderful job. We lived Italy as we never had before, seeing ancient cities, and eating the fabulous food. Coming from Hawaii it was very tiring, but we forgot our tiredness just by exploring Italy in a different way! We spent 4 glorious days in Puglia, then joined our group for a 10 day stay to explore the Amalfi coast.
I would go back to Puglia any day!
Roy (retired lawyer) and Hilda (retired teacher) Takeyama
May 6, 2009

An Amazing Trip and a Real Value
Author: Pat & Dave Redmond
Date: 1/5/2009 hour 16:41:25

We did "Experience Puglia", and it was wonderful! Thanks to Angelo we felt right at home in the historic towns, bustling with life as the Italians live it. S L O W, just what we wanted to relax and savor the fabulous food. All the restaurants selected gave us the best of the fine, fresh local products and skilled cooking. The ricotta at "Antichi Sapori" was only one of the tastes we will never forget. Our winery and olive oil tastings revealed much more. Oh, and those cute little provolone pigs! Not having to drive ourselves through the narrow ancient streets was a treat. Without "Angelo and "Experience Puglia" we know we would never have discovered half as much of the architecture and history of this beautiful region. Even the blossoming almond trees added to the local color. After over 10 trips to Italy, we can't believe we waited so long to discover what Puglia has to offer. More people should know about it, and Angelo Coluccia is the one to choose if you want a wonderful tour. All the accommodations were comfortable and in the best locations for exploring on foot each evening. Both gave a feeling of the hospitality of the people. Thank you for sharing it all with us.

My Travels With Angelo...............
Author: Francesca Smith
Date: 12/1/2009 hour 22:15:8

Since my return, I have been having a somewhat difficult time “re-entering” the life I knew before my trip to Puglia. I thought perhaps that through the therapy of writing, if only to express but a flavor of the trip, it might aid as a “transitory catharsis” for me!! Let’s see if it works……………….

Because Puglia has been a mysterious destination to me for the last couple of years, I planted it in my sights and was determined to explore the relatively untraveled region of Italy…...mostly for that very reason – it IS untraveled. I wanted to experience the culture, food, landscapes and history as seen through the eyes of someone who actually lived and breathed the day to day life of that particular region of Italy, someone who possessed an intimate knowledge and understanding of all that that means…….enter Angelo and his unique operation – Experience Puglia.

Experience Puglia offers a traveler as much or as little as he or she would like to absorb during their duration in Puglia. I leaned toward the “much’ end of the spectrum and am delighted that I did. Over the course of the six days as my guide through Puglia, conversation by conversation, ancient site by ancient site, sumptuous meal upon sumptuous meal, Angelo became my friend. And, for me, that was the most unique and unexpected difference regarding Angelo’s services – and the most appealing. It never felt like I was on a “tour”, which made the experience extremely comfortable as well as engaging and, delightful.

Angelo’s tour offers extensive local and historical knowledge, extreme professionalism, and a very passionate perspective relative to each segment of the tour. Each day is well thought out, carefully planned and flawlessly executed. You are allowed passage to the worlds of olive oil, local wines and cheeses, and wonderful meals – all just a breath removed from the beaten path. Based on his insights, the conversations are educational and extremely enjoyable. All in all, my travels with Angelo exceeded all hopes and expectations for my stay in Puglia.

And while this writing has not quite accomplished my goal of “settling” back into my life in California, (I still long for that crostata at Antici Sapori), I hope it may help to streamline travel plans for anyone organizing their trip to Puglia. It really couldn’t be simpler - Angelo and the myriad of treasures included in his services, are only an email away – for me, it’s the ONLY way to Experience Puglia!!!

Mille Grazie, Angelo!

The Puglia tour
Author: Lottie Castellano
Date: 10/1/2009 hour 19:5:6

The Puglia tour exceeded our expectations. It was money well spent to arrange for a tour with only Angelo Coluccia, my son, and me in lieu of being herded along in a large group.
Angelo's manner was professional and friendly. He was always neatly dressed and on time. He spoke with knowledge and passion whether he spoke about the ancient ruins, frescos, winemaking, or olive growing. He taught us much about the ancient world of Puglia and King Frederico II and the two Sicilies. He followed an agenda which carried us along, providing a piece of history at each site, so that by the end of the tour we had acquired a complete picture of the period of time in which King Frederico II ruled. He taught us the importance of the region in winemaking and olive growing.
All of the tour scheduling and various reservations were executed perfectly. We kept to a schedule, but there always seemed to be extra time along the way to browse in an interesting store, stop for an expresso or take an extra picture, or two.
There were many "little" services that Angelo did that endeared us to him. Here are just three. He would remain close by when we were deciding on an item to purchase and would advise us if he thought it was too pricey. He waited patiently with us until the time was right for photographing the sunset in Gallipoli. On the morning of our departure, he alerted us that we must leave earlier because there was a train strike; he drove us to Bari and did not leave us until we were safely on a bus to Rome.
A marvelous tour was planned for us; we had a wonderful time; and we appreciate it. The restaurants were top drawer; food 5 Star; hotels were beautiful, clean, with up to date facilities.
Angelo, from the bottom of our hearts, thanks for making it happen. If you need to provide references, please place our names on the list.

Sincerely, Lottie Castellano & Joe Cavallaro

Puglia in September
Author: Inge from Sydney, Australia
Date: 9/11/2008 hour 7:42:14

Being a frequent independent traveller to Italy, and having visited the beautiful Gargano Peninsula in Puglia previously, I realised that Puglia is best explored by car. Having Angelo as a guide was the perfect way to do this, for someone like me, who still hasn't worked out the eccentricities of driving in Italy ! In September I spent six nights in a very comfortable B&B ,close to the main piazza in Gioia del Colle, and was picked up every morning at 9.30am to start exploring, driving through the fertile countryside, with olive groves and vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, with trulli popping up amidst the olive trees around Alberobello and Locorotondo, the geometric Castel del Monte standing alone on a small hill, to Castellana Grotte--caves that take two hours to walk through, whitewashed Ostuni, beautiful seaside towns of Polignano,Otranto and Trani, with its cathedral dominating the sea, and to Lecce, with its florid Baroque architecture. Visiting the Sassi (caves) of Matera on a very hot day,there was almost an eerie silence, which made you realise what hardship the people who lived in these dwellings until quite recently, must have had to endure . The culinary delights of Puglia were also a highlight of this trip---fresh, simple flavours and quality ingredients, Primitivo wines,wonderful extra virgin olive oil tastings,the freshest creamy mozzarella,sweet cherry tomatoes, taralli biscuits (I've been addicted to the fennel seed ones for a long time!), orecchiette pasta,the best focaccia in Altamura, sumptious lunches with superb anitpasti and seafood (which included swordfish as big as a dinner plate). No wonder I could never manage to eat dinner at night! I wish to thank Angelo for a wonderful week. He has a great deal of enthusiasm for a region he loves ,and of which he is justifiably proud.Thank you also to Angelo's father, who did all the driving, whilst Angelo was recovering from shoulder surgery. I I am certainly looking forward to visiting Puglia again some day. Thank you for your hospitality ! Regards, Inge.

Fantastic Tour
Author: Lou DeMarco
Date: 12/8/2008 hour 2:36:28

Angelo's tour of Puglia was the highlight of my recent trip to Italy. Puglia is a gem of a region featuring memorable sites and fantastic food. And if you ever thought of travelling to Puglia I would definitely recommend Angelo's tour.
Angelo is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and accommodating. And his tour was thoughtful and well-planned.
Thank you, Angelo, for the experience!