Our Inaugural Trip: A Week at Beautiful, Gay-Owned Villa Cappelli in Puglia, Italy


The Villa Cappelli Pool


Villa Cappelli at night



To reach Villa Cappelli we suggest flying into Rome, Milan or Venice. From those convenient airports you can catch a quick connecting flight to Bari. Please check with your travel agent for other flight options into Bari; there are several throughout Europe.  Villa Cappelli will arrange transportation for the 20 minute drive from the airport to the Villa for you and your party.  It is a quick 20 minute drive to the villa. If you choose to arrive by train, the nearest stations are Molfetta and Terlizzi.

Saturday: Welcome!

Villa Cappelli is located on a quiet portion of the ancient Appian Way, a few kilometers inland from the Adriatic Sea.

After settling into your room you can enjoy a light lunch or some snacks featuring Villa Cappelli homemade wine and liqueurs. We will have a welcome dinner that night at the Villa, featuring dishes made with Villa Cappelli's own Extra Virgin Olive Oil and other delicacies of the region. This will be a good time to become acquainted with your fellow guests and to review the upcoming week’s plans.

Sunday: Fresh Mozzarella

Sunday morning we will travel to the area of Puglia known as Muglia, where we will visit a local artisanal cheese maker and see how mozzarella is made. Tasting the fresh cheese will be a revelation. We will pick up cheeses to enjoy for lunch and throughout the week. 

From here, we will visit Gravina, a small gem of a town with a spectacular ravine. Guests can take a short walk down into the ravine to explore the beautiful caves where the ancient residents of the area resided.  There is also a truly amazing Roman bridge spanning the ravine on the Appian Way en route from Rome to Brindisi.



After Gravina, we will head back the Villa for lunch. Throughout the week anyone interested is welcome to join in preparing meals with the Villa staff.

The afternoon can be spent exploring some of the nearby sites.  There is a rare double “trulli” in the close vicinity of the villa.  Trullis are conical stone homes built without mortar, structures for which Puglia is famous.  




There is also an ancient church dating from 1150 A.D. just down the road from the villa which never fails to enchant our guests.

For dinner this evening we will travel as a group into Terlizzi, which is the town closest to the Villa, to enjoy some of the local specialties.

Monday: Castles & Wine
Today we will visit Castel del Monte, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is featured on the back of the Euro penny. Built in the 13th century by the Swabian (German) Emperor, Frederick II, Castel del Monte is perched atop a hill, overlooking all of Puglia and the Adriatic. The castle is featured in many myths, including the Legend of the Holy Grail.  



After a tour of the castle, we will head to a nearby winery for a tour, then on to a local farmhouse (“agritorismo”) for lunch.

After lunch, guests can enjoy some downtime at the villa, reading in the sun or floating in our clothing optional pool.  That evening, a sommelier will visit the villa for a wine tasting demonstration.  Guests will learn the basics of enjoying a good wine, while sampling some of the local varieties.  Dinner at the villa will follow.

Tuesday: Pugliano & Pizza Pie
Today, we take a trip into Bari, the capital of Puglia, with its splendid Basilica of Saint Nicholas (where Santa Clause is buried — don’t tell the kids!), Cathedral of San Sabino, and Swabian Castle built for Frederick II.  

From here, it's a short ride down south to the seaside town of Pugliano A Mare. We'll walk the winding ancient streets and enjoy the views from this amazing city that juts straight out into the sea.  We'll lunch together at a local restaurant on authentic dishes from the area.

We’ll return to Villa Cappelli for a relaxing afternoon.  That night we’ll have a pizza party at the Villa.  Guests are welcome to prepare their own pizzas before they are cooked in the villa’s own ancient wood-burning pizza oven.


Wednesday:  Fish & Ceramics 
We'll wake up early today to head to Biscella and its busy fish market, picking out some of the freshest seafood you will ever find — right off the boats minutes before.  

After choosing what we’d all like for lunch, we'll stop by Giovinazzo.  A cute fishing village with a magnificently restored medieval town center. Once back at the villa, we will cook up our fish for a wonderfully delicious lunch.  Guests are again invited to join in the cooking or simply relax until lunch is ready.


Giovinazzo


After lunch, we'll head to a nearby ceramics center with a kilm that dates back to before 1 A.D.  We’ll observe artisans ply their craft, with an opportunity to purchase items at the site.

From here, we'll head over to nearby Ruvo di Puglia and the Jatta Museum, famous for its Grecian Urns. Many of the items on display in the Greco-Roman Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC are from Ruvo.  

After the museum, we'll dine in a local restaurant in Ruvo.

Thursday: Matera
And we are off for Matera, another amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll walk the well- preserved winding, ancient streets of this town that have been used in many movies, including Passion of the Christ.  One part of the town spills down a hillside, and another features homes, restaurants, and hotels built in caves in the soft “tufa” rock. After a leisurely tour of the village we’ll lunch in a local restaurant before heading back to the villa. Tonight we will dine at the Villa.


Friday: Hannibal and Trani
Today, we travel back in time, to 216 B.C. and the Battle of Cannae, a major battle of the Second Punic War, near the town of Cannae. Here, Hannibal decisively defeated a numerically superior army of the Roman Republic, in what is regarded as one of the greatest tactical feats in military history.

From Cannae, we will travel to the famous agritorismo Antichi di Sapore to savor a truly special lunch.  

On our way back to the Villa, we'll stop in the charming seaside town of Trani, which features a beautiful port and a giant cathedral that sits right on the sea. Perhaps a gelato while walking the by the sea?


Trani di Puglia


Finally, we'll head back to the Villa for a farewell BBQ dinner with meat sourced from Terlizzi, famous for its butcher shops.

Saturday: Arrivederci
Today we don't say goodbye to all our new friends, but "arrivederci" or "see you later" as we hope to see everyone again.  Transportation will be offered to Bari Airport or any train stations for departing guests.

INCLUDED IN TOUR COST:
• Transportation to and from airport (or train station)
• Accommodations at Villa Cappelli
• Three meals per day
• Guide services and excursion transportation
• Complimentary happy hour every evening


NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR COST:
•  Souvenirs, snacks, faxes, telephone calls and other personal expenses
•  Tourist sites not included in itinerary
•  Gratuities





Please click on the floor plan images for larger versions.




 





Price per person includes: 
  • Room (see pricing below for category) at Villa Cappelli*
  • Meals: all meals – all breakfasts at the Villa; lunch and dinner at Villa or local restaurant
  • Happy hour every evening including wine/the ‘cello’s (locally produced wine included with dinner; homemade ‘cellos’ limone and other assorted flavors for after dinner)
  • Transportation: to and from Bari airport (or train station if desired); the Villa is under a ½ hr drive to Bari airport
  • Guide fees: all per itinerary

Items not included:
  • Personal purchases/souvenirs, telephone calls, massage (provided on request), gratuities.

*Villa Cappelli rooms (please review floor plans for room names and layout)

Standard Room (shared bath): Appia, Pompeii, Gemini - $2,375/person
Superior (private bath): Courtyard, Garden, Princess - $2,575/person
Deluxe (two room suite/private bath): Lavanda Suite, Lupa Suite - $2,950/person

For reservations, please contact info@m4mtravel.com


Note: Upon confirmation of reservation, you will be invoiced by Paypal directly from Villa Cappelli for $500 deposit. You will be invoiced the remainder on August 1, 2014. Deposits are fully refundable if cancelled 30 days in advance (July 23, 2014).

Your Host for the Week


Cabaret performer, writer, actor Tom Judson will serve as host during your stay at Villa Capelli. In addition to joining in day excursions and other activities, Tom will present a performance of his cabaret act on the grounds of the villa. A seasoned performer, Tom has appeared alongside such notables as Charles Busch and Varla Jean Merman in venues around the United States and is regularly featured at New York's premiere cabaret venue 54 Below. Guests with more esoteric interests may recognize Tom as GayVN Award winner "Gus Mattox."

Useful Links

Please email us for more information.

Villa Capelli. Complete information about your home for the week.

Puglia, Italy. The official visitor's website.

Laid Bare. Tom Judson's book of autobiographical essays.