Expert insights from Holiday Director Marsha

Holiday Director Marsha Kargili has led tours all around the world, but Italy is undoubtedly her favourite destination. She recently shared why the delicious food and undiscovered gems of Puglia and Basilicata should be at the top of every traveller's bucket-list.

Wow moments

Farmhouse experience

There are so many wow moments on this tour but I think one of the main ones would have to be the Farmhouse experience as everyone on the tour says that’s such a highlight. It’s a five-star Masseria, which is like a fortified farmhouse, and it’s just so amazing – the service, the whole ambiance, the food and it’s just the perfect introduction to the local flavours of Puglia.

All the food is sourced locally, everything is fresh from the land and sea. They use vegetables and herbs from their own garden, they use cheese from local cows, the seafood comes from a local market. It’s all simple cuisine but all sourced locally and it’s really tasty!

Matera

Another wow moment is Matera. The view of Matera from the viewpoint is simply stunning and seeing the Sassi houses is an incredible moment. The city was named 2018 European Capital of Culture and the historic centre featured in the James Bond ‘No Time to Die’ film. So when we visit the guide shows everyone where that car chase happened, which is really cool to see.

Trulli houses

Of course one of the main highlights of this tour is seeing the famous Trulli houses. Many people book this tour just to see those and I must say it’s a sight that definitely stays with you. When I first visited this region that’s the one thing I wanted to see because they are so pretty it’s like walking through a fairytale.

Authentic Italy

For me the best part about visiting this area of Italy is that you get to experience the real, authentic Italy. There are much less visitors to this part of the country than other areas and everything does feel more authentic. Most of the places we visit are quieter and a lot of the food is locally sourced as well. This part of the country also has a different feel to the rest in my opinion, it’s very Mediterranean and feels a bit like Greece or Turkey, so that in itself is really unique.

What foods do you recommend trying?

Everyone must try the famous orecchiette pasta that is an absolute must try in this region. The pasta making demonstration at the Masseria is a great way to see how this pasta is made. Then I’d suggest trying different things like meatballs and different vegetables. As everything is local produce the food is just out of this world. These regions also produce some amazing wines so I’d also recommend trying some of those as well.