GREEK-SPEAKING VILLAGES OF S. ITALY~ NAPLES

Gathering at El. Venizelos airport, from where we will take the flight to Naples. Arrival and departure for the necropolis of Pompeii, which was wiped out by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. During the guided tour we will see the perimeter wall, the forum, the Porta Marina, the Villa of the Vetti, the Temple of Apollo, the ancient market, the theatre of Pompeii and the characteristic frescoes of the 1st century BC. Departure for Lecce. Transfer and check-in at our hotel, in the Salento area.

Breakfast at the hotel and we start our excursions. Today's day includes Alberobello, the village that looks like a setting from a fairy tale and has been declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Sightseeing tour of the village's picturesque alleys, to see its white houses with their characteristic pyramidal, domed or conical roofs made of limestone plates (the famous trulli) decorated with symbols (suns, crosses, zodiac signs, etc.). Next, we will visit Matera. It is built on two gorges formed by the Gravina river that runs through it. The old town is famous for the famous Sassi di Matera (the "stone-caves" of Matera), a complex complex of cave-houses, thanks to which it can be characterized as one of the oldest troglodytic settlements in the world. Return to our hotel.

Breakfast and departure for the Greek-speaking villages of Magna Grecia. It is the main Greek minority in the area. They are considered the remaining populations of the Greek colonies of antiquity, of Magna Grecia and the subsequent Byzantine inhabitants of southern Italy. The inhabitants of these villages, apart from Italian, also speak Italian, the Graecanica, a dialect of the area that combines Greek and Italian elements. Apart from the language, the Greek influence is evident in the tradition of the inhabitants of the area.

Our first stop is Sternatia, a centre of cultural and spiritual tradition. There are two versions of the name. One refers to the endless cisterns that exist in the area. The other, according to tradition, states that in the old days, women had the habit of beating their chest when mourning the dead. The next stop is Calimera, the seat of the union of Greek-speaking people in Italy. At the entrance of the town, a sign in the Greek language welcomes us, "Kalos Oritate". We then proceed to Otranto. It is of Greek origin and was named Hydrounta, because it was built at the mouth of the Hydria river. It was an important port for many years and a commercial-cultural centre since the time of Magna Grecia. Next, we will get to know Lecce, which is described as the "Florence of the South" and "the Rome of the Baroque". Our panoramic sightseeing tour starts from the central square of the town of Saint Oronzo. We will see the well-preserved Roman amphitheatre, the column of the Appian Way, the Court House and crossing the central pedestrian street of the town, we will end up in the square of the Cathedral, where the apotheosis of the Baroque is evident. Return to our hotel.

Breakfast and departure for Taranto. The city was founded by Spartans in 708 BC and nowadays impresses with the grandeur of a metropolis of the South. We will see the archaeological museum, the Mar Piccolo and the Mar Grande, the island of Cittadella, etc. Departure for our destination, Paestum. It is an ancient Greek colony of Lower Italy in the region of Campania, current province of Salerno, near the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The main characteristic of the current archaeological site is the three large temples of Doric style, dedicated to Hera and Athena. Continuation of our journey to our hotel, in the Varcaturo area of Naples.

Breakfast and transfer to Naples. It is plentiful, tumultuous and restless. Like a real Italian temptress, it has vivacity and vitality, intense and vivid colors, but also the largest historic center in Europe. It is the birthplace of pizza and Sophia Loren, it is the soul of Italy! We will tour the old town where more than 300 churches, fortresses and palaces have been built. The three castles located in the center, along with the baroque obelisk of the Immacolata of the 18th century and its port, which is teeming with life. We will see the magnificent Teatro San Carlo (the oldest operating opera house in the world). A stroll in the nearby Galleria Umberto I, the elegant shopping center with a glass roof and great bistros. Free time and return to our hotel.

Early in the morning, transfer to Naples airport for the return flight.

THE SIGHTS MENTIONED IN EACH CITY ARE INDICATIVE. THE ORDER OF THE VISITS CAN BE CHANGED.