Tour for a Cure: A Journey of Flavor and Healing
Calabria, Basilicata & Puglia
October 8-17, 2025
Price: $6,200/person
Curata Travel and Pink Power have partnered to bring you a transformative 10-day women's culinary and wellness tour through the picturesque regions of Calabria, Basilicata, and Puglia, where the rich traditions of Southern Italy meet the nurturing power of food.
Designed with a focus on exploring culinary traditions through food, this unique experience blends authentic flavors with cultural exploration.
Indulge in the freshest, locally sourced ingredients as you participate in hands-on cooking classes led by master chefs and nutritionists. Discover the secrets of Italy’s healthiest Mediterranean dishes, rich in antioxidants and nutrients that promote overall well-being. Along the way, you’ll visit vibrant markets, charming vineyards, and ancient olive groves, sampling regional specialties that nourish both body and soul.
In addition to culinary delights, this tour integrates wellness experiences aimed at promoting balance and healing. Special discussions and informative sessions on breast cancer awareness, nutrition, and lifestyle choices are woven throughout the journey, empowering you with knowledge and practices that support long-term wellness.
Join us for a meaningful escape that feeds your body, mind, and spirit, while raising awareness for a vital cause. Let Italy’s natural beauty, wholesome cuisine, and rich culture renew your sense of well-being on this unforgettable 10-day tour.
Keep scrolling for more tour details, pricing, and specific Trip Notes for this particular tour. Feel free to contact us with any questions!
Itinerary
A 10-day culinary tour through Southern Italy. Three nights on the coast in Soverato in Calabria, 3 nights in ancient Matera, Basilicata, and 3 nights in a masseria in dreamy Fasano, Puglia!
Soverato (3 nights) - this area is home to the Italian Culinary Institute, a stunning facility overlooking the Ionian Sea!
Matera (3 nights) - the "City of Caves," Matera is one of Italy's most interesting destinations, well deserving of the "European Capital of Culture" designation in 2019.
Fasano (3 nights) - we will finish the trip in a masseria in the small town of Pezze di Greco in Fasano. Cooking classes, pool time, and visits to nearby Alberobello and Polignano a Mare will round out our final leg of the trip!
Tour Highlights
Experience the rich flavors of Puglia with a guided wine tasting, savoring locally crafted wines and homemade bites amidst the scenic vineyards.
Explore the ancient cave town of Matera - a city that makes Rome (at 3,000 years old) look 'new' (Matera is 5,000 years older!)
We'll take advantage of our masseria 's outdoor kitchen and culinary garden to create some masterpieces in our cooking class!
Visit the caseificio (cheesemaker) where David & Rynn Caputo trained and were inspired to create Caputo Brothers Creamery.
Cooking instruction and hands-on classes at the Italian Culinary Institute, complete with amazing meals prepared by your instructors!
Spend an evening in Alberobello to tour the traditional trulli homes and have a private dinner in a secret garden!
Double occupancy: $6,200/person
Single supplement: $700
HOW TO REGISTER:
1. Click the "Book Now" button to fill out & submit the Booking Request Form.
2. Deposit of $2,000/person is due upon booking to reserve your spot, along with a signed & completed Terms & Conditions. Booking is not considered confirmed until deposit has been received. Payments can be made by check (made out to Curata Travel) and mailed to: Curata Travel, 245 N. Main Street, Spring Grove, PA 17362. Credit cards are accepted with a 3.6% fee.
3. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure.
Pricing includes:
- Nine nights of hotel accommodations (3 nights in Calabria, 3 nights in Basilicata, 3 in Puglia)
- All planned excursions & classes, including visits to artisanal producers and hands-on cooking classes.
- Meals included: daily breakfasts at our accommodations and most lunches & dinners. We curate each menu to focus on traditional regional specialties, accompanied by local wines.
- Experienced tour leaders and local guides
- Private motorcoach transportation throughout the tour
- Airport transfers from Lamezia Terme (SUF) Airport and to Bari Airport (BRI) on specified arrival/departure days/times. We include one group transfer for your arrival and departure at specified times. Any additional transfer will be at your own cost.
Not included:
- Airfare
- Gratuity for driver and Curata Travel tour leaders, at your discretion.
- Any spending during free time, personal purchases, extraneous hotel charges (minibar, laundry service, etc.), taxi fares, and any alcoholic beverages not included with meals.
Each member of the tour will be responsible for booking their own international flights. Flights are not included in the tour cost.
The group transfer will pick up at the Lamezia Terme (SUF) Airport on October 8 at 12:00p.m., then dropped off at the Bari Airport (BRI) on October 17 by 9a.m.
One group transfer will be provided, any additional private transfers would be at your own cost.
A few items of note for some of the destinations and the trip as a whole to help set expectations and better prepare you for the trip. Some of the expectations are outlined in our Traveler Guidebook and the Terms & Conditions form that you will use to register (see specifically the Traveler Code and Traveler Expectations sections), but to reiterate some as they specifically relate to this Northern Italy itinerary.
Cuisine - Our food tours focus heavily on the culinary specialities of each region and town we visit. So when we arrange a lunch/dinner or culinary experience, we are working with those restaurants to plan menus in advance that highlight the seasonal produce, and dishes that reflect the region we’re in. For example, as we will be spending time on the coast, you can expect seafood to be highlighted at various points!
We will be collecting some of this information at a later date from you, but if there are food allergies we need to be aware of, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate them. If there are entire categories of food that you just don’t eat (and are not willing to try), this might not be the tour for you!
Terrain: As you'll find throughout Italy, walkways are often made up of cobblestones and limestone paving. Good walking shoes, being sure on your feet, and staying alert are all key to getting around!
One area of note: Matera. Matera in particular may be challenging for those with mobility issues. The town itself is difficult to describe unless you’ve been there, but this fly-through video gives you a glimpse into the Sassi (the old town, where we will be staying). It is an ancient cave town where dwellings/shops/hotels are all built one on top of each other, and not necessarily in a linear way. Therefore everything is connected via flights of stairs, winding alleys, etc. all built out of stone. This results in some uneven surfaces w/ few hand rails to be found. The tufa stone can also be somewhat slick, especially during the dry summer months when there is a lot of dust. Good walking shoes, being sure on your feet, and staying alert are all key!
Excursions: While there are no strenuous activities planned, you should be comfortable walking and standing for our various excursions or walking tours. You should be comfortable getting in & out of a bus without assistance. With all of our excursions, you are not forced to participate if something like this is not your ’thing.’ You always have the option to stay behind and enjoy some free time on your own (please note, as mentioned in the Terms & Conditions, there is no compensation or refund for any portion of the tour or excursion you do not participate in).