Drive in Classic Cars in Italy!

           This week Yle will share with us the excitement of speeding through the beautiful Puglia countryside with the wind blowing through your hair and the wonderful colors of the Italian sky.

           You must visit to experience the colors of Italy:    the distinctive blue of the sky and the various greens of ancient trees and new crops in the fields.      Come as a traveler not a tourist. 
Yle today shows us another wonderful adventure for your visit to Italia! 
EXPLORING PUGLIA WITH STYLE: BY CLASSIC CAR
For everyone passionate about classic cars, food and fine wine, Spring or late Summer is a perfect time for exploring Puglia.

There's no better way to enjoy the area, its landscapes, colors and smells. Sometimes people ask me what is the best way to experience the area and after having tried it myself several times in the last two years, I can undoubtedly say that travelling with style is a very unique way to explore.

Many years ago, on a beautiful sandy beach on the lonian coast (an authentic paradise called Porto Cesareo) I met Massimo, a Salento native, an engineer, who told me about his passion for classic cars.  We have stayed in touch since then and when he told me about his classic cars project I told him he had a fabulous idea!    Once he told me about a sample tour, I asked him to experience it first hand and simply adorned the time I spent in those amazing cars.   Since then, we have had many visitors explore Puglia this way and Massimo and his team are lovely people to work with.

Driving a classic car is so stylish.    During one of our recent tours, we met in the main Piazza (Square) of the town for a glorious breakfast (cornetto and cappuccino) and for an insider look at the city (centro storico) – always a good time to take some beautiful pictures – among baroque palaces, then out of town through the countryside landscapes, down narrow white washed walled streets in little villages,  past beautiful villas by the ocean and an memorable drive amidst olive groves.

It’s very hard to remember the tons of pictures we took all the time…without mentioning the stops at a winery and in very cozy bakery where they make some great bread and taralli (and pastries as well!).  

This was very much like being in a movie:   huge landascapes along the coastline, wind in our hair, sunglasses and all the countryside smells sorrounding us.




With his classic cars company, Massimo arranges luxury road trips across Puglia (actually once a year he also plan a trip abroad): his trips range from 1 to 3 or more days and include  luxurious accommodations, meals, wine and food tastings, culinary activities in stunning farmhouses and the opportunity to choose one of the fabulous vintage cars his company provides mostly from the 50’s 60’s or 70’s.

I have already experienced many of his itineraries, all of them including daily touring through scenic roads with stops at wineries, markets, historical sites, castles, old palaces and breathtaking landscapes by the ocean. Guests can actually choose to travel at their own pace or drive with the car’s owner.  Of course, every aspect of the car is carefully taken care of all the time with any technical adjustement. 

As for the accommodation are concerned, Massimo suggests luxury hotels or chic farmhouses, dinners in very nice restaurants, tastings along the routes and many delicious snacks on the way, detailed maps and route suggestions as well of course.

Massimo himself will be the tour manager throughout the trip and will personally take care of you. He’s a wonderful person.    During the conclusion of one of our last tours, he opened the back of the car and offered the ladies two bouquets of flowers of extraordinary beauty. Che cavaliere!  

On June (1^st – 2^nd – 3^rd) Massimo will  offer a lovely tour called “Saperi e Sapori”.     This tour is reasonably priced too..should you decide to explore Puglia this way and meet Massimo, drop him a line to the following email: ingmassimocarrozzo@gmail.com.

More info on his tours: www.messapiaclub.org

Let me thank my friends April and Jill for joining this weeks tour and for spending  such a beautiful day (proprio una bella giornata).

And Tonino…who is the fun and sweet owner of many beautiful classic cars, passionate about olive trees, and who plays the guitar and sings classic Italian love longs. 

See you next Sunday with more stories on Puglia.

Ciao ciao                                      Yle