Tripologist: Where should we go to sample Italy’s best country dining?

We have planned a walking trip in the south of France next May and our teenage daughter has requested we extend the trip to Italy “for a food and countryside tour”. Can you suggest a 10-day itinerary to showcase picturesque countryside and rustic dining?
E. Kinnersly, Richmond, Vic

Order seafood in Otranto.Credit: iStock

According to the food experts, Italy’s gastronomic capitals are all in the north, especially around the Emilia-Romagna region, with Bologna as its capital. However, I’m batting for Puglia in the south, which has a cuisine all its own, glorious countryside and a coastline unlike anywhere else in Italy. Start in Bari, which has the best air and rail connections in Puglia, then work south to visit Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, the white villages of the Valle d’Itria, the splendid baroque architecture of Lecce, followed by Galatina and Otranto. Matera, in neighbouring Basilicata, is optional but fascinating.

Be sure to include Altamura, which is famous for its bread, a tour of the ancient olive grove at Masseria Brancati and the seafood restaurants at Otranto. Some other things to try include panzerotti, deep-fried pastry parcels filled with mozzarella and tomato, and pasticciotti, pastries filled with creamy custard. You can see orecchiette being made by the pasta nonnas in Bari’s old town and burrata, preferably at a farm where it’s freshly made. Another plus is that in May anywhere north of Rome can still be quite cool while in Puglia you’re almost assured of warm days.

My wife and I are planning a road trip through the major wine growing areas of rural France. Can you suggest an inbound travel agent or booking service that could help with our route planning, car hire and accommodation?
P. Collins, Port Melbourne, Vic

The Bordeaux village, Saint Emilion.Credit: iStock

Most of the inbound tour operators that offer customised tours in France charge high prices, but The French Travel might be the answer. I also like the all-women team at France Just for You. Since you’re following the theme of French wine regions, it could be more satisfying and less expensive to become your own tour organiser.

Choose a central base in each of the wine regions you’d like to explore, find local accommodation using the Logis Hotels website or Sawdays and organise day tours either with the Tours by Locals or Viator websites, or better still, take your guidance from local tourist offices which are a great resource in France.

My husband and I are travelling to Europe next year and we would like to do a cycling tour or self-guided tour, five to eight days, Vienna to Budapest or similar.
F. Job, Maroubra, NSW

Utracks is an Australia-based tour operator with several one-week, self-guided bike trips in Austria and Hungary. You get pre-booked accommodation, luggage transfer from one overnight stop to the next, a complete information pack plus a navigational app and back-up support if you need it. You can also choose an e-bike at additional cost.

My wife and I are planning to visit the Galapagos Islands. What’s the best season, and how much time do we need? What other neighbouring places should we consider?
A. Dowling, Gymea Bay, NSW

The best time to visit the Galapagos is between November and June, but within that time frame it depends on what you want to see. The cycle of life in the islands is determined largely by the weather, which governs the food supply and the breeding cycle of the birds and animals. Intrepid Travel has a handy website that tells you what’s happening month-by-month to help plan your visit. Peak visitor season lasts from mid-June to September and mid-December to the end of January, and trips must be booked well in advance.

To see the best of what the islands have to offer, take a cruise. Each island is different and if you base yourself on land options are restricted. A week is a reasonable amount of time, but even if you spend 10 days, the last day would still deliver amazement and surprises.

As a trophy destination, the Galapagos is in high demand, ships are generally small and visitor fees high, and that makes it expensive. The gateway is Quito, which puts the Andes and tropical forests right on the doorstep. Peru is within easy reach and you’ll likely start your South American journey at Santiago, Chile which is well worth a few days. The possibilities for a sensational trip are many and varied. Talk to the experts at Melbourne’s South America Tourism Office.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.