Italian for "12 Girlfriends"
A Southern Italy Escape · With Your Host: Amber Parana
I've saved a seat at the table for 11 of you to join me for a week at Masseria Petrarolo in Monopoli, Italy as we explore the Puglia region together.
Join the WaitlistItaly needs no introduction. You've heard of Rome, Venice, Tuscany... but I invite you to journey further south to bask in the glow of the Adriatic Sea, to be wined and dined enjoying all the local fare: orecchiette, focaccia, mozzarella... and yes, there will be burrata.
We may arrive as strangers (strangers to the region and possibly even strangers to each other), but after Puglia works her magic on us, we leave Monopoli established as the Dodici Amiche.
And for those who choose the optional encore, I invite you to join me further inland to Matera, Italy. We'll wander through ancient cave dwellings carved into a ravine that humans have called home since the Paleolithic era, watch the crowds disappear as the sun sets over one of the most surreal skylines you've ever seen, and wake up the next morning inside a city that has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years.
I'm leaving "Ohio Amber" behind and fully embracing my new identity as a Sassi Cave Woman, and I would love nothing more than to have you along for the journey!
"Picture it: the sun dropping over the Adriatic, turning everything gold. The courtyard table is set. Our chef has been working his magic in the kitchen. There's wine. There's almost certainly burrata. And eleven women who may be strangers today are sitting together under the Puglian stars, already becoming the Dodici Amiche."Does This Already Sound Like Your Kind of Week?
Before You Scroll Any Further
One of these seats has your name on it.
Say Yes to YourselfII. Where You'll Stay
When most people think Italy, they picture Rome. Venice. Tuscany. Maybe the Amalfi Coast if they've done their research. These are the places on every travel magazine cover, every influencer feed, every "top ten Italy trips" list that has ever existed. And they are genuinely beautiful. I'm not here to argue otherwise. But while everyone has been doing Positano, the actual Italians have been quietly going to Puglia.
Puglia is the heel of Italy's boot. Long, sun-baked, stretching between the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the south. Ancient olive trees so gnarled and enormous they predate most of recorded history. Whitewashed hilltop towns that glow from the inside at sunset. Trulli, conical stone houses dotting the Valle d'Itria like something out of a fairy tale. A coastline with water so clear it looks made up.
And the food. Puglia produces more olive oil than any other region in Italy. The orecchiette is made fresh daily. The burrata was invented here. The focaccia barese is a spiritual experience. Trust me when I say, nobody goes hungry in Puglia.
Puglia still feels like it belongs to Italians first and tourists second. Morning markets. Family-run trattorias. Long afternoons that go nowhere in particular. Warm water, slow meals, golden light.
A masseria is a fortified farmhouse, exclusive to Puglia. Masseria Petrarolo was built in 1689 to protect the local village from North African pirates. The warning bell that rang when ships appeared on the horizon still hangs in the courtyard today. The original drawbridge is now a stone bridge, but the first-floor entrance is still the door you walk through when you arrive.
Set 6 kilometers outside of Monopoli, elevated on over 50 hectares of ancient olive groves with 160-degree panoramic views of the Adriatic stretching from Polignano in the north all the way to Ostuni in the south, Masseria Petrarolo is entirely ours on private buyout from October 2 through 9, 2027.
This isn't a jam-packed, check-the-box kind of week. Think two heated pools to float in, miles of paths winding through the olive groves, bike rides down toward the coast, and long, unhurried afternoons meandering through Monopoli in search of your favorite flavor of gelato. Bougie and unhurried, exactly the way it should be.
A private pirate fortress on the Adriatic. Your name on the guest list.
I Deserve This. I Want to Live My Best Italian Life.III. Find Your Room
Nine uniquely named rooms, each with its own personality and en suite bathroom. Air conditioning and WiFi throughout.
Photos are provided by the property and may vary slightly from your exact room.
Queen · Main House
An outdoor bathtub overlooking the citrus grove and a cozy rustic fireplace inside. If "cozy meets romantic" is your love language, Agrumeto is calling.
King · Main House
Perched above the chapel with sweeping sea views and both a bathtub and walk-in shower. Throw open the curtains and see the Adriatic.
King · Courtyard
Dramatic vaulted ceilings and a stone soaking tub, right in the heart of courtyard life next to the white kitchen.
King · Courtyard
A roll-top tub, walk-in shower, and your own private doorway straight into the Turkish hammam. Made for the amica who treats wellness as a vacation essential.
King or Twin · Courtyard
Overlooks the Walled Garden with a deep sunken bath inside and a private outdoor shower for the best of both worlds.
King or Twin · Poolside
Steps from the main pool. Roll out of bed, grab a coffee, and be poolside before anyone else stirs.
King or Twin · Master Suite
The most decadent of the bunch: roll-top tub, walk-in shower, outdoor shower, and direct access to the large pool and outdoor kitchen.
King or Twin · Courtyard
Light-filled and sea-facing, opening straight onto the breakfast terrace. Pillow to pastries in seconds.
Queen · Above the Kitchen
The coziest room on the property, above the chef's kitchen with a front-row seat to the morning hum below. Small in size, big on charm, offered at a reduced solo rate.
When you complete your booking form, you'll rank your top 3 room picks in order of preference.
First deposit in gets first pick, so linger, but don't linger too long!
IV. The Itinerary
This isn't a jam-packed, check-the-box kind of week. Your official day-by-day itinerary will be shared closer to your travel dates. Here's a sampling of the included experiences that await you:
That yacht is calling your name.
That Yacht Is Calling My NameOptional Encore
October 9–11, 2027
For those who choose the optional encore, we'll wind our way from the masseria to Matera with a few meaningful stops along the route: Altamura bread, a fortified village, the Crypt of the Original Sin. Then we'll settle into a cave hotel for two nights.
Picture wandering through dwellings carved into rock that people have called home since the Paleolithic era, a story-driven walk through the Sassi as the golden light fades over the ravine, an optional sunrise hot air balloon for the brave, and a final cave dinner together as the Dodici Amiche before we all fly home.
I'm leaving "Ohio Amber" behind and fully embracing my new identity as a Sassi Cave Woman, and I would love nothing more than to have you along for the journey.
VI. What's Included
V. Rooms & Pricing
Land only. International flights not included. Travel insurance required.
Double Room
$6,789
Shared with one fellow Amica
6 spots across 3 rooms
Reserve My SpotLa Piccola Solo
$7,777
Solo occupancy, cozy & charming
1 spot at a reduced rate
Reserve My SpotPay in Full
Pay your full trip price at booking. Simple as that.
Monthly Plan
$1,011 deposit at booking, then equal monthly payments from August 2, 2026 through June 2, 2027.
3-Payment Plan
$1,011 deposit at booking, $2,222 due October 2, 2026, with the remaining balance due June 2, 2027.
A $1,011 non-refundable deposit claims your spot as 1 of the 11. All balances due by June 2, 2027.
Your deposit secures your spot as one of the Dodici Amiche.
Yes, I'm Ready!VII. Meet Your Host
Wife · Mom of 4 · Former Flight Attendant · Founder of Ampd 4 Travel
Hi, I'm Amber. While I trust many of the Dodici Amiche know me as a friend, family member, or their favorite travel advisor, some of you may be reading this trying to figure out who the heck this gal is that your amica is trying to talk you into traveling with.
I've personally visited all 50 states and countless countries across 5 continents, and yet I find myself returning to Italy year after year. I'm now on the annual plan, hoping they start offering stamp cards so my next visit will be free! I'm excited to bring you along with me to discover the Italy that keeps me coming back. It's not just the sites (don't get me wrong, I don't think a walk through the Colosseum will ever get old!) and it's not just the food (okay, maybe it's mostly about the food). It's about the pace of life, about stepping out of the everyday grind and the roles that make every day feel heavy. I've yet to encounter a problem that couldn't be solved with a glass of prosecco and an Italian sunset.
A few years ago, I was invited on a FAM trip to Italy. The dates worked, so I said yes... and then immediately started building my case for why I absolutely should not go. I'm an introvert. I normally travel with my whole family, a built-in buffer of five other humans I'm completely comfortable with. The thought of sitting next to a stranger for 8+ hours felt like reason enough to cancel the whole thing.
But I pushed through every single one of those excuses and got on that plane. My luggage didn't arrive until day three. I spent most of the trip working. And it was still one of the best trips of my entire life.
Standing on a rooftop in Venice that first night, watching the sunset spill over the Grand Canal, I didn't know a single person next to me. But by the end of the week, those women and I were asking each other "where have you been my whole life?!" I'm still in touch with every one of them, ladies from Arizona, New York, North Carolina.
That trip is a big part of why I built Dodici Amiche. I wanted to create a space where you could step out of your everyday life, out of all the roles and responsibilities that follow you everywhere at home, and put yourself somewhere none of that exists. Just you, Italy, and a table full of women having the same once-in-a-lifetime experience. The weight lifts. You stop performing and start actually living.
If you have any hesitations rattling around, about going solo, about the cost, about whether this is "too much" for you right now, I want you to know I see you. I was you.
You just have to be brave enough to say yes first.
Brave enough to say yes? Good. The table is set.
I'm One of the Dodici AmicheVIII. Before You Book
Questions before you book? amber@ampd4travel.com
This Year's Trip Has Sold Out
A Southern Italy Escape
A little bit bougie, a whole lotta burrata
With Your Host: Amber Parana
October 2–9, 2027 · Puglia, Italy
Optional Encore: October 9–11, 2027 · Matera, Italy
All 11 spots have found their home. Join the waitlist for the 2028 journey.
Join the WaitlistSpots Filled · Waitlist Open