FAQ

Cycling in Puglia is a wonderful experience, offering varied landscapes, sea views, good food and a relaxed pace. However, there are a few practical things you should know to avoid any unexpected problems.

Terrain and roads

Puglia is generally:

• flat (perfect for long distances)
• often windy, especially along the coast

Cycle paths are limited, so you will often be cycling on normal roads, minor roads or quiet country lanes.

Please note:

• Traffic near towns (on the way in and out).
• Road surfaces in the countryside are not always in perfect condition.

Climate and when to go:

Summer: very hot (up to 35–40°C).

• Spring/autumn: ideal
• Winter: mild but windier

Water and food:

In villages, you will always find bars, restaurants and shops, but depending on your arrival time, they may be closed. During the off-peak months, bars and shops may close for a few hours in the afternoon (this varies from village to village).

Always try to carry a supply of water and snacks with you.

The water in Puglia is safe to drink and is available from public taps. There are also several fountains where you can fill your water bottle.

The local food is perfect for cyclists looking for a quick lunch break.

• Bari-style focaccia
• panzerotti
• Sandwiches
• Fresh fruit

Where to stay:

• B&Bs and holiday homes everywhere
• Masserie (a traditional experience)
• Trulli
• Alberghi diffusi

Bicycle assistance:

• Easily available in towns
• Scarce in small villages, but Puglia Cycle Tours provides telephone support for troubleshooting and arranging assistance.
• A map of all bike repair shops is provided by Puglia Cycle Tours.

Basic skills for a cycling trip:

• Knowing how to change an inner tube

Public transport:

– Trains:

• connect the main cities well (e.g. Bari–Lecce).
• Allow bikes on board

– The Ferrovie del Sud Est are useful for travelling inland.

Buses:

• Also cover smaller towns.

However, they are not very practical for carrying bikes, so use them only as an alternative, perhaps for travelling to or from the airport, as they take longer.

Taxis and transport:

• Available in cities
• rare in villages
• Alternative: private hire car transfer services can be booked with the assistance of Puglia Cycle Tours.

Important:

• Best to book in advance.
• They rarely stop on the street.

Payments: Cards accepted almost everywhere.

• Accepted almost everywhere

Cash:

Still useful for:

– small bars

– villages

– small amounts

Tip:

Always carry €20–50 in cash.

In restaurants, there is a charge called ‘coperto’, which costs around 2–3 euros. This fee is paid for seating, bread and oil.

Tips:

• Not compulsory
• Service is often already included.

Good practice:

Round up the bill.

• Leave a tip if you’ve had a good experience.

Opening hours and daily life

Typical Apulian routine:

• morning: 8.30 am–1.00 pm
• lunch break: 1.00 pm–4.30 pm (almost everything is closed in the villages!)
• evening: 4.30 pm–8.30 pm

Restaurants:

• lunch: 12.30–14.30
• dinner: after 19.30/20.00

Toilets

• few public toilets
• solution: bars (minimum purchase required)

Culture and atmosphere

• very welcoming people
• slow and relaxed pace
• in small villages, little English is spoken

But:

• asking for help always works; everyone is always enthusiastic and willing to help a traveller

Essential to always have with you

• take a windproof jacket and a rain jacket with you
• take sun cream with you

Well, we do guided tours (with an expert guide who rides with you every day) for those of you who prefer to have a leader and just relax and enjoy the Giro di Puglia tour without having to worry about anything else other than “shall we stop here for a drink and a snack” or “where shall we have dinner this evening” . rest assure than even for these very tough questions you will be able to count on your guide who has tried and tested most of them especially for you! You can choose between 8 or 15 days or even go for a  custom guided  tour, following your requests and needs.

For the more autonomous travellers we have the self-guided tours. In this case we provide tracks to direct you from one accommodation to the next one every day, together with all the information you could possibly need to decide where to enjoy the historical and of course culinary highlights of Puglia along the way. This is not a group ride and everyone can decide how to organize th day. There are chances to meet some of your colleagues along the way to share experiences and emotions.  You do not need to carry your own luggage since we transfer them between the different accommodations and you also get 7/7 phone assistance.  5, 6, 8, 9 or 12 days are the lengths of our standard tours but again you have the option to personalize the tour based on your fitness level or the specific places you want to see.

For those who want a truly customized holiday, based on personal requests and desires, we offer the possibility to create custom tours. One of our operators will hear your needs, plan and design the tour with you, in every detail. For a unique and unforgettable trip in Puglia!

We are also ready to organize daily activities, to allow you to know our region in all its beauty, according to the time at your disposal.

We have one more category, our Bike & Trulli, which is perfect for those of you that want to ride a bike but also relax and sip on a nice glass of local wine while sunbathing by the pool in the quiet countryside. We give you bikes and tracks, but you decide when and how far you want to ride, with all tracks starting and ending at the accommodation, which is a beautiful trullo-house in the Apulian countryside. This is also an ideal solution for families with kids who want to give bike touring a go without the stress of the young ones getting tired way before reaching your next hotel.

Short answer: the fitter and the more used to cycling you are, the longer and further you can bike without difficulties. Having said that, all our standard tours are between 3 levels Easy, Gentle and Moderate, so even if you are no longer in that great shape you used to be a couple of years ago, you should be able to manage just fine if you do some form of exercise frequently. The average daily distance ranges between 35km and 50km and the maximum daily distance is 60km. If you need some help or just want to give them a try, we also have e-bikes to make the trip even easier for you to enjoy.
For the athletes and adventurers amongst you, who laugh with contempt when reading those distances, fear not! We reserved two levels for you, Active and Challenging, in our bespoke tours, just let us know how long and how far you want to ride and we can build you a tour that will have you sweating lactic acid from every pore.

All tours include the different overnight stays in typical guest houses or 4* hotels with breakfast, luggage transport, medical and luggage insurance,  phone assistance from 7am to 7pm, a detailed briefing at the start and touristic information. For the guided tours you also get an English-speaking guide and the self-guided tours will provide a GPS device with tracks  along with useful info about your daily route. Some tours also have a number of dinners included, please refer to the specific tour (or contact us) for more details.

First of all city taxes can be applied and have to be paid on site where required. Next we have hybrid bike, road bike and e-bike rental and very useful and recommended accessories like helmets and panniers. The standard tour price includes the double occupancy in each accommodation,  single room supplement starts from 30€ per night.  We can also provide you with a private transfer service from the airport to your starting point and/or from your destination point back to the airport before flying back home. And for those who like to tour on a bike but still love some extra luxury we can book a 5* upgrade depending on availability.

Easy, on every tour page of our website, you should find a large button that says “BOOK NOW”, so just click on that, fill in the necessary information and our very friendly staff starts to check availability with all the different hotels. Once we have that sorted out, we will send you everything you need for the payments and as soon as you make the down payment for 25% of the total price your first Puglia Cycle Tour is booked!
The final payment is only due one month before the start of your tour. At that time, we will send you a tour program including touristic and track information for every day of your tour. When you arrive in Puglia, one of our representatives will explain you everything at the welcome briefing in your accommodation.

Bank transfer and Credit Card are the accepted payment methods. We use TsPay system to make the payment.
To confirm the booking we ask a down payment of 25%, the final payment is due one month before the departure date of your cycling holiday.

Nobody wants to cancel a reservation, but sometimes you have no choice and we can understand that. Just contact us and we will do whatever necessary.
The cancellation costs depend on how long before the scheduled departure date you cancel:
– between 60 and 31 days prior to arrival, 10% of the total booking.
– between 30 and 15 days prior to arrival, 25% of the total booking.
– between 14 and 9 days prior to arrival, 50% of the total booking.
– between 8 and 3 days prior to arrival, 75% of the total booking.
– between 3 and 0 days prior to arrival, 100% of the total booking.

Only if you ask nicely. Seriously, we offer a discount for groups of more than six persons so make sure to bring your friends along on the trip.

We have selected some of the best typical, bike-friendly accommodations in Puglia, equipped with all the comfort a bicycle traveller may need. Here are some of the typologies, depending on availability:

• Matera: Hotel close to the Sassi District
• San Basilio: 4-star Masseria in the “Terra delle Gravine” countryside
• Putignano: B&B in the old town
• Alberobello: authentic trullo in the heart of the old town
• Monopoli: cosy typical accommodation of the historic centre
• Ostuni: 4-star hotel in the centre of the “white city”
• Borgagne: B&B built around a sixteenth-century tower
• Otranto: 4* hotel in the city centre
• Lecce: comfortable Bed and Breakfast in the old town
• Bari: 4-star Design Hotel in the city centre
• Brindisi: a comfortable and fine 4-star hotel in the city centre
• Itria Valley/Figazzano: trulli with swimming pool (self-catering or 5* option available)

Yes, you can! If you want to add that extra night in the same accommodation, we will check availability and let you know the additional cost before confirming. Also, we can find alternatives in other cities, for instance close to the airport if you need to start or end your tour in Puglia with a stay there.

Yes but we suggest you to look at our suggestions and pick up your favourite restaurant in town!  Anyway, we could provide half board during your tour, this gives you evening dinner in every location where you will be staying. The supplement for this depends on the duration of your tour. Remember that breakfast, the most important meal of the day, is always included.

Depending on the tour and the availability we can provide even more comfort and luxury during your holiday. This can be done with different room categories in the usual hotels or by changing to a higher grade accommodation in the same city.

Like always, we have a few options depending on where you come from and where you need to go.
The easiest option is to use our private transfers from the airport to the starting point end back from the last accommodation to the airport. Our van will pick you up with your luggage and drop you off where you need to be without the need for waiting running around from a train station to another bus station. Please, contact us and ask for an estimate of the costs for the transfer you need.

Alternatively, you can use the public transportation to get from the airport or station to your first destination, or rent a car, which is a good option for those who choose the Bike & Trulli solution.

Feel free to drop us an email if you would like some help planning your trip.

This is an option that we can add to your booking, depending on availability, on top of the standard 24/7 phone assistance that is always included.

We give you the option to use our GPS devices with the uploaded tracks or we can send you the link to upload those same tracks to your own smartphone using RideWithGPS®, a very user-friendly application.
With all of our standard tours, we provide booklets including practical and touristic information for each day’s ride at the briefing.

Every tour has a number of standard departure dates that you can find on the specific page for that tour on our website (where you can also find the specific price for the tour in that period). If for some reason you prefer to start on a different date (for example flights) you can always ask and we will check availability and price for that date and also offer you available alternatives.

The only thing you have to do with your luggage, besides packing everything you need before coming to Puglia of course, is to drop it off every morning by 9.30 am at the reception with your luggage tag  (that we will provide) attached to it and you will find it upon your arrival at your next accommodation in the afternoon by 4pm. We take care of picking it up and dropping it back of (very carefully, no luggage is harmed during our transfers).

The answer is 3 times yes. We have highways that reach Bari and main roads and secondary roads to all the other cities coming from both North and South. By train you can reach Bari easily but to get to other cities you might have to change to one of the smaller railway companies or use busses. By ferry you can reach Brindisi and Bari arriving from Greece, Albania, Montenegro or Croatia.

Puglia is well connected to the rest of Europe and the world, despite being the most southeastern region of Italy. There are two airports with national and international stopovers and several train stations that connect Puglia to major hubs such as Rome, Milan, Naples, etc. The first airport is in Bari and is called Bari-Karol Wojtyla International Airport; the second, slightly smaller airport is in Brindisi, further south and is called Salento Airport.
There are direct flights to Bari and Brindisi from major Italian airports in the cities of Rome, Milan, Turin and Bologna.
We are always ready to offer our private transfer services from the main arrival points (stations and airports) as a reliable and efficient alternative, especially for those who want to reach the departure point of the booked tour quickly and without worries.

The biggest part of our bike fleet are Specialized Crosstrail hybrid bikes that are perfect for the paved roads and occasional gravel roads of our tours. Specifically for the ladies we have Fuji Trekking bikes with a low instep and for those who can use a little help, or just want to take it easy we have Atala e-bikes available.  For the road bike fanatics we have Specialized Roubaix Sport in 5 different sizes available.

All bikes come fully functional and are maintained and serviced regularly. Available extras are panniers that can be attached to the rear bike rack and helmet for your safety. You can always bring your own clipless pedals if you prefer but we can provide different types from Shimano and Look if you prefer to travel light.

Of course you can, just let us know so we can bring your bike without pedals and the necessary tools to install yours. We can provide different types of clipless pedals from Shimano and Look if you prefer to travel light.

Every bike comes with a tire repair kit and mini-pump so you can do basic repairs yourself. Of course you always have our 24/7 assistance and our bikes are equipped with cut-resistant tires.

The best seasons are the beginning and the end of the winter, beginning and end of the summer, autumn and spring. That pretty much sums up the entire year, doesn’t it? The only months that are not exactly perfect for cycle tours are January and February because of the colder temperatures and humidity and between half July and half August because of the heat. Despite the pleasant climate almost all year round, it does occasionally rain in Puglia (we do need the water to produce delicious fruit and vegetables to put on the table). In case of heavy rain, we’ll do our best to to adapt your program. If you want to join your luggage in the van on its way to your next accommodation, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to check availability and the possible additional costs of the service.

No problem. A lot of inland cities have a long tradition in preparing quality meat dishes and by the seaside fresh seafood is the main ingredient, but the Mediterranean kitchen uses all of its tasty vegetables to prepare excellent vegetarian alternatives for you to enjoy. If you book half board best advise if you want to avoid certain ingredients.

Of course! Puglia is wonderful  in any way you experience it. You can discover it step by step at the slow pace of a walk. For more information, visit the Puglia Hiking Tours website!

Let’s see What is Included in a Self Guided Cycling Tour

Typical services included in a self guided bike tour in Puglia may include:

• detailed route maps or GPS tracks
• accommodation in selected hotels
• luggage transfers between accommodations
• local support during the trip
• bike rental or e-bike rental

These services allow travellers to enjoy the freedom of independent travel with the security of professional organisation.

Find out more on the page How we do it.

Explore Southern Italy by Bike at Your Own Pace

What is a self guided cycling tour?

A self guided cycling tour allows travellers to ride independently using provided route maps or GPS tracks while luggage is transported between accommodations.

Is Puglia good for cycling holidays?

Yes. Puglia is one of the best regions in Italy for cycling thanks to its quiet countryside roads, mild climate and scenic landscapes.

How far do cyclists ride each day?

Most cycling holidays involve daily distances between 40 and 70 kilometres.

Do I need to be an experienced cyclist?

No. Many cycling routes in Puglia are suitable for leisure cyclists and e-bike riders.

A self guided cycling holiday in Puglia is one of the best ways to discover southern Italy. With quiet country roads, historic villages, Mediterranean landscapes and exceptional cuisine, Puglia offers ideal conditions for multi-day bike touring.

Unlike many other regions of Italy, Puglia is mostly flat or gently rolling, making it perfect for leisure cyclists and travellers who want to explore the region at a relaxed pace.

Self guided cycling tours allow you to ride independently while still benefiting from professional route planning, carefully selected accommodations and luggage transfers between hotels.

Popular destinations for self guided bike tours in Puglia include the rolling countryside of the Valle d’Itria, the scenic Salento peninsula and the beautiful Adriatic coast.

Quick Facts: Self Guided Cycling in Puglia

Destination: Puglia, Southern Italy
Typical duration: 5–8 days
Daily distance: 40–70 km
Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling
Best months: April–June and September–October
Best areas: Valle d’Itria, Salento coast, Adriatic coast
Suitable for: leisure cyclists and e-bike riders

Here you can find the best seller tours by Puglia Cycle Tours in the self guided mood, perfect if you want to explore Puglia and its must-see attractions.

Why Choose a Self Guided Cycling Holiday in Puglia

Self guided cycling tours combine independence with the comfort of a professionally organised itinerary.

Instead of riding in a group, travellers follow their own pace while exploring the region through carefully designed routes.

Freedom and flexibility

One of the main advantages of a self guided bike tour is flexibility. You can stop whenever you like to explore villages, enjoy local food or take photos of the beautiful landscapes.

Carefully designed routes

Routes are usually designed by local cycling experts who know the quietest and most scenic roads.

These routes often connect historic towns, countryside landscapes and coastal areas.

Comfortable accommodations

Cyclists typically stay in charming hotels, historic guesthouses or traditional masserie located in the heart of Puglia’s countryside.

Luggage transfer service

During a self guided cycling tour in Puglia, luggage is transferred between accommodations. This allows cyclists to ride with light bags and fully enjoy the experience.

Valle d’Itria

The Valle d’Itria is the most famous cycling area in Puglia and one of the most scenic regions in southern Italy.

This countryside landscape is characterised by:

• trulli houses
• olive groves
• vineyards
• white hilltop villages

Cyclists ride between beautiful towns such as:

• Alberobello
• Locorotondo
• Martina Franca
• Cisternino
• Ostuni

Distances between villages are short, making the region ideal for relaxed cycling holidays.

Salento Peninsula

Salento offers spectacular coastal cycling routes with views of the Adriatic Sea.

Highlights include:

• Lecce, known for its baroque architecture
• Otranto, a historic seaside town
• coastal roads overlooking turquoise waters

Salento is perfect for cyclists who want to combine culture, nature and seaside landscapes.

Adriatic Coast

The Adriatic coast features dramatic cliffs and charming seaside towns.

Popular cycling stops include:

• Polignano a Mare
• Monopoli
• Trani

These towns offer historic centres, small harbours and beautiful coastal scenery.

Example 7 Day Self Guided Cycling Itinerary in Puglia

Day 1 – Arrival in Alberobello
Day 2 – Cycling in the Valle d’Itria
Day 3 – Alberobello to Ostuni
Day 4 – Ostuni to Lecce
Day 5 – Lecce to Otranto
Day 6 – Coastal cycling in Salento
Day 7 – Departure

This itinerary combines countryside cycling, historic villages and scenic coastal routes.

Typical Daily Distances

Most self guided cycling holidays in Puglia involve daily rides between 40 and 70 kilometres.

This distance allows riders to comfortably explore the region while still having time to enjoy villages, restaurants and cultural attractions along the route.

Yes. Puglia is an excellent destination for e-bike cycling holidays.

Electric bikes allow riders to explore longer distances while easily managing the rolling hills of areas such as the Valle d’Itria.

Many self guided tours offer both standard bikes and e-bikes.

The best seasons for cycling in Puglia are spring and autumn.

Spring (April–June)

Spring offers warm temperatures, blooming countryside and ideal cycling conditions.

Autumn (September–October)

Autumn provides pleasant weather and fewer tourists, making it another excellent time for cycling holidays.

Find out more about the weather in Puglia in this article of our blog.

Summer

Resort-Based Loop Tours

If you prefer to unpack once and settle in, the center-based tours are the perfect fit. Based out of premium resorts in the Itria Valley, these trips offer daily circular rides through the Puglian countryside. After a morning of cycling, you can spend your afternoons taking advantage of high-end amenities like:

• Refreshing swimming pools

• Full-service spas

• Gourmet on-site dining

Cycling & Seaside Escapes

For those who can’t resist the pull of the ocean, our Bike and Beach tours follow Puglia’s stunning coastline. These trips balance the thrill of discovery with long, relaxing breaks on Italy’s most iconic shores.

You’ll enjoy stays in elite 4-star and 5-star seaside hotels while traversing the region’s most beautiful maritime landscapes. We offer routes across several distinct coastal regions.

Puglia Cycle Tours is a specialized tour operator focused on multi-day cycling holidays in Puglia.

The company designs carefully planned self guided and guided cycling tours connecting historic villages, countryside landscapes and coastal routes across the region.

With extensive local knowledge of cycling routes and destinations, Puglia Cycle Tours helps travellers discover the most authentic parts of southern Italy by bike.

Here you can find more information about the team.