Arrival in Matera and check-in. Take a day off to discover this unique town, Unesco World Heritage and European Culture capital of 2019. You will be caught by its thousand-year old history, the “Sassi” district and cave churches, and its famous bread!

Briefing and bike fit with a member of Puglia Cycle Tours crew.

The first stage runs almost entirely in the Ravines Regional Park, in the middle of wheat fields and wide panoramas. You will have the chance to visit the town of Laterza, famous for the tasty bakery products and the beautiful pottery. Enjoy your stay in Palagianello hamlet, in a noble mansion of the XIX cent.

+/- 650 meters of climbing

+/- 55 km

You still cycle the first kilometres in the “Terra delle Gravine” ( Ravines Land), amongst deep canyons, carved by rivers over millions of years. You will even cycle upon one of them, over a stone bridge! Leaving the ravines it’s time to discover the iconic Puglia scenery: dry stone walls, old masserie (fortified stansteads) and trulli, our typical rural houses with a conic roof, built without any cement or mortar. To reach Alberobello, the UNESCO capital of the Trulli, the daily destination, you cycle in a beautiful countryside and through Noci, as well: this town is like a temple of good food – good to know in case you get hungry along the way!

+/- 600 meters of climbing

+/- 50 km

Let’s play a game: are you able to cover even a single stretch of the daily route without spotting a trullo? They are everywhere in the Itria Valley, the very heart of our region. Cycle along the Apulian Aqueduct cycling route, the “Ciclovia dell’Acquedotto”, towards Locorotondo, one of the “borghi più belli d’Italia” (most beautiful villages of Italy). Then before riding back to Alberobello, pass by the quaint town of Martina Franca, known for its baroque architecture.

+/- 550 meters of climbing

+/- 45 km

It’s time to say goodbye to the lovely Alberobello and its trulli! You slowly ride down to the Adriatic coast and reach one of its most fascinating town: Polignano a Mare, perched on the side of a cliff; explore the old town and reach one of the terraces, with their stunning view overlooking the sea. Riding further on the coast, you get to Monopoli, a perfect mix between beautiful sea and history. Your accommodation is in the old town, a few steps away from the old fishermen port and the Castle.

+/- 350 meters of climbing

+/- 45 km

Your today cycle starts through the courtyards and arches of the old town of Monopoli, then continues along shores and little coves, arriving in a marvelous scenario: an expanse full of century and thousand-year old olive trees. Little by little, you will spot a white outline amid the hills: it is Ostuni, known as “the white town” because of its whitewashed houses and walls. To perfectly end the day, indulge a stroll in its old town, a sort of Mediterranean Kasbah of narrow alleys and white stairs, getting lost in the light of sunset.

+/- 350 meters of climbing

+/- 15+20 km

After a short ride by train from Carovigno station, you will reach Lecce, take some time to explore the town before starting your ride again. From Lecce, you cycle in the most authentic countryside, passing through the fortified village of Acaya, dry stone walls and imposing “pajare” (Salento typical “trulli” with a square base) , until you reach the “masseria” (fortified farmhouse) where you will stay for the night.

+/- 200 meters of climbing

+/- 45 km

It’s time to explore the most impressive part of the Salento area: centuries-old olive trees, the “Grotta della Poesia” (Cave of the Poetry), ranked among the 10 most spectacular natural pools in the world, impressive cliffs overlooking the sea, blue jewels which are the Alimini Lakes, and finally Otranto. This town will enchant you, thanks to the scents of the Mediterranean Sea, its unique history, the feeling of a past which is not vanished yet. You will understand why it is listed in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage!

+/- 300 meters of climbing

+/- 50 km

Leaving the famous Castle of Otranto behind you, you cycle following the coast southwards for more than 40 km. Let’s head to Leuca now, the “finibus terrae”, since it is the southernmost spot of the Italian mainland where the Adriatic and the Ionian sea meet and their currents cross. You will enjoy the view of the deep blue sea, breath-taking panoramas, tiny fishing villages and quaint tourist towns. You will top off this unforgettable day with the final stop in the square of the Leuca shrine, like the pilgrims on the Via Francigena.

+/- 650 meters of climbing

+/- 55 km

This last stage is a postcard to say goodbye, but moreover a see you soon, to Puglia! From Otranto, following the Idro Valley to discover Salento hinterland, where you will often come across some ancient megalithic monuments, the menhirs. Then you cycle along enchanting countryside lanes heading to the “Grecìa Salentina“, where you can still hear a dialect with ancient greek influences. Lecce, with its elegant baroque old town, will be waiting for you at the end of the trip.

+/- 350 meters of climbing

After breakfast, end of services.