Compare Puglia and Matera Magnifica Tour by Tourissimo vs Cycle Puglia by UTracks
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 4,695 | $ 1,450 |
| Price Per Day | $ 671 | $ 181 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Self-guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Basic |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 6 Dinners |
N/A |
| Description |
Our Magnifica Tour line-up would not be complete without Puglia. And Matera (though in the bordering region of Basilicata) is luckily within riding distance. We could not leave Matera out, and we didn't. Puglia is bordered on two sides by the Ionian and Adriatic seas, and is a long sliver of land that stretches along the heel of Italy. In between you'll find some of the best riding in all of Italy, along peaceful backroads. |
Cycle in Puglia (or Apulia), the sun-soaked heel of Italy, through vineyards, olive groves and unspoiled villages |
Day 1: Matera
Accommodation: Sextantio Le Grotte della Civiltà
Your guide will meet you at the Bari airport at 12pm for a transfer to the first hotel (approximately 1 hr 15 minutes). We will gather at unique hotel Sextantio for introductions, some lunch, and bike prep. UNESCO lists Matera as one of its Official World Heritage sites for its Sassi cave dwellings. In the rock churches, the mystic past is palpable, especially in the crypts of San Nicola and Santa Margherita, and today you will discover even more of Matera’s secrets on a guided visit. You will have some spare time for shopping before dinner at I Baccanti with typical Lucanian delicacies (Lucania was the ancient name of Basilicata).
Day 2: Matera
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Sextantio Le Grotte della Civiltà
Terrain: Rolling
Ride: 28 mi or 45 km (longer option available)
Today’s ride takes us to the countryside in the fertile Metaponto Valley. We reach San Giuliano lake, which is a WWF natural reserve, and have our first stop there. The lake was formed by a dam over the Bradano river, and it was meant for irrigation. The project was part of a larger plan to reclaim land in the Metaponto valley and it was financed through the Marshall plan for European recovery after WWII. In Basilicata, agriculture employs more people than factories (unique case in modern Italy). At lunch, we will have some local organic products at a farmhouse. In the afternoon, you can opt to climb back or to take advantage of our van for the ride back to Matera. This evening we will have a wine tasting at 19ma Buca, a unique wine bar housed in one of Matera’s Caves just under the main square.
Day 3: Martina Franca
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Villa San Martino
Terrain: Rolling
Ride: 51 mi or 81 km (shorter option available)
Today we say goodbye to Matera and pedal South-East. We spin along the Murgia plain through a bucolic terrain of rolling fields of grano duro (the wheat used for pasta) and shady oak groves. We enter Puglia, and soon after we stop for lunch in Mottola, a charming Pugliese town, where we’ll have a picnic of fresh local products such as mozzarella and burrata. Mottola is located on a hill above the sea and has a view of the Gulf of Taranto and the green mountains of the high Sila; for this reason the town is also called “the Balcony of Southern Apulia.” Near Martina Franca, we find our way to Villa San Martino, which is a beautiful villa converted into a charming 5 star hotel. You will have the chance to join the locals for a stroll in Martina Franca, which palaces boast a gorgeous example of Baroque architecture. Dinner is in the quaint hotel dining room and will be paired with fine Pugliese wines.
Day 4: Selva di Fasano
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Tenuta Monacelle
Terrain: Hilly
Ride: 35 mi or 56 km (shorter and longer options available)
Today we ride through a fantasy land of conical-shaped houses called trulli. We will have a first stop in Cisternino where we will enjoy a cappuccino overlooking the valley. Valle d’Itria is a fertile, triangle shaped valley between Cisternino, Locorotondo, and Martina Franca. It's a true gem. Via tiny roads, roll through Valle d’Itria to arrive in Locorotondo, where we will have a wine tasting (Locorotondo is also the name of well know white wine). We will then continue on to Alberobello, which takes its name from the forests that once covered the area. Nowadays, this is where more than 1,000 trulli can be found (UNESCO World Heritage Site). This is a must-see, one of the most emblematic sights of Puglia. You will get to appreciate its historical side thanks to a guided walking tour. Lunch is in Alberobello. In the afternoon we visit the award-winning Frantoio Intini, an olive oil press which has embraced the Slow Food movement under the multi-generational management of Pietro Intini. From Alberobello, you will be shuttled to the hotel, unless you don't want to call it the day yet, and prefer to ride the additional 13 miles with 800ft of elevation to conquer. Dinner is at the hotel and it will be followed by a folk music and dance event. Have your cameras ready!
Day 5: Savelletri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Masseria San Domenico
Terrain: Rolling
Ride: 38 mi or 61 km (shorter and longer options available)
We will ride through Ostuni, an area that has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Bike to one of the loveliest towns along the Mediterranean where white houses, piled like sugar cubes against an azure sky, remind you of the Greek Islands. The brightness of its whitewashed houses, set against a sea of stately olive trees, provides a spectacular perspective of this rich seaside farmland. We ride along centuries-old olive trees that are like amazing natural sculptures. Lunch is a seafood lover’s delight right by the water. The hotel is just a few hundred meters from our lunch spot, and you will be back for a free afternoon when you can take advantage of the swimming pool and the spa facility, or head to the private beach. Masseria San Domenico is one of the finest hotels of all of Italy. Its 5Luxury-star standards do not affect the authenticity of its historical location, a fortified farm house with watch tower once used by the Knights of Malta. For dinner we will have a fun and instructive cooking class of typical Pugliese dishes at a nearby masseria (dialect for fortified farm house).
Day 6: Savelletri
Accommodation: Masseria San Domenico
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Terrain: Flat
Ride: 30 mi or 48 km (longer option available)
On this last ride we pass through ancient olive groves and pedal along the coast to the Greek ruins of Egnazia, the ancient Messapian town of prehistoric origins. Today, you have the option to make it back to hotel for some leisure time along pool side, to enjoy a Spa and Thalassotherapy treatment, or to play a round of golf at San Domenico mediterannean golf course rated among the best in Italy (PGA European Challenge Tour Grand Final). The course is right by the crystalline Adriatic Sea. Of course, you can opt to pedal some more with your guides and to take in as much riding as you wish on a final loop. We will have our last dinner together at the fine hotel restaurant housed in a suggestive dining room with arched volts dating back to the 1700′s.
Day 7: Bari
Meals: Breakfast
Goodbye! After breakfast, we will arrange a transfer that will take you to the Bari Airport in time for your connecting flights.
Day 1 Arrive Alberobello
Alberobello is known for its trulli, which were generally constructed as dwellings or storehouses. It is situated upon two hills which were once separated by a riverbed. On the eastern hill is the new town, with modern architectural features, and on the western hill, the trulli are lined up in an urban conglomeration subdivided into two districts: Monti and Aia Piccola. Both districts are World Heritage sites. On arrival please make your way to your accommodation. Please note we cannot guarantee you will stay in a Trullo this evening (it's subject to availability). The alternative is a comfortable hotel in walking distance of the main centre.
Day 2 Cycle through the countryside to Ostuni (45km/28mi)
A fabulous cycle through winding country lanes, past trulli, vineyards and olive groves to Ostuni, an architectural jewel. Crossing the last part of Murge, you will pass through the towns of Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Cisternino before arriving at the white city of Ostuni. The most challenging part is between Locorotondo and Cisternino. Elevation +460m/1509ft
meals : B
Day 3 Cycle to the Manduria area (60km/37mi)
The cycle route takes you away from Ostuni and the Murge hills and on to the Salento plain, characterized by green and red colours, given by its olive trees and its red soil. Along the way you will have the chance to visit Oria, with its beautiful historical centre and the castle built by emperor Federico II. Today’s destination is the Manduria area, the capital of the Primitivo grapes. Elevation +270m/889ft
meals : B
Day 4 Cycle to the Ionian coast and Gallipoli (70km/43.5mi)
From now on you will head towards the seaside, which will accompany your bike tour between ancient coastal towers and fine sand. You will now reach Porto Cesareo, where we highly recommend a good fish-based lunch. Rolling south, our destination will be the Greek Kale Polis, today’s Gallipoli, with one of the most beautiful historic centres of Salento. Enjoy a stroll in its streets and the views of the sea that surrounds it. Gallipoli is an ancient Greek city, a fishing town divided into two parts: the new town and the old town, connected by a 17th century bridge to the mainland. Elevation +70m/230ft
meals : B
Day 5 Continue along the coast to Santa Maria di Leuca (50km/31mi)
Today you'll continue cycling along the coast to Santa Maria di Leuca. It is the easiest day of the tour, completely on paved roads and mostly flat with some short ups and downs at the end of the stage. Santa Maria di Leuca was named by ancient Greek sailors: they said it was enlightened by the sun and therefore called it "Leukos", meaning white. Today it is a famous seaside resort and fishing area. There is ample opportunity to swim and relax at the beach in the afternoon. Elevation +50m/164ft
meals : B
Day 6 Cycle along the Adriatic coast to Otranto (50km/31mi)
Another superb day of cycling as you follow the Adriatic coast northwards. The most challenging stretches are a short climb to leave town and a continuous but regular slope after Santa Cesaria Terme. Following the coast road, you'll pass by small towns, impressive grottoes, inlets for swimming and small cafes and soon arrive at Otranto, the most eastern point of Italy. Here you can visit the beautiful Cathedral and the great Aragonese Castle. Elevation +460m/1509ft
meals : B
Day 7 Cycle to Lecce along the Alimini Lakes (55km/34mi)
Today is an easy stage. Leave lovely Otranto to discover the Alimini Lakes nature reserve, the old hunting ground of the Swabians and the Aragonese. With their unique Mediterranean scrub the area is an important habitat for migratory species such as white storks, flamingoes and cranes. Continue to Lecce which, thanks to its Baroque style, has earned the nickname "Florence of the South". You can appreciate the rich sculpted motifs from the 17th century made with the local stone while exploring its old town, enclosed by what is left of ancient walls. Elevation +100m/328ft
meals : B
Day 8 Trip concludes
The trip concludes after breakfast. Lecce is well connected by train with the airports of Bari and Brindisi, or we can assist with booking extra nights' accommodation if you'd like to linger.
meals : B
