Description

Cycling Puglia and Basilicata

Cycling tour Basilicata Puglia – Self-guided cycling Trip Puglia and Basilicata.
8 days – 7 nights
Every day all year long
For guided options from 4 persons or more send us an email.

Only need a bike for Puglia? BOOK HERE

Cycling tour Basilicata Puglia on Road bike, E-bike, or Trekking bike

In the south of Italy, you will find Puglia and Basilicata. Two unique regions right between the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea. Cycling through the “heel of Italy” is a very special experience. You will cycle over rolling hills, through typical Italian villages. You’ll pass also vineyards and olive groves on your way through charming beautiful towns like Trani, Altamura, Massi, or Alberobello. Would you rather see more culture? Puglia is especially relevant for its architecture, scenic squares, and museums. Puglia is known as the garden of Italy for its food, olive oil, and wine production so don’t hesitate and taste the Italian wines of Puglia.

Your first day of the trip starts in Bari. From this old town, you cycle through the South of Italy. You will see the World Heritage site of Matera and you see the “Sassi of Matera”. You will also see the ” Trulli of Alberobello”. Combine physical action with culture and the charming Mediterranean architecture of Puglia and Basilicata. Furthermore, a cycling holiday in Puglia and Basilicata is off the beaten track. Jump on your road bike, e-bike, or trekking bike and discover these regions of thousand faces. Soak up the Puglian sun on two wheels!

Cycling “The Heel of Italy” is a once in your lifetime experience!

Cycle through typical Puglian countryside villages and the historic centers
Fantastic scenery, perfect roads, and fine food make Puglia & Basilicata a cycling paradise.
Wander through the old medieval town of Bari
Don’t miss the guided wine cellar tour
Sassi of Matera and discover the ancient cave dwellings
Two unique UNESCO world heritage sites Matera and Alberobello
You stay in the World Heritage Town of Alberobello the “city of Trulli”
Visit the cathedral of Ruvo di Puglia and Trani
And visit the stones of Matera (Sassi di Matera)

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Day 1

Check in Bari

Visit the city of Bari, a cultural crossroads since ancient times. Bari is an ideal starting point, a city where two souls meet: the old town, surrounded by an imposing wall and crossed with narrow streets that lead to the discovery of its rich heritage; and the modern city, built at the beginning of the 19th Century and having endured several changes over time. Don't forget to visit the Basilica of San Nicola, a wonderful example of Apulian Romanesque. Overnight stay in Bari.

Day 2

Bari to Trani - 67km

Bike and road map delivery, route description. Today you will discover the beauty of the Apulian Romanesque cathedrals cycling toward the towns of Bitonto, Terlizzi, Ruvo Di Puglia, and Trani, your final destination. Trani's cathedral, regarded by some as the “Queen of cathedrals in Puglia”, exhibits a finely decorated portal with a marvelous bronze doorwork of Barisano da Trani, comprising 32 panels each portraying a biblical character. Overnight stay in Trani.

Day 3

Trani to Castel del Monte - 38/50km

Today you'll cycle across the Apulian inland. Your first stop is ANDRIA, where you can enjoy the famous Burrata (mozzarella that's formed into a pouch and then filled with soft, stringy curd and cream). Then you'll continue for about 10 kilometers reaching the Alta Murgia National Park. Among hills, pastures, olive trees, and vineyards, on a hill of the Murge Plateau, you'll finally get to the most important example of Swabian architecture: Castel del Monte (UNESCO World Heritage site). Overnight stay in MINERVINO MURGE/Area.

Day 4

Castel del Monte to Gravina - 45/55km

Today you are still in the Murgia Plateau: Expanses of grassy terrain are broken up by the whiteness of the rocks, while a dense woodland changes color according to the seasons, and a network of canals through which creeks once ran are today marked by expansive, cultivated fields. Your destination for the day is GRAVINA IN PUGLIA, a land of natural galleries, caves, and ravines carved out by an underground river and used as human dwellings in centuries past. Overnight stay in Gravina in Puglia. Overnight stay in Gravina in Puglia.

Day 5

Gravina to Matera - 43km

Leaving Gravina, you will ride up to ALTAMURA. The town can be spotted on a spur overlooking the plateau, with the Cathedral towers standing out against the sky. Don't miss the chance to taste the famous Altamura bread and Focaccia. At the end of the stage, your tour will lead you to another famous UNESCO World Heritage site: Matera. Famous for its Sassi and stunning landscapes, Matera, located on the border of Basilicata and Puglia, is not only breathtaking but fascinating. Overnight stay in Matera.

Day 6

Matera to Alberobello - 78km

Heading out of Basilicata, you will enter Apulia again. Crossing Gioia del Colle, home of the mozzarella, and Noci, you will reach Alberobello, universally known as the capital of the Trulli, distinctive, small, dry-stone buildings with a conical roof. There are about 1500 trulli scattered in Monti and Aia Piccola districts, both listed as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1996. If you want you can spend the night in a Trullo. Overnight stay in Alberobello.

Day 7

Alberobello to Polignano a Mare - 34km

Today you will discover on your bike the stunning beauty of the Apulian countryside, and not only that. You will ride towards Castellana Grotte, known for its intriguing underground caves. Amazing stalactites and stalagmites give shape to a fascinating and mysterious scenery, provided with an evocative play between light and shade. Then you'll start the downhill run towards the sea until you'll reach Polignano a Mare, a shining gem on the coast of the Valle d’Itria, perched atop a 20-meter-high limestone cliff above the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic. At this point you can choose whether to reach Bari by train (Ticket price is not included; your bike travels for FREE on regional trains), or by bike: ALBEROBELLO - POLIGNANO A MARE - BARI 80 km +500m. Overnight stay in Bari.

Day 8

Departure day

Departure day... Time to say goodbye, a good flight back home, or else a pleasant stay in South Italy. Transfers to the airport (on request) according to the time of your flight!

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All prices are based on double rooms
For bookings and inquiries contact us at info@cycleclassictours.com

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