Cycling in the heart of Apulia! (Guided)

DAY 1

Bari

Independent arrival in Bari, accommodation, meeting with the guide, and briefing.

Let’s start warming up our legs with a walking tour of “Bari Vecchia,” the charming ancient village of the capital of Puglia!

DAY 2

Bari – Polignano a Mare – Ostuni

We’ll take a train to the picturesque town of Polignano a Mare, where our cycling journey will begin.

Polignano a Mare is the birthplace of the famous singer Domenico Modugno. This village is built on a high cliff overlooking the sea. It has a very ancient historic center with Byzantine, Spanish, and Norman influences. During this first day on the south coast of Bari, we will also explore:

• Monopoli, a village inhabited since the Bronze Age, was fortified by the Messapi with mighty and huge walls. The Romans turned it into a military port, and in the 1500s, a fascinating castle was built.
• The “Coastal Dunes Park,” which includes the “Path of the Ancient Olive Trees”
• Archaeological Park of Egnazia
• Ostuni is known as the “White City” for the dazzling whiteness of its lime-washed houses.

Overnight stay and dinner in Ostuni

DAY 3

Ostuni – Noci

From Ostuni, you will start cycling among trulli, ancient fortified farmhouses, and wonderful villages: you will be in the fascinating Itria Valley.

During this day, we will visit:

Ceglie Messapica, famous for its delightful culinary arts (trying the Ceglie sandwich here is a must!), and then straight to the “Ciclabile dell’Acquedotto Pugliese” (Europe’s longest Aqueduct), through the heart of the Itria Valley, to admire this corner of indescribable beauty. Along the cycle path, you can stop to visit the Ashram of Cisternino, a place of great spiritual charm, founded in the late 1970s and still active for Hinduism practice but open to all visitors. Locorotondo, awarded the Orange Flag by the Touring Club, is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, a maze of alleyways adorned with colorful flowers, with a terraced vineyard right on the edge of the old town.

In Locorotondo we will take a break with food and wine tasting.

Alberobello, the capital of Trulli, the famous limestone houses with conical roofs. Due to its uniqueness, it became a UNESCO site in 1996.

The final stop will be the town of Noci, with its distinctive white houses and “gnostre,” the courtyards where it won’t be difficult to encounter children playing.

Overnight stay and dinner in Noci

DAY 4

Noci – Matera

On this fourth day of traveling, you will cross the border between Puglia and Basilicata, encountering surprisingly different landscapes. The destination of the day is Matera, the city of the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, from prehistoric times to the present day. Today, this small center in Basilicata is rich in cultural ferment, and despite the enormous media attention it received after being chosen as the set for various Hollywood productions, it remains a sincere place, inhabited by welcoming and simple people.

Overnight stay and dinner in Matera

DAY 5

Matera – Altamura – Gravina in Puglia

From Matera, we will return to Puglia, to visit the Alta Murgia National Park, the largest pseudo-steppe in Italy, unique with its views of endless landscapes and a UNESCO GeoPark candidate for the global importance of its geological sites. The first city we will encounter will be Altamura, with its historic center made up of a labyrinth of narrow streets and “claustri” (small squares), embellished by the imposing Frederick II Cathedral. Altamura is famous for the renowned “Altamura Bread” and for the ovens that have been producing it since ancient times.

In Altamura, we will visit the laboratory of our partner “Pecore Attive” where we will discover the secrets of sheep wool processing.

Leaving the urban center, we will plunge back into the wild nature of the Park to reach the Pulo di Altamura, one of the most important geosites in the National Park. You might be wondering: what is the Pulo? When you see it, you will immediately think of the huge crater of a meteorite, but it’s not! But we won’t spoil it for you, where’s the fun in that…

After the Pulo, we will pedal towards the fascinating city of Gravina in Puglia.

Arriving in Gravina, we will visit its ancient center, dotted with ancient palaces and beautiful churches, overlooking a canyon inside which the Gravina stream flows.

Here we will visit the “La Gravina Sotterranea,” a real hidden city beneath the surface, in the foundations of the ancient palaces.

Overnight stay and dinner in Gravina in Puglia

DAY 6

Gravina in Puglia – Poggiorsini

From Gravina, we will reach the small village of Poggiorsini and then the nearby “invisible” Garagnone Castle. Why “invisible”? It is a mystical and ancient place, and following our guides’ narrative, you will see what is no longer there as if it were right before your eyes…

At the foot of the Castle, we will have a picnic with excellent local products and refresh ourselves with a good craft beer from our partners at Birrificio degli Ostuni.

The ride will continue to Agriturismo Coppa right in the center of the Alta Murgia National Park where we will relax and teach you how to make “handmade pasta” (obviously, we’re talking about Apulian Orecchiette) and then enjoy a splendid sunset and a delicious dinner with products from the same Agriturismo … super local.

We will spend the night and have dinner here, in this beautiful and authentic Apulian Masseria (farmhouse).

DAY 7

On the seventh day, there will be a bike ride towards the ancient Necropolis of San Magno, followed by a visit to the most famous castle in Puglia: Castel del Monte, a UNESCO site.

From the Castle, we will bike downhill towards the coast through the pre-Murgia, a rural area rich in vineyards and orchards, passing through the town of Ruvo di Puglia, with its charming historic center, before reaching Trani, the “Pearl of the Adriatic“, with its small port and the famous Romanesque Cathedral, almost by the sea, considered one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Overnight stay and dinner in Trani.

DAY 8

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