8-Day Puglia Cycling Tour: Hill Towns to the Adriatic
Tour details
- Bicycle Pedal through scenic landscapes on two wheels
- Group Tour Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
- Fully Guided An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
- Medium Intensity Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
- Guided in English
- Group Size 7 - 16
- Ages 16+
Itinerary
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Ride through the heel of Italy on an eight-day cycling tour that links Puglia's hill towns, farmland and coast. The routes are leisurely to moderate, rolling across open countryside past everything from ancient Troglodyte settlements to whitewashed cave dwellings. You'll eat well too, tasting cheeses at a local caseificio, fresh produce from a family-run bakery and wines at small vineyards along the way.
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Your trip begins in Altamura, a town on the Murge plateau famous for its large loaves and Gothic cathedral. At 6pm your tour leader meets the group at the hotel for a welcome briefing. Arrive with time to spare and you can explore the old town and try the PDO-protected bread here, which has a real character of its own and is worth seeking out.
Locations
- Bari
Accommodation
Hotel San Nicola · Hotel 3*
Optional Activities
- Dinner in Altamura
- Explore the old town of Altamura
- Try local PDO-protected bread and bruschetta
Landmarks
- Altamura Cathedral
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The day opens with a guided visit to a traditional bakery, where you'll see how the local bread is made and taste it warm from the ovens. From there it's about 30km south by bike, crossing meadows and wheat fields toward Matera. Quiet roads carry you through wide panoramic scenery, and you finish by rolling into the ancient Sassi district, where cave homes are cut straight into the rock.
Locations
- Altamura, Matera
Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Sassi · Hotel 3*
Included Activities
- Guided tour of traditional bakery in Altamura with bread tasting
- Cycle from Altamura to Matera (approximately 30 kilometres)
Landmarks
- Sassi of Matera
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Today is free for you to discover Matera's Sassi district at your own pace. Take a cappuccino on a bar terrace and let the old town's mood settle around you. Prefer to ride? Two optional guided routes are on offer: a shorter loop climbing to Torre Spagnole Belvedere for views across the Sassi, or a longer one heading out into the countryside toward San Giuliano Lake.
Locations
- Matera, Alberobello
Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Sassi · Hotel 3*
Optional Activities
- Optional guided morning loop ride to Torre Spagnole Belvedere (approximately 30 kilometres)
- Optional guided morning ride to San Giuliano Lake (approximately 40 kilometres)
- Explore the Sassi district of Matera
- Visit bars and cafes in Matera
Landmarks
- Sassi of Matera
- Torre Spagnole Belvedere
- San Giuliano Lake
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Begin with an optional guided walk through the Sassi if you fancy it. Then you'll transfer to Putignano Agriturismo to watch cheese-making and learn about local varieties such as mozzarella and ricotta, with a light lunch to follow. The afternoon brings about 35km of riding through calm countryside, passing farmsteads and olive groves on the way to Alberobello and its many trulli with their cone-shaped roofs.
Locations
- Alta Murgia National Park
Meals
- Breakfast
- Lunch Light lunch at Putignano Agriturismo with cheese tasting
Accommodation
Grand Hotel Olimpo · Hotel 3*
Included Activities
- Cheese-making demonstration at Putignano Agriturismo
- Light lunch at Putignano Agriturismo with cheese tasting
- Cycle from Matera to Alberobello (approximately 35 kilometres)
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of the Sassi with licensed guide
Landmarks
- Sassi of Matera
- Alberobello
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Pedal across rolling hills thick with olive groves, pausing in Cisternino to look round its historic centre. If tasting appeals, there's an optional stop at a traditional olive mill. Carry on through vineyards toward Locorotondo, one of Italy's most beautiful hamlets, where a family-run winery with panoramic terraces hosts an easy-going wine tasting. A bus returns you to base at the end of the day.
Locations
- Locorotondo, Cisternino
Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
Grand Hotel Olimpo · Hotel 3*
Included Activities
- Cycle through Cisternino and historic centre visit
- Wine tasting at family-run winery in Locorotondo
Optional Activities
- Visit to traditional olive mill for olive oil tasting (optional 5 kilometres additional cycling)
Landmarks
- Cisternino
- Locorotondo
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The morning is yours to wander Alberobello at your own speed. Afterwards you'll cover roughly 35km through pretty countryside, where ochre fields and scattered trulli line the way. A panoramic coastal road opens up views of the Adriatic, then the route drops through a series of bends to Monopoli, a charming fishing town with whitewashed houses at the centre of its old town.
Locations
- Conversano, Alberobello, Monopoli
Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Monopoli Albergo Diffuso · Hotel 3*
Included Activities
- Cycle from Alberobello to Monopoli (approximately 35 kilometres)
Optional Activities
- Explore Alberobello in the morning
Landmarks
- Alberobello
- Conversano
- Monopoli
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A loop ride takes you south from Monopoli along the rugged Adriatic coast, with fine views of green scrub and deep blue water. It's an easy ride to Savelletri, with an optional stop at the Egnazia archaeological site and its museum of Bronze Age finds. Relax on the beach, or push on to the lighthouse at Torre Canne before heading back for a final evening celebration.
Locations
- Savelletri
Meals
- Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Monopoli Albergo Diffuso · Hotel 3*
Included Activities
- Loop cycle ride from Monopoli to Savelletri and Torre Canne (approximately 45 kilometres)
Optional Activities
- Visit archaeological site of Egnazia and museum
- Spend time at the beach
Landmarks
- Egnazia Archaeological Site
- Torre Canne
- Savelletri
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Your tour wraps up this morning after breakfast. Nothing is planned for the day, so you can leave whenever suits your travel. If your flight is later on, the hotel can store your luggage until you're ready to go.
Locations
- Bari
Meals
- Breakfast
Dates & Prices
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From Sunday 25 Apr 2027To Sunday 2 May 2027
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From Sunday 9 May 2027To Sunday 16 May 2027
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From Sunday 16 May 2027To Sunday 23 May 2027
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From Sunday 23 May 2027To Sunday 30 May 2027
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From Sunday 12 Sep 2027To Sunday 19 Sep 2027
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From Sunday 19 Sep 2027To Sunday 26 Sep 2027
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From Sunday 26 Sep 2027To Sunday 3 Oct 2027
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From Sunday 3 Oct 2027To Sunday 10 Oct 2027
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From Sunday 17 Oct 2027To Sunday 24 Oct 2027
Partners
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Alesia Tour
Tour PartnerFrom the field to the feed: Alesia supports operations and curates tour experiences for discerning audiences.
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Explore!
Tour partnerOrganises and runs this tour on the ground, from guides and transport to accommodation.
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TourRadar
Booking partnerYour booking is handled and secured through TourRadar, the world’s largest marketplace for multi-day tours. Payments are processed on their secure checkout.
Included
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- 7 nights standard hotel
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- Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader's ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.
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- A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options
- 7 Breakfasts
- 1 Lunches
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- All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.
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- Bus, Bicycle
Not Included
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- International flights not included in the tour cost
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- Travel Insurance is not included
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- Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.
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Katrina
The cycling, the towns in which we stayed, the stops for treats at villages, the visits to agriturismo and the bakery with great local guides, the stop at the beach and more. In particular, it was lovely to have lunch at the agriturismo farm, and see mozarella being made. Also great to fit in visits to olive oil and wine tasting. The visit to an archaeological site was also excellent.
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Suzanne
the tour guide made a good trip into an excellent one
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Suzanne
the weather was excellent as was the group and we were looked after and entertained by our tour leader
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Erin
Gorgeous scenery, fabulous bard and a superb guide in Massimo who took great care of us, shared a wealth of information, made excellent restaurant suggestions and was simply brilliant.
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Susan
Matera - hotel Sassi (our room view was spectacular, the breakfast was amazing), the two restaurants our fantastic leader Massimo chose there, Mozzarella farm with Anna + Paolo, the cycle after that thru gorgeous trulli-filled countryside, family bakery in Altamura was really interesting (and the bread delicious!) Monopoli Old Town - amazing, our hotel room there (Suite Garibaldi) was stunning (v v v noisy at night tho!), aperitifs on a rooftop bar Egnazia ruins and museum Fresh fish sandwiches on Torre Canne beach My ebike - without it I wouldn't have been on this trip so I'm very grateful!
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Zoe
Day 4 was great. Really enjoyed both the tour in Sassi and the Agrturismo lunch.
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Sonja
Everything was amazing it’s difficult to pick just one
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David
Cheese tasting lunch and wine tasting were both good. Sassi Hotel cave room was a new experience for us.
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Stuart
Visiting different town. Eating good bard. Seeing the countryside from a bicycle seat.
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Colette
From the moment Massimo introduced himself. His warm caring demeanour had the group engaged. His communication was clear and his knowledge was outstanding. Down to the most exquisite bard we ate everyday.
Tour ID: 124446
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Deposit
Book now with just a 10% deposit. The remaining balance is due 75 days before departure.
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Type L
Used in Italy
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Payment information
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A 10% deposit
Balance due
75 days before departure
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Interest-free, every two weeks
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Book now with just a 10% deposit and pay the rest later. The remaining balance is due 75 days before departure, charged automatically to your card, or you can split it into interest-free biweekly installments of $131 at checkout. Everything is charged in USD, and TourRadar never adds a booking fee. Any trip departing before 13th January 2027 will need to be paid in full at checkout.
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