Southern Italy by bike - Puglia from Matera to Lecce

Southern Italy by bike, from Matera to Lecce

Go on a cultural and gastronomic bike trip through Puglia and let yourself be charmed by its picturesque beauty. Expansive olive groves, grain fields and vineyards are part of this sunny route. 
 
You are on the heel of the Italian boot, between the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea, starting from Matera. This Italian region invites you to admire beautiful whitewashed hilltops villas and to pass through picturesque places where time seems to stand still.
Your cycling vacation in Puglia ends in Lecce, known as the "Florence of the South" in the Salento region.

Highlights of the trip : 

• Lecce
• Gastronomy
• Oenology
• Alberobello and Martina Franca
• Locorotondo
• The Itria Valley
• The Vineyards

Day 1: Arrival in Matera
You will be welcomed in Matera for a briefing with our local correspondent about cycling in Puglia. You will test the rental bikes (if booked) and ask questions.

Overnight in Matera.

Day 2: From Matera to Putignano/Castellana (60 to 70 km)
Today's ride takes you to Putignano. After cycling through the countryside around Matera, you will arrive in Gioia del Colle. The town is famous for its Fior di Latte mozzarella (made exclusively with cow's milk) and burrata cheese. After a break, hop on your bike and head to Putignano. This town has become famous for its picturesque carnival. Once there, we recommend a stroll through its beautiful historic center, once protected by mighty walls with three gates: Porta Barsento (towards Alberobello), Porta Nuova (towards Castellana), and Porta Grande (towards Noci - Goia del Colle).

Overnight in Putignano or Castellana.

Day 3: Around Putignano: Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, and Castellana Caves (61 km)
Today's stage takes you to some of the towns southeast of Bari, such as Polignano a Mare. Here, you can taste the typical octopus sandwich and enjoy a nice swim. You'll finish at Castellana Caves, where you can visit the amazing caves, a complex of underground cavities of karst origin.

Overnight in Putignano or Castellana.

Day 4: From Putignano to Alberobello / Locorotondo / Martina Franca (35 km / 41 km / 45 km)
The route takes you to the region known as Valle D'Itria. The first stop is Noci, probably the least known and least touristy of the Itria Valley towns, but well worth a visit and a coffee break. Slightly rolling hills lead you to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 thanks to its 1,500 "trulli" (typical houses with conical roofs).

Overnight in Alberobello or Locorotondo or Martina Franca.

Day 5: Around Alberobello/Locorotondo to Manduria (70 km/60 km)
This day invites you to discover the Itria Valley by bike. You leave Alberobello for Martina Franca. Less touristy than Alberobello, it has retained its unique charm. The old town is surrounded by stone walls with Baroque gates, leading to the main square. You can taste the famous capocollo from Martina Franca, a Slow Food Presidium.

You leave Martina Franca to cycle through the gently rolling countryside on a short section of the aqueduct cycleway. You then reach Ceglie Messapica, a town known for its bread, which you can taste in one of the old bakeries in the town center. In Francavilla Montana, you will visit the Basilica Minore del Maggiore (Matrix Cathedral) and the Palazzo Argentina. Your next stop is Oria, the city of witches! You then pass through Erchie before ending your stay at a farm or B&B in the Avetrana countryside.

Overnight in Manduria.

Day 6: Around Manduria (45 km)
The journey around Manduria takes you towards the sea and the coastline bordered by the dunes of Torre Colimena, where you have the opportunity to visit the Salina dei Monaci (salt flats) and enjoy birdwatching. You reach San Pietro in Bevagna and the crystal-clear Sandy beach. After a swim in the Ionian Sea, you'll drive to Manduria, where you can visit the ancient archaeological site of Messapica and the museum dedicated to the Primitivo grape variety, widely cultivated in the region.

Day 7: From Manduria to Lecce (60 km)
On this last day, you'll reach the "Florence of the South": the city of Lecce. Along the way, you'll pass through the fascinating ghost town of Monteruga, built in the 1920s and completely abandoned in the 1980s. This is the "Salice Salentino" region, whose vineyards produce a DOCG wine that is very popular throughout the world. You'll visit some small, typical villages where, year-round, elderly residents gather in the squares to discuss politics and agriculture, their hats pulled down to protect themselves from the sun. Here, time seems to stand still. Later in the afternoon, you'll reach your final destination, the city of Lecce.

Overnight in Lecce.

Day 8: Departure from Lecce
Your cycling trip in Italy ends after breakfast.

General Information:

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Standard version: 3* hotels or charming hotels
• Comfort version: 4* hotels
• Deluxe version: 4 and 5* hotels
• Rates for children : contact us.

Dates 2025:

• Departures on Sundays from 02/03 to 08/06 and from 31/08 to 21/12
• Departures possible on other days of the week with supplement (150 €)
• High season from 31/08 to 27/09

15% discount per person for all departures in November and December 2025

👉 Contact us to benefit from this discount

2026 Dates:

Departures on Sundays from 03/01 to 06/21 and from 08/30 to 12/31/2026

Departures are possible on other days with a supplement of €150 per person.

• Low season: March 1 to June 21 and September 27 to November 1
• High season: August 30 to September 26
• Low season: November and December

Included:

• 7 nights in accommodation with breakfast
• 2 tastings of wine, cheese and local products
• Access to a GPS App
• Roadbook with practical and cultural information
• Luggage transportation
• Telephone assistance service

 
Not included :

• Transportation to the place of departure
• Return transportation
• Lunches and dinners
• Personal expenses
• Local taxes (to pe baid on site
• Parking fees)
• Everything that is not mentioned in the "included"

Options :

• Hybrid bike or ebike rental
• Comfort version
• Deluxe version
• Transfer from Bari Airport to Matera (on request)
• Transfer from Brindisi Airport to Matera (on request)
• Transfer from Lecce to Bari Airport (on request)
• Transfer from Lecce to Brindisi Airport (on request)
• Supplement for departures on a day other than sunday
• Additional night at the beginning or end of the tour
• Bike theft guarantee (for rented bikes)
• Cancellation insurance

Level :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Terrain :

Mainly in the plains, sometimes hilly. Traffic is almost non-existent in Puglia, except during the high season. The itinerary includes some very nice stretches on the coast.

Some days the route will be flat, others more hilly. Suitable for people in good physical condition and with cycling experience.

Climate :

Hot and dry summers. June and September are the most pleasant months.

Technicality :

• Cycling: from 35 to 70 km per day or 3 to 7 hours of cycling. From 0 to 690 m of positive difference in altitude.
• Itinerary partly marked, roadbook and map reading useful.

Bibliography :

Cycling maps on Italy on cartovelo.fr

Additional nights :

You can book an extra night at the beginnig or/and at the end of the tour.

Meals :

• Breakfasts : copious (coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, butter, bread, jam, orange juice) or buffet
• Lunches : not included
• Dinners : not included - restaurants nearby on each stage.

Bicycle :

• Rental bike: If you rent a bike, it will be given to you on the day of your arrival at the 1st hotel. At the end of the tour, you will have to leave the bike at the last hotel and inform the reception. We will take care of its return.
• Personal bike: we don not recommand bicycles with thin tires. Hybrid bikes and mountain bikes are excellent. Remember to check your bicyel before departure.

 
Assistance :
Assistance in case of breakdown (except for punctures for which we do not intervene).
 
Luggage:
They are transported by a courier or by our partner and limited to one bag per person. (max. 20 kg).
 
Travel book :
It includes detailed maps and descriptions of the routes, vouchers for hotels and labels for luggage.
 
Transportation: 

• By train: It takes one day by train from Paris to reach Matera. 
• By car: Matera  is about 1850 km from Paris. 
• By air: Brindisi and Bari airports.

 
Cancellation insurance:
In order to ensure the reimbursement of expenses in case of cancellation of your stay, you can purchase a cancellation insurance. For more information about the insurance, click here.