Itinerary

DAY ONE: ARRIVAL DAY

Bike Vermont will meet you at Bari Airport and transfer you from there to Matera. After checking in to our hotel, we are treated to a guided tour of the town, a designated UNESCO Heritage site. Matera is most famous for its two “sassi districts.” The sassi are ancient cave dwellings which were carved into the local limestone hills as much as 9000 years ago. These are now mostly fashionable modern dwellings and hotels, but in the past, were over crowded cramped quarters (often consisting of a single cave “room”) that were home to both livestock and their owners. Small lanes, alleys and stairways wind through the districts, and we include a visit to the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitaro, an excellent exhibit that replicates what these ancient cave dwellings were like. From here we might visit the handsome 13th-century Romanesque Matera Cathedral (1268-1270), and take a lighthearted stroll to the town center, Piazza Vittorio Veneto where small shops and trattorias line the square.

Accommodations: Locanda di San Martino

 
DAY TWO:

Today’s ride takes us along the rich farming area of the Murgia Plateau into the idyllic Valle d’Itria. We pass by undulating wheat fields and olive groves, and green hills criss-crossed with vineyards and orchards. We include a visit to the magnificent castle at Gioia del Colle before arriving at Alberobello, our destination for the next two nights. Alberobello is another UNESCO World Heritage site that is world-renown for its wonderful concentration of the curious houses known as “trulli.” Trulli are magical looking white-washed cone-shaped houses whose cobbled roofs are usually decorated with fanciful painted symbols. They look like fanciful fairy tale houses and you fully expect a small elf or hobbit to pop out a front door at any minute. Some of these trulli date back to the Middle Ages and most are still lived in by the townspeople, or are used for stores, restaurants, and lodging (in fact our hotel here is a series of connected trulli). Alberobello is a lively place, especially in the evenings, and while roaming the ancient narrow cobbled streets (the main activity here), you will delight in the unusual stores and small restaurants, a number of interesting museums, and perhaps a visit Chiesa Sant ‘Antonio located at the top of the Rione Monti.

Accommodations: Trulli e Puglia

 
DAY THREE:

Today we enjoy an easy loop ride through farmland dotted with rural “trulli” to the famous Grotte di Castellana. Here we include, for those inclined, an optional tour of this complex of expansive caves with their incredible subterranean network of rooms filled with wildly colorful stalactite and stalagmite formations. In addition, there are also shops, restaurants and an interesting speleological museum to enjoy. Our ride back takes us past Putignano and back into Alberobello by way of ancient farm roads that criss-cross the valleys. Tonight we are treated to a demonstration by a local chef in the art of making a gourmet pasta meal featuring orecchiette, the local specialty.

Accommodations: Trulli e Puglia

 
DAY FOUR:

This day begins with a ride out of the Trulli district as we head towards the Adriatic Sea. We stop at the picturesque hilltop town of Locorotondo where we visit their locally famous winery. Our lunch-time destination is Ostuni, known as the “white city,” a reference to the dazzling effect of the sun as it beams down on the town’s beautiful whitewashed houses. Certainly one of the most stunning cities in southern Italy, this chic and extremely popular town offers us a maze of sunlit streets, winding staircases, and narrow alleyways, all emanating out from the handsome town center. Here we find ancient ramparts and a huge Gothic cathedral (built in 1495) that rises above the remains of a Norman castle. Later this afternoon we transfer down the Salento Peninsula to Gallipoli, a fishing village located on the Ionian Sea. Gallipolli’s old town is built on an island set in the Gulf of Taranto and is linked to the mainland by a 16th century bridge. Formerly one of the richest towns in Puglia (and still famous for its export of some of Italy’s finest olive oil) Gallipoli retains an elegant air and the white alleyways of the old town are a joy to explore. As befits the location, menus here specialize in a wide and enticing variety of fish cooked to Italian perfection.

Accommodations: Palazzo Mosco

 
DAY FIVE:

Today we are treated to another spectacular ride! The Ionian seashore is especially beautiful and our route takes us past medieval watchtowers strung out along impossibly white beaches and a sea that comes in beautiful shades of violet and turquoise. Moving slightly inland we pass through tiny villages, olive groves and vineyards as we make our way to the very bottom of the Italian "heel" to "finibus terram" or land's end at elegant Santa Maria di Leuca. This exceedingly popular destination has a lovely promenade, trendy nightclubs and beautiful villas, and for centuries its port has been the landing stage for big fishing boats and yachts. High on the bluff and protecting the harbor is the town’s iconiclighthouse from which you can walk down to the port by navigating a magnificent 284-step staircase. Here we include a guided boat tour of the labyrinth of sea caves that are indigenous to this area of the coast.

Accommodations: Hotel L’Approdo

 
DAY SIX:

Our cycling today takes us along the more remote southern coast of the Adriatic Sea. This area features dramatic views of rocky cliffs, grottoes, and beautiful scenery along unspoiled coastline. It is dotted with a rich array of architecture-from medieval to Byzantine to Baroque-all reflecting the relentless waves of invaders that made a habit of trying to conquer this peninsula. Gentle roads next lead us north to the historic seaside town of Otranto. Important as a Greek and Roman port, Otranto has a colorful and mixed past and its historic town center is strategically set high on a hill overlooking the port. From here its Romanesque cathedral and the 15th Century Aragones Castle afford superb views along a series of picture-perfect sandy beaches. One of Otranto's famed attractions is a twelfth-century mosaic located on the floor of the town's main cathedral.The mosaic is astonishingly detailed and borrows its images from pagan times; ancient Greek and Hindu mythology; the Old and New Testaments; and medieval history. In the evening we can enjoy the nightly “passeggiata” of the townspeople as they engage in the Italian pastime of an evening stroll. We also include a wonderful wine and cheese tasting featuring some of the best local products.

Accommodations: Hotel Papaleo


DAY SEVEN:

Today we ride inland along quiet country lanes and farmland, and through beautiful olive groves, to Lecce, “the Florence of the South.” Here we will find some of the loveliest, most elegant and fanciful Baroque architecture in all of Italy. For centuries local craftsmen have taken advantage of the unique softness of the local yellow limestone so as to carve exuberant demons, animals, flowers, fruits into every corner of even the most humble of buildings. We will enjoy a guided tour through the old town with its small squares and delightfully twisted streets. We will visit the dramatic remains of a Roman amphitheater and the Piazza del Duomo, Lecce’s unique town center. Here we view the jaw-dropping extravagantly ornate façade of the 16th-century Basilica of Santa Croce, a massive cathedral sandwiched between a five-story bell tower and the ancient bishop’s palace.

Accommodations: Hotel Patria Palace

 
DAY EIGHT:

After breakfast today we will arrange for your transport back to the airport in Bari...or help you arrange a few extra nights in Puglia.

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