Puglia from Matera to Lecce, Between Culture, Olive Groves & Trulli

Individual arrival in Matera. Depending on your arrival time, use the time available to visit the city, the Sassi and the park of rock churches, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will be amazed to see houses, churches, and monasteries built into the natural caves of the Murgia.

Delivery of your bike and route notes followed by a welcome meeting in English. As you ride through the southern part of the Murgia and its wonderful colors, you reach Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a town known worldwide for its typical small stone houses built in the shape of cones: the Trulli.

You leave Alberobello to ride through the Itria Valley, on secondary roads linking gentle hills, centuries-old olive trees and vineyards. The route alternates small climbs and more rolling sections between Locorotondo, Martina Franca and Cisternino, white villages with quiet lanes.

A stop at a fornello pronto, a typical butcher shop where you choose your meat before having it grilled, is part of the experience. The end of the stage leads to Ostuni, perched at 218 m, with a view over the plain to the Adriatic.

You leave Ostuni and cycle on a beautiful country road toward San Vito dei Normanni, where you can admire the magnificent Frederick’s castle overlooking the town square. After a few kilometers, you can discover other castles in Mesagne and Oria.

Arrival in Manduria marks the entry into Primitivo territory. At the end of the day, a tasting of this emblematic red wine of the region is possible.

You reach the Ionian coast and follow the shoreline toward Porto Cesareo, with several sections close to the sea. The route alternates secondary roads and more open stretches, to the peninsula of Gallipoli. The old town is best explored on foot, between narrow lanes, Baroque churches and old palaces linked to the maritime history of the port.

Two options today. The short route (52 km) follows the Ionian coast directly south. The long route (75 km) makes a detour via Specchia, a village officially listed among “I borghi più belli d’Italia”, with its 16th-century palaces and medieval castle. The two options converge toward Santa Maria di Leuca, the extreme tip of the heel, where the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic meet beneath the Finibus Terrae lighthouse.

Option 1 – 52 km, elevation gain : 230 m
Option 2 – 75 km, elevation gain : 530 m

You ride north along the Adriatic coast. The route follows a more demanding coastal road, with several climbs and descents, between cliffs and small marinas such as Tricase Porto and Castro. Arrival in Otranto marks the easternmost tip of Italy. The old town is best explored on foot, between ramparts, lanes and harbour.

Before leaving Otranto, take time to visit the cathedral and its mosaics. The route then follows the coast, passing the Alimini lakes, then Torre dell’Orso and its beaches. A stop in Acaya allows you to discover this fortified village before arriving in Lecce, known for its Baroque architecture.

The stay ends after breakfast. The Basilica di Santa Croce deserves a final hour: its façade mobilized stonecutters for nearly 150 years, from 1548 to 1695. Lecce is explored on foot, without rushing, before the return flight.