Southern Italy Bike Tour – Puglia & Basilicata

The “heel” of the Italian boot, Puglia has been home to ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, and the royal Spanish court of the 1600’s, while in recent years it has become a popular tourist destination for its charming hilltop towns, amazing landscapes, and excellent food. We visit the unique city of Alberobello, which is home to over 1,000 "trulli" houses, whose conical stone roofs create a fairy-tale atmosphere. We also go to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera, a dramatic city carved into the cliffs and gorges that cut through the town. The landscape and architecture of the region are completely different from northern Italy, and it is now home to some of Italy’s best food and most innovative wines. Pedal down quiet country roads through a sea of olive groves and along glittering sea on this biking adventure!

The biking is more moderate than our Tuscany bike tour, but there are plenty of optional extension rides for those who want something a bit more strenuous. The hotels have been chosen to let you to experience Puglia’s countryside and village life. Our first night is in Bari, the capital of Puglia, where you can explore its beautiful medieval center as well as the broad 19th century boulevards lined with majestic date palms. Our next two nights are at a wonderful boutique hotel in a converted 16th century convent in the charming baroque village of Conversano.  Then we spend two nights in a lovely resort near the sea, and we finish at a 4-star hotel in the heart of Matera.