Matera to Lecce

Day 1: Arrival in Matera
Day 2: Matera - Putignano / Castellana 37 or 44 mi. (60 or 70km)
Day 3: Around Putignano: Conversano, Castellana and Polignano a mare 40 mi. (64km) - Self guided: option short ride 28 mi. (45 km), option longer ride, including Monopoli 51 mi. (82km)
Day 4: Putignano to Alberobello / Locorotondo 22 or 28 mi. (35 or 45 km)
Day 5: Around Alberobello / Locorotondo 28 or 20 mi. (45 or 32 km)
Day 6: Alberobello / Locorotondo to Manduria 44 or 37 mi. (70 or 60 km)
Day 7: Manduria / Avetrana -  Lecce, 38 mi. (60 km)
Day 8: Departure from Lecce

*All distances are approximate. Due to circumstances beyond control, weather conditions, or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way you may find temporary deviations/detours caused by roadwork, In this case, please follow the directions posted on site.

Day 1: Arrival in Matera
We’ll meet in Matera for the trip briefing and to supply your bikes and preloaded GPS device. 
Accommodations:
Residence del casalnuovo 
Hotel Sassi
B&B Corte San Leonardo 
B&B Torretta ai sassi
Hotel San Domenico

Day 2: Matera - Putignano / Castellana 37 or 44 mi. (60 or 70km)
Pedaling towards Gioia del Colle you find yourself in the“Murge” between Basilicata and Puglia, in what once was the granary of the Roman Empire and later, Italy. It is characterized by rolling hills and ancient oak forests. Gioia del Colle is known for its mozzarella and burrata.  You will continue cycling to Putignano with many histoic sights.
Accommodations: 
B&B Petrantiche

Day 3: Around Putignano: Conversano, Castellana and Polignano a mare 40 mi. (64km) - Self guided: option short ride 28 mi. (45 km), option longer ride, including Monopoli 51 mi. (82km)
Today you can enjoy exploring the towns of south-east Bari.  You can taste a typical Octopus sandwich and have a swim in the sea in Polignano a Mare; in Conversano you will enjoy the cherry trees with their spring blooms, early summer fruit, and fig trees in fall  . Finally Castellana Grotte, where it is possible to visit some astonishing caves, a complex of underground cavities of karst origin.
Accommodations: 
B&B Petrantiche

Day 4: Putignano to Alberobello / Locorotondo 22 or 28 mi. (35 or 45 km)
You will travel through the area known as Valle D'Itria.  A coffee stop may be enjoyed in the lesser known and less touristy town of Noci.  Gentle hills bring you to Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 thanks to its 1.500 "Trulli" houses with conical roofs. 
Accommodations - Alberobello
Hotel Cuor di Puglia
B&B C'era una volta 
Hotel colle del sole
Hotel Lanzillotta
B&B Palazzo agrusti 

Accommodations - Locorotondo
B&B da concavo e convesso 
Masseria Aprile

Day 5: Around Alberobello / Locorotondo 28 or 20 mi. (45 or 32 km)
A day spent discovering the Valle d’Itria. Leaving Locorotondo the first stop is Martina Franca, which has retained its own particular charm. The old town is surrounded by stone walls with baroque gateways leading to the main square. You can visit the Ducal Palace or taste the famous capocollo of Martina Franca, a Slow Food Presidium.
Leaving behind Martina Franca you will find yourself back in the gently undulating countryside, heading towards the ‘Pomona’ botanical conservatory, a real biodiversity sanctuary where they have hundreds of fruit trees from all over the Mediterranean (including an amazing collection of more than 400 varieties of figs). You will come back to  Locorotondo, crossing vineyards dotted with trulli. 
Accommodations - Alberobello
Hotel Cuor di Puglia
B&B C'era una volta 
Hotel colle del sole
Hotel Lanzillotta
B&B Palazzo agrusti 

Accommodations - Locorotondo
B&B da concavo e convesso 
Masseria Aprile

Day 6: Alberobello / Locorotondo to Manduria 44 or 37 mi. (70 or 60 km)
The longest section of the trip will take you up to Avetrana, crossing the border between the Valle d’Itria and Salento: you will notice the change in the landscape around you during the day. Passing by Martina Franca, you’ll travel along a short section of the ‘Aqueduct Cycleway’, a path along the aqueduct of Puglia. Then you’ll go on to Ceglie Messapica, a city known for its bread, that you can try in one of the oldest bakeries in the city, located in the old town. In Francavilla Fontana you can visit the Basilica Minore of the Holy Rosary and Argentina Palace. You will continue through Oria, ‘city of witches,' and Erchie, to your overnight accommodations. 
Accommodations - Manduria
B&B Sinetempore 
B&B DF
*If the B & B is fully booked in Manduria, you will cycle on to Avetrana. In this case, daily mileage will be approx. 10 km more.

Accommodations - Avetrana
Masseria Bosco 

Day 7: Manduria / Avetrana -  Lecce, 38 mi. (60 km)
On this, the final day, you’ll head towards the ‘Florence of the South’: the city of Lecce. Along the way, you pass through the fascinating ghost town of Monteruga, founded in the 1920s and completely abandoned in the 1980s. This is the area of ‘Salice Salentino’, whose vineyards produce a DOCG wine very popular around the world. You’ll go through a few small villages where, all year round, you’ll find the squares filled with elderly residents, hats pulled down against the sun, discussing politics and agriculture. Here it seems that time has stood still. Later in the afternoon, you’ll reach your destination, the city of Lecce. 
Accommodations:
B&B Orangerie D'Epoque 
Uproom &Suite 

Day 8: Departure from Lecce
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You will be accommodated in 3 and 4-star accommodations with the possibility (with supplement) to upgrade. You will find the hotels generally used on this tour in the daily itinerary. Please remember that final hotel lists are always based on availability. Sometimes, hotel confirmations can take a few weeks to finalize as well as, at times, changes necessitated even after hotel confirmations, so please be patient.

Bicycles

Men’s & women’s city & touring bikes

Please note that we will do our very best to accommodate specific bike requests but we cannot always guarantee your preference.

Bianchi Spillo Onice

• Light aluminum men or women's frame
• 21 speed Shimano Deore gearing
• 28-inch wheels
• Front suspension
• Royal Freeway saddle

Specialized Crosstrail

• Light aluminum frame
• 24 speed Shimano FD-M191 & SL-M310 gearing
• Specialized Trigger Sport 700 x 38c tires
• Front suspension
• V-brake, linear-pull
• Body Geometry Targa Sport saddle

Specialized Sirrus

• Light aluminum frame
• 24 speed Shimano Altus gearing
• Nimbus 2 - 700 32 c tires
• V-brake, linear-pull
• Body Geometry Targa Sport saddle

Velo De Ville (L 100)

• Aluminum frame
• 24 speed Shimano Acera gearing
• Schwalbe Tyrago tires
• Shimano disc brakes
• Medicus trekking saddle

All bikes are equipped with rear racks, pannier bags, spare inner tubes, repair kit, and first aid kit.

Electric bikes

Please note that we will do our very best to accommodate specific bike requests but we cannot always guarantee your preference.

EY559 Rebel Jet

• Sport hybrid alloy frame
• Shimano XT 10 speed
• Schwalbe Big Apple 28" tires
• Hydraulic disc brakes
• Frame-mounted 500 Wh battery
• Yamaha PW-SE engine

EY419 Rebel City Wave

• City Wave Alloy Frame
• Shimano Acera 8 speed
• Kenda K192 700 x 42c tires
• Rear mounted 400 Wh battery
• Yamaha PW-SE engine

EY319 Rebel Street

• Street wave alloy frame
• Shimano Acera 8 speed
• Shimano MT200 brakes
• Rear mounted 400 Wh battery
• Yamaha PW-TE