Matera to Lecce Food and Wine

Day 1: Arrival in Matera
Day 2: Matera - Gioia del Colle, 23 mi. (36 km)
Day 3: Gioia del Colle -  Locorotondo, 27 mi. (43 km
Day 4: The surroundings of  Locorotondo, 23 mi. (37 km)
Day 5: Locorotondo -  Manduria, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 6: The surroundings of Manduria, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 7: Manduria -  Lecce, 37 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. You will overnight in either the B&B Torretta ai Sassi or Hotel San Domenico, depending on availability.

Accommodation:
B & B Torretta ai sassi or Hotel San Domenico

Day 2: Matera - Gioia del Colle, 23 mi. (36 km)
Pedaling towards Gioia del Colle (you can start later this morning because your route is shorter) 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. Your destination is Gioia del Colle, known for its mozzarella and its burrata , which you will have an opportunity to taste at a local shop. It is also interesting to visit the twelfth-century castle here.

Accommodation:
B & B Il Grifone or similar. 

Day 3: Gioia del Colle -  Locorotondo,  27 mi. (43 km)
Moving on from Gioia del Colle, you enter the Valle d’Itria, characterized by the unique architecture of the trulli, the peculiar stone buildings with conical roofs. Next stop is Noci, where – through the narrow streets of the old town – you can bask in the light of the sun reflected off its lime-white roofs.In the afternoon, you’ll pass through Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, thanks to its 1,500 trulli. You will sleep in the l town of Locorotondo, which has been nominated one of the 'most beautiful villages in Italy'. It is known for its architecture and famous for its wine which is white and slightly sparkling. Walking through the picturesque old town you can admire the architecture of the cummerse, the rectangular buildings with sloping roofs made of chiancarelle.

Accommodation:
Sotto le cummerse or
Masseria Aprile

Day 4: The surroundings of Locorotondo, 28 mi. (45 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. 

Accommodation:
Sotto le cummerse or
Masseria Aprile

Day 5: Locorotondo -  Manduria, 41 mi. (65 km)
The longest section of the trip will take you up to Manduria, 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 (which brings water from Campania all the way down to Salento). 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. Next stop is Oria, ‘city of witches’. Leaving Oria, and passing by Erchie, you’ll have your overnight stay in the ancient town of Manduria.  Here you can visit the ancient Messapian walls (a civilization that lived in these places before the arrival of the Romans and the Greeks).  

Accommodation:
B&B Sinetempore, Manduria. 
Masseria Bosco, Avetrana 

Day 6: The surroundings of Manduria, 22 mi. (35 km)
The journey to discover the surroundings of Manduria will take you towards the sea, the long seaside bordered by the dunes of Torre Colimena, where you will have the chance to visit the Salina dei Monaci and also, if you like, do some birdwatching. Cycling along the coast heading north, you will reach San Pietro in Bevagna, where a crystalline sandy beach,  totally deserted in the spring and autumn, will allow you to sunbathe and swim in the emerald waters of the Ionian Sea. From San Pietro in Bevagna you’ll head to Manduria where you can visit an ancient archaeological site of the Messapica era and the Primitivo Museum (primitivo is a high-alcohol red wine). 

Accommodation:
B&B Sinetempore, Manduria. 
Masseria Bosco, Avetrana 

Day 7: Manduria -  Lecce, 32 mi.  (52 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. 

Accommodation:
B&B Re del sale 
Up suite Room 

Day 8: Departure from Lecce

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You will be accommodated in 3 and 4-star accommodations with opportunity (with supplement) to upgrade. You will find the hotels generally used on this tour under each day’s details. Please remember that final hotel lists are always based on availability.