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Italy's Puglia to Basilicata Bike Tour

Italy's Puglia to Basilicata Bike Tour

From Ancient Matera to the Adriatic Sea

From $3,699 pp dbl. occ. | 6 days / 5 nights

Call for single supplement pricing

The map says Italy. The "heel of the boot." Though you may feel you've strayed into Greece. And that's part of Puglia's appeal. Endless olive groves. A rugged coastline and the blue-green Adriatic. The people are welcoming and down-to-earth. The cuisine rustic and satisfying. You've found your perfect escape.

Highlights

Visit the World Heritage sites of Alberobello and its 1,500 trulli, and Matera, with a fascinating maze of prehistoric caves
Taste exceptional regional wines, learn to make fresh pasta and enjoy delicious home-cooked Pugliese specialties
Bike from coast to coast, from the Ionian to the Adriatic, with opportunities to relax en route over coffee and gelato
Relish superb coastal vistas and unbeatable views of ancient olive groves, whitewashed villages and age-old farmhouses

Italy

Start Bari / End Lecce

Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.

Itinerary

Day 1 Pedal accompanied by remarkable views of whitewashed villages, olive trees and age-old farmhouses | Journey to the World Heritage site of Matera, one of Italy's most fascinating towns | Some 9,000 years ago, humans inhabited the canyon's caves, creating what UNESCO calls the most outstanding example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean | Soak up the authentic feel of this ancient town, with its intriguing history and sublime views.

Day 2 Ever wondered how mozzarella is made? It's your chance to learn | Explore the World Heritage site of Alberobello with 1,500 trulli, unusual round stone buildings topped with conical gray slate roofs | Bike into the surrounding landscape, an artist's dream, with its vibrant palette of reddish brown soil, green grass and blue skies.

Day 3 Start the day off with an espressino freddo, Puglia's delicious cold sweet coffee | Take in unbeatable views of ancient olive groves as you ride to historic Ostuni, known as the White City, which spans three hilltops and is crowned by a Gothic cathedral | Taste regional wines, learn to make pasta and enjoy home-cooked Pugliese specialties at a local masseria (fortified farmhouse).

Day 4 Enjoy rides through peaceful farmland and along scenic roads down the Adriatic coast | Along the way, delight in views of the azure Adriatic and its picturesque white-sand beaches | Savor local produce, fresh seafood and regional wines.

Days 5-6 Get ready for superb coastal vistas, extraordinary grottoes and opportunities to swim in the blue sea | Bike to the "heel of the boot" on a spectacular seaside ride to the tiny village of Santa Maria di Leuca | Take a final ride over undulating terrain toward Otranto | Delight in an evening of lively traditional music and folk dancing | The trip ends in historic Lecce, a city famed for its beautiful baroque architecture.

Next: Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.

If you must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to the policy outlined below. Exceptions to our cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather, terrorism, civil unrest or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Private room or tent, bike rental and internal air charges are considered part of the total trip cost and are subject to cancellation fees. Percentage charges are calculated on total trip cost.

Cancellation Fees (Per Person)
Days Prior to Trip Start	Scheduled Trips	Private Trips	Custom Trips
126+ days	$200**	$600	30%
95-125	$200**	30%	50%
61-95 days	30%	50%	75%
31-60 days	60%	75%	100%
0-30 days	100%	100%	100%

** Rather than paying the cancellation fees, you may choose to keep your trip deposit ($600) in a holding account to use on a future Backroads trip with no expiration date.

Bike Cancellation Policies: If you are renting a Specialized Roubaix, Ruby, e-bike or Co-Motion Tandem, a full cancellation fee will apply in the event you cancel your trip reservation inside 30 days.

Transfers: You may transfer from one trip to another up to 95 days before trip departure without penalty—except Private or Custom Trips.

Release of Liability: Guests are required to provide a signed Release of Liability, Assumption of All Risks, and Arbitration Agreement and a completed Personal Information forms prior to trip departure; you will receive these materials shortly after reserving your trip. You may also complete your forms online. We are unable to allow guests to participate in any aspect of a Backroads trip without a signed release form.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

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C Classic Dates

Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group of 8 or more. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.

Private Trip Pricing

10 or more Guests: from $3,699 pp dbl occ

9 Guests: from $4,199 pp dbl occ

8 Guests: from $4,399 pp dbl occ
2-7 Guests: Give us a call or reach out here!

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date

2+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 2 or more guests
8+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 8 or more guests
16+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 16 or more guests
Reserved

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020 June

6/14–6/19

2020 August

12+ 8/30–9/4

2020 September

9/6–9/11

2020 October

12+ 10/4–10/9

12+ 10/11–10/16

View Scheduled Dates

Tell us what your dream trip would be and we'll make it happen! Whether you're looking for a honeymoon trip for 2, a 30-person family reunion or a 100-person corporate trip, we can do it all. A dedicated Custom Trip Consultant will work closely with you to bring your dreams to reality. Call us at 800-462-2848 to speak with your Custom Trip Consultant or click on the button below.

REQUEST YOUR CUSTOM TRIP NOW

Previous: Overview

Dates

C Couples, Friends & Solos Tours

2020
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
Oct

View Scheduled Dates
Go Private
Go Custom

Prices

From $3,699 pp dbl. occ.
6 days / 5 nights

Call for single supplement pricing

Reviews

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Casual & Premiere Hotels*

Palazzo Viceconte

Matera (1 night)

* Casual Plus

Masseria Torre Coccaro

Savelletri di Fasano (2 nights)

* Premiere Hotel

Le Capase Resort

Villaggio Paradiso (2 nights)

See Lodging Details

Activity Level

This trip is rated Levels 2-4

See Daily Route Options

What's Included

Services and equipment are included.

See how we include more

Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Puglia

Find out What sets us apart

More On This Trip

View more photos

Watch videos

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Reviews by Power Reviews ®

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Next: Lodging

Casual & Premiere Hotels*

Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.

Palazzo Viceconte

Matera (1 night)

* Casual Plus

This beautifully renovated 18th-century palace offers unsurpassed views of Matera's sassi from its rooftop terrace.

Masseria Torre Coccaro

Savelletri di Fasano (2 nights)

* Premiere Hotel

Set just a short distance from the sea, this onetime refuge for pilgrims and the Knights of Malta offers unique guest rooms, each with its own private garden. (pool, spa)

Le Capase Resort

Villaggio Paradiso (2 nights)

Perched on a bluff overlooking the Adriatic, this resort features a stunning infinity pool and walking path to the sea below. (pool)

Previous: Reviews

Next: Activity Level

This Trip Is Rated Levels 2-4

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Daily Route Options (drag to see full )

Day	EASYGOING				ACTIVE				AVID
Daily Route Options
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 4		Level 5
	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain
1			13	1400	23	2400
1	Walking Tour of Matera (1 Hour)
2			30*	900	39*	1600			60*	2000
3					27*	2300	48	2600	60	2800
4			21*	800	37*	1100	51	1900
5					27*	1800	51	3600
6	12	500

Note:

* Includes shuttle.

Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.

Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.

Previous: Lodging

Next: What's Included

Meals

All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners

Available Bike Options

The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.

Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)

Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.

Touring Bike (Included)

Performance Road Bike (Included)

NEW! Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price – Available beginning 4/1 in North America, 5/1 in Europe and 11/1 outside of Europe and North America.)

Our newly redesigned Titanium Electric-Assist Bike is a lightweight yet powerful machine unique in the world of e-bikes. It provides plenty of power (and then some!) to flatten the hills and more than enough battery range to cover the distance. Other outstanding features include the same comfort as our Touring Bikes and lower top tubes for easier mounting and dismounting.

Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)

Cannondale Pro Carbon Upgrade ($400 rental fee)

Delivering phenomenal acceleration and handling in a light and powerful package, the Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD pro carbon upgrade is built for experienced cyclists, men and women alike, who are looking for a high-performance bike that doesn’t sacrifice comfort.

Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD

Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)

Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.

Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)

Also Included

Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
Snacks and beverages between meals
Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
Park and other entry fees
Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
Select coach transfers
Baggage transfers and porterage

Previous: Activity Level

Next: Straight Talk

Next: Why Backroads

Get the Straight Talk about This Trip

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Biking in Puglia

Roads in Puglia and most of southern Italy are not always as well maintained as those found up north. Although our routes are quiet and picturesque, you can expect some rough patches of road along the way. And believe it or not, litter can occasionally be part of the landscape, especially when approaching small villages. For most, these challenges are offset by the beauty of Puglia's countryside and its warm hospitality.

Previous: What's Included

Next: Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Puglia

Everyone at Their Own Pace

We design and support our Puglia trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.

More Leaders to Support You

On our Puglia trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.

A Second Van When You Need It

Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Puglia—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.

The Best Leaders in Puglia

Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Puglia, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.

Great Bikes Included

Our custom-designed titanium bikes are best in class. From avid cyclists to easygoing riders, we believe that everyone deserves a seriously great bike to match their riding style. Learn more about our bike fleet.

Navigate Your Way in Puglia

Your ride comes equipped with a GPS device, preloaded with all the routes and route options for your trip. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.

The Value of Casual Hotels

In addition to the ideal balance of comfort and hospitality in our choice of lodgings, this trip featuring Casual Hotels includes nearly all of your meals, plus everything from cocktail receptions to the best snacks along the road. So there's rarely a need to reach for your wallet – we've got you covered.

Our Cultural Roots Run Deep

Thanks to our extensive connections in Puglia, Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.

We Speak the Language

If we told you many companies' leaders can't actually speak the language where they lead trips, you'd say incroyable... ridicolo... không the tha thú. At Backroads, fluency in the local language is a given. Find out more on the best leader recruitment, training and development in the business. (And by the way, that was "unforgivable" in Vietnamese.)

We Live in the Neighborhood

Our Trip Leaders in Puglia live in the area and are deeply engaged in their communities, giving them unique inside knowledge they're happy to share in making your experience that much richer. They'll introduce you to people, customs and parts of town you'd likely never encounter on your own—and teach you a few local phrases to help break the ice.

Experts with Secrets to Share

In choosing the ideal experts to enrich your travel experience, we look for people with a wealth of local knowledge, but also the ability to convey their insights in English. Too often travelers find themselves smiling politely, not quite understanding what they're being told. Our experts share intriguing facts, anecdotes and inside stories that stay with you forever.

The Right Local Pairings

Our Trip Leaders combine deep local expertise with a firm grasp of North American expectations around quality of service. By the same token, we pair experienced Backroads leaders with local guides who know how to cater to your needs while cracking open the culture or natural history in ways that are meaningful, memorable and often magical.

Signature Backroads Picnics

Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.

Previous: Straight Talk

Previous: What's Included

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Backroads Photo Gallery

Biker on Truli - Puglia Italy Cycling Trips

Guest Photo Gallery

Straight Talk

We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.

Italy's Puglia to Basilicata Bike Tour