Cycling the Heel of Italy - Matera to Lecce
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable cycling adventure through the heel of Italy, from Matera to Lecce. This tour invites you to explore the enchanting landscapes and rich history of Puglia. Begin in Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and pedal through picturesque towns like Alberobello, famous for its trulli houses, and the white city of Ostuni. Experience the stunning coastal views of the Ionian and Adriatic Seas, and visit the majestic castle of Otranto. Enjoy the vibrant Baroque architecture of Lecce, known as the 'Florence of the South'. With high-quality bikes, GPS navigation, and luggage transfers included, this tour offers a seamless journey through olive groves, limestone cliffs, and Roman amphitheatres. Indulge in local culinary delights with included breakfasts and select evening meals, and rest in comfortable en suite hotels, with the option to upgrade for added luxury. ...more ...less
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive in Matera
Location: Matera
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Make your way to Matera, one of the oldest inhabited human settlements in the world.
Day 2 : Free day in Matera
Location: Matera
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Explore the UNESCO-listed Sassi of Matera; a complex of houses built into the natural caves of the Murgia.
Day 3 : Matera to Castellaneta
Location: Castellaneta
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Your first cycling day takes you through a landscape of wheat fields and wide panoramas. Visit the town of Laterza, famous for its tasty bakery products and majolica pottery. Continue to Castellaneta, a small city perched on the edge of a ravine.
Day 4 : Castellaneta to Putignano
Location: Putignano
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today you will cycle in the Terra delle Gravine Natural Park, amongst deep canyons, carved by rivers over millions of years. Leaving the ravines you will soon discover the iconic Puglia scenery: dry stone walls, old masserie (fortified stansteads) and trulli, rural houses with a conic roof typical to the area, built without any cement or mortar. Reach Putignano, known for its ancient carnival.
Day 5 : Putignano to Alberobello
Location: Alberobello
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Leaving the medieval centre of Putignano, cycle in the lush countryside to reach Castellana Caves. It is the main karst site in the South of Italy and a visit is recommended.After the caves, continue along the rolling lanes of the countryside where olive, almond, apricot and cherry trees grow. Continue to the UNESCO heritage site of Alberobello, the world capital of Trulli.
Day 6 : Alberobello to Ostuni
Location: Ostuni
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cycle through the lush Valle d'Itria, passing more white-tipped trulli houses on the way. Boasting beautiful coastal views, the route takes you through the famous wine town of Locorotondo, regarded as one of Italy's most stunning villages. After sampling some of the local sparkling white wine, continue to the white city of Ostuni - so called for the dazzling effect of its whitewashed houses.
Day 7 : Ostuni to Avetrana
Location: Oria
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Cycle through the colourful Salentinian countryside, characterized by olive groves and red soil towards the medieval towns of Oria and Manduria with their authentic historic centres.
Day 8 : Avetrana to Gallipoli
Location: Gallipoli
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Head to Torre Colimena on the Ionian Sea, then follow the coast alongside a series of beaches and the old coastal towers of Salento. Reach Gallipoli, known as the 'Ionian Pearl' with its Old Town situated on a rocky island. Take time to wander the narrow lanes of the historic centre to discover its baroque cathedral, elegant palazzi and enticing restaurants.
Day 9 : Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca
Location: Santa Maria di Leuca
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cycle towards the most southerly point of Salento at Santa Maria di Leuca, where the crystal waters of the Ionian and Adriatic Sea meet. This village is home to one of the most important lighthouses in Italy, as well as numerous villas built at the turn of the century.
Day 10 : Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto
Location: Otranto
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Pedal along the south coast of the Adriatic Sea, stopping off at the famous Grotta Zinzulusa and the thermal baths of Santa Cesarea Terme. Your final destination is Otranto, the most eastern point of Italy with a stunning cathedral and Aragonese castle.
Day 11 : Otranto to Lecce
Location: Lecce
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Follow the shoreline through olive groves to the Baroque metropolis of Lecce. Known as the 'Florence of the South', Lecce is home to over 30 churches, an amphitheatre and a Roman theatre dating back to Emperor Augustus.
Day 12 : Leave Lecce
Location: Lecce
Accommodation Name: hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Make your own way back to the airport for your flight home.
What's Included
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All breakfasts and 2 evening meals
The tour includes all breakfasts and two evening meals during your stay.
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Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
The tour is managed by a local Headwater-appointed agent to ensure a smooth experience.
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GPS Route directions and maps
GPS route directions and maps are provided for your convenience.
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Headwater navigation app
Access to the Headwater navigation app is included for easy route tracking.
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High Quality Bikes
High-quality bikes are provided for the duration of the tour.
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Luggage transfers between hotels
Luggage transfers between hotels are included to ease your travel.
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
Travel insurance is not included and must be arranged separately.
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Single accommodation (available on request - compulsory supplement)
Single accommodation is available on request and requires a compulsory supplement.
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Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
A solo traveller supplement applies if only one person is traveling on a departure date.
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Visas or vaccinations
Visas or vaccinations are not included and should be arranged independently.
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Arrival & departure transfers
Arrival and departure transfers are not included; participants are responsible for their own transfers.
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Hotel Upgrades
Hotel upgrades are not included but can be arranged for an additional cost.
Food
Breakfasts are included and consist of a continental-style buffet. However, please note that the typical Italian breakfast are generally light; usually a cup of coffee and a cream-filled or jam-filled croissant.
In Puglia you will find genuine regional cooking that has strong links to the land and the sea. To give you just a small list of the types of food on offer in Puglia: Bread from the Murge, durum wheat pasta, olives, the pasta delicacy Orecchiette served with a sauce of turnip-tops or fresh tomato and sheep's ricotta-cheese, Cavatelli with pulses, aubergine and parmesan bake, grilled fish and seafood, burrata (soft mozzarella and cream cheese), plus excellent wines. This region is a food lovers paradise and the abundance of delicious vegetables makes it a perfect destination for vegetarians! On this trip there will be many opportunities to taste the best local specialities.
Suggestions of what to do for lunch and dinner are given in the cycling route notes.
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Accommodation
You will spend 11 nights in comfortable en suite hotels, in Matera, your hotel is just a few steps from the Sassi di Matera UNESCO site and when available we use traditional accommodation in Alberobello. Hotels are mainly 3 star, there is also the option to upgrade to mostly 4 star accommodation for a supplement. All prices are based on 2 persons sharing, so if there is an odd number of people travelling in your party or you are travelling alone, there will be a compulsory supplement for a single room for the tour duration. For a solo traveller there is an additional charge to cover transfer costs. ...more ...less
Check out our Q&As
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What type of bicycles are provided during the tour?
The tour provides high-quality bikes for participants to use throughout the journey.
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Are luggage transfers included in the tour?
Yes, luggage transfers between hotels are included in the tour.
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Is there an option to upgrade the accommodation during the tour?
Yes, there is an option to upgrade to mostly 4-star accommodation for a supplement.
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What meals are included in the tour package?
The tour package includes all breakfasts and two evening meals.
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Are arrival and departure transfers included in the tour?
No, arrival and departure transfers are not included. Participants are responsible for making their own way to and from the starting and ending locations.
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What is the accommodation arrangement for solo travelers?
Solo travelers will incur an additional charge to cover transfer costs and there is a compulsory supplement for a single room for the tour duration.
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What kind of navigation support is provided during the tour?
The tour provides GPS route directions, maps, and access to the Headwater navigation app.
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What is the typical breakfast like during the tour?
Breakfasts are continental-style buffets, typical of Italian breakfasts which are generally light, usually consisting of a cup of coffee and a cream-filled or jam-filled croissant.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
Cycling the Heel of Italy - Matera to Lecce
12 Days Starting in Alberobello, Italy and ending in Lecce, Italy
Visiting: Matera, Castellaneta, Putignano, Alberobello, Ostuni, Oria, Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca, Otranto, Lecce ...more ...less
Tour operator:
Tour code:
C11PI
Group Type:
Independent
Guide Type:
Self Guided
Age range:
14-99
