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Explore Puglia's unspoilt villages, gently rolling hills with a backdrop of the clear, emerald Adriatic
Arrive at your hotel for a welcome briefing. There's time to discover the historic town of Conversano befroe choosing one of the many restaurants for dinner (payable locally).
Today's pedalling takes you through the rolling hills of the Valle d'Itria where the air is perfumed with wild mint and herbs. Stop off in the little towns of Putignano and Noci, and view their characteristic whitewashed houses and narrow alleyways. It's then off to unique Alberobello and its plethora of trulli houses, the architectural symbol of the region. On arrival you'll be met by one of the staff, who will show you to your own private trullo house.
Distance in Km: 39
Distance in Miles: 24.5
Explore the narrow streets and kitsch souvenir shops, or visit the Museo del Territorio. Alternatively, cycle into the Itria Valley to visit stunning Locorotondo, with its panoramic views across the valley. Continue on to Martina Franca, with its beautiful Baroque architechture and stunning palazzi.
You'll spend this morning cycling along beautiful undulating country lanes lined with weathered stone walls, before enjoying a long downhill run with panoramic views of the Adriatic coastline and the lower fertile plains. This incredible descent will bring you down towards Capitolo and finishes through a patchwork of almond orchards, olive groves, vineyards and gloriously coloured fields of fresh tomatoes and peppers.
Distance in Km: 49
Distance in Miles: 30.5
Relax by the hotel's pool, or cycle to the nearby beach. For the more energetic, ride to charming Ostuni whose whitewashed houses are neatly piled on hills rich in olive groves and vineyards.
This morning you leave the masseria and head back to the Adriatic coast on a gentle flat route. You will cycle past the colourful fishing village of Savelletri, a perfect stop for an authentic Italian espresso or to indulge in a delicious seafood lunch. Your ride will continue past the archaeological site of Egnazia, once the location of a Greco-Roman town, dating as far back as 4BC. You then return to the picturesque coastal town of Monopoli and the 4-star Albergo Diffuso in time for a stroll before choosing your evening restaurant from one of the many eateries in the heart of the old town.
Distance in Km: 37
Distance in Miles: 23.5
Today's route takes you along the stunning coastline all the way to the beautiful Polignano a Mare. Take the time to explore this vibrant fishing village before continuing to the picturesque village of San Vito with its multi-coloured boats. Head back to Monopoli and enjoy an aperitivo in the old town's square watching the world walk past.
We transfer you and your bike to Acaya, from where you'll cycle along the stunning Salento coast to Otranto, taking in ancient olive groves and fishing villages en route.
Distance in Km: 42
Distance in Miles: 26.5
A free day in Otranto today, or an optional challenging day's cycling (55km/34.5mi) which takes you up and down along the coast south and west of Otranto, where you'll see the easternmost and southernmost point of Puglia - a spectacular sight! You can also visit the Castel di Salve winery on your way to Santa Maria di Leuca, which is known as De Finibus Terrae, 'the end of the earth', before taking a shuttle back to the hotel.
Today you head to Lecce on mostly flat terrain amidst endless olive orchards and menhirs. Tonight you'll stay at the stylish 5 star Risorgimento Resort, just a few steps from some of Lecce's Baroque masterpieces.
Distance in Km: 37
Distance in Miles: 23.5
10 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation9 days cycling (including 3 optional
rides)Management by your local Headwater-appointed agentGPS route directions
and mapsRideWithGPS navigation appHigh quality bikesLuggage transfers between
hotels
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.
10 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation9 days cycling (including 3 optional
rides)Management by your local Headwater-appointed agentGPS route directions
and mapsRideWithGPS navigation appHigh quality bikesLuggage transfers between
hotels
Cycling ConditionsClassification: Self-GuidedAverage daily distance: 49.75km
(25 miles). No. of days cycling: 9 (3 optional)Terrain and route: The cycle
routes mainly follow tarmac country roads.Vehicle Support: This is a
self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our
assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange
your accommodation, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can
cycle at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the
next.It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route
notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly
checked.As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader.
There maybe others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be
organised together. The routes notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance
telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the hotels are
normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to
charge for this service.
HotelsYour accommodation is as varied as the landscape, with each place specially
chosen for its unique charm and character. In Conversano, your beautiful 12th
century former court house, with barrel-vaulted ceilings, is just a stone's
throw from the elegant Romanesque cathedral; in Alberobello, you cannot fail
to be seduced by the authentic trullo houses (limestone dwellings with
conical roofs that are the architectural symbol of Puglia); in Pezze di
Greco, you spend two nights in a beautifully restored 17th century masseria
(fortified farmhouse) with lovely pool and in Monopoli, you stay in
characterful rooms set in various locations just 3 minutes from the beach.
As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. A local
representative is on hand to assist you and will meet you at the beginning of
the week to set up your bike and go through the route notes and point out
particular places of interest. Your luggage is transferred and route notes
and maps are provided. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance
telephone number. In an emergency, the local representative is normally able
to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for
this service.
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.
Alternative Air TravelAlternative flights, onward rail to your holiday area,
and connecting private transfers can be arranged from most UK airports. If
you would like to use one of the many 'low cost' airlines, we can book these
on your behalf (£30 admin fee per person). We can also book UK shuttles to
connect with your onward flight, please call for details and
prices.Alternative transfersIf you require alternative transfers (because you
will be arriving at a different time to our standard flights or into another
airport), then we can usually arrange these for you (these will incur an
additional charge).
Air prices include our standard flights/transfersAlitalia Heathrow to Bari
via Milan Linate 07:25/14:45, (transfer to hotel, 55 mins, provided). Return:
Brindisi to Heathrow via Milan Linate 12:05/18:00 (transfer to the airport,
35 mins, provided).
Puglia enjoys a wonderful Mediterranean climate with all year round sunshine
and just enough rainfall to ensure that the green is never too far off.
Although Puglia covers a large area it is long and narrow - not more than
30km across. This means that you're never far from the sea which has a
moderating effect on the weather. Please note that Puglia can be very hot,
reaching high 30s in the summer.
We recommend you bring the following items: Normal daily clothes Padded
cycling shorts Cycling gloves Water bottles Breathable cycling
top Cycling helmet (compulsory on this trip) A couple of warm
layersSunglasses, sun cream and sunhatStiff-soled shoes suitable for
cycling Waterproofs and long cycling trousersFor earlier departures you may
need some warmer layersMobile phone with roaming capabilities
We also recommend bringing suncream and swimming things.
LOCAL TAXES: many Italian cities have recently introduced a tourist tax for
non-residents. The local administration is in charge of the tax, which will
be collected by the accommodation provider at check-in or check-out. This fee
varies depending on the hotel category, the season and number of days of
stay. It is usually between 1 and 4 euros per person per night.For this trip,
please allow approx. €15 for the week.
Travel insuranceSingle accommodation (available on request - compulsory
supplement)Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on
a departure date)Visas or vaccinationsArrival & departure transfers
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.