Puglia by Bike: The Sassi of Matera, the Trulli of Alberobello, and Salento Region

Best for Intermediate to good cyclists. No technical difficulty but it is preferable to have prior experience of cycling for several days in a row, you also must be in good physical shape. For more comfort, it is possible to rent an electrically assisted bike. Without this option, the difficulty level of this trip is rated at 3 out of 5. The route mainly follows small secondary roads, offering spectacular landscapes, especially along the coast. As you approach big cities, and especially in the summer, the roads can be a little busier. Note that there are no bike paths in this area, but the charm and beauty of the routes more than make up for it.

Nothing to carry, only a small bag with your belongings for the day. We advise you to take a change of clothes in your bags, because it is sometimes possible in rare and unforeseen cases for example: traffic jams, that your luggage is delivered late. Luggage can arrive until 6pm.

Bookable from 2 people. Solo travelers are possible with a single room supplement and solo traveler fee.

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days of cycling.

We provide you with a digital travel packet that includes a list of your accommodations, any vouchers needed and all the information you need to make your stay run smoothly. You have access to a mobile device app that includes up to date maps and GPX tracks. 

It is a free stay, without a guide, so you will be completely autonomous throughout your stay.

► Accommodation
You can choose between 2 categories of comfort: 
Classic Comfort: mainly B&Bs and 3* hotels. 
Superior Comfort: mainly 4* and 5* hotels. 

In Alberobello, you could be accommodated in the famous "trulli", for both categories of comfort. The trulli are not equipped with air conditioning. Installation in a double room with bathroom; Possibility to book a single room (with supplement).

Hotel Dimora San Giuseppe Otranto, Category - Superior Comfort 4*

Hotel Torretta Matera, Category - Classic Comfort 3* 

Please Note: Photos of accommodations are not contractual. Accommodations may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels of equivalent comfort and standard.

► Meals
Breakfasts included at accommodations. For lunch: you can order picnics from your accommodation or eat along rides in an inn or at the typical restaurants in the region. For dinner: you will have lots of restaurant choices near your accommodations.

*Please let us know at the time of registration if you have any food allergies or special diets; we will do our best to adapt your breakfasts.

► Start
Day 1, in the afternoon at your hotel in Matera.

► End
Day 8 after breakfast at your hotel in Lecce.

Pre-trip Extension in Matera
We offer a pre-trip extension in Matera (1 or 2 nights) before the cycling tour. This extension includes:

• 1 or 2 nights in a 3* hotel in the center of Matera, in a double room with breakfast
• Transfer from Bari airport to the hotel in Matera upon arrival
• Transfer from the hotel in Matera to Alberobello on Day 1 of the cycling tour

Price upon request. Please contact us for groups larger than 2 people.

The bikes we offer are of different models: unisex/women's or men's.

► Hybrid Bike
Crossway aluminum frame 21-30 speed (subject to availability). Men's or women's model. 
Fork: SR Suntour NCX Lite D-RL 63
Brakes: Shimano M445 160mm Cen

► E-Bike
Frame: Aluminum Unisex
Battery: 418 KWh 
Shocks: TektroAurigahydraulic180
Wheels: Merida Big 7 comp D
Display: STePS SC-E6010

Bike rentals include the following accessories:

• Bike bag - pannier
• Helmet
• Repair kit / 1 per person
• Water bottle
• Bike lock
• Snacks 

Important: the stages of the stay are integrated into an application to be downloaded to your mobile phone or GPS device (the application can be used offline). We therefore advise you to bring a phone holder to hang on the handlebars of the bike. We also advise you to bring your own reusable water bottle.

Matera is about 65 km / 40 mi from Bari Airport.
Lecce is about 45 km / 28 mi from Brindisi Airport.

Bari Wojtyla Airport (BRI) to/from Matera

Direct bus connection: From Bari Airport to Matera, about 1.5 hours. Tickets can be purchased online or on site at the airport. Information: Aeroporti di Puglia - Bari - Puglia Airbus

Train + Train: From Bari Airport to Bari Central Station, there are trains every hour (about €5.30, 20 minutes). Information: Aeroporti di Puglia - Bari - FROM AND FOR THE AIRPORTS
Once at Bari Central Station, you can reach Matera by train. Information: Ferrovie Appulo Lucane - Official site (about €6, 1.5 to 2 hours).

Shuttle + Train: From Bari Airport to Bari Central Station with a shuttle bus, about 30 minutes with departures every hour. Information: Tempesta Autoservizi - Station-Airport Shuttle Bus.
Once at Bari Centrale, you can reach Matera by train with Ferrovie Appulo Lucane - Official site.

Train + Bus: Take a train from Bari Airport to Bari Central Station (about €5.30, 20 minutes). Information: Aeroporti di Puglia - Bari - FROM AND FOR THE AIRPORTS.
Then take a regular bus connecting Bari to Matera (1.5 to 2 hours).

Brindisi Casale Airport (BDS) to/from Lecce

A direct bus connects Brindisi Airport to Lecce. The Lecce bus stop, the City Terminal, is located at the northern entrance of the city, close to the historic center. Depending on your accommodation location in Lecce, you can get around on foot or by bus. Line 21 "Navetta Foro Boario" is a shuttle connecting the large parking near the City Terminal to the castle, near Piazza Sant'Oronzo.

Brindisi Airport - Lecce runs 9 times a day, about 40 minutes. Information: Marozzi VT

Several of our trips lend themselves to swimming, during the stage or at the end of the day. It would be a shame not to take advantage of it. However, we would like to point out that you are the only judges of the advisability of a swim; These swims are therefore under your responsibility and at your own risk.

You take beautiful pictures! Don't hesitate to send us a CD, a USB stick, a Dropbox or WeTransfer link  of your best photos taken during your trip. The fact that you send us photos implies that you accept that your photos will be used free of charge on our various media outlets (social media, catalog, website, trip information documents, etc.).

Would you like to share your best moments of the trip and share your experience with the greater Grand Angle hiking community? Send us your story and some photos illustrating your words that we can consider publishing on our Grand Angle Blog.

► Acting for Responsible Tourism - ATR label

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips—on foot, by bike, or on snow—to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect, and kindness.

Active on the board of directors since 2018, we contribute to advancing industry practices toward greater purpose. Specifically, we ensure:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Environmental preservation on each of our trips

We also share the values of the Traveler’s Ethical Charter, which encourages simple actions to protect the places visited and foster meaningful encounters.

For more information on the ATR association: www.tourisme-responsable.org 

► Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognized as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible practices regarding the environment, ethics, and sustainable management—both within our company and with our partners, as well as in the organization of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification, confirms our concrete actions in favor of responsible tourism. We are actively working toward the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our Sustainable Development Policy.