BICYCLE TOURS & MOUNTAIN BIKING

Apulia (Route K)

Bordered by the sea on two sides and characterized by endless olive groves, huge fields of grain and vineyards, Apulia is the flattest region of Italy after the Po River Valley. The Murge, a limestone plateau covering Apulia, reaches its highpoint of 500 meters near Castel. Greeks, Carthagians, Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Saracens, Langobards, and Normans both settled and built here freely, or warred and destroyed. At the zenith of the Middle Ages, under the Staufer emperor Frederick II, Apulia experienced its greatest blossoming and was a central reference point of western history during his lifetime.

The charm of this tour is that it leads you into a region of scenic beauty that is, by today's standards, still unaffected by the unattractive sides of tourism. Yet, you will still benefit from the best hotels. Industrialization often rubs up against medieval structures in Apulia. Following a strong migration from the countryside, the outskirts of the cities were built with little city planning and are thus occasionally unattractive. Poor industrial policies and overpopulation are the cause of a heavy unemployment burden. During a tour of Apulia, you'll see both sides of the culture and discover an original side of Italy unrelated to the established clichés. You'll discover "Puglia dove la nature é colore" - "Apulia, where all of nature is colorful".

Tour Details

Day 1: Sunday
Bari - Alberobello (27 miles)
After gaining 800 vertical ft. by bus or train you'll ease into cycling on lovely paths through Olive and Almond orchards. Near Castellana you'll see a huge karsted cave, considered Italy's most beautiful. Today's destination, the especially picturesque Trulli capital of Alberobello, consists of over 1,000 white houses with conical roofs. Your accomodation tonight is the "Sovrano," home to one of the region's best cooks who will treat you to some typical local dishes.

Day 2: Monday
Alberobello - Tarent (27 miles)
This morning's ride traverses the Trulli heartland where these characteristic houses dot the landscape to the horizon. In Martina Franca you'll encounter the Apulian baroque style in charged balconies, window grates and gates. It is downhill to Massafra, surprising in it's position on the edge of a deep gorge. You'll visit two impressive grotto churches with medieval frescoes before hopping a train or bus to Tarent and your seaside hotel, the "Grand Hotel Delfino." (Swimming pool)

Day 3: Tuesday
Tarent - Matera (21 miles)
Today starts off with a visit to the National Museum's famous collection of vases, sculptures and gold jewelry, witnesses to the political and cultural might of Tarent in the third century B.C. Afterwards, stroll through some of the 100 alleyways of the old-town (located on an island). In Metapont you'll rest in the shade of a Greek temple. The philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras spent a long portion of his working life here. Traveling inland again past scenic white villages on the heights, you'll reach the hotel "De Nicola" where you'll spend two nights.

Day 4: Wednesday
Matera (Travel free day) - (0 miles)
A guide will help you discover this remarkable cliff city consisting of a confusing tangle of streets carved from the tuffaceous limestone starting in the Paleolithic Age, over 100 cave churches and the Sassi, or cave dwellings. Wander along the "Strada dei Sassi," then through one of the largest gorges in the area, with an isolated cave church perched on it's edge, before cycling back to Matera with time to spare for a stroll through town before dinner.

Day 5: Thursday
Matera - Andria (35 miles)
After Gravina in Puglia you'll traverse an area of many abandoned farms, witness to an unprecedented migration to the cities during the last 50 years. Good roads lead through a wide, open landscape of special charm. Some of the low pine wood landscapes this afternoon are almost northern-European in character. The Castel del Monte is visible above the surrounding landscape long before you reach it. Known as the "crown of Apulia," it is the greatest creation of Friedrich II. Although built as a defensive fortress it was only ever used as a hunting lodge and countryseat. In the late afternoon you'll reach Andria, his favorite residence and the resting place of two of his wives. Tonight you are a guest at the "Crystal Palace".

Day 6: Friday
Andria - Giovinazzo (25 miles)
You’ll head towards the sea this morning, through extensive olive groves and past painterly harbor towns to Trani. There you'll visit one of the most beautiful Apulian cathedrals, reaching skyward directly in front of the open sea. In Molfetta, you'll also see the cathedral with its dome and geometry reflecting a Byzantine influence. Riding past Bisceglie you'll reach Giovinazzo where you'll be received by the hotel "Riva del Sole," with its private beach. (Swimming pool)

Day 7: Saturday
Giovinazzo - Bari (14 miles)
The cathedral San Valentino in Bitonto is the most mature example of the Apulian Romanesque. In the same tradition of San Nicola in Bari, the interior and exterior decorative schemes create an impressive architectural unity. The trip ends in the early afternoon at the Bari airport in time to make connections to Germany and other destinations. Guests traveling by train will be brought to the Bari station. Those wishing to extend their stay will find helpful tips about the neighboring regions in their trip information kit.

Arrival:
The bike tour begins on Sunday. You are expected on Saturday afternoon at Bari's "Mercure Hotel Villa Romanazzi Carducci" (overnight stay and breakfast are included in the package). From Bari airport take a taxi to the hotel (approx. 15 minutes). In the afternoon at about 5:00 p.m. Rotalis invites you for a sightseeing tour through Bari's historical center.