Puglia - the remarkable heel of Italy
- ann26154
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
This region in Italy is perhaps not as famous as its northern regions such as Lake Garda, Rome, Venice, or Tuscany. However, Puglia is intriguing & distinctive with much to offer.
From the oldest inhabited settlement in the world - the UNESCO world heritage Sassi de Matera, to the distinctive trulli houses of Alberobello and the Murgia region, to Lecce - known as the Florence of the South with it’s baroque historic centre, the mesmerising azure waters of the Adriatic, historic hilltop towns like Ostuni or coastal towns like Gallipoli and Otranto with their castle fortresses and beautiful beaches and not forgetting the seemingly endless expanse of olive groves, and where you can cross Italy in one day and then go back across again the following day!
Puglia is an incredible part of Italy not to be missed.
Arrival, sightseeing and first day of cycling – Matera to Alberobello
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2970846470
Arrival to Bari airport and then a bus and train to get to our start destination of Sassi de Matera.
This UNESCO world heritage site has a fascinating history. Its the oldest occupied settlement in the world with its first inhabitants arriving around 7000 years ago. Known as the subterranean city where people lived in caves and houses carved into the rock on top of each other over 12 levels, co-habiting with their animals. There are over 160 churches in Matera, with many Rupestrian churches (carved into the rock). The settlement was built alongside a canyon and gorge for protection over the centuries.
In the 1950s, the Italian government moved everyone out of the old town of Sassi, they called it the ‘shame of Italy’, due to the poverty. The government built a new city called Matera and compulsorily moved everyone out over the course of a decade. It was only until a couple of decades later that historians realised it was important to recognise the historical importance of this remarkable site.
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We took a tour so we could really appreciate the history. Our tour guide was from a family who originally lived in Sassi and she bought much of her own personal experience and emotion to the story as she took us around. She explained that her parents did not resent being forced to move out, although she did, feeling that the obligatory movement of the people out of Sassi broke up communities.
The town is also a famous location for many films over the years, including Ben Hur and The Passion of the Christ, as it resembles ancient Jerusalem. A more recent claim to cinematic fame was the James Bond ‘No Time to Die’, where some spectacular chase scenes where filmed.
Cycling begins - After a day exploring, we collected our hire bikes the following day and headed off on our first day of cycling. After navigating our way out of the new town of Matera and getting off the main road, the rest of our nearly 50 mile journey to Alberobello was on incredibly quiet country lanes.
The landscape was predominantly agricultural - huge expanses of grassy fields, barley, plantations of olives and vineyards. The second half of the ride was through wooded areas interspersed with olive trees and through the busy town of Noci before our arrival at another UNESCO world Heritage site, Alberobello in the region of Murgia.
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The ride was certainly not as flat as expected over 2,500 feet of elevation in 50 miles, although it was more regular undulating rather than any steep climbs.
This region is famous for its unique trulli houses -white washed stone huts with conical stone roofs.
After a long day on the bike, it was wonderful to receive an incredibly friendly greeting from the hotel, the Palazzo Scotti and as a bonus our hotel room is a refurbished trulli house.
Day 4 and 5 – Sightseeing day and then Alberobello to Ostuni
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2976986152
A day exploring Alberobello, where there are over 1000 trulli houses. The old town of Rione Monti is made up entirely of trulli houses with its many different symbols painted on the roofs; the place was bustling with tourists. An interesting and unique town to explore.
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The following day our cycle took us again on quiet lanes but in a more populous region with more towns and with many trulli houses scattered throughout the countryside. We pass through the hilltop towns of Locorotondo, Cisternino and Martina Franca nestled in the Itria Valley.
Don’t let anyone tell you that this region is flat, as we had another 2,500 feet of elevation today including a couple of steep climbs.
But the countryside is charming, with the red soil, green groves of vineyards and olives, the white trulli houses against blue skies.
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After miles of cycling these quiet roads, we eventually get to the highpoint of 218 metres above sea level with a view over the Itria Valley towards the Adriatic Sea. The old town of Ostuni is built on the top of a rock and looks spectacular in the distance. It is known as the white city with its white washed houses and churches and magnificent cathedral. The summit has been described as being like a ‘white tiara’ perched on the top of the hill.
The old town itself is bustling, and an after dinner walk through its narrow cobblestoned streets is delightful.
Day 6 and 7 – Journey to Lecce and cycle to Gallipoli
check out my route on Komoot- https://www.komoot.com/tour/2985276322
No cycling today, we take the local train south to Lecce. Only 7 euros and you can take bikes for free. All good except the lifts at the station were not big enough for bikes! Both ends.
Lecce is known as the Florence the south. Its narrow streets reveal a plethora of churches, baroque buildings and the extraordinarily stunning Piazza Duomo with its soaring bell tower. There is even a roman amphitheatre. Today is a Saint Rita’s feast day and residents open their gardens and houses. The town is incredibly busy and there are musicians and entertainment in many of the historic buildings.
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The following day we set off towards Gallipolli. We can really notice the difference being 100 km further south - the landscape and cycling is very different today as we make our way across the Salento peninsula to the west coast.
Salento stretches from the Adriatic to the Ionian sea and is famous for its spectacular coastline.
The region is very flat and the agricultural areas are very natural, almost unmanaged, with very old olive groves. Back to extraordinarily quiet roads and not very populous areas. The temperature is up considerably, as well today.
We have a lunch stop in a very pretty town called Galatina before our overnight stop Gallipoli, which means ‘beautiful’.
There are 2 Gallipolis on the Mediterranean. Two very different places. One, on a Turkish peninsula and a place remembered for suffering and sacrifice during WW1. The one we travelled to could not be more different. A smaller peninsula with beautiful beaches, pretty cobblestoned streets, a castle in the harbour, seaside bars & restaurants where you can watch the setting sun over the Ionian Sea.
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Day 8 - Gallipolli to Otranto
check out my route on Komoot -https://www.komoot.com/tour/2988388518
Today we go coast to coast, sea to sea. Ionian to Adriatic. We pass through so many quiet Italian villages & towns with their narrow cobblestones streets. All day we experience natural landscapes, old olive groves & more quiet lanes with so many half finished houses.
Properties look like they’ve just been left or partly built with entrance gates still standing. We cycle through historic towns of Corigliano d’ Otranto and Melpignano with many sections of gravel roads today before our descent down into Otranto.
We made it! We reach Otranto on the Adriatic coast with its aquamarine crystal clear waters, which look so inviting. Drinks on the pier, resisting the urge to just jump in. Another hot one today!
Even though it’s only across the peninsula/ one of the narrowest parts of Italy - there is still something very special about a coast to coast!
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Day 9 and 10 -Otranto to Lecce and return to Bari and home
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2991082666
Final day of cycling. Another day of diversity. We set off and we are soon on a gravel trail through a wooded nature reserve next to the Alimini lakes. Nice and shady out of the heat, before we move inland as we cycle through miles and miles of olive groves in various states of maturity.
We reach the stunning Adriatic coast with the azure blue waters and the dramatic cliffs of the Faraglioni di Sant'Andrea. After a fun cycle along the coastal path we stop in Torre Del Orso for a swim in the sea - it has to be done!
By this stage after having lunch it’s 3:45 and we still have 19 miles back towards Lecce. We cycle again through extremely quiet rural lanes past many traditional pajara (stone huts used for storage) and through the Acaya Castle and Gate until we reach the outskirts of Lecce. Back to our hotel the Palazzo Dei Dondoli where we stayed at a few nights earlier and for our final holiday meal in Plaza de Oronzo (after Saint Oronzo, the patron saint of Lecce) - with probably the largest pizza I’ve ever seen in my life.
Final day was a taxi back to Bari (due to a train strike) and home.
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Final thoughts - What an extraordinary trip. So many sights to see and the cycling itself was amazing. The routes took us on quiet routes yet we were able to see and experience the region. In the 338 kilometres of cycling as we crisscrossed the Solento peninsula from coast to coast - sea to sea - I don’t think we encountered a single busy road - it was all quiet rural lanes, passing endless olive groves.
Murgia and Puglia were an intriguing mix of historic towns and quiet rural landscapes. Beautiful hilltop and coastal towns with cobblestone streets, stunning churches and lovely squares (palazzos) where families eat late at night & where you can enjoy an aperol spritz.
Another memorable and recommended cycling destination, made all the more amazing to share it with my lovely cycling buddies, whose support, humour and company made the trip so special. ❤️
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