Transmurgiana, 10-days Self-guided road bike trip in Puglia

DAY 1
Bari

Independent arrival in Bari. Check-in at the accommodation and bike delivery.

Start warming up your legs with a self-guided walking tour of “Bari Vecchia,” the charming old town of the capital of Puglia!

DAY 2

Bari – Polignano a Mare – Ostuni

You’ll take a train to the picturesque town of Polignano a Mare, where our cycling journey will begin.

Polignano a Mare is the birthplace of the famous singer Domenico Modugno. This village is built on a high cliff overlooking the sea. It has a very ancient historic center with Byzantine, Spanish, and Norman influences. During this first day on the south coast of Bari, you will also explore:

• Monopoli, a village inhabited since the Bronze Age, was fortified by the Messapi with mighty and huge walls. The Romans turned it into a military port, and in the 1500s, a fascinating castle was built.
• The “Coastal Dunes Park,” which includes the “Path of the Ancient Olive Trees”
• Archaeological Park of Egnazia
• Ostuni is known as the “White City” for the dazzling whiteness of its lime-washed houses.

Halfway through the route, we suggest stopping for lunch by the sea, enjoying fish and sea urchins at a restaurant in Forcatella!

Overnight in Ostuni

DAY 3

Ostuni – Noci

From Ostuni, you will start cycling among trulli, ancient fortified farmhouses, and wonderful villages: you will be in the fascinating Itria Valley.

During this day, you will visit:

Ceglie Messapica, famous for its delightful culinary arts (trying the Ceglie sandwich here is a must!), and then straight to the “Ciclabile dell’Acquedotto Pugliese” (Europe’s longest Aqueduct), through the heart of the Itria Valley, to admire this corner of indescribable beauty. Along the cycle path, you can stop to visit the Ashram of Cisternino, a place of great spiritual charm, founded in the late 1970s and still active for Hinduism practice but open to all visitors. Locorotondo, awarded the Orange Flag by the Touring Club, is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, a maze of alleyways adorned with colorful flowers, with a terraced vineyard right on the edge of the old town. Alberobello, the capital of “Trulli”,  the famous limestone houses with conical roofs. Due to its uniqueness, it became a UNESCO site in 1996.

The final stop will be the town of Noci, with its distinctive white houses and “gnostre,” the courtyards where it won’t be difficult to encounter children playing.

Overnight stay in Noci

DAY 4

Noci – Matera

On this fourth day of traveling, you will cross the border between Puglia and Basilicata, encountering surprisingly different landscapes. The destination of the day is Matera, the city of the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, from prehistoric times to the present day. Today, this small center in Basilicata is rich in cultural ferment, and despite the enormous media attention it received after being chosen as the set for various Hollywood productions, it remains a sincere place, inhabited by welcoming and simple people.

Overnight stay in Matera

DAY 5

Matera – Altamura

From Matera, you will return to Puglia,  to visit the Alta Murgia National Park, the largest pseudo-steppe in Italy, known for its endless and unique landscapes. The first city you will encounter is Altamura, with its historic center characterized by an intricate labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares, enriched by the imposing Frederick II Cathedral. Altamura is famous for the renowned Altamura DOP bread and the ovens that have been producing it since ancient times.

Just outside the urban center, you can reach the Pulo di Altamura, one of the most important Geosites in the National Park. You might be wondering: what is the Pulo? When you see it, you will immediately think of the huge crater of a meteorite, but it’s not!

But we won’t spoil it for you, where’s the fun in that…

From Altamura, you will cycle towards the fascinating city of Gravina in Puglia. Its ancient center, adorned with ancient palaces and beautiful churches, overlooks a canyon through which the Gravina stream flows. Here, you can choose to visit the underground city (La Gravina Sotterranea).

You will spend the night in Gravina.

DAY 6

Gravina in Puglia – Poggiorsini

From Altamura, you will cycle towards the fascinating city of Gravina in Puglia. Its ancient center, adorned with ancient palaces and beautiful churches, overlooks a canyon through which the Gravina stream flows. Here, you can choose to visit the underground city (La Gravina Sotterranea).

Next, you will reach the small village of Poggiorsini to admire the “invisible” Garagnone Castle; why “invisible”?

It is a mystical and ancient place, and by reading our digital guide, you will see what is no longer there…

The ride will continue to the Agriturismo where you will have dinner and spend the night.

DAY 7

Castel del Monte – Bauxite Mines

On the seventh day, there will be a bike ride towards:

• Castel del Monte (UNESCO site). Its enigmatic octagonal shape and its position on the top of a hill, making it visible for miles and miles, make it a place of great charm and uniqueness in Italy.
• The Bauxite Mines. The mines are the result of the combined work of man, who for years had dug here to extract Bauxite, a precious mineral, and of nature, which has slowly regained this area after man abandoned the mining activity.

Cycle through the fiery red tones of the Bauxite minerals together with the green needles of the wood of pines and the changing colors of the cultivated fields of the Bradano Valley.

One of the most fascinating places in the Alta Murgia National Park!

Overnight and dinner in the Alta Murgia National Park.

DAY 8

Along this eighth day you will bike downhill towards the coast through the pre-Murgia, a rural area rich in vineyards and orchards, passing through the town of Ruvo di Puglia, with its charming historic center.

before reaching Trani, the “Pearl of the Adriatic“, with its small port and the famous Romanesque Cathedral, almost by the sea, considered one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Overnight in Trani

DAY 9

Bisceglie – Molfetta – Givinazzo

In this final stage, you will be cycling for the most part along the northern coast of Bari and a bit in the nearby countryside (where the coastal route lacks suitable roads for cyclists).

You will visit the beautiful coastal towns of Bisceglie and Molfetta, ending the day in the small  Giovinazzo.

These three cities maintain the charm of authentic seaside places with small ports and ancient historic centers, valuable buildings, and narrow, characteristic alleyways.

You can feel the sea in every corner.

You’ll return to Trani by train (a 20-minute journey).

Overnight in Trani

DAY 10

Check out and end of services.