Puglia – Italy’s southern jewel
On the day of arrival we meet at the hotel. But it takes a while until we are all there. Jon's flight doesn't reach Bari until later and then there is also a lost piece of luggage.... And so only the three of us set off for a leisurely stroll through the old town of Bari. We visit the cathedral with its impressive crypt and we watch the ladies in the streets as they make the famous oricchiette. We are finally all there at dinner. And we enjoy the typical Puglia dishes accompanied by a glass of Primitivo.
We are looking forward to the first day of our exciting e-bike tour through beautiful Puglia and the historic region of Basilicata. Today we start our adventure in the lively port city of Bari and ride via the charming town of Altamura to the fascinating Sassi city of Matera. Our route takes us through the breathtaking Murgia plateau, a landscape characterized by rolling hills, picturesque villages and centuries-old traditions. We will discover not only the scenic beauty, but also the cultural treasures and culinary treats of this unique region. Here we go: we put on our helmets, start the e-bikes and pedal together to explore the hidden gems of southern Italy.
A day in Matera: The magic of the Sassi and breathtaking panoramas Matera, one of the oldest cities in the world, is a hidden gem in the south of Italy. Particularly famous are the Sassi, ancient cave settlements that are still inhabited today. Our day includes a tour of the Sassi and, beyond that, a hike for breathtaking panoramas. Our morning begins in the Sassi, where we stroll through narrow streets and stone houses. A visit to a traditional cave dwelling gives an insight into the simple but clever life of the former inhabitants. We continue to some of the many cave churches, which are deeply impressive with their frescoes and peaceful atmosphere. After this journey into the past, a hike takes us to the other side of the canyon. The path through the Parco della Murgia Materana offers great views of Matera and the surrounding countryside. Once at the top, we enjoy a spectacular panorama: the Sassi of Matera, which protrude from the rock like small white pearls, offer a breathtaking sight.
After an epic breakfast at our hotel in Matera and our veins filled with the superpowers of caffeine, we jumped on the saddles of our electrified iron horses. We took off to bravely face whatever challenges the roads of Puglia may bring our way. The four bikers, like heroes of a Western film, rode out into the morning, filled with hopes and excitement for another sunny day among the olive trees. This euphoric riding swiftly cooled down when suddenly heavy rain started to wash away the smiles on our faces. However, our guests have proven yet again, that toughness is their middle name. We did not budge, there was no giving up - after a brief stop and a few litres of water, our grit made way and the rain decided to pour on someone else's neck a few miles west. Thus we continued our adventure towards Alberobello. Our first stop was at Gioia del Colle where we had a quick coffee and decided to take a look at the local Norman-Svabian Castle, where Frederick II used a peephole to make sure that St Francis d'Assisi would be the right mentor to enhance his morals. In short, the emperor sent a courtesan to the future Patron Saint's room in this castle and boy, was he surprised! St Francis did not live with the offered opportunity, by which he impressed the cunning emperor. OK... I think, I went off course a little here... Back to our trip, we hopped on the saddles yet again and with the power of the fresh dose of caffeine, we disappeared into the countryside towards our next stop at Castellana Grotte. The roadsides are dotted with numerous fruit trees, figs, apricots, cherries and also walnuts, almonds and, of course, the delicious local olives... We rode our bikes shortly on the main roads and with the wind in our faces, our fierce expressions must have terrified and thus pacified all approaching vehicles, keeping themselves at a respectable distance from us. As the day progressed, we encountered stunningly beautiful poppy fields, hiding along the ancient stone walls dividing the countryside's numerous wheat fields and olive tree gardens. And, of course, just like in every tale, our daily protagonists are still yet to show themselves. But we did not have to wait too long... The narrow countryside roads began to offer some small twists and turns, making the ride even more interesting, when suddenly three large white dogs jumped on the stone walls out of a farm... protecting their territory they barked and barked in a rather unfriendly manner, trying their bests to strike fear in us... But, my dear reader, believe it or not, the Fantastic Four (that is us) have prevailed YET AGAIN! We faced the brutes with fearless eyes and pedalled in such a calm manner that the three white canines decided not to mess with us - for their own good! The dog is indeed among the smartest of animals after all... With this challenge behind us, now we were looking forward to quickly finishing the last few miles before our grand feast at Castellana Grotte. There, my trusted partner in crime, Ernst eagerly waited for our arrival with a self-prepared PICNIC, just under the olive trees! How glorious that was! Some local cheese, ham, cherries, fresh salad, mozzarella and a surprise dessert made our trip even more sweet! Fantastic! After some consideration, a decision was made to slightly change the original plan of the day and we sacrificed visiting the caves at Castellana Grotte, as well as the remaining part of bike riding to our final destination today. We loaded the bikes into the van and cheated our way into the beautiful town of trullis, Alberobello. The ride was still about 60km long and we all enjoyed the slightly shorter distance and even more the time we had in the afternoon at Alberobello. The check-in to our chambers in the romantic-looking trullis went smoothly and after some rest, we headed to the local restaurant to fill our bellies with the best of local food and our glasses with one of the incredible wines that are just too many to mention. To be continued...
Today our e-bike trip took us from Alberobello to Torricella. Our adventure began in Alberobello, the famous place of the Trulli houses. The distinctive, conical roofs of these historic buildings offered a picturesque start into the day. From there we cycled on to Locorotondo, a charming village that impressed with its white houses and narrow streets. A short but relaxing coffee stop in Martina Franca gave us the opportunity to enjoy the lively atmosphere of this city. The old town with its baroque buildings and cozy cafes was the perfect place to pause for a moment and recharge our batteries for the onward journey. On the way we were accompanied by numerous Trulli, apricot trees and the typical stone walls that characterize the landscape of Apulia. The descent with a breathtaking view of the sea was particularly impressive. We enjoed the fresh wind in our faces and the wide view of the blue water. At lunchtime we reached Grottaglie, the famous ceramics town, where we had lunch in an slow-food restaurant. But why do the women here wear moustaches? Finally we reached our destination: the Masseria Jorche in Torricella. This historic estate, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, offered us a wonderful place to rest and enjoy ourselves. The warm hospitality and the culinary delicacies made the end of this day perfect. We will remember the excellent homemade Primitovo and the delicious olive oil for a long time.
Our ride from Torricella to Gallipoli was long anticipated with excitement as this was the day when we could finally storm the beaches and dip our toes into the refreshing waters of the Ionian Sea for the first time! Our breakfast, which should be mentioned here as one of the highlights of the day, allowed us to hold a quick "meeting" where our little group decided to take advantage of our van and skip to the beaches before we started the ride itself. With our bellies full of the most magical breakfast one could possibly wish for, we jumped in the van and headed to the blue waters right away for the planned "toe-dipping session". Our ride passed by a nature reserve with a little lake where often hundreds of flamingoes show off their colourful feathers. Unfortunately, our flamingoes didn't get the memo this time to walk up close to the shore, so we could only observe them from a rather long distance. But it is all well, safety first - you never know what those pink creatures are capable of. I, personally, never trusted any critter whose knees bend backwards - not since I watched Star Wars for sure. remember the "chicken walkers"? :) So, back to our tour... After the anti-social flamingoes we said "arrivederci" to our van and took the route along the beaches towards Gallipoli. The route took us across a 2-3 small natural reserves as well, where our route took us a little away from the sea, but otherwise the waves were always nearby. We had some light pizza lunch on the beautiful corner of a tiny coastal town, where the atmosphere was just incredible. Picture this: blue waters, small sandy beach by the harbour, tables with seaview, classic, but nothing too fancy building in faded pink colours with a lot of "Italia" vibe. The place was nothing fancy, but with the classic Italian music and the kindest service we could not have wished anything better. Not to mention the pizza was fantastic! Our ride took us to another small town, called Santa Maria al Bagno, just before Gallipoli. This town is the home of a Jewish museum, commemorating the many people who have lived in the region for a few years at the end of WWII, just before they moved on to the newly established state of Israel. Next door to this museum, we found yet another Norman tower, of which the entire coastline is dotted. After a short beach pause, we arrived in Gallipoli, a major olive oil trading port, where we encountered numerous underground museums dedicated to the once-flourishing olive oil trade. Although by this time we had seen probably dozens of churches, we took a closer look at the local cathedral and oh, boy was it worth it! See the picture below. In the far right corner next to the pulpit, we also found piles of bones - yet unsure why. This is the quest of another episode perhaps...
Today our journey took us from the Ionian Sea to the Adriatic side of Italy, from Gallipoli to Otranto through the picturesque hinterland of Apulia. On the way we stopped off in Maglie, the birthplace of Aldo Moro. Here we visited a small chocolate shop and tasted some of the delicious specialties. Our journey ended at the Masseria Bandino, a charming country estate. After arriving we had enough time to relax by the pool - just the thing after an eventful day on the bike.
Today is our rest day. Of course, we still pedal to explore the area. After a breakfast with homemade cakes, we set off. Our route first takes us to a small lake (Cava di Bauxite). The steep red walls that frame it seem almost unreal. We continue south along the coastline to Punto di Faro Paliscia, the lighthouse that towers at the easternmost point of Italy. There we refresh ourselves with coffee and sweets, gossip and enjoy the view. Back at our Masseria, we relax by the pool before heading to Otranto. On a city walk, we stroll through the impressive Porta Alfonsina, along the fortification walls and through the old town to the fortress. Before our dinner, we enjoy a typical Italian cocktail in one of the bars in the historic center.
We start our last day with a heavy heart. Knowing that our adventure is coming to an end, we enjoy the remaining hours. The many rock formations along the Adriatic Sea enchant us, perfect photo opportunities for Jon:-) In San Foca we even dare to jump into the roaring water. Even the high waves and the wind cannot stop us from taking advantage of this opportunity. We celebrate the end of our cycling stage in Acaya. The village square with its nice bars and the view of the fortress is the ideal place to toast with a drink. None of us can believe that the last few days have gone by so quickly and that we will be saying goodbye to each other tomorrow. At the farewell dinner we recall some beautiful moments. It's a shame that it's over. But we all agree that we have to do it again in a similar form at some point.