8AP2303 Italy´s Southern Jewel : Puglia

After some final adjustments of the bikes and fitting of the helmets we were ready to start our adventure.

We left Trani, passed countless olive plantations and vineyards and then reached our first highlight: Castel del Monte, the "Crown of Puglia".

After the tour of the castle and our first lunch in Italy we cycled on to Altamura for a short stop at the cathedral - and for Italian coffee.

Just before sunset we reached Matera, the town of the Sassi (caves), where we will spend two nights.

Matera - James Bond is gone, but the town is still as spectacular as the movie that was filmed here.

To better understand the history of the town we hired a fantastic local guide, who introduced us to the life in the famous Sassi.

After the tour, half the group decided to explore Matera some more, while the other half went on a bike ride to Montescaglioso.

What a great place for a rest day!

We leave picturesque Matera with another bright blue sky. A first coffee stop soon follows in Gioia del Colle. We pay a short visit to the cathedral and the castle of Ferdinand 2. The route is slightly hilly across beautiful vineyards to the caves of Castellana. We descend up to 70 meters deep into the limestone caves and enjoy the fabulous world of stalagmites and stalactites. After lunch we continue our way to Alberobello. Soon we see the first trulli houses... typical of this region... in Alberobello there are no fewer than 1000 and today we even have the privilege of spending the night in a trulli!

We could have easily spent a bit more time in Alberobello, but there is so much more to see:

Locorotondo, the beautiful round city, was our first stop today. In Martina Franca we strolled through the pedestrian area and admired the baroque architecture. Then we continued to Grottaglie, where we had a wonderful, typical Italian lunch.

Our hotel tonight is something completely different again: a Puglian Masseria, a farmhouse converted into a hotel.

But before dinner we decided to go to the Mediterranean Sea, which is still warm enough for a swim!

With about 55 miles on the program we leave the interior towards the coast. It was barely an hour's drive until we arrived in San Pietro in Beveagna. A good reason for Vera to immediately take an early dip in the calm sea. The others opted for a nice cup of coffee on the sea wall and also enjoyed the lovely morning sun. Today was mainly focused on the huge nature park here by the sea: Porto Selvaggio. Thanks to the efforts of Renata Fonte (murdered at her home), no huge high-rise buildings and extensive tourism have arisen along the coast and nature has been very preserved. We were quickly able to enjoy hundreds of flamingos from a few meters away, who were relaxing having breakfast at the Salina dei Monaci lake. We continue our route along the Gulf of Taranto to Gallipoli. A small but busy port town, known for its rich lamp oil history. For years, before the advent of the kerosene lamp, oil was made here and exported all over the world. The Oil Mill museum is a reminder of this period.

It's time to ride back to the Adriatic Sea again! As it's a shorter day today, we sleep in a little bit. We leave Gallipoli to the east and ride into the Salento region. Grapes, olives, figs, apples, lemons, peppers - here grows everything!

In Maglie, birth town of Aldo Moro, we have lunch. And then we reach the Adriatic again, the beautiful city of Otranto is our host for two nights!

We start our tour today from Otranto with a lot of headwind. However, the views along the coast make up for a lot. Beautiful cliffs and beaches alternate with lovely villages and beautiful nature. Via the Baia dei Turchi and the Grotta della Poesia we reach San Foca where we take the time for a last dip in the sea and enjoy a coffee on the beach. Then it goes inland again via the Le Cesine Nature Park.

We then arrive at our final destination via the Castello di Acaya before lunch: Lecce. After a last lunch in a typical Italian restaurant, we visit the city center with the Plaza del Duomo, the Teatro Romano, the amphitheater and the Piazza Sant Oronzo. Before the farewell dinner, we enjoy one last "Primitivo" wine. What an unforgettable week it was again... with so many new impressions... Thank you for being there!

Hopefully see you soon... Marko and Noel