Cycling in Puglia | Tourissimo

From the Adriatic Sea to the trulli of Alberobello, enjoy pleasant riding through stunning scenery and indulge in simple, tasty cuisine!

Bordered on two sides by the Ionian and Adriatic seas, Puglia is a long sliver of land that stretches along Italy’s heel. Within this region, you'll find some of the best riding in all of Italy winding through tranquil backroads. All around, fertile fields and orchards yield the delectable ingredients that form the foundation of traditional dishes. The countryside is also rich in history, with the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans and many others leaving their mark.

Starting in Alberobello, the trulli region, you'll be captivated by clusters of fantastic conical dwellings surrounded by enormous, gnarled olive trees. Spicy handmade orecchiette, bruschetta covered with juicy tomatoes, roasted red peppers and grilled calamari satisfy our palates. Warm hospitality and friendly conversation greet us at every turn.

From Alberobello, we ride among olive groves, fig trees, blooming cacti, and aromatic herb gardens that fill our cycling routes with delightful fragrances. Through the Valle D’Itria we reach another gem in Puglia’s countryside: Locorotondo.

Between Fasano and the plain of Ostuni, we'll ride the "Valley of the Giants," a place known for its millennia-old olive trees that date back to pre-Roman times and are of exceptional dimensions. Our grand finale is on the Adriatic Coast in picturesque Polignano a Mare, once a fishing village and now a lovely seaside resort town famous for its dramatic vistas of limestone cliffs and whitewashed houses, as well as for its gelato.

While many regions of Italy boast of having the “the best food,” Puglia could humbly claim this title due to the use of simple preparations that allow the true flavors of the food to stand out. Slow Food has over 300 chapters here (called Presidi) to protect biodiversity and traditional production.

Not sure if you can do it? Contact us to schedule a call about how demanding the rides are. E-bikes available.

NEW ITINERARY COMING FOR 2025! Stay tuned for more info.

Relevant blog: Elevated Simplicity: The Cuisine of Puglia

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Food and Wine

Puglia is predominantly an agricultural region, producing around 40% of Italy's olive oil and a large proportion of its wine (more than any other region in Italy).

This essentially agricultural nature influences the region's cuisine. Home cooks and restaurant chefs predominantly use the abundant local produce, such as durum wheat, tomatoes, artichokes, fava beans, fennel, peppers, onions, beef and lamb. In terms of pasta, Puglians pride themselves on their orecchiette, little ear-shaped shells that are still produced by hand on a daily basis by many ladies right in front on their doorsteps. It is usually served with tasty sauces such as meat ragu, broccoli and anchovies, mushrooms or turnip tops. The best pasta is made rigorously from durum wheat flour of the Senatore Cappelli wheat cultivar, one of the local products that Slow Food took under its wing. Puglia's rocky interior is ideal for sheep farming and, in terms of meat, lamb reigns supreme, a trait that Puglia shares with its neighboring region, Basilicata. Feast days are characterized by the fragrance of roasting lamb wafting through the streets and most restaurant menus will feature at least a couple of lamb dishes. Puglia's long coastline and fishing tradition bring large quantities of seafood to the table. Red mullet, octopus, anchovies, gilt-head bream, mussels, sea bass and cuttlefish are featured in many recipes at seafront restaurants. Puglia's comforting country cuisine is a pure expression of popular traditions and the natural bounty of the land.

The most widely grown grape variety is Negroamaro (literally black-bitter). Almost exclusively cultivated in Puglia, Negroamaro is used to produce some of the region’s best wines, including Salice Salentino. The title of most famous grape, however, goes to Primitivo, whose wines are generally high in alcohol content and full in body. White wines count for less than 20% of the overall production but are gradually growing in importance. Local grapes such as Bombino Bianco, Bianco d’Alessano, and Verdeca rub shoulders with international varieties including Chardonnay and Sauvignon to produce some excellent results.