Bicycling and Walking Vacations Call a VBT Tour Consultant: (800) 245-3868

Puglia: Italy’s Undiscovered Coast

Ebikes Available on this TourExperience la dolce vita at its most authentic during an invigorating ride through Puglia, draped with fertile farms, stone-sculpted seaside villages, traditional trulli huts, and dramatic shores.

  • 10 Days
  • Activity Level: Easy
  • Daily Mileage: 15 - 35 mi
  • Daily Biking: 2 - 4 hr
  • Small Groups: 22
  • Biking Activity
  • Perfect for those trying a bike vacation for the first time.
  • Airfare Packages Available

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Ebikes Available on this Tour

E-Bikes Available

Limited quantities —
first come, first served.

  • E-Bikes Available
  • Video
    E-bikes Available
Web Special

Air Package Plus

Includes round-trip international airfare

10 Days From $4,895
$4,695 - Or -Choose Land Only 7 Days From $3,545 $3,345

Book This Tour

Request a Reservation
Or Call (800) 245-3868

Why You'll Love This Tour

Overview

Puglia: Italy's Undiscovered Coast

Join VBT in this seldom visited corner of Italy, where olive groves yield a golden elixir and Adriatic breezes send the spirit soaring. Charming old harbors, limestone cities, and Italian warmth greet you at every bend. And your discoveries continue into each evening at historic masserie, fortified farms where the bounty of the earth reveals the heart of this special and unique place.

Cultural Highlights

  • Enjoy incomparable accommodations with 6 nights at luxurious masserie and countryside hotels
  • Discover the stone trulli dwellings of Alberobello on a guided walking tour
  • Ride along quiet country roads to coastal Egnatia, past olive groves 800 years old
  • Cycle to Monopoli, where you’ll visit the lovely cathedral and admire the old harbor
  • Share a farm-fresh lunch and taste delicious olive oils with your masseria hosts
  • Bike from the ancient walled city of Acaya to the beautiful, rugged coast
  • Enjoy a ride along quiet country roads by the small and lovely Alimini Lakes
  • Pedal through timeless quaint villages on your way to the sea at Otranto
  • From your bicycle perch, savor rural pathways to the coastal town of Castro Marina
  • Take a refreshing swim, if you like, in the crystalline water in Otranto
  • Gather with your fellow travelers for a special masseria dinner featuring Puglia wines
  • Picnic with a local family at their organic farm near the sea

What to Expect

This tour offers easy terrain throughout the trip and is ideal for beginning cyclists.

Average Daily Mileage: 15 – 35 miles
Average Cycling Time: 2 – 4 hours

Climate Information

Average High/Low Temperature (°F) – Otranto
Mar 55º/46º Apr 60º/50º  May 68º/55º  Jun 75º/62º  Jul 80º/68º  Aug 80º/68º  Sep 75º/64º  Oct 68º/57º  Nov 58º/42º

Average Precipitation (in.) – Otranto
Mar 3.0  Apr 2.0  May 1.0  Jun 1.0  Jul 0.3  Aug 0.3  Sep 2.5  Oct 2.7  Nov 2.6

What’s Included:

Ebikes Available on this Tour

E-Bikes Available on this tour.

Limited quantities — first come, first served. Learn more.

Bicycle Vacation Only – without Air

  • 6 nights in 4- and 5-star hotels and authentic masserie
  • 12 meals – 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners

Air Package Plus

  • Roundtrip international airfare
  • 6 nights in 4- and 5-star countryside hotels and authentic masserie

PLUS 1 extra night in Alberobello and 1 extra night in Lecce in 4- and 5- star hotels

  • 14 meals—8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners
  • Transfers
  • AND the option to add our Low-Cost Trip Extensions:
    Pre-trip: Matera – 2 nights for only $395
    Post-trip: Rome – 3 nights for only $645

Both Vacation Options Include

Dates & Prices
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Land Only

Air Not Included,
Departs after Air Package Plus.
April
Sun, Apr 7
to Tue, Apr 16
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From $4,295
  • From $4,295
  • Sun, Apr 7
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 		From $4,695
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 		From $4,445
  • From $4,445
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Tue, Apr 9
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Tour Begins: Tuesday, April 9
Tour Ends: Monday, April 15

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From $3,295
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Sun, Apr 28
to Tue, May 7
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,445
  • From $4,445
  • Sun, Apr 28
    to Tue, May 7
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 		From $4,845
  • From $4,845
  • Sun, Apr 28
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 		From $4,595
  • From $4,595
  • Sun, Apr 28
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Tue, Apr 30
to Mon, May 6

Tour Begins: Tuesday, April 30
Tour Ends: Monday, May 6

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From $3,445
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May
Wed, May 1
to Fri, May 10
Air Package Includes:
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From $4,445
  • From $4,445
  • Wed, May 1
    to Fri, May 10
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,845
  • From $4,845
  • Wed, May 1
    to Fri, May 10
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,595
  • From $4,595
  • Wed, May 1
    to Fri, May 10
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, May 3
to Thu, May 9

Tour Begins: Friday, May 3
Tour Ends: Thursday, May 9

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From $3,445
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  • (800) 245-3868
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Sun, May 5
to Tue, May 14
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,445
  • From $4,445
  • Sun, May 5
    to Tue, May 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,845
  • From $4,845
  • Sun, May 5
    to Tue, May 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,595
  • From $4,595
  • Sun, May 5
    to Tue, May 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, May 7
to Mon, May 13

Tour Begins: Tuesday, May 7
Tour Ends: Monday, May 13

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From $3,445
  • From $3,445
  • (800) 245-3868
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Wed, May 8
to Fri, May 17
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,445
  • From $4,445
  • Wed, May 8
    to Fri, May 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,845
  • From $4,845
  • Wed, May 8
    to Fri, May 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $4,595
  • From $4,595
  • Wed, May 8
    to Fri, May 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, May 10
to Thu, May 16

Tour Begins: Friday, May 10
Tour Ends: Thursday, May 16

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From $3,445
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Sun, May 12
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Sun, May 12
    to Tue, May 21
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,295
  • From $5,295
  • Sun, May 12
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,045
  • From $5,045
  • Sun, May 12
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Tue, May 14
to Mon, May 20

Tour Begins: Tuesday, May 14
Tour Ends: Monday, May 20

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From $3,545
  • From $3,545
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Wed, May 15
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Air Package Includes:
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From $4,895 $4,695
  • From $4,695
  • Wed, May 15
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 		From $5,295 $5,095
  • From $5,095
  • Wed, May 15
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 		From $5,045 $4,845
  • From $4,845
  • Wed, May 15
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Fri, May 17
to Thu, May 23

Tour Begins: Friday, May 17
Tour Ends: Thursday, May 23

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From $3,545 $3,345
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Sun, May 19
to Tue, May 28
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Sun, May 19
    to Tue, May 28
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,295
  • From $5,295
  • Sun, May 19
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,045
  • From $5,045
  • Sun, May 19
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  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, May 21
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Tour Begins: Tuesday, May 21
Tour Ends: Monday, May 27

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From $3,545
  • From $3,545
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Wed, May 22
to Fri, May 31
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Wed, May 22
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,295
  • From $5,295
  • Wed, May 22
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,045
  • From $5,045
  • Wed, May 22
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Fri, May 24
to Thu, May 30

Tour Begins: Friday, May 24
Tour Ends: Thursday, May 30

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From $3,545
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Sun, May 26
to Tue, Jun 4
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Sun, May 26
    to Tue, Jun 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,295
  • From $5,295
  • Sun, May 26
    to Tue, Jun 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,045
  • From $5,045
  • Sun, May 26
    to Tue, Jun 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, May 28
to Mon, Jun 3

Tour Begins: Tuesday, May 28
Tour Ends: Monday, June 3

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From $3,545
  • From $3,545
  • (800) 245-3868
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June
Sun, Jun 2
to Tue, Jun 11
Air Package Includes:
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Sun, Jun 2
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Jun 2
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Sun, Jun 2
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Tue, Jun 4
to Mon, Jun 10

Tour Begins: Tuesday, June 4
Tour Ends: Monday, June 10

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
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Wed, Jun 5
to Fri, Jun 14
Air Package Includes:
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  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Wed, Jun 5
    to Fri, Jun 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Jun 5
    to Fri, Jun 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Wed, Jun 5
    to Fri, Jun 14
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Jun 7
to Thu, Jun 13

Tour Begins: Friday, June 7
Tour Ends: Thursday, June 13

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
  • (800) 245-3868
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Sun, Jun 16
to Tue, Jun 25
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Sun, Jun 16
    to Tue, Jun 25
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Jun 16
    to Tue, Jun 25
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Sun, Jun 16
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  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Jun 18
to Mon, Jun 24

Tour Begins: Tuesday, June 18
Tour Ends: Monday, June 24

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
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Wed, Jun 19
to Fri, Jun 28
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Wed, Jun 19
    to Fri, Jun 28
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Jun 19
    to Fri, Jun 28
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Wed, Jun 19
    to Fri, Jun 28
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Jun 21
to Thu, Jun 27

Tour Begins: Friday, June 21
Tour Ends: Thursday, June 27

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
  • (800) 245-3868
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August
Wed, Aug 28
to Fri, Sep 6
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Wed, Aug 28
    to Fri, Sep 6
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Wed, Aug 28
    to Fri, Sep 6
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Aug 28
    to Fri, Sep 6
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Aug 30
to Thu, Sep 5

Tour Begins: Friday, August 30
Tour Ends: Thursday, September 5

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
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September
Sun, Sep 1
to Tue, Sep 10
Air Package Includes:
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  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Sun, Sep 1
    to Tue, Sep 10
  • (800) 245-3868
Close
 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Sun, Sep 1
    to Tue, Sep 10
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Sep 1
    to Tue, Sep 10
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Sep 3
to Mon, Sep 9

Tour Begins: Tuesday, September 3
Tour Ends: Monday, September 9

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
  • (800) 245-3868
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Wed, Sep 4
to Fri, Sep 13
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Wed, Sep 4
    to Fri, Sep 13
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Wed, Sep 4
    to Fri, Sep 13
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Sep 4
    to Fri, Sep 13
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Sep 6
to Thu, Sep 12

Tour Begins: Friday, September 6
Tour Ends: Thursday, September 12

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
  • (800) 245-3868
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Sun, Sep 8
to Tue, Sep 17
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Sun, Sep 8
    to Tue, Sep 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Sun, Sep 8
    to Tue, Sep 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Sep 8
    to Tue, Sep 17
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Sep 10
to Mon, Sep 16

Tour Begins: Tuesday, September 10
Tour Ends: Monday, September 16

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
  • (800) 245-3868
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Wed, Sep 11
to Fri, Sep 20
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Wed, Sep 11
    to Fri, Sep 20
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Wed, Sep 11
    to Fri, Sep 20
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Sep 11
    to Fri, Sep 20
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Sep 13
to Thu, Sep 19

Tour Begins: Friday, September 13
Tour Ends: Thursday, September 19

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
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Sun, Sep 15
to Tue, Sep 24
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Sun, Sep 15
    to Tue, Sep 24
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Sun, Sep 15
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Sep 15
    to Tue, Sep 24
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Sep 17
to Mon, Sep 23

Tour Begins: Tuesday, September 17
Tour Ends: Monday, September 23

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
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Sun, Sep 22
to Tue, Oct 1
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Sun, Sep 22
    to Tue, Oct 1
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Sun, Sep 22
    to Tue, Oct 1
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Sep 22
    to Tue, Oct 1
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Sep 24
to Mon, Sep 30

Tour Begins: Tuesday, September 24
Tour Ends: Monday, September 30

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
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Wed, Sep 25
to Fri, Oct 4
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Wed, Sep 25
    to Fri, Oct 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Wed, Sep 25
    to Fri, Oct 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Sep 25
    to Fri, Oct 4
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Sep 27
to Thu, Oct 3

Tour Begins: Friday, September 27
Tour Ends: Thursday, October 3

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
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Sun, Sep 29
to Tue, Oct 8
Air Package Includes:
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $5,245
  • From $5,245
  • Sun, Sep 29
    to Tue, Oct 8
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,645
  • From $5,645
  • Sun, Sep 29
    to Tue, Oct 8
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Sep 29
    to Tue, Oct 8
  • (800) 245-3868
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Tue, Oct 1
to Mon, Oct 7

Tour Begins: Tuesday, October 1
Tour Ends: Monday, October 7

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From $3,995
  • From $3,995
  • (800) 245-3868
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October
Sun, Oct 6
to Tue, Oct 15
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  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Sun, Oct 6
    to Tue, Oct 15
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Oct 6
    to Tue, Oct 15
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Sun, Oct 6
    to Tue, Oct 15
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Tue, Oct 8
to Mon, Oct 14

Tour Begins: Tuesday, October 8
Tour Ends: Monday, October 14

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
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Wed, Oct 9
to Fri, Oct 18
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Wed, Oct 9
    to Fri, Oct 18
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Wed, Oct 9
    to Fri, Oct 18
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Wed, Oct 9
    to Fri, Oct 18
  • (800) 245-3868
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Fri, Oct 11
to Thu, Oct 17

Tour Begins: Friday, October 11
Tour Ends: Thursday, October 17

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From $3,895
  • From $3,895
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Sun, Oct 13
to Tue, Oct 22
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From $4,995
  • From $4,995
  • Sun, Oct 13
    to Tue, Oct 22
  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,395
  • From $5,395
  • Sun, Oct 13
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  • (800) 245-3868
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 		From $5,145
  • From $5,145
  • Sun, Oct 13
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Tue, Oct 15
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Tour Begins: Tuesday, October 15
Tour Ends: Monday, October 21

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From $3,895
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Sun, Oct 20
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Sun, Oct 20
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  • From $5,295
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  • From $5,045
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to Mon, Oct 28

Tour Begins: Tuesday, October 22
Tour Ends: Monday, October 28

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From $3,545
  • From $3,545
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Sun, Oct 27
to Tue, Nov 5
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,895
  • From $4,895
  • Sun, Oct 27
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 		From $5,295
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 		From $5,045
  • From $5,045
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Tour Begins: Tuesday, October 29
Tour Ends: Monday, November 4

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From $3,545
  • From $3,545
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November
Sun, Nov 3
to Tue, Nov 12
Air Package Includes:
  • Roundtrip International Airfare.
  • All transfers.
  • An extra night or two of hotel accommodations.
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From $4,295
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Tour Begins: Tuesday, November 5
Tour Ends: Monday, November 11

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From $3,295
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Air Package Plus Single Supplement: $595 | Land Only Single Supplement: $495

Please note: Web Special savings cannot be combined with any other offer. Standard Terms & Conditions apply when purchasing this trip. Prices include all airline surcharges and Government taxes and fees. Ask our Tour Consultants for details. Every effort has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors. Prices are based on preferences selected above, including meals and sightseeing as specified in What’s Included. All prices are subject to change. Departure dates and prices shown may be updated several times daily, and apply to new bookings only.

2007399E-LOGO AFKLM Q

Itinerary & Map
2019
Or, Expand All Days
Day 1: Depart from home / Fly overnight to Bari

Depart from home and travel to Italy. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary.

Day 2: Arrive / Transfer to Alberobello

Upon arrival at the airport in Bari, Italy, a VBT representative meets you and helps you transfer (approximately 1 hour) to your first night’s lodging.

If you are going to be delayed meeting the transfer for more than 15 minutes due to delayed or lost luggage, please let our driver know by calling or sending a text message to +39-330-96-49-27. The driver will be generally able to wait for up to 45 minutes from the time your flight lands, after which you would be responsible for your own transfer. You may also contact One Call travel assistance to advise of your delay, and they will contact the transfer company.

Upon arrival in Alberobello, meet your hosts and settle in the small resort and trullo dwelling (traditional Puglian stone hut) that VBT has selected for your stay. You will be accommodated in new trulli with the old feeling or in original 500-year-old dwellings or small homes, completely remodeled and very comfortable. A trullo is a whitewashed, round house topped by a large cone of local stones—all assembled without mortar. It is believed that trulli originated as storage sheds built for agricultural implements. Much later, they became dwellings, with adjoining buildings added as families grew. Like your room, most trulli have been refurbished and are used as cozy homes today. Some of the roofs show mysterious chalk marks, possibly either to protect the inhabitants from evil or to bless the dwelling.

Please note: You have the option of attending a cooking class the following morning before check-in to your masseria. You must tell your Alberobello host this evening if you would like to attend.

Dinner is on your own tonight in Alberobello.

Hotel: Trulli & Puglia

Day 3: VBT Bicycle Vacation begins / Warm-up ride to Egnatia

VBT-Bicycle-Vacation-only guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leaders at 2:00 p.m. in the lobby of the first masseria in Fasano. To get to the masseria, you can take a taxi from the Bari railway station (the cost is approx. 130 Euros) or the Bari airport (approx. 140 Euros).  Or you can contact our transfer company in advance (TAXI SERVICE, Anthony, [email protected], phone +39 330 964927) and book directly with them. TAXI SERVICE will provide a transfer from the Bari airport for up to two persons at a special rate of 120 Euros. A transfer for three to six persons will cost 160 Euros, split among participants. You can also travel to the masseria by train from Bari (the closest airport) or Rome. The closest railway station to the masseria is FASANO. If you take a train from Rome to Fasano, you may need to connect in Bari. Once in Fasano, call the masseria to arrange for a taxi or shuttle pickup (approximately a 10-minute drive). If your arrival at the masseria is scheduled later than 2:00 p.m. or if you are delayed, please contact the hotel, and the staff will pass your message along to your VBT Trip Leaders. Leaders will not start the safety talk until 3:00 p.m., so in case of delay, make sure you come dressed and ready for biking at 3:00 p.m. in the main lobby.

VBT highly recommends flying to Italy at least one day before the tour begins; this allows you to rest and recover from jet lag before you begin sightseeing and cycling.

For guests staying at Masseria Torre Coccaro or Masseria Torre Maizza you have the option of partaking in VBT Cooking School, organized for you by VBT and a big highlight for many Puglia travelers! In this cooking class you will learn how to prepare typical Apulian dishes before dining on the fruits of your labor. You will have to reserve by 7:00 p.m. the day before by contacting the masseria directly, for the session starting at 10:30 a.m. the next day. The price is €40 per person and includes lunch and drinks during the lunch.

For guests staying at Masseria Torre del Diamante, a cooking class of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with the masseria’s chef can be reserved by 7:00 p.m. the day before, by contacting the masseria directly. You will have fun while learning how to prepare typical Apulian dishes like taralli and focaccia. The workshop will extend through lunch and include your meal – again a typical informal Apulian lunch that will feature the fruits of your labor as well as refreshments. The price is €40 per person.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Extension guests: Enjoy your breakfast this morning. At 8:30 a.m., meet our local expert guide at your trullo reception, and stretch your legs on a guided walk through this unique city. Learn about trulli design and why this local style of architecture and the setting have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A transfer at 10:00 a.m. takes you to your first masseria, where you will stay for the next three days. Explore the peaceful surroundings on a self-guided walk (our representative will give you the VBT route directions), enjoy the amenities of this country resort, or maybe join in an optional cooking class organized by the masseria. Check-in time is 2:00 p.m., but you can store luggage with the reception desk and use the hotel amenities this morning.

For guests staying at Masseria Torre Coccaro or Masseria Torre Maizza you will have to reserve the optional cooking class by 7:00 p.m. the day before with your Alberobello guide, while you are in Alberobello, for the session starting at 10:30 a.m. the next day. You will learn how to prepare typical Apulian dishes. The price is €40 per person and includes lunch and drinks during the lunch.

For guests staying at Masseria Torre del Diamante, a cooking class of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with the masseria’s chef is included in your package. You will learn how to prepare typical Apulian dishes like taralli and focaccia. The workshop will extend through lunch and include your meal – again a typical informal Apulian lunch that will include the fruits of your labor as well as refreshments. No reservations required.

VBT Trip Leaders, who will be wearing VBT staff garments, will be in the main lobby starting from 2:00 p.m. to answer any questions or provide assistance. Please be in the main lobby no later than 3:00 p.m., dressed and ready for biking for an intro and safety meeting. You should plan to eat lunch before meeting your Trip Leaders.

Masseria is the local name for large farms, which were fortified around the 16th century to ward off attacks by pirates and brigands. Masserie feature high boundary walls, angular towers, drawbridges, and watchtowers. Inside the walls, families worked and lived alongside their own church, oil mill, and oven to bake bread. These farms would also house cisterns for water, storage rooms for tools and hay, stables, and everything else needed for day-to-day life. These days they are elegant country resorts, most of whom produce their own olive oil and produce from their grounds.

After meeting your VBT Trip Leaders early this afternoon, join them for a safety and bike-fitting session. Then take a short warm-up ride along quiet country roads, past 800-year-old olive groves, to Egnatia, an ancient Messapican (and later Roman) coastal town of great economic and military importance in the 10th century. A short stop at its archaeological museum reveals precious finds such as sculptures, jewels, funeral equipment, and the particular pottery produced here, called gnathia.

Later, enjoy a welcome cocktail reception on the elegant hotel patio. Dinner is at the hotel restaurant and is prepared with local products and herbs produced on the farm.

Hotel: Masseria Torre Coccaro
Alternate Hotels: Masseria Torre Maizza or Masseria Torre del Diamante
Meals: B (included for Air Package guests only), D
Daily Options: 6 miles (10 km)

Day 4: Olive oil tasting / Ostuni

This morning, you ride along the coast and inland to Masseria Il Frantoio, another award-winning country hotel famous for the quality of the food. The estate extends over 150 acres and includes a “secret garden” planted with orange and lemon trees, as well as a well-preserved underground oil mill. Your hosts Armando and his wife Rosalba have collected many interesting odds and ends over the years, from ancient dresses and hats to precious books and a gramophone. Each piece has its own story, as you will see.

Your lunch at Il Frantoio is prepared using produce grown on the farm and is truly an experience of the five senses. You’ll also have the opportunity to try a sampling of five different extra-virgin oils that Rosalba uses to flavor her focaccia, pickles, preserves, and delicious laganari pasta.

Afterward, opt to relax or continue cycling to the hotel. Later tonight, you shuttle to the near small city of Savelletri on the sea. Pick a restaurant for your dinner on own tonight in the cozy pedestrian area.

Hotel: Masseria Torre Coccaro
Alternate Hotels: Masseria Torre Maizza or Masseria Torre del Diamante
Meals: B, L
Daily Options: 19 or 31 miles (30.4 or 49.6 km)

Day 5: Cycle to Savelletri and Monopoli

After breakfast, you cycle along the coast and on quiet roads, completely surrounded by ancient olive trees. Puglia ranks first in Italy in the production of olive oil, wine, and hay, and second for almonds. Continue to Monopoli, where you’ll stop to visit the beautiful cathedral and the old harbor. Spend free time here exploring and eating lunch on your own. Walk the maze of pedestrian streets in Monopoli’s old city center and see how they make the city so uniquely intimate.

Shuttle or ride back to your masseria and enjoy the amenities. Dinner is included at the Masseria restaurant.

Hotel: Masseria Torre Coccaro
Alternate Hotels: Masseria Torre Maizza or Masseria Torre del Diamante
Meals: B, D
Daily Options: 17 or 25 miles (29 or 41 km) Extra moderate ride: 14 miles

Day 6: Acaya / Cycle along the coast of Salento

Leave Savelletri and take a morning shuttle further south to discover another area of Puglia: Salento. Begin biking from the walled city of Acaya. Ride through the ancient city archway on country roads free from traffic and marked as bike paths. You reach the rugged coast and enjoy the spectacular view of Torre dell’Orso village, rising steeply from the sea and sandy bay. The village is a good spot to buy some lunch before hitting the road again, or enjoy a shuttle to the hotel. The afternoon offers more fun cycling on quiet country roads and along the small Alimini Lakes till your next hotel.

After settling in your romantic masseria, you may want to enjoy the hotel amenities or relax with a good book. Dinner is at a nearby cozy masseria tonight.

Hotel: Masseria Montelauro
Alternate Hotel: Masseria Muntibianchi
Meals: B, D
Daily Options: 12 or 27 miles (19.2 or 43.2 km)

Day 7: Cycle to Otranto / Picnic by an organic farm / Discover Otranto

Bike from your hotel on country roads and cycle through sleeping villages, where a stop in a colorful local bar for an Italian coffee can be a great discovery. Your route is shaded by big olive trees and old oaks as you head toward the sea. By lunch time you get to an organic farm near the sea, where the friendly owners Antonio and Marina open their secret garden to host a picnic lunch prepared by your trip leaders.

Later continue to Otranto and discover this picturesque town on the Italian coast. Founded by the Greeks, Otranto is surrounded by great ramparts and walls. From late spring onward, its atmosphere is extremely lively with local craft studios selling clay whistles, baskets, hand-dyed fabric, and ceramics. The city’s highlight is certainly the huge, 8,611-square-foot floor mosaic representing the Tree of Life, created in 1163 by a monk in the Otranto Cathedral. In Otranto, you can also take time for a dip in the sea.

After your visit, cycle flat country roads, catching sight of menhirs and dolmens—ancient monoliths and tombs—before getting back to your hotel. This evening, you shuttle to Otranto for dinner on your own at one of the many outdoor cafés or restaurants. Or, if you prefer, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Hotel: Masseria Montelauro
Alternate Hotel: Masseria Muntibianchi
Meals: B, L
Daily Options: 25 or 30 miles (40 or 48 km). Extra easy/moderate ride: 11 miles

Day 8: Discover the southern tip of Italy

After breakfast, you set out on one of the best bike rides in all of Italy. Starting in the interior of Salento, you follow gentle rural pathways through little villages to the coastal town of Castro Marina.

Continue to Santa Cesarea, a quiet town set on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, where you can enjoy lunch on your own in one of the many cozy cafes on the sea. From here, you follow the cliffs to the town of Porto Badisco, famous for its azure waters and prehistoric Cervi Grottoes, before continuing to Cape Otranto, the easternmost tip of Italy. You cycle back to the hotel in time to freshen up before a special farewell dinner at your masseria restaurant to feast with Puglia wines and specialties.

Hotel: Masseria Montelauro
Alternate Hotel: Masseria Muntibianchi
Meals: B, D
Daily Options: 14, 22 or 26 miles (23, 35 or 42 km)

Day 9: Transfer to Lecce / VBT Bicycle Vacation ends

VBT Bicycle Vacation only guests: After breakfast, transfer to the Brindisi airport, arriving at approximately 11:30 a.m. Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the front desk to verify the times that breakfast is served. Important: Flight departures from Brindisi prior to 1:30 p.m. are not recommended; those departing earlier must make transfer arrangements at their own expense from the last hotel in Otranto to Brindisi (approximately 1 hour). The cost of a taxi to the Brindisi airport is approximately 80 euros ($87 USD). The motorcoach will first stop in Lecce to drop our Bicycle Vacation Plus International Airfare guests and then continue to the Brindisi airport. You are welcome to get off in Lecce if you prefer.

VBT Air Package and Post-Trip Extension guests: Transfer to the Hotel Patria Palace in Lecce, an elegant and centrally located 5-star hotel, arriving at about 10:30 a.m. Lecce is a beautiful Baroque city, called “the Florence of the South” thanks to the skill with which local builders and stonemasons worked the soft, pink-tinged local stone called pietra dorata.

Explore Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the city’s main square and the heart of local activities for centuries. The square’s centerpiece is the Roman amphitheater. From here, narrow streets fan out into the city’s charming quarters.

The gem of Lecce is Piazza Duomo, enclosed on three sides by the cathedral and two palaces belonging to the church. Though this is one of the largest squares in Europe, it has an intimate feel that invites people-watching from a local café or bakery. Your VBT City Information provides useful recommendations for exploring on your own for the rest of the day. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Hotel: Patria Palace Hotel
Meals: B

Day 10: Depart for home

After breakfast, transfer to the Brindisi airport for your flight to Rome or your flight back home. VBT recommends that you check the transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder” the night before your flight. The transfer is prearranged with the reception desk and is prepaid by VBT.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Meals: B

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Accommodations

Patria Palace Hotel

The Patria Palace Hotel is enhanced by the Baroque scenery of the historic center of Lecce, called “the Florence of the South” for its beautiful buildings, churches, and squares. The hotel brings to life an 18th-century marquis palace. Each room is unique, personalized with original frescoes and equipped with modern comforts. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included

Masseria Torre Coccaro

The fortified Masseria Torre Coccaro was built in the 16th century and is known today for its watchtower and the centuries-old olive groves and carob trees that surround it. It has retained the simple and characteristic whitewashed look of old masserie, but this 5-star resort is a relaxing oasis of tranquility, where food is still artfully prepared from local produce grown on the property. The onsite Aveda Health Club has a unique setting in a series of evocative caves. Its Jacuzzi pools are kept at different temperatures, and its hammam (Turkish bath) offers beauty treatments and relaxing massages. A beautifully designed swimming pool is nestled among the olive trees and palms, perfect for a refreshing dip. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included

Masseria Torre Maizza

This 5-star resort is part of a large hillside estate overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, just one mile from the coast and its beaches. In the 16th century it was used as a garrison and watchtower against the raids of Ottoman and Saracen Turks. Beautifully restored and refurbished, the estate includes a 9-hole executive golf course, small lake, and 28 acres of land cultivated with centuries-old olive and carob trees, vineyards, and orchards that provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the masseria’s restaurant. Recently purchased by the luxurious Rocco Forte Hotels, in 2019 the resort re-opens under this prestigious brand after a 6 million euro investment. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included

Relais La Casa di Lucio / Hotel Sant’Angelo

The small, intimate Casa di Lucio and nearby Hotel Sant’Angelo are both part of the Sant’Angelo Luxury Resort located in the fascinating Sassi district of Matera. The sister hotels, comprising renovated ancient buildings and their courtyards, are nestled among the stone city’s narrow lanes and networks of stairs. Each room is designed to mirror the Sassi’s houses, with the front dug from tufa and the rear carved into denser rock. The guest rooms feature a large, modern bedroom and ample amenities. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included

Masseria Montelauro

The Masseria Montelauro Farmhouse, built in 1878, was restored with full respect for its original design and architecture. Its gardens offer all the vivid colors that have traditionally adorned the countryside. You’ll enjoy its modern amenities, too, including a swimming pool, which is set in the inner court, surrounded by an inviting orchard. A/C is available. Please note: Free WiFi is available in the lobby. WiFi is not available in your hotel room (free or at cost).

Masseria Torre Del Diamante

Masseria Torre Del Diamante is located in the countryside of Fasano, dotted with century-old olive trees. It was built on the historic center of an ancient masseria, using careful renovation and extension techniques while respecting the original materials. Torre del Diamante has a wonderful pool, a restaurant featuring traditional cuisine, and a panoramic view of its enchanting natural setting. A/C is available.

Masseria Muntibianchi

Nestled among century-old olive trees and graced with the natural fragrance of the Mediterranean landscape and the nearby sea of Otranto, Masseris Muntibianchi is a peaceful oasis. Though recently constructed, its white walls evoke the traditional local pietra leccese stone, and its architecture is inspired by traditional countryside estates. There is a private pool set in the courtyard, and a cozy reading room inside. Your rooms has an en-suite bath with shower and other comforts, such as free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and heating, 32” satellite TV, safe, mini-bar, electronic locks, wake-up service, hair dryer, and a line of courtesy cosmetics.
Free WiFi Included

Hotel dei Mellini

Hotel dei Mellini is located on a quiet backstreet near the Tiber River, convenient to the city’s transportation network and at walking distance from the central Piazza del Popolo. The design is refined and elegant. The hotel was once a pair of family palaces. It features a furnished rooftop terrace with an open view of Rome’s extraordinary skyline. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included

Trulli e Puglia

Trulli & Puglia Resort is an exquisite accommodation built into a series of beautifully restored 500-year-old trulli structures. This is truly a unique and charming blend of classic regional design and all of the modern amenities. The trulli are one different from the other and spread out in the city center of Alberobello, some clustered in blocks of 2-3. The walking distance form the breakfast room and reception can be from 1 to 4 minutes. American breakfast is a special treat here, prepared exclusively for VBT guests, with fresh local specialties, and served in a separate central building. Our host Mimmo, a star of Alberobello, is the trulli resort owner as well as our passionate local guide since 2003. A/C is available.
Free WiFi Included
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