The Ciclovia dell'Acquedotto Pugliese over 8-days

Your Apulian journey starts the instant your plane touches down at Bari Airport. A train carries you to Trani, an Adriatic gem of refined streets, where a gleaming white-stone cathedral seems to rise straight out of the water. The hours that follow belong entirely to you: stroll along the harbour, raise a glass of local wine, and let the town's atmosphere settle in before the real adventure begins. Our crew will greet you for a thorough briefing, address any queries, and get your bicycle ready for the days ahead.

Castel del Monte - Cassano delle Murge

On the second morning, a private transfer whisks you to the launch point of the ride: Castel del Monte, the octagonal fortress raised in the 13th century by Emperor Frederick II, standing alone on a hilltop within the Alta Murgia and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. From there, your pedalling on the Ciclovia dell'Acquedotto Pugliese gets underway. The trail winds downhill through the untamed scenery of the Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia, a broad limestone tableland dotted with wildflowers and marked by profound stillness, a landscape as striking as any in Italy. Having covered 34.2 miles and climbed 2,733 ft along the way, you reach Cassano delle Murge, a peaceful Apulian village nestled beneath the Murgia escarpment, where a hearty meal and a restful bed are waiting.

Distance - 34.2 miles (55km) Climbing 2,733 ft | Descent 2,566 ft

Cassano delle Murge - Alberobello

Today's leg is among the most atmospheric of the whole trip. Heading south once more on the Ciclovia dell'Acquedotto Pugliese, you cover 40.6 miles over undulating Apulian farmland, stopping briefly in the hill town of Gioia del Colle. Its Norman-Swabian castle commands the skyline, and the surrounding slopes produce some of Puglia's celebrated DOC reds, with Primitivo thriving in the rich, ruddy soil. Visitors also tend to rave about the fresh Mozzar ella di Gioia del Colle DOP, best sampled if your schedule lines up with the weekly market.

From there the trail bends southward toward a destination that speaks for itself: Alberobello, the storybook settlement of the trulli. These centuries-old dry-stone homes, crowned with cone-shaped whitewashed roofs and enigmatic painted symbols, have no counterpart anywhere in the world, and they have held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1996. Pedaling in past isolated trulli scattered across the fields, you take in the scenery just as it was meant to be experienced: slowly, up close, and at a comfortable rhythm. The evening invites a leisurely stroll through the Rione Monti quarter while golden light washes over the countless conical rooftops. Today's climbing adds up to 2,283 ft, closing a rewarding day in one of Italy's most recognizable destinations.

Distance - 40.6 miles (65km) Climbing 2,283 ft | Descent 2,083 ft

Alberobello - Ostuni

Leaving Alberobello, this leg unfolds across the breathtaking Valle d'Itria, a patchwork of ancient olive groves, dry stone walls, and vineyards dotted with lone trulli that look like stone mushrooms rising from the fields. Perched on a round hill, Locorotondo — one of the Borghi più Belli d'Italia (Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) — offers sweeping views over the whole valley. Its circular old town of whitewashed homes and flower-draped balconies invites a leisurely wander and, ideally, a glass of its celebrated crisp local white.

Heading south, you roll through Ceglie Messapica, a historic farming town that food lovers quietly regard as one of Puglia's great culinary destinations. From there, the route leaves the Ciclovia for quiet, low-traffic paved country lanes winding through sun-soaked Apulian farmland. The final approach to Ostuni, the legendary "White City," is unforgettable: a gleaming maze of whitewashed houses and a soaring Gothic cathedral crowning three olive-clad hills, visible for miles and glowing against the deep blue Adriatic sky.

Distance - 38.1 miles (61km) Climbing 2,234 ft | Descent 2,989 ft

Beyond Ceglie Messapica, the route departs the Ciclovia dell'Acquedotto Pugliese in favor of scenic, lightly trafficked paved roads through the picturesque Apulian countryside

A Free Day to Savour Ostuni

This day is yours to shape as you wish. Ostuni rewards those who wander without a plan: get lost in the winding medieval centr o storico , step inside cool whitewashed churches and small artisan studios, wander through the morning market, or settle onto a terrace and let the Adriatic horizon fill your view. Taking a day to simply rest here is never time spent poorly.

For riders who can't stay out of the saddle, we've put together two optional loop rides that leave straight from Ostuni, each showing a distinctly different side of the region.

Loop 1: Torre Guaceto & Carovigno

This coastal circuit leads to the breathtaking Torre Guaceto Marine Protected Area, among the most unspoiled shorelines in Puglia, and onward to the hilltop town of Carovigno. Look forward to turquoise sea, pale sand, old coastal watchtowers, and outstanding seafood.

Loop 2: Cisternino & the Valle d'Itria

This inland route winds to the charming whitewashed village of Cisternino, yet another jewel among the Borghi più Belli d'Italia . Known for its fornelli pronti (butchers who grill meat fresh for you on the spot), it makes an ideal midday pause before the ride returns through the trulli-dotted countryside.

Ostuni - Polignano a Mare

This penultimate day on the bike is arguably the most varied and visually striking of the whole tour. Setting off from the White City, today's 35.8-mile ride traces the historic Via Traiana, the Roman highway commissioned by Emperor Trajan in 109 AD to link Benevento with Brindisi, now revived as a superb cycle route called the Via degli Ulivi Millenari (the Road of the Millenary Olive Trees). You pedal through the shade of olive trees that may be centuries, even millennia, old: gnarled, majestic, almost sacred figures in a countryside that has changed little since antiquity.

Along the way you pass through Monopoli, a bustling harbour town with a charming old quarter, outstanding seafood, and a striking Aragonese castle rising directly from the water. It is an ideal place to pause for lunch or a quick coffee before the last stretch northward along the shore. The day concludes at one of Italy's most celebrated destinations, Polignano a Mare, where dazzling whitewashed houses cling to dramatic clifftops high above the turquoise Adriatic. With only 847 ft of total ascent on this largely level coastal leg, your legs will stay fresh and the views remain nothing short of breathtaking. Once you arrive, check in, hand your bikes over to us for collection, and enjoy an evening wandering this remarkable town.

Distance - 35.8 miles (58km) Climbing 847 ft | Descent 1,414

Following the dramatic cliffs of Polignano, Day 7 settles into an unhurried rhythm. A brief train ride carries you north to Bari, the lively capital of Puglia, where the afternoon is yours to shape. Lose yourself in the twisting medieval alleys of Bari Vecchia, where women still sit in their doorways shaping or ecchiette by hand on wooden boards. Admire the grand Basilica di San Nicola, a standout example of southern Italian Romanesque design, or stroll the seafront promenade while the Adriatic glitters in the late light. Bari is equally rewarding for anyone who loves good food. Sample freshly fried panzer otti from street vendors or sit down to refined restaurants celebrating the region's remarkable seafood heritage. Wander through the covered Mercato del Pesce, toast the day with an aperitivo in Piazza Mercantile, and let the hospitality of Apulian life guide you into one last unforgettable evening in Puglia.

On Day 8, a train delivers you to Bari Airport for your flight home. You depart with full memory cards, legs pleasantly worn out, and a lasting affection for one of Europe's most genuine and stunning regions.