Puglia Bike Tours

Bike Tours Puglia

Experience cycling holidays in Puglia, where every ride takes you through sun-drenched countryside, endless olive groves and quiet lanes lined with dry-stone walls. Discover the region’s iconic trulli houses and soak up the charm of authentic Italy at every turn.

Between rides, indulge in Puglia’s famous cuisine, from handmade orecchiette and creamy burrata to the freshest seafood and local wines. Each day brings new towns to explore, friendly locals to meet and long, warm evenings to enjoy.

Cycling holidays in Puglia are the perfect blend of adventure, culture and incredible food, an unforgettable way to experience the real Italy.

Highlights of Puglia

The Famous Trulli

The trulli of Puglia are one of Italy’s most enchanting sights and a true highlight of any cycling in Puglia adventure. These whitewashed limestone dwellings, topped with conical stone roofs, are unique to this southern region and steeped in history. Their origins date back hundreds of years, when they were cleverly built without mortar so they could be dismantled quickly to avoid property taxes under feudal law. Today, they stand as a fascinating reminder of Puglia’s past, and walking amongst them feels like stepping into another time.

You’ll find the most famous collection of trulli in Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where entire streets are lined with these fairytale-like houses. They also dot the countryside around Locorotondo, Cisternino and Martina Franca – all perfect places to explore on a Puglia bike tour. Riding through Puglia gives you the freedom to meander past olive groves and vineyards before rolling into these charming towns, where history and culture meet in the most magical setting. It’s a ride that blends effortless cycling with moments of pure discovery, making every day on your Puglia bike tour an unforgettable experience.

Whitewashed villages

Puglia is home to some of Italy’s most beautiful whitewashed villages, each offering its own charm and character. Ostuni, known as “La Città Bianca”, dazzles with its hilltop maze of gleaming white houses and stunning views over olive groves to the Adriatic Sea. This is one of our favourite towns in Italy. The town sates back to the 11th century and its steep streets make their way from the bottom of the town to the stunning cathedral on its cobbles. It requires a huge effort to cycle up the steepest part of the town but however you get to the top, you will be rewarded with magnificent view. The labyrinth of narrow alleys, stairways and hidden courtyards will transport you back in time.

Along the coast, Monopoli combine whitewashed streets with breathtaking seaside scenery, perfect for rides that blend cultural discovery with coastal beauty. Exploring these villages as part of your cycling trip in Puglia is the best way to experience the region’s history, landscapes and unforgettable southern Italian charm.

The Food

Puglia is known for its food and produces much of what Italy eats. Part of what makes Puglia such a great place to cycle is that the riding takes you through wheatfields that is used in much of Italy's pasta and bread, through farmland that grows tomatoes and artichokes and of course the vineyards which produce world famous wines. For us however, the highlight are the olive groves. Nearly half of Italy’s olive oil comes from the olives grown here. Incredibly, some olive trees are thought to be over 1,000 years old. So when you're pedalling through the olive groves of Puglia on your cycling tour of Puglia, know that many of the trees you pass have quietly witnessed centuries, even millennia, of history. Some may well be among the oldest olive trees still bearing fruit in the world.

The Best Puglia Cycling Routes

Monopoli to Alberobello

The cycling route from Monopoli to Alberobello is one of the best in Puglia. You’ll leave the sparkling Adriatic behind as you gradually climb into the rolling hills of the Itria Valley. The ride takes you through the quintessential Murgia landscape, where ancient olive groves stretch as far as the eye can see and fields are neatly framed by low, dry‑stone walls. Pause at Castellana Grotte to explore its spectacular cave system, one of the largest in Europe, before continuing on to magical Alberobello. This UNESCO World Heritage town is home to over 1,000 of the iconic trulli, making this ride through the Puglia countryside, a trip to remember

Alberobello to Ostuni

Historic Murgia unfolds across a striking karst plateau, dotted with ancient olive groves, golden vineyards and traditional whitewashed masserie farmhouses. As you ride, take time to pause in medieval Cisternino, where you can savour a glass of local wine and soak up the timeless atmosphere of this charming town. The journey continues towards Ostuni, the spellbinding White City perched high above the Adriatic Coast. Hidden behind its imposing walls, Ostuni reveals a Gothic gem – the 15th‑century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. This unforgettable day captures the essence of cycling holidays in Puglia, blending breathtaking scenery, rich history and the region’s renowned food and wine.

Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto

A bike tour in Puglia isn't complete until you've ridden to the very heel of the country. Santa Maria di Leuca is the most southerly town in Puglia, where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet. Feel the salty sea breeze on your face as you follow the high coastal road, tracing the gentle, undulating ridges of Puglia’s dramatic cliffs. The views here are nothing short of spectacular – the kind that make you feel as if you’ve stepped straight into a National Geographic cycling feature. Pause at the Grotta Zinzulusa, a mesmerising sea cave famed for its striking rock formations, before continuing on to Otranto. This historic port town, with its deep Greek and Roman roots, is where culture and natural beauty blend in perfect harmony.