Wine Safari in Puglia, Italy – 8-Day Cycling Holiday

Day 1Welcome to Puglia – Wine Safari in Putignano

Welcome to Puglia and the charming town of Putignano! Here begins eight days of cycling, local culinary experiences, and excellent Italian wines.

After arrival and check-in at the hotel, you will meet our local English-speaking partner for a briefing on the tour and bike fitting. Then everything is ready for the coming days on two wheels!

Already on the first evening, you will get a taste of what Puglia has to offer. A local sommelier will take you on a wine tasting at the hotel, where you will get to know the region's famous grapes and wines better. A pleasant start to the wine safari!

Lunch and dinner on your own (not included).

Would you like to start the tour a bit earlier? It is possible to add an extra day in Putignano, with a bike tour, wine tasting, and a visit to a wine cellar (not included). Please contact us if this sounds tempting.

Day 2From Putignano to Terra delle Gravine – Among Olive Groves and Ravines

Today, it is time for the first cycling stage of the tour! From Putignano, you follow quiet country roads through the typical Puglian landscape, with fields, olive groves, and small villages. Gradually, you approach Terra delle Gravine, an area known for its deep ravines and dramatic landscapes.

Along the way, you pass the charming small town of Noci, where a coffee break or lunch at a local trattoria might be suitable (not included).

Today's destination is a traditional masseria, a southern Italian estate, overlooking the Gulf of Taranto. Here you can enjoy the afternoon in peaceful, rural surroundings after today's bike ride.

In the evening, you will be driven to the town center, where you can find a cozy restaurant and enjoy a great Italian dinner (not included).

Day 3From Terra delle Gravine to Locorotondo – Through the Beautiful Itria Valley

Today you cycle into the heart of the beautiful Itria Valley (Valle d’Itria), one of Puglia's most characteristic areas! Here, a landscape with ancient stone walls, olive groves, and the famous trulli houses awaits – small, whitewashed stone houses with cone-shaped roofs that are so typical of this part of Italy.

On your way, you will reach Martina Franca, a charming baroque town with narrow streets, magnificent buildings, and lovely piazzas. This is a great place for a coffee break or lunch before cycling onwards to Locorotondo.

Locorotondo is considered one of Italy's most beautiful small towns, and it is easy to understand why! The historic center is situated on a hill, with whitewashed houses, flower-adorned alleys, and great panoramic views over the Itria Valley.

After checking in, today's highlight for wine enthusiasts awaits – a wine tasting with a local wine producer in Locorotondo (included). The area is particularly famous for its fresh white wines, so there will be an opportunity to get to know another side of Puglia's wine traditions.

Lunch and dinner are on your own (not included).

Day 4From Locorotondo via Cisternino to the White City of Ostuni

Today, a great cycling stage through the beautiful landscape of the Itria Valley awaits! You follow parts of the Ciclovia dell’Acquedotto Pugliese, an almost car-free cycle route winding between ancient oak trees, olive groves, and the characteristic trulli houses.

Along the way, you reach Cisternino, one of Puglia's charming whitewashed small towns. The town is particularly known for its great culinary traditions, and it is definitely worth dedicating time for a lunch break here! Perhaps you would like to try bombette, small, stuffed meat rolls that are a local specialty?

Then, you continue towards Ostuni, also known as "the white city". Already from a distance, you can see the whitewashed houses climbing up the hillside. Once there, you can stroll through the narrow alleys, discover small shops, and find a cozy piazza with views over the olive groves and the Adriatic Sea.

After checking in at your accommodation, you have the rest of the day at your own disposal. If you wish for even more culinary experiences, an additional wine tasting can be arranged upon request (not included).

Lunch and dinner are on your own (not included).

Day 5From Ostuni to Manduria – In the Homeland of Primitivo Wine

Today you head south from Ostuni, through Puglia's sunny landscape with olive groves, vineyards, and small villages. The destination is Manduria, the town particularly famous for its robust, ruby-red Primitivo wine. There is much to look forward to here for wine enthusiasts!

Manduria has a history dating all the way back to antiquity, and wine production has long traditions in the area. The town is located in the heart of one of Puglia's most famous wine districts, where the Primitivo grape thrives especially well in the warm Mediterranean climate.

Today's highlight is a visit to Produttori di Manduria, where you will get a guided tour of the wine museum and taste local wines (included). Here you will learn more about wine production and the history behind Primitivo di Manduria, one of Southern Italy's most famous red wines.

After the wine tasting, you check in at your accommodation in Manduria. The rest of the day is at your own disposal, with the opportunity to stroll through the town and find a nice restaurant for dinner.

Lunch and dinner are on your own (not included).

Day 6From Manduria to Guagnano – Through the Homeland of Negroamaro Wine

Today, the wine safari continues through one of Puglia's most famous wine regions! Here, the Negroamaro grape takes center stage, and you cycle through the landscape where the popular red wines of Salice Salentino are produced. Vineyards, olive groves, and small villages characterize today's stage.

Would you like a dip in the Ionian Sea along the way? Then you can choose an alternative route along the coast, past the beaches of San Pietro in Bevagna, Torre Colimena, and Punta Prosciutto. Turquoise waters and light sandy beaches await – perfect for a short break from the bike saddle!

Today's destination is Guagnano, a small town with long wine traditions. Here, a visit to a local wine producer awaits, with a wine tasting of the area's characteristic red wines (included). A great opportunity to get to know Negroamaro and the wines of Salento better!

After the wine tasting, you check in at your accommodation in Guagnano.
Lunch and dinner are on your own (not included).

Day 7From Guagnano to Brindisi – Last Stage Through Salento's Wine Landscape

Today, the final cycling stage of the tour awaits! From Guagnano, you set your course towards Brindisi, through Salento's characteristic landscape of vineyards, ancient olive trees, and small villages. Along the way, you pass the traditional pajare – small stone buildings reminiscent of the famous trulli houses in the Itria Valley. Lunch on your own (not included).

After approx. 65 km, you arrive in Brindisi, a historic port city on the Adriatic Sea. The city has been an important hub since antiquity and was, among other things, the end point of the famous Roman road, the Via Appia. Here you will find a charming harbor promenade, historical buildings, and a lively city center.

After checking in at your accommodation, you have time to experience a bit of Brindisi on your own. Perhaps a stroll along the harbor or a final Italian espresso on one of the city's piazzas sounds tempting?

In the evening, dinner and wine tasting await at Numero Primo (included). A lovely conclusion to the wine safari, with great food, local wines, and perhaps a toast to all the experiences along the way!

Day 8Arrivederci Puglia – Departure from Brindisi

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to Puglia for this time. Eight days of cycling through vineyards, olive groves, and charming Italian small towns are over. Hopefully, you travel home with many fond memories, new favorite wines, and perhaps some extra space in your suitcase for a bottle or two!

After checking out, you head to the airport. Or perhaps you would like to extend your stay with a few extra days in Brindisi? Lunch and dinner on your own (not included).

Thank you for the trip, and have a safe journey home!

The program and hotels are preliminary, changes may occur. Expa Travel reserves the right to make corrections for typos, as well as currency rate and/or price changes.