Apulia Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Kris January 28, 2019Great bike ride through historic sites, splendid scenery, and fantastic food.
· Apulia - Heel of Italy
We did a self-guided tour with e-bikes–and were happy with our arrangements throughout. We picked this ride because of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the fact we hadn't visited this part of Italy. It's so cool to bike through agricultural areas, small towns and the regional centers. A highlight was the stay in Masseria Bosco in the middle of the vast olive orchards–a lux experience and fine restaurant in an historic agricultural property. All the city hotels were great, too. We loved both Matera and Alberobello and took some extra time there on our own. The ride from sea to sea (Adriatic to Ionian) was truly spectacular. And, wow, the food! In short, the whole experience was well-curated. Anyone wanting to try a bike tour would be wise to start here with the expert recommendations and support by biketours.com and their local partners.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Darcy Billinkoff November 8, 2022Italy’s best kept secret
· Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
After visiting Puglia, we marvel that we had not really heard much about this spectacular region until three years ago.
We started our trip by staying in a cave hotel in
the stunning city of Matera in its historic section “sassi di Matera”. This ancient city, steeped in history , has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and should be on everyone’s bucket list.We started cycling in Alberobello, a touristy town famous for its whimsical whitewashed trulli with their signature cone-shaped roofs. As we left the town and worked our way toward the coast, we cycled on quiet roads passing by beautiful olive groves with rich red soil and fields dotted with trullis.
Magnificent views, picturesque seaside towns, a few challenging hills that got our hearts racing, and delicious fresh seafood became the norm as we cycled along the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
We finished the trip in the elegant city of Lecce, which is aptly nick named “the Florence of the south”. We would recommend spending at least two days in this beautiful city wander its beautiful historic Center, take in a walking tour and visit the fascinating Museo Faggiano.We cycled on hybrid bikes and they were comfortable and had good low gears to take on the coastal hills.
We would highly recommend this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Charlene Cestroni June 29, 2023Do it! You won’t regret it!
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
Loved, loved, loved it!! Giovanna, our guide and instructor was THE BEST!! She had varied teaching styles and lessons, addressed the different levels of proficiency well, and was a really fun person to share time with. She was very knowledgeable about the various cultural sites we visited and incorporated them into our lessons. Throughout the whole experience I felt like family. We literally spent time w different members of families of the tour operators and staff - you don’t see that everyday! The level of biking was easy. The excursions were excellent! I was even able to take a private yoga class at one location. The accommodations were very good. We were a small group so we were able to stay at a couple masserias - very charming. One had a couple small service issues due to lack of staffing but nothing significant. Masserias were Uber charming but the standout hotels for me were in SM de Leuca and Arco Vecchio in Lecce. I was always in a single room and they were all very nice, comfortable, and had showers bigger than a phone booth (important to me!) If you want to have fun, enjoy diverse experiences, do a little biking, and be immersed in the Italian culture and language (with support,) then this is the trip for you!! Thank you Giovanna and Salento Bici Tours for this incredibly fun experience. I can’t wait to hear about your next tour offering!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Rosemary McDougall 12 months ago
Best of both worlds: Italian language and cycling in Italy
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
What a fantastic tour! The rides were perfect and the teachers/guides were outstanding. Giovanna and Carla were the best Italian teachers, patient and helpful. The riding itinerary was challenging yet doable for all participants. The idyllic terrain from Otranto to Lecce showcased the Salento region and the spectacular views of both Adriatic and Ionian Seas completed the picture. All accommodations were great as well as the scrumptious Italian food and Orecchiette cooking class. Visits to various beaches helped to relax everyone along the route. An ideal tour for anyone interested in learning Italian and enjoying the scenery along the way while riding a bicycle (bici).
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 1-10
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ victor dubugras 2 months ago
I’m Giovanna’s fan
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
In overall the experience was fantastic.
The region is beautiful, the wines great, nice restaurants, nice bikes and most of all our teacher Giovanna. I became her fan. When I returned home in Milan, I could understand Italian much better and speak a little.
If the group was bigger than ours, two families only, an end of the line additional guide to look after the low speed participants would make the front group biking experience more pleasant.
We also had a small accident with no big consequences that was handled by the guide and one participant that was a doctor. But if anything worst happened, I’m not sure what type of rescue would be available.
Me and my wife were lucky that the other family was fantastic. The bond was 100% and only happy moments all the time happened.
In other tours with other companies, there was always someone that became an unpleasant weight for the group due to the attitudes.
I recommend this tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 22, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
