Introduction I n the heel of Italy, Puglia is undiscovered and untouched relative to the rest of Italy. The people are warm and authentic with life here fitting around slow, pastoral rhythms unique to Italy s deep south. The whitewashed villages are reminiscent of Greece. Indeed, the Greeks, Romans, Venetians, Turks and Spanish have all left their marks on the architecture, the culture and the cuisine. A network of quiet country lanes and gentle terrain make this a great destination for beginner and intermediate riders. Trip highlights include: - Timeless pastoral beauty with groves of 1000-year-old olive trees. - A rugged coastline where blue skies meet the deep emerald waters of the Adriatic. - Unique cuisine generous antipasti, fresh seafood, and pasta. - The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Alberobello with its Iconic stone trulli. The warm climate means there is great biking from as early as March to the end of November. In crafting your itinerary, our aim is to match your dates, your accommodation preferences and your riding style. I hope you like this itinerary but please tell us how we can change it to make it closer to your ideal trip custom itineraries and personal service is what we are all about. Once you are happy with your itinerary, we would be delighted to help with restaurant reservations. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing one of our favorite places to ride a bike. Tony Blakey Founder U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 1
Why LifeCycle Adventures? What We Do Our unique blend of custom itineraries and personal service creates the perfect cycling vacation for those who want to explore on their own terms rather than being part of a large group. From the moment you contact us until the end of your trip you will find us responsive, attentive and totally focused on ensuring you have the perfect cycling vacation. Our expert guides live in the areas in which they operate and have the passion and dedication to deliver superior service and exceptional insight. LifeCycle Adventures gives you the freedom, flexibility and knowledge to enjoy a more authentic travel experience. How Are We Different from the Competition? More customized itineraries and more personalized service. FEATURE LIFECYCLE ADVENTURES THE COMPETITION GROUP TOURS SELF-GUIDED TOURS Routes Customized Some choice Some choice ITINERARIES Dates and Duration You choose Set Fixed Accommodation You choose Set Some choice Lunches and Dinners Non-cycling activities You choose Set On your own You choose Some choice On your own Group size Your group 12 to 24 Your group SERVICE Ride Briefings On-Route Support At start in person, daily by phone Van on call Daily in person Van(s) trailing and guide on bike No Limited Private Excursions Yes No No Pre- and Post-trip Transfers Yes Sometimes No U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 2
Day 1 Bari to Alberobello T rips typically starts with a van transfer to Castellana Grotte. The town is famous for its spectacular limestone caves but it is also a great place to start exploring the Itria Valley. Your route starts out over rolling farmland with vibrant green fields in spring and golden wheat fields in the summer. The network of tiny byways, bordered with drystone walls makes this ideal cycling territory for those that like exploring at a gentle pace. With a mid-morning start you will easily reach Noci for lunch. Noci is an attractive but relatively undiscovered town with a small, historical center with the characteristic white-washed roofs of local limestone, winding cobbled streets, and small courtyards. This is also a chance to sample the traditional Pugliese cuisine as the town has a small selection of good restaurants. Those looking for a longer ride, will ask to be dropped in the town of Matera famous for its cave dwellings and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This route is both longer and has more climbing see Ride Options below. From Noci, it is back onto the small lanes for a gentle ride onto your overnight destination of Alberobello. As you approach the town you pass whitewashed cottages and small clusters of distinctive trulli iconic round cottages with conical rooves. But nothing quite prepares you for the bizarre wonder of the Zona di Trulli a UNESCO World Heritage site at the heart of this pretty town. The zone is a dense mass of hundreds of beehive-shaped cottages built from flat stones without mortar. This is an exceptional example of a building technique that has survived from prehistoric times. The whole area looks like it might have been drawn by Dr Seuss! Ride Options Easy 10 miles Intermediate 20 miles Longer 50 miles with 2,000 feet of climbing Highlights Limestone caves at Castellana Grotte Whitewashed village of Noci Zona di Trulli a UNESCO World Heritage site in Alberobello U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 3
Day 2 Alberobello Loop Day Y ou could spend several contented days in and around Alberobello. The town itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site is worth taking time to explore. The surrounding countryside is also full of fascinating villages and sites. If you want to visit the coast, you will ride east via the elegant city of Fasano to the charming fishing hamlet of Savelletri. Here there are great seafood restaurants clustered around the small harbor. The coast here is spectacular with rocky cliffs and small coves. You ride out and back along small country lanes that pass ancient olive groves and fruit orchards. Today s inland ride is to the spectacular towns of Locorotondo and Martina Franca. Locorotondo is a sparkling white city on a hill. The old town is bedecked with blood-red geraniums set against the whitewashed walls. It also boasts an impressive cathedral and a renowned sparkling white wine. Martina Franca makes a great lunch stop it is famous for its local cuisine. It also has some impressive Baroque architecture and grand palaces among a maze of narrow alleyways. Again, you ll find yourself riding on small lanes across the Murgian landscape traditional farmlands that produces olives, wine, cherries and nuts. Those looking for a longer ride can combine the two routes to create a 55 mile round trip. You stay overnight in Alberobello. Ride Options Easy (Locorotondo) 15 miles Intermediate (Locorotondo & Martina Franca) 25 miles Intermediate (coast & Savelletri) 30 miles Longer 55 miles with 3,000 feet of climbing Highlights Zona di Trulli a UNESCO World Heritage site in Alberobello Lunch by the small harbor in Savelletri Sparkling white city of Locorotondo Outstanding cuisine in Martina Franca U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 4
Day 3 Alberobello to Ostuni T oday you leave the fanciful world of trulli and head to the gleaming white city on a hill that is Ostuni. After some 15 miles passing centuries old olive trees you reach the slow-paced city of Cisternino designated borghi più belli (one of Italy s most beautiful towns). The town is also famous for its fornello pronti meat grilled by butchers that you eat at tables in their stores. Very tasty and perfect for a picnic lunch. After lunch you enjoy an easy ten-mile ride across craggy limestone terrain with expansive views down to the Adriatic coast. For many, the arid, Mediterranean terrain and whitewashed villages are more reminiscent of Greece than classical Italy. This sensation is intensified as you reach the outskirts of Ostuni: your overnight destination. Those wanting to add more miles will do a loop ride down to Ceglie Messapica after arriving into Ostuni. Ostuni is one of the most stunning cities in southern Italy; set upon a hill, this white city gleams in the afternoon sun. Inside the city walls is just as impressive with the city built on multiple levels across three hills all linked together by staircases and cobbled alleyways. At every other turn there are spectacular views across the surrounding countryside and down to the sparkling Adriatic. An impressive 15 th Century cathedral sits at the center of the historic old town. Ride Options Easy 15 miles (with van transfer) Intermediate 25 miles Longer 40 miles with 1,800 feet of climbing Highlights Centuries-old olive trees Fornello Pronti grilled meats Views down to the Adriatic White city on the hill: Ostuni U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 5
Day 4 Ostuni Loop Day O stuni is another city that has enough to entertain for several days. Surrounded by limestone walls, the old section of the city rewards those who wander without purpose. There are also several good bike rides into the hinterland. For those looking to visit the seaside, the Torre Guaceto nature reserve is one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Puglia with sandy bays and clear water. The nearby town of Torre Santa Sabina has a couple of good seafood restaurants overlooking the small harbor. You can be sure the food is fresh as you can watch the fish being brought off the boats from your table. Your route is via a network of bike paths that pass some of the oldest olive trees on the peninsula. Some have been carbon dated to be over two thousand years old; with their gnarled and twisted trunks, you can believe it. For an adventure inland, you will ride to Ceglie Messapica. The city dates back to Messapian times (500 BCE) but most of the visible buildings are merely 14 th century. The sleepy city is a fine lunch stop with pleasant piazzas, Baroque balconies and a medieval castle. Ceglie Messapica is also something of a gastronomic capital in the region with a surprising number of excellent restaurants. Those looking for a longer ride will combine the coastal and the inland routes to create a 50- mile adventure. You stay overnight in Ostuni. Ride Options Easy 15 miles Intermediate (Torre Guaceto) 32 miles Intermediate (Ceglie Messapica) 20 miles Longer 50 miles with 2,300 feet of climbing Highlights Ostuni Torre Guaceto Nature reserve The medieval city of Ceglie Messapica a gastronomic delight U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 6
Day 5 Ostuni to Monopoli T oday you head up the Adriatic coast to the ancient port-city of Monopoli. After a gentle 10-mile descent, you reach the coast at the Dune Costiere national park: an unspoiled stretch of sand dunes and beaches. From here, you ride up the coast alongside a series of small sandy beaches and rocky coves. You also pass through small fishing villages and seaside towns. In several places you are riding just yards from the emerald waters of the Adriatic. Savelletri makes a good lunch stop with a couple of excellent seafood restuarants overlooking the small harbor. Or head a little further north to Capitolo to a Bourbon-era fish hatchery converted into an excellent restaurant right over the water. Just before Monopoli you reach the archeological park of Egnazia (also Egnathia or Gnathia) perhaps the most important archeological site in Puglia. Here you can see the ruins of a Greco-Roman town that dates back to the 4 th century BCE. You can still see the outlines of the city walls, homes, an amphitheater and a necropolis. The onsite museum has a stunning mosaic of the Three Graces. From Egnazia, it is an easy ride into Monopoli your overnight destination. Those wanting to add more miles will do a loop ride via Conversano and Polignano after arriving into Monopoli. Monopoli is a charming walled port city. The old town is a charming maze of alleyways and there is an impressive cathedral which dates back to the 12 th century. Ride Options Easy 15 miles (with van transfer) Intermediate 25 miles Longer 50 miles with 1,600 feet of climbing Highlights A 15-mile ride alongside the Adriatic Greco-Roman ruins of Egnazia The port city of Monopoli U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 7
Day 6 Monopoli to Bari A fter a relaxed morning in Monopoli (or after enjoying a morning ride) you will be met by your guide for your transfer back to Bari. If you have enough time before your transfer, you might choose to explore up or down the coast a little. To the north there is the cliff-top town of Polignano a Mare; to the south, the Greco-Roman ruins of Egnazia. This is the last day of your tour with no overnight accommodation unless explicitly listed in the logistics page earlier. U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 8
Contact Details Our services include: Private transfer from downtown Siena or Florence or other location as listed in Your Logistics earlier. Detailed map briefing and bike fitting at the start of your tour. Accommodation for each night of your tour and breakfast the following morning unless explicitly excluded in the accommodation description earlier. Guide available via phone 24/7 and on-call roadside assistance 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Luggage transported between lodgings and wine collection service. Transfers along all or part of the route to coincide with luggage moves to be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Detailed maps, directions and a personalized guidebook. Optional Extras Airport Transfers Typically, we collect guests from their hotel in downtown Siena or Florence. However, we are also pleased to collect you from Florence Airport or the Florence railway station. We also can collect you from other locations for a supplement. Please ask for details. Extra Days in Siena or Florence Both Siena and Florence are great cities to spend time in great food, great sights and great museums. We can arrange extra days in both cities either before and/or after your bike tour. Guided Tour Days If you d like to add in a day or two of guided cycling we can arrange for one of our local guides to ride with you for a very personal tour of the area. Transfers to Wineries or Other Sites If there are wineries or other sites in the area that you would like to visit but do not want to ride to, we would be pleased to arrange a van transfer. A typical cost is $100 for up to four people for a one-way transfer or $150 for a two-way transfer with a turnaround time of up to two hours. We also can arrange to have a van and driver dedicated to you for up to a day. If, for example, you had a number of wineries you wanted to visit that are hard to get to or on unpaved roads. This service is $50/hour for up to four people with a four-hour minimum. U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 9
Contact Details Climate The best months to visit Tuscany are May through October, when the temperatures are pleasantly warm and the risk of rainfall lower. In summer, temperatures are never stifling and there is often a pleasant breeze. Spring and fall are great times to ride but the risk of rain rises as you get into October. We do not recommend cycling here in winter. The charts below show the monthly average temperatures (in Fahrenheit) and rainfall (in inches) for Siena. Temperatures Rainfall 90 80 70 Average High 4 3.5 3 2.5 60 50 40 Average Low 2 1.5 1 0.5 30 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Where to Stay Before the Trip Guests typically stay in Siena or Florence before and after their trip. If you would like us to make reservations, just let us know. If you are making your own arrangements, we have had good feedback from past guests for the following hotels and B&Bs: Siena Hotels Grand Hotel Continental http://niquesahotels.com/grand-hotel-continental Hotel Athena http://www.hotelathena.com/ Campo Regio Relais http://www.camporegio.com/ Palazzo Ravizza http://www.palazzoravizza.it/ Florence Hotels The St. Regis Florence http://www.stregisflorence.com/ Hotel Lungarno http://www.lungarnocollection.com/ Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni http://www.tornabuoni1.com/ Hotel David http://www.hoteldavid.com/ U.S. & Canada: 1-888-669-2453 Other +1-415-366-3806 Page: 10