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Overall this was not the trip I expected and I am disappointed. There were many pros but a lot of cons too. Starting with the good points:
Pros:
-the guide Michele Q was excellent. He guided us safely, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable about the places we visited, encouraging, funny, very supportive. He went above and beyond trying to find places for us to eat (more about that in the ‘cons’) and dealt with last minute problems smoothly. Even though he didn’t need to, he stayed out with the group and socialized. On a horribly rainy/thunderstorm/lightning day he called ahead to make sure our hotel rooms would be ready when we arrived soaking wet and freezing cold. I rate him 11/10.
– bikes: were very good for this type of terrain. The gearing was excellent, we could climb steep gravel hills easily. Comfortable. I liked having a waterproof pannier. The brakes were good.
– the agriturismo olive farm was the BEST day/night. It was luxurious (the pool, the terrace, our suite), the olive oil tasting and education was so interesting, the food was delicious. Very peaceful and elegant.
– the hotel in Osturia was also lovely.
Cons:
– we did the first trip of the 2019 season, beginning April 8, 2019. Now that I have done this, I think it is too early in the season to do this trip. It was sometimes a challenge to find cafés or restaurants open to eat at during the day. At a couple of hotels, we were the first guests of the season, and it was clear they were not really ready for us.
– dinner: It is the Italian custom to eat dinner(supper) at 9 pm at night. This is not the custom in North America or England, and as people who had been cycling all day and who needed to be awake fairly early the next day, this didn’t work. After two nights of eating very late, Michele would call ahead to the next town and try very hard to negotiate a fixed-price 2-choice menu, and tried to convince the restaurant to open at 7 pm for us to have dinner. Mostly he was successful, but it often meant we didn’t get food until around 8 pm at night. As well the afternoon siesta made finding food a bit challenging at times.
– picnics: many of my friends have taken this trip, and other trips with Exodus. Their experience was: a pot of money was collected from the guests and the van driver would purchase food for “a fabulous picnic” which would be waiting at the lunch stop. This was not offered, and it would have been a very nice option.
– my own problem: our Italian hotels didn’t have in-room coffee. I’m not a human until I have coffee. I did not like having to get dressed and wait for the breakfast to be served to have coffee. I admit, this is my problem.
– group riding. I found out that I really don’t like riding in a group. I felt that 90% of the time I was watching the bike in front of me, and making sure the bike behind me didn’t do something stupid. I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the scenery as much as I would have liked. I felt that if I stopped to take a photo (which had been a very important goal of mine – photography!) that I would be slowing down the group. Thus, not many photos taken to my disappointment.
– the van: the van was for luggage, and not a support van for injured or tired riders – that was made clear at the start – no problem. However, we were told by our guide that if we wanted to skip a day of riding, and take transit, just tell him in the morning. So we decided to skip day, told him at 0700H as required, and we were told we would have to pay for the bikes to be transported to the next town. We said “but can’t you put them in the van?” No, the van is full. “Can’t you put them on the roof racks of the van?” No, the roof racks are broken. In the end, the bikes WERE put on the “broken” roof racks, but I recall thinking ‘it’s not my problem that Exodus hired a van with inoperable roof racks. Fix this problem’.
– some of the hotels were quite basic, and one hotel had broken air conditioning, which made the night absolutely intolerable.
– on a day with horrific rain, I felt it was dangerous to continue riding. The water was inches deep on the road, we were riding in traffic for about 30 minutes, and we could not see the road under the water. One of us could have hit a pothole and been thrown off the bike into traffic. The traffic also made “tidal waves” as it passed us.
– automobiles: Near Matera and one other town it was very clear that the car and truck drivers HATE cyclists. Sometimes they would pass very close to us, dangerously so. What I thought were friendly waves were in fact the exact opposite.
The seaside ride was very beautiful.
He was FANTASTIC. He was the best part of the trip.
Consider doing this trip later in the season than April 8th. The weather was quite cool (that's ok when cycling) but there were some very wet days.
A fabulous, but not too difficult cycling trip through Puglia, stopping off in lovely hilltop towns and other places of interest. Sampling delicious local food. Varied accommodation. Great scenery.
No one moment, so many different ones. Loved the sampling of fresh mozzarella, followed by delicious al fresco lunch at the farm. The food & wine was superb each evening, eating local produce and delicacies. We cycled through small country lanes with lovely scenery en route. Stayed in variety of accommodation which also helped make the trip, especially enjoyed the converted convent in the olive farm (with the welcoming swimming pool). It was great to do a walking tour (optional though no one declined) each evening with the tour leader of the historic towns we stayed in.
Emmanuele was a fabulous leader, and went out of his way to ensure we got the most of out trip, in his local area. His knowledge was great not just on local history but on food & drink too. If group members had specific requests he tried to fit these in too, without any detriment to the others. Although there were those with different cycling abilities on the trip he ensured all got as much as possible out of the days riding and no one was ever left struggling behind.
Take a waterproof what ever the time of the year. Be prepared for a windy ride when you head north up on the west coast road on the last day.
Thoroughly enjoyed my first Exodus cycling adventure, which exceeded expectations. The scenery was beautiful, a mixture of olive groves, coast lines, varied villages and country lanes. Matera as a starting point was stunning, but the dramatic weather as we set off was challenging, to say the least. Cycling 43 miles in torrential rain and wind through floods, with shower caps over our helmets, was a group bonding experience like no other! Thankfully the rest of the week was perfect weather, if a little windy at times.
All the places we stayed in were well chosen – I especially enjoyed the farm house with its amazing rooms and lovely pool. The meals, eaten together, were delicious and lots of fun, with a mixture of new food to try and copious amounts of local wine to wash it down, all in the knowledge we would be working off the calories the next day.
The best moment was sweeping down a hill to the coast the first time. Arriving at an empty white sandy beach as the sun shone and the waves lapped was magical, particularly after our rainy start a couple of days earlier. Then cycling through a market and fishing village was a great experience. I also felt a great sense of achievement when I reached the top of the third killer hill on day five without stopping, and realised my fitness levels had improved as the week went on.
Antonio was a fab leader, very knowledgeable about the area, funny and helpful. Appreciated his singing (!), and the special tour we had of his home town of Bari due to our flight being later than usual. He wen above and beyond the call of duty.
I went on my own and was a little nervous but needn't have been. It is very much a group experience and you soon feel like you have known people for ages. Even for a 'moderate' trip you need to be quite fit. The pace was faster than I would go on my own, (12-18 mph on the flat depending on pot holes and wind), but I managed to keep up, and speedier cyclists were happy to wait for the slower ones as we puffed up the hills. The bikes were great with good gears and comfortable saddles. Check the weather forecast and don't assume because it's Southern Italy it will be warm. Evenings were sometimes chilly and I was glad of the fleece I threw in at the last minute. I had taken a warmish waterproof but some others hadn't and suffered on our wet day.
Thank you Exodus for an excellent first cycling holiday. I loved every minute… even the ‘undulations’ !!! I had not cycled more than 15miles in one go ever, but felt I was so strong by the end of the 6 days. A great personal challenge! It was great being in a big group, and soon got to know the people we had just met. Manuela was a tremendous guide & Pierrot was a superb support guy… providing us with healthy snacks , fresh water & delicious local food picnics. This trip is to be recommended. I will definitely go back to the area. And definitely travel with exodus again. The bicycles we hired were of a superb quality & very comfortable to ride.
When I reached the top of some pretty long steep hills I felt elated! I couldn’t believe how strong I had become by the end of the 6 days!
Manuela was a fantastic guide & he looked after us all so well. His restaurant recommendations we fab, and his local knowledge was so informative. I was amazed at how fluent in English he was & he even got our sense of humour!
Prepare well in advance.. some good quality padded cycling shorts & chamois cream to be recommended!
Perfect combination of good cycling, great company, excellent accommodation and fine food and drink.
The negatives? Be prepared for even more potholes than in the uk and many of the roads are lined with garbage/rubbish which spoils the natural beauty
Cycling from Otranto to Lecce
Antonio was brilliant with endless patience, great sense of humour and fluent English
Take your own saddle and stick with standard hire bike.
This was my third cycling holiday with Exodus and I can’t wait to book the next one. Once again, I chose somewhere where I had no previous knowledge, thus making it a bit of an ‘Adventure.
Inevitably slightly apprehensive about how well I would fit in to a group of sixteen people that I had never met before. My worries were needless; we all got on famously and just got on with enjoying the well organised trip. Great hotels, food and wine. Distances not too challenging, although the heat was at times.
All breaks, rest stops and overnights were entirely adequate. Important to bear in mind that this is first and foremost a cycling holiday. There were many occasions when, as a keen photographer, I would like to have stopped but that wouldnt have been fair on the ‘Back Marker’.
Each day had its magic moments but the selection of fascinating hotels could never be described as ordinary. Breakfast overlooking a ravine in Matera, rooms in a former Palace and a night in a former farmhouse (Masseria) surrounded by olive trees and vines. So many great memories...
Emanuel was excellent. He kenew his bikes and how to treat a group of intrepid explorers, Top man!
Be prepared for heat: it was up to 30C even in mid September. However, there was always plenty of fresh cold water in the backup vehicle with Piero.
great trip all round
new Masseria San martino,
great guide
book it now !
This was my 2nd cycle trip (both with Exodus). And it did not disappoint. Fabulous and challenging. This is a beautiful region in Italy. We enjoyed great food and wine and lovely accommodations. The weather was hot and sunny, although we did out-cycle a few potential storms! The group of 16 were terrific and our leader, Emanuele, was wonderful ~ so well organized, and tireless in his efforts to meet all the diverse needs.
Being from eastern Ontario, where the land is quite flat, I was really challenged on our first day out by the length, pace, heat, and "undulating" terrain. Our last day involved cycling against some pretty significant winds. By the end of the week, apart from being very sad it was over, I really felt good about my accomplishment and becoming a better cyclist as a result . I had great encouragement from our whole group and from Emanuele.
Emanuele is just a wonderful person and excellent leader. He is kind and organized and hard working. His goal is to make sure that everyone is enjoying their experience. He really loves and is proud of the whole region. And it showed in his great story-telling and history lessons. He was able to answer all our questions, and to take us places and point out so many things we would have missed otherwise.
Enjoy the challenge ~ there are definitely hills and there can be winds. Be prepared. Although, my British buddies seemed to find them much less surprising and challenging than I did!
A great week of cycling staying in fascinating old towns with narrow picturesque streets.
Whilst the countryside is no match for Tuscany there are some nice sections and some glorious coastlines.
Another star of the holiday is the food of the region, certainly some great group meals enjoying excellent food and wine.
Staying in a Trullie House as well as the view from the hotel terrace in Matera
Excellent group leader with good local knowledge and always happy to help resolve any issues that crop up along the way.
Whilst the mileages were ok and clearly stated in the trip notes, I do feel that Exodus should state the average cycling pace expected throughout an holiday such as this. Personally whilst I cycle these mileages at home but I nevertheless found the pace a tad quicker than we cycle at home.
From the very start my wife and I were warmly welcomed by our guide Emanuele and our other 12 cycling companions.
We had done a couple of other cycling holidays but this was our first with Exodus and with a leader who cycled with us along the way.
Emanuele was fantastic – nothing was too much trouble for him, he has a great sense of humour and knows when to use diffent options when things might not go as expected.
His vast experence meant that we visited places we would never have found ourselves – absolutely beautiful villages, landscapes and places to enjoy Italys wonderful food and drink.
The cycling was on mainly good surfaces and well paced each day so that no one felt left out.
Our group quickly became friends enjoying each others company and watching out for those inevitable potholes!
We will definitely do another Exedous trip – we throughly reccommend it!
The beautiful scenery particularly the coast along the Adriatic Sea.
Emanuele is a very experienced guide who knows thlocale network of roads and trails in the area very well. But most importantly he made sure that everyone of us was ok whether it was the set up of the bike or having trouble with translating the menu. I would describe him as a real leader and gentleman who really made the trip a success.
We would definitely recommend this trip to potential travellers - it s a beautiful area with great friendly and engaging local people and amazing food and wine.