What made this cycling trip special was our guide. The safety emphasis, local knowledge, and connections the guide has make this trip a wonder. This trip involves cycling every day from Matera, down along the Ionian coast, and ending by the Adriatic coast to the city of Lecce. This my fourth cycling trip with Exodus, and I have to say that every guide on this trips has been fantastic. Cycling is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to be part of the landscape at just the right speed.
Matera Holidays
Matera trips
You’ll find the enchanting city of Matera sandwiched between the heel and toe of Italy’s boot. Lying just east of Naples in the southern region of Basilicata, the magical city of stone was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1993 and was named the European Capital of Culture in 2019. So why not explore this captivating city for yourself on one of our Matera tours.
On our Puglia: Discover the Heel of Italy trip, visit the unique city of Matera whose century-old caves carved into the local limestone are still inhabited to this day and wonder around its workshops, restaurants and boutiques, before heading to the sparkling white city of Ostuni and onto medieval coastal towns of Otranto and the stunning Baroque Lecce, commonly nicknamed, “the Florence of the South”. Or explore this spectacular region on two wheels with our Cycling Puglia and Matera trip. On this Matera holiday, discover the best UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Puglia and Basilicata region by cycling past Matera’s Sassi houses and the fairy-tale, conical Trulli houses of Alberobello. The route then takes you to the white city of Ostini and on towards Gallipoli, where you can cycle past the dramatic Ionian coastline, Baroque towns and across the famous Salento Peninsula.
Enjoy riding through the heart of Southern Italy from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian sea. Taking in the beautiful Apulian town of Polignano a Mare, we stop off at Matera and Castelmazzano, a mountain village that’s cradled in the rocks of the Dolomiti Lucane. Your route continues along the shimmering Amalfi Coast and ends in Sorrento, overlooking the Bay of Naples. If you’d like to explore on foot on one of our Matera Holidays, Walking in Puglia and Matera takes in the legendary local cuisine and delicious wines in the district of Matera, Alberobello and Ostuni, allowing you to enjoy picturesque farmland and quaint villages along the way.
Matera Adventure Holidays
John Hornby Cycling the Heel of Italy – Matera to Lecce
Jayne Robinson Discover Puglia: Italy's Ancient HeelThis was our first ‘cultural’ Exodus holiday although we’ve done lots of Exodus cycling holidays. We went not knowing much about the area so it was wonderful to find it so enjoyable. There was a good mix of learning about the region, relaxing, and tours of caves, olive groves and some of the more important towns in the area. Transfers weren’t too long (usually under an hour) and accommodation was excellent for the most part. The nature of the accommodation meant that we all had different style rooms in most locations, which was good fun comparing.
Dianne Roy Cycling Puglia & MateraWe thoroughly enjoyed our Exodus cycling trip from Matera to Leece in June 2025. As first time visitors to this part of Italy we really appreciated our guide, Manni’s knowledge of the area, contemporary and historical. We had a great group of fellow cyclists, eleven of us in total. The accommodation was excellent as were our bikes. This is our second Exodus cycle trip and we would thoroughly recommend the trip.
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