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Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
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Excellent tour.
Visting Masseria and also cycling along coasts.
Marinella did an excellent job - she did the job of two
We had one morning of rain, be prepared for that.
Puglia is a great place to visit.
The sun shone,the bikes were sturdy to cope with the bumpy roads and the food was outstanding. After a long and undulating first day I thought I’d
never keep up. But my legs did get used to the speed of the others and the hills became just a small challenge. A great holiday with lovely people.
I cycled to the top of a coastal hill encouraged by our guide Marinella. I thought I would have to walk but No........
Marinla worked so hard she made our holiday. Fixing bikes, sorting out the route and places to eat,making picnics giving encouragement.
Good sense of humour required!
Beyond expectation in all ways, culture, food, architecture, and a guide that was simply perfect and a credit to the company
Seeing the wonderful cities and the pleasurable cycling combined with a guide second to none
It would not be possible to find a better guide. Marinella was attentive, had a great knowledge of history and culture and a great sense of humour
Request Marinella and book today
Thank you to all the exodus team for your hard work behind the scenes
Wonderful scenery, historic towns, lovely food food and wine and a great tour leader.
Cycling along the Adriatic coast
Mariella was fantastic - very knowledgeable about the area, had a great sense of humour, and went out of her way to make the trip special for everyone. She even organised a toast for our anniversary. The guided tours were also a bonus.
Watch out for loose gravel and potholes
The terrain is not too challenging and should be suitable for cyclists of most levels
It was with some trepidation that my wife and I joined this guided tour. Not only was it the first time we have participated in an organised group tour, it also involved some serious cycling. We need not have worried. Our tour guide, Marinella, was superb in ensuring that everyone had the best possible time throughout the week’s tour. Puglia was a gorgeous region to tour, with many beaches and a variety of sights. The accommodation was very good with the highlight being the overnight stay at the renovated monastery near Avantrana. Our group was a mix of nationalities and a significant bonus was the opportunity to engage with these people and learn a little about them and their home countries. The cycling varied from 45 to 70+ km each day, which both my wife and I found manageable. We had both done a reasonable amount of preparation, which was extremely helpful.
We encountered some heavy rain on day 2 of the tour. It really belted down during the last hour of the ride. When we arrived at our overnight stay I was having a bit of a grizzle about the wet weather to one of the other riders, Chris, from New Zealand. She said that when the rain was at its heaviest she was having a laugh! She was participating doing something she enjoyed, and yes, the conditions weren't ideal, but she had many friends back home who would be tucked up in front of the fire, but she was getting out and about. An inspirational moment for me!
Marinella fulfilled her group leader role with flying colours. She loves Puglia, knows it well, and was passionate about sharing her knowledge. She worked extremely hard at making everyone feel part of the group by suggesting places to eat at night, and also through organising our lunch each day. The group was a large one, and I felt that she should have had an extra support person who could have ridden with the group. We had a back up vehicle but it was not always possible for it to follow the group. If there was a mechanical issue, (and there were a few), Marinella would have to back track and attempt to remedy it.
Do your preparation on the bike. The distances are not huge, but it's constant each day. Although the route is mainly flat there are some hilly sections.
September was a very good time to do the tour. Overall the weather was very good. Hot enough to stop for a swim most days, but not too hot to ride.
This was a hugely enjoyable trip made by our delightful and knowledgeable guide, Marinella Bozzetti . The tour took us through beautiful countryside and fascinating historic towns and the distances and hills were reasonable for regular cyclists with a good level of fitness. I would rate the trip as excellent but felt our tour guide could have done with more back up – at the very least there should be a spare bike of equivalent standard so that bikes could easily be replaced if necessary.
We especially loved the farm house and beautiful rooms in the monastery. In better weather the luxurious pool would have been a highlight but despite the storm we enjoyed the comfort and wonderful setting. Swimming in the Ionian Sea one day and the Adriatic the next was also memorable as was the stunning coastal road between Gallipoli and Ortranto.
We all loved Marinella - she was a constant delight. Funny, charming and unfailingly good humoured despite the many " trrrragedies" of our trip ie thunder, lightening and torrential rain. We were all soaked to the skin but thanks to Marinella we came through smiling. She went well beyond her duties to provide informative guided tours at every stopping point and made sure that we were well looked after in a variety of traditional restaurants. She dealt diplomatically and with admirable patience with the one difficult member of the group.
Make sure you do have a reasonable level of fitness because 6 consecutive days in the saddle are quite demanding and this tour does include a number of longish hills. Heat or bad weather both increase the difficulty but the rewards are worth it. A number in our group were in our 60s and this tour was well within our capabilities but we were all reasonably experienced cyclists. A spare pair of shoes would have been welcome.
We enjoyed the variety of accommodation and also the mix of nationalities in our group. This holiday is about much more than just the cycling - this is a little known but fascinating and beautiful part of Italy but it was the bonding within the group and the personality of our leader that made it so special.
We had 6 fabulous days of cycling through amazing sceneries and villages . Always changing , never the same always exciting to get to a new place discovering different foods, wines , gelatto flavours!
I think of what stands out the most of this trip is how our tour guide Marinella embraced each and everyone of the group and we felt like a big family gathering and had a blast! All because of Marinella's attention to our well being.
The most professional guide ever.
Make sure you train for hills . Even if only few of them they are still hills!
This was a great, relaxing cycle holiday to the heel of Italy, with a good mix of people. We had quite a large group and exceptional weather of 35-40 degrees in September, which was a little higher than the expected temperature for that time of year.
What a beautiful part of Italy to visit and cycling was a fantastic way to explore it.
I loved having the time to indulge in the cafe/gelato culture at lunch or after the day cycling and the freedom to chill before the optional group dinner or doing something by yourself.
In some of towns, where we experienced an increase in traffic, it was still relatively ‘cycle friendly’. There were many locals who cycle, regardless of age and others self-touring – so it was a very positive cycling experience.
The towns/villages that we stayed in were really beautiful, but I think the Trulli house in Alberobello and the stay at the Masseria, made the trip a little more special.
Our group leaders were Marinella and Emanuele and their individual skills complemented the trip perfectly as Marinella was an excellent organizer, a special mention has to be for the recommendations for dinner and the arranging of lunches each day – no small task. Emanuele was our cycle leader who negotiated the route and pace for us and sorted out any mechanical issues that arose (very few) and was keen to invest time in a brief cultural highlights tour after the cycling had finished for the day for those who were interested. I have always maintained that an Exodus trip can be made/broken by the quality of the group leaders – I would say that both Marinella and Emanuele enhanced my experience of this trip.
Puglia is considered to be the flattest part of Italy – but that means the land is undulating rather than ‘alpine’ hilly. For anyone considering this trip who may be a tiny bit worried about hill climbing – don’t be, the pace ranged from 15-20 kph, a speed which suited our group well. Whilst I didn’t do it myself, a day before the trip in Matera and after the trip finishes in Lecce looks really worthwhile, I’ll just have to come back at some point. As with any cycle trip, if you have your own seat/pedals – do take them, the bikes available on this trip were sturdy but basic. For organizing the daily lunches, the leaders ask for 50 euro per person at the beginning of the trip. This then allows them to organize a really good lunch each day and any balance paid back at the end of the trip – this is a good option and one less thing to worry about. Given the quality of the lunches on offer, the money was well spent.
Even though we had a couple of beach stops, it would be nice if one of the days could finish at the beach and allow people to spend the afternoon there (the water is so nice) although I appreciate that cost/accommodation availability may be an issue.
Whilst this trip was our first Exodus experience we were unsure of what to expect in terms of cycling difficulty, organisation, hotels and group dynamics. We need not have worried!! This guided trip was maybe very slightly more challenging than we expected due to hotter weather than normal in September, however the leadership dealt with these conditions well allowing the whole group to complete a rewarding week. The over night stays allowed us to experience a range of accommodation including a night in a Trulli house and all were clean and tidy. For us, one of the highlights was the group we met and spent time with. We got to know some great people along the way – chatting on route and over evening meals (although this is not compulsory!)
Having experienced some fantastic places along the route, for us the finale in Lecce with a group of people we'd got to know was very special and a stunning end to a great week.
We were fortunate enough to have two leaders and both did all they could to make the trip a special week. They had the local knowledge, great organisational skills and above all a great sense of humour!
If we were to help inform anyone considering this trip, we'd definately recommend this for anyone wanting to see southern Italy and who has done some cycling leading up to the week. We decided to add an extra day at the start in Matera and at the end in Lecce which we'd reccommend to discover these beautiful places. The bikes were good however we decided to take our own saddle and pedals which we'd suggest if you want a little more "touch point" familiarity.
If it helps make your mind up....we are already looking into our next holiday with Exodus!
Sara was an outstanding guide who enhanced our trip.
Cycling through the trellis.
Sara was capable, caring, warm, funny, and she made the extra effort to tell us the history of various locations and sites.
