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Home > Cycling > Italy > Matera Vineyards & Castles of the South
Starting from Trani, with its amazing cathedral and harbour, you’ll see Castel del Monte, an octagonal and enigmatic hilltop fortress, and Venosa, the ancient Roman town where Horace, the Latin poet of Carpe Diem, was born. Having passed through the vineyards of Vulture, you cycle south along gentle pathways through rolling hills of wheat until you reach your final destination, Unesco-protected Matera, with its unique sassi houses built into the rocks. There is a noticeably slower rhythm to daily life here and you are encouraged to immerse yourself in the charm and peacefulness of Italy’s ‘deep south’. Nights: 7
Starting point: Tenuta Cocevola (4*), near Andria. Part of a magnificent estate, this is an elegant hotel set in secluded gardens amid rolling flower-filled meadows, with the Castel del Monte a few miles away in the distance. Your bikes will be waiting for you at the hotel. Day 1: You take an easy circular route via Andria, a busy market town famous for wine, olive oil and almond production, before moving on to the sea at Trani, stopping for a wine tasting at one of the many wine cellars along the way. At Trani, visit the Romanesque cathedral, the Swabian castle and palaces, and the harbour for a spot of lunch in one of the many fish restaurants. You return through rolling countryside with more tantalising views of Castel del Monte. (35km) Accommodation: Tenuta Cocevola, as above. Day 2: You cycle south to the Unesco Heritage site of Castel del Monte, one of the most important medieval castles in Italy, famed for its octagonal towers. You pass the High Murgia National Park and then ascend into the higher Basilicata region. Follow the River Bradano upstream to the Roman town of Venosa, birthplace of Horace. (55km) Accommodation: La Maddalena (agriturismo), Venosa. Your accommodation offers a pool, very welcome after a day's cycling. Day 3: With a free day here you have plenty of time to enjoy a circular cycle into the surrounding countryside or to spend a more leisurely day exploring the many Roman archaeological remains in Venosa. Accommodation: La Maddalena, as above. Day 4: After a short transfer to the lakeside town of Genzano, you cycle alongside the glistening River Bradano through undulating fields of golden wheat. (40km) Accommodation: Bufalara (agriturismo), near Grottole. This is a welcoming agriturismo set on a hill-top, where dinner awaits in a homely house guest setting. Day 5: A beautiful road leads along the side of tranquil Lake San Giuliano, a protected oasis that is home to migrant birds from Africa, after which you make a gentle ascent into amazing Matera, where alleys, houses and churches all blend into the hillside. (45km) Accommodation: Hotel Sant’ Angelo (4*), Matera. As befits a town renowned for its unique sassi, your hotel is carved into the rock. Dinner is not included, giving you the chance to explore the narrow, fascinating streets of Matera, where many delightful restaurants await discovery. Day 6: Cycle along the valley of the Chiese Rupestri (rock churches) Park. After an optional further 5km uphill, you will reach the hill-top town of Montescaglioso, dominated by its enchanting 11th-century Benedictine abbey before returning to Matera. (40km) Accommodation: Hotel Sant’ Angelo, as above. Extend your stay: Why not cycle back into Puglia and add a few extra nights at the elegant Masseria Abate Hotel in Noci? This stunning hotel consists of wonderful traditional conical stone trulli (farm buildings) around a large pool shaded by walnut trees. On your day here, cycle to Alberobello and the Itria Valley. Similar holidays: Secrets of Western Tuscany (grade 2), Luberon Valleys & Villages (grade 2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airport: Bari Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back > Booking |
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Situated at the northern end of Italy’s ‘heel’, the rural provinces
of Puglia and Basilicata are largely unspoiled and unknown to
many, although they hide a truly astonishing wealth of artistic and
historic treasures. From the coast at Bari, the undulating countryside
of Puglia, dotted with the historical remains of myriad invaders, gradually
climbs up into the hills of Basilicata, where local customs and traditions have survived for
centuries in seemingly timeless hill-top towns protected by spectacular fortresses. 
Trani 
