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I’ve done a few cycling trips over the years with Exodus and loved them all, but this one left me just a little flat. It started well enough, Matera is beautiful and as we cycled out of Matera the scenery was lovely and the sun was shining. But the days that followed were just a little frustrating really. We stayed in a farmhouse for two nights (not the one advertised) and both were lovely, but we arrived each day at around 3:30 and then you have nothing to do for the rest of the day because you’re literally in the middle of nowhere. I wish we had stayed in Ostuni for one of these nights. This also meant we were limited to eating from a basic set menu each night we were in the farmhouses, which was a bit disappointing as the food in this part of Italy can be amazing.
On the plus side we did cycle every day but lots of it felt like it was on busy roads, I wish we could have spent more time on the coast. I also felt we often cycled through a lovely village or town but then stopped for lunch in some very random and not great places. Would have been nice to have a bit more information on some of the towns we stopped in, on previous trips there’s been a little walking tour but not on this one. This could have been so much better, but it just wasn’t. For the first time if someone asked me if they should go on this trip I would say no…..
The night in Matera, at night it's a magical place. I only wish there were more moments than this one.
My previous experience of leaders has been excellent, but on this trip I felt the team could have done more to allow us to experience this part of Italy. It wasn't terrible, but just felt a bit adequate.
Do we warned it can get pretty windy in this part of Italy, can make the cycling a bit of a slog some days.
This was my 5th trip with Exodus and the first time I left feeling unsatisfied. The cost of the trip seemed excessive for what we received. The hotels were not great and food was uninspiring – we passed through lots of lovely little towns and villages and yet on 2 particular occasions stopped in less desirable places for lunch at an odd American styled bar and a buffet style cafe on a busy road. We stayed in masserias two nights instead of one which meant two nights of nothing to do in the afternoon / evenings. People in the hotels and restaurants were very unfriendly and rude. The leader was ok but did nothing above the basics. We had 10 people on e-bikes which in my opinion was way too many as most were inexperienced cyclists.
The ride along the coast was beautiful. The Adriatic Sea was absolutely gorgeous. Matera was fascinating and beautiful, especially at night.
In my past tours with Exodus, the leaders have been amazing, going above and beyond. At each town we stayed at, there would be a planned meeting time after the ride where the leader would take us into town, show us the sights and then do a group dinner at a lovely restaurant. The guide on this tour did not do that. Other than the first night and the last night, where all he did was offer to walk people to the chosen restaurant, we were left to our own devices and never saw our guide until the next morning. He made very little effort to mingle or be part of the group. When we ended in Lecce, we were told there was a train strike. Apparently this has been announced in the media a few days prior but never communicated to us. Everyone in the group had to travel away from Lecce and most had planned to take the train. Very little assistance was offered by our guide, and his advice to me was to go sit at the train station and see what happens. Not helpful. One woman had pre-booked a transfer through exodus but we were told by our guide that it was a small car and there was no room for us to join. We were later advised by the woman that it was in fact a 7 seater van and that her and the guide were the only occupants. We ended up having to pay €350 for a private transfer to insure we made our flight.
It was VERY windy during our rides which made them far more difficult than they should have been. Be prepared for that if you go in October as apparently this is normal. When you ride on the coast, bring your swim suit and swim at the beautiful spots on the breaks as the towns you stay in do not have nearly as beautiful swim spots, despite what you may be told.
A superb cycling adventure in Puglia in hot and sunny weather in June 2024. Our leader Manni was excellent in every way making sure everyone had a wonderful trip and was kept safe at all times. Mostly quiet undulating back roads with 2 quite hilly days, we visited some spectacular towns in this lovely region – for me the highlights were Matera, Alberobello, Gallipoli and Otranto., staying in ‘Cave Room’ and ‘Trulli’ hotels, not forgetting a fantastic Masseria where the wine and olive oil were produced on site – with a beautiful bedroom and super swimming pool. But one thing was unforgettable, and that was the opportunity to swim several times in crystal clear Ionian and Adriatic seas, including a pre-breakfast 6.30am swim in Otranto. Thank you Manni for all your hard work making this a special trip
Alberobello
One of the best!
Enjoy yourself - swim whenever you get the chance - buy the local olive oil
Overall very enjoyable trip
View over Matera
Excellent - calm, helpful, shared cultural and historical knowledge, great bike mechanic and very organised
Excellent tour through the heel of Italy’s boot. Beautiful scenery cycling on country lanes, coastlines and walled cities. Delicious food and wine along the way.
Stepping out onto balcony at hotel in Matera and seeing the old city and cave dwellings for the first time.
Our group leader, Manni, was phenomenal. He was always organized, knowledgeable about the route and each of the cities and towns we visited, and always with a sense of humor. Manni made a great trip even better!
A most charming part of Italy, well worth exploring by bike. Passing through picturesque villages and ancient towns laden with history, every place has something unique to offer. Architecturally impressive churches, cathedrals and basilicas dominate the landscape. The cuisine is delicious and there is plenty of culinary variety to satisfy any preference. The accommodation was good and very good throughout the trip.
Most inspiring places were Matera, Alberobello and Lecce.
Our tour leader Claudio was attentive, organised and looked after the group well. At the end of each day, he offered suggestions for places to have dinner at and a summary of the following day.
Having been on several 'medium' rated cycling holidays with Exodus, i would say this trip is on the lower end of 'medium'.
What a fantastic trip. Great group, felt like I was laughing all the time. The leader, Michele, was full of energy and organised little extras that really made the trip memorable. The hotels were good too, particularly the masseria, and the cycling was great fun.
There were many. Seeing Matera for the first time, watching a local artist perform songs for us in his shop, and jumping into the sea from high up.
A very scenic cycling tour of Matera and Puglia, though the cycling landscape is not as diverse or dramatic as some tours. The challenge was coping with the temperatures of around 30c rather than too many hills. The region though offers great food and drink, and as well as the lovely dinners the lunches were also excellent. It also has stunning religious buildings along the way even in the smallest of towns. The tour is split in two parts, with countryside rides in the first half where you stay in some iconic accommodation such as a cave hotel, trulli house and a masseria. The second half hugs the coast with tourist hotel stays.
Like most cycling holidays its getting to the top of the climbs though there weren't too many on this holiday. The climb on the way to Otranto was made tougher after a lovely lunch and a few beers in Castro.
Fabrizio was very enthusiastic and led the group well. Coming from Bari, he has a lot of local knowledge which he communicated well. He lived in England for awhile so his English is good and he was eager to pick up new phrases.
Enjoy the food and drink. Try and find a few craft bars otherwise you will be stuck with the local beer which is Peroni.
Wonderful! The guide and driver, the hotels and the routes were all excellent. A memorable trip with a great group.
Staying in a Trulli house
Fantastic-he quickly got the measure of the group and worked our days around the weather and sights. He changed timings when he recognised there was a benefit to do so and checked with the group to ensure we were all happy with arrangements. He went out of his way to book and recommend great restaurants and sights to see when off the bikes.
Prepare for all weather conditions-it’s quite changeable
Beautiful countryside, just the right amount of challenging hills, and amazing food and drinks – what more could you ask for? This trip is so well planned to see the best that Puglia has to offer. Matera is a must see (we spent a couple extra nights there and HIGHLY recommend it if you can), but the real gem here is the countryside full of olive groves, old farmhouses, small towns, and beautiful sea views. Our personal favorite parts were the small towns we stopped in daily for a cappuccino breaks – you won’t see these places from a bus. Our group leader (Manny) made the trip unforgettable – he kept a good pace, told us just the right amount of history about the area, and made sure we well fed and taken care of. While we didn’t require van support – we always knew he was there if needed – and brought fresh snacks (and water) daily to all our stops. Of course the highlight for us was staying at Maseria Bosco (day 4) – the old farmhouse was the perfect place to stay for the evening, surrounded by olive groves, and the restaurant was amazing. Thanks to all the recommendations and support from Exodus before our trip – we got engaged this night, they went above and beyond to make it perfect!
Day 6 - cylcing from one sea to the other felt like such an amazing accomplishment.
Manny was amazing throughout the whole trip! . His restaurant picks were top notch, and recommendations for how to spend free time was always spot on! We unfortunately had a couple of incidents in our group, which were well taken care of.
The Italian way is much more laid back and leisurely than what most of us are used to - be prepared for that, and just bask in the beauty of the Italian countryside (or grab an extra gelato).
