Puglia & Matera by car · south & north
A ~685 km loop from Bari — trulli country and a cave night in Matera, then north to Trani's waterfront cathedral and the wild Gargano peninsula. Two very different Puglias in one trip.
Route at a glance
685 km · 6 legsBari → Polignano a Mare & Monopoli
A gentle first afternoon. Ride the old coastal SS16 south to Polignano a Mare — white houses stacked on a sea cliff over Cala Porto. Settle in, swim, watch the sunset from the rocks.
SS16 / SP coastal lanes hugging the Adriatic. Flat, easy, plenty of sea glimpses — ideal to get a feel for the bike fully loaded.
Open full route →
Valle d'Itria loop → Ostuni
The day the landscape turns magic: dry-stone walls, silver olive groves and conical trulli roofs. Loop the prettiest hill towns, eat where you point at the meat, then sleep in whitewashed Ostuni.
Locorotondo → Alberobello → Cisternino → Martina Franca. A dense web of narrow white-limestone lanes between trulli and vineyards — slow, twisty, gorgeous.
Open full route →
Ostuni → Matera (Basilicata)
Cross into Basilicata's canyon country. Arrive in Matera, one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities on earth, and check into a cave carved from tufa.
A short transfer through rolling countryside via Laterza. The reward is the dramatic first sight of the Sassi as you approach from the plateau.
Open full route →
Matera → Castel del Monte → Trani
Cross the Alta Murgia plateau — big sky, wheat fields, empty roads. Stop at Frederick II's enigmatic octagonal castle, grab the best bread in Italy at Altamura, then descend to Trani's harbor and its cathedral glowing on the waterfront at sunset.
Through the Alta Murgia National Park — big-sky plateau, sweeping empty roads, wheat fields and sheep. Stop at Altamura for bread, then Castel del Monte on its lonely hilltop, before descending to the coast at Trani.
Open full route →
Trani → Gargano: Mattinata & Vieste
Drive north into the Gargano — Puglia's wild side. The coast road from Mattinata to Vieste is the dramatic highlight: white limestone cliffs, sea stacks, hidden coves. Arrive in Vieste's clifftop old town for sunset over the Adriatic.
North to Manfredonia, then the spectacular SP53 coast road via Mattinata and Baia delle Zagare to Vieste. White cliffs, sea stacks, hairpin turns above turquoise water — the Gargano's signature drive.
Open full route →
Gargano: Foresta Umbra & Monte Sant'Angelo → Bari
Morning in the ancient beech forest, a hilltop sanctuary town, one last coastal view from Peschici — then a relaxed drive south to Bari for the final evening.
Morning loop through Foresta Umbra's cool beech canopy, stop at Monte Sant'Angelo for the sanctuary and views, a last look at Peschici on the cliff. Then A14 motorway south to Bari — straightforward and fast.
Open full route →
Booking checklist
Ferragosto fills fast — book aheadPractical notes · late-July riding
33–38 °C. Ride mornings, take long shaded lunches, hydrate. Mesh gear + hydration pack.
The coast gets very busy early-to-mid August — book hotels and the Grotta Palazzese / Matera cave restaurants well ahead.
Old towns (Lecce, Ostuni, Matera, Bari Vecchia, Gallipoli) restrict traffic. Park outside the walls — the bike makes this easy.
Smaller stations and shops close ~13:00–17:00. Fill up before backroad stretches (Murgia, inland Salento).
Carry passport / EU driving entitlement for the A-category bike, rental papers & insurance. Photograph them.
Keep towels/swimwear accessible — you'll stop at coves constantly.
Optional extensions
Wild forested promontory — Vieste, Peschici, Foresta Umbra, the SS89 cliff road. Spectacular but ~2–3 h north of Bari; breaks the relaxed pace.
Iconic coast road, but a full transfer from Puglia — realistic only if you trade the relaxed brief for long saddle days.
Drop Matera and add a second night in the Valle d'Itria or Salento — make every day a true 100 km day with pool afternoons.