Hike, E-Bike and Feast in Italy's Puglia and Matera

This trip is designed to showcase some of the best spots in Puglia and Basilicata, offering a perfect balance of sightseeing, culinary experiences and active adventure. While the region has gained popularity in recent years, it remains less crowded than places like the Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast – especially if you visit during the low season (March, October, or November). Although it's hard to guarantee a completely crowd-free experience in towns like Matera, Polignano, and Alberobello, these locations are still must-sees of the region and fully merit their inclusion in the itinerary.

To make the most of your journey, we've crafted an itinerary that minimizes time spent in busier areas, allowing you to bike along peaceful country roads, away from the urban bustle. You'll have the chance to immerse yourself in the serene countryside with three overnight stays in an authentic masseria. In addition, you'll discover hidden gems like Locorotondo, Martina Franca, and the stunning natural oasis of San Giuliano Lake.

If bad weather affects any of the activities, your local guide may decide to swap around the order of the program. If biking or hiking is not possible due to safety reasons, alternative activities will be offered.

A certified, English-speaking local guide will be with the group throughout the trip and will join all activities. In addition, for groups of nine or more people, you'll have an additional biking guide to support you during the e-bike rides on Day 2 and Day 4.

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamed of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

Your e-bike will assist with about 25% of the effort on an average ride, meaning you'll provide about 75% of the effort. There will be moments when you'll need to switch to Boost mode for short bursts of power, especially on challenging terrain or steep sections. However, most of your ride will be in Eco and Trail modes, with Eco mode often being your go-to on climbs to conserve battery life throughout the day. This balance ensures a smooth, enjoyable ride while still giving you the thrill of exploration on two wheels.

In terms of speed, the power assistance on e-bikes is typically capped at around 15mph. If you want to go faster, you'll need to pedal harder! You can adjust the power levels to match your pace and terrain. Your cycling guide will brief you on how to use the different modes to optimize your ride and make the battery last:

Eco Mode: Low power for energy efficiency, giving you longer battery life on flat terrain.
Auto Mode: Automatically adjusts the power based on terrain and your pedaling effort for a more balanced ride.
Sport Mode: Provides mid-range power, ideal for moderate hills and faster cruising.
Turbo Mode: Delivers maximum power, perfect for steep hills or when you want to ride fast.

When it comes to battery power, the e-bike batteries are typically charged overnight, usually at your accommodation. There will be a couple of spare batteries in the support vehicle just in case. However, if you manage your battery usage throughout the day (for example, by avoiding using turbo mode all the time), you’ll find that the battery lasts long enough for most rides without any issues.

The tap water is safe to drink. Please bring your own reusable water bottle to fill up at the hotels or public fountains to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Puglia (also known as Apulia) and Basilicata are located in the south of Italy and are some of the driest, sunniest regions of Italy. The best time for hiking, biking, and exploring is usually spring (from March to June) and fall (from September to early November), when temperatures are milder and usually range from around 59°F to the high 80°F. Some rain and chilly evenings are possible at any time of year, so the best you can do is to come prepared for varied weather conditions and bring some layers and rainproof gear.