Discovering Alberobello by Bicycle
Explore Alberobello by bicycle, an authentic journey through the Itria Valley among trulli and nature.
If you stop in Alberobello just to see the trulli, you might miss a lot. The real beauty starts when you leave the center and explore the Valle d'Itria countryside.
That's where we decided to bike. Not on an organized tour, but on our own. We followed easy paths and back roads between Alberobello, Caranna, Locorotondo, and Martina Franca. It's easier to navigate than you might think. You can always see towns in the distance, and in summer, you're never really alone. The trulli scattered in the countryside are often inhabited or used as tourist spots, so there's always a landmark.
We split our trip into two days. We started in Brindisi, where we rented gravel bikes for about 35 euros a day. We rode to Ostuni. There, we stopped to visit and break up the journey. On the second day, we set off from Ostuni towards Alberobello.
The stretch between Ostuni and Alberobello was the trickiest. Not because of technical difficulty, but due to traffic in some areas. It's manageable, but it's good to know beforehand. Choose secondary roads when possible.
When we arrived in Alberobello, we decided to stay in the center. It's convenient for walking around in the evening and exploring the town leisurely.
The next day, we continued exploring the Itria Valley without a specific destination. We chose roads as we went. We covered about 50 km around Alberobello, with gentle ups and downs throughout.
For biking, a gravel bike is probably the best choice. It's versatile, good for both asphalt and dirt roads, letting you move freely. A road bike might limit you from taking some detours, while a mountain bike is often more than needed for these routes.
We had visited in winter before, during the light festival. It was beautiful, for sure, but very different. Everything is more event-focused then, while biking through the countryside gives you a more authentic view of the area.
If you don't want to plan everything yourself, there are local places that rent bikes and offer guided tours. It's convenient, especially if you're unfamiliar with the area, but it's not necessary. With a little orientation, you can explore easily.
Overall, the Itria Valley is great for this kind of experience. The routes are accessible, the landscapes are continuous, and you can stop whenever you want, without a strict itinerary. It's probably the best way to go beyond just visiting the trulli and truly understand this part of Puglia.
