Home › Self-guided bike tours › Cycling Loop Between Two Seas Along the Ancient Roman Roads
Cycling Loop Between Two Seas Along the Ancient Roman Roads
The Cycling Loop Between Two Seas is an 8-day, 7-night self-guided bike tour in Puglia that starts and ends in Brindisi, crossing from the Adriatic to the Ionian Sea and back in six moderate stages (340 km). Along the way you ride through Mesagne, Grottaglie and Taranto, climb into the Itria Valley at Martina Franca, pass Locorotondo and Alberobello, reach the sea at Monopoli and return via Ostuni. For long stretches the route follows the Appian Way, the Trajan Way and the Via Francigena del Sud.
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day 1
Brindisi
Arrive in Brindisi, where the loop starts and ends. For centuries its port was the terminus of the Appian Way and, in imperial times, of the Trajan Way, the faster route Trajan built from Benevento to the Adriatic; in the Middle Ages pilgrims on the Via Francigena del Sud sailed from here to the Holy Land. Take an evening stroll along the seafront. Overnight in Brindisi.
- Day 2
Brindisi – Mesagne
54 km · +128 m
From the port and seafront of Brindisi you head inland through centuries-old olive groves and historic masserie, the fortified farmhouses of Puglia. It is a flat stage, perfect for warming up your legs. You finish in Mesagne, whose medieval old town is dominated by the Norman-Swabian castle. Overnight in Mesagne.
- Day 3
Mesagne – Taranto
63 km · +170 m
The route rolls gently down from the southern Murge towards the Ionian Sea (+170 m, −230 m), on roads that echo the ancient Appian Way to Tarentum. On the way you pass Francavilla Fontana, with its baroque centre, and Grottaglie, famous all over Italy for its ceramics quarter. In Taranto, enjoy the views over the Mar Piccolo and the old town on its island. Overnight in Taranto.
- Day 4
Taranto – Martina Franca
61 km · +577 m
The most demanding stage of the tour, and one of the most beautiful. From sea level you climb steadily through the Ionian hinterland onto the first ridges of the Murgia plateau, reaching Martina Franca at almost 400 m. This is the gateway to the Itria Valley: baroque palazzi, trulli, dry-stone walls as far as the eye can see and the first glimpses of the Apulian Aqueduct Cycle Path, the greenway along the great aqueduct built between 1906 and 1939. Overnight in Martina Franca.
- Day 5
Martina Franca – Monopoli
56 km · +285 m
A largely downhill day, the most restful of the tour, through scattered trulli and well-kept farmland. You ride through Locorotondo, one of Italy's most beautiful villages with its circular old town of white houses, and Alberobello, the UNESCO-listed capital of the trulli, and for a stretch follow the area of the Aqueduct Cycle Path. Then you drop to the Adriatic at Monopoli, with its ancient harbour and walled old town, once a station on the Trajan Way. Overnight in Monopoli.
- Day 6
Monopoli – Ostuni
46 km · +257 m
The shortest stage. You follow the Adriatic coast for a stretch, on the trail of the Trajan Way that once ran parallel to the sea, then turn inland and climb gently to Ostuni. The White City, perched on its hill at about 175 m, is one of the most photographed views in Puglia and a historic stop on the Via Francigena del Sud towards Brindisi. Overnight in Ostuni.
- Day 7
Ostuni – Brindisi
60 km · +122 m
The final stage closes the loop. From above Ostuni, the highest point of the tour, you descend almost all the way to the sea (+122 m, −343 m) through the Brindisi countryside once crossed by the Trajan Way. Before Brindisi the route skirts the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve, with dunes, Mediterranean scrub and crystal-clear water, then returns to the seafront where the Appian Way ended and the Via Francigena del Sud continued. Overnight in Brindisi.
- Day 8
Brindisi
Breakfast and end of services. Arrivederci, Puglia!
Tour details
- Duration
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Tour type
- Self-guided bike tour, with navigation app
- Area
- Itria Valley
- Distance
- 340 km
- Level
- Moderate
- Departures
- Flexible dates: you choose your arrival day
- Participants
- Minimum 2
- Accommodation
- 7 nights in B&Bs and 3-star hotels (Economy) or 4- and 5-star hotels (Deluxe), with breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast daily. Lunches and dinners are not included, so you are free to try local trattorias along the way.
- Bikes
- Touring bike, E-bike, Gravel bike
Prices and services
Prices per person in a double room
| Category | Low season | Mid season | High season |
|---|---|---|---|
| EconomyB&Bs and 3-star hotels | € 1,350 | € 1,450 | € 1,550 |
| Deluxe4- and 5-star hotels | € 1,650 | € 1,700 | € 1,800 |
Seasons
| Season | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Low season | 7 Jan – 31 Mar · 7 Apr – 31 May · 21 Sep – 21 Dec | 7 Jan – 21 Mar · 5 Apr – 18 Apr · 3 May – 31 May · 21 Sep – 21 Dec |
| Mid season | 1 Jun – 13 Jul · 25 Aug – 20 Sep | 22 Mar – 4 Apr · 19 Apr – 2 May · 1 Jun – 12 Jul · 25 Aug – 20 Sep |
| High season | 28 Mar – 6 Apr · 14 Jul – 24 Aug · 22 Dec – 6 Jan | 13 Jul – 24 Aug · 22 Dec – 6 Jan |
Included in the price
- 7 nights' accommodation with daily breakfast
- Touring or gravel bike rental
- Bike equipment: rear pannier and lock (helmet and water bottle on request)
- Repair kit: spare inner tube, pump, tyre lever
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
- Navigation app with preloaded GPS tracks, digital roadbook and practical and tourist information
- Telephone assistance (7 days a week, 8:30–19:00)
- Travel insurance (medical and luggage) – see the insurance information
Not included
- Lunches and dinners
- Drinks
- Airport transfers (available on request)
- Support vehicle (minivan) on the road
- Tourist taxes
- Anything not listed under “What's included”
Supplements
| Single room | +30% on the base price |
| Single traveller (bookings for 1 person only) | +€360 |
| August supplement, 1–24 Aug – Economy | +€185 per person |
| August supplement, 1–24 Aug – Deluxe | +€360 per person |
| E-bike rental | +€160 per bike |
Prices are per person in a double room, based on a minimum of 2 participants. Travelling solo? You can book with the single traveller supplement.
Bikes available for this tour
Touring bike
E-bike
Gravel bikeRoute map
Questions about this tour
How long is the Two Seas loop and how much does it cost?
8 days and 7 nights, with six cycling stages. Prices start at €1,350 per person in a double room (Economy, low season); with Deluxe 4- and 5-star hotels from €1,650.
Where does the tour start and end, and how do I get there?
It starts and ends in Brindisi, so you arrive and leave from the same city. Brindisi airport is the natural gateway and Bari airport is an alternative; airport transfers can be arranged on request.
How difficult is it and how many kilometres do I ride?
Moderate: 340 km in six stages of 46–63 km, mostly on quiet secondary roads. Only one day really climbs, Taranto – Martina Franca (61 km, +577 m), and the following day is mostly downhill.
When is the best time to go, and are there seasonal supplements?
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer the best temperatures, and low-season prices apply for much of the spring and from 21 September to 21 December. From 1 to 24 August there is a supplement of €185 (Economy) or €360 (Deluxe) per person.
Which bikes are available? Can I rent an e-bike?
Yes. A touring or gravel bike is included, and an e-bike costs €160 extra per bike. The route is not suitable for road bikes.
What is included in the price?
Seven nights with breakfast, bike rental with pannier and lock, luggage transfer from hotel to hotel, the navigation app with GPS tracks and roadbook, medical and luggage insurance and telephone assistance. Lunches, dinners, drinks and tourist taxes are not included.
