08. Gravina in Puglia to MateraOpen this route in the Bikemap appOpen this route in Bikemap
Photo 1 of this route

Puglia 2026

08. Gravina in Puglia to Matera

A cycling route starting in Gravina in Puglia, Apulia, Italy.

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Overview

About this route

2 h 46 min
Duration
44.2 km
Distance
422 m
Ascent
414 m
Descent
15.9 km/h
Avg. speed
480 m
Max. altitude
DrPAR

created this 4 days ago

Part of

Puglia 2026

12 stages

Route photos

Photo 1 of the Bikemap route "08. Gravina in Puglia to Matera"

Route quality

Waytypes & surfaces along the route

Waytypes

  • Quiet road

    27 km

    61 %

  • Road

    15.5 km

    35 %

  • Pedestrian area

    0.4 km

    1 %

Surfaces

Paved

21.7 km

(49 %)

Unpaved

0.4 km

(1 %)

  • Asphalt

    18.6 km

    42 %

  • Paved (undefined)

    3.1 km

    7 %

  • Gravel

    0.4 km

    1 %

Route highlights

Points of interest along the route

  1. Point of interest after 7.3 km

    Construction of Prisoner of War Camp No. 65 (historically called PG 65 Gravina) was completed in 1942. The camp was built between the cities of Altamura and Gravina, on State Road 96, on an area of ​​31 hectares. The 36 barracks held up to 12,000 Allied prisoners of war: British, South Africans, New Zealanders, Canadians, Cypriots, and Palestinians, mostly from the North African front, in what would become the largest Italian prisoner of war camp of World War II. Originally, the facility comprised 81 buildings, of which only a handful remain. In 1943, it also served as a training camp for Yugoslav partisans, and after the war, it housed, among others, refugees from Friuli Venezia Giulia, Dalmatia, and Africa. It was the largest detention camp in Italy, having held approximately 12,000 prisoners. The existence of the camp is documented in the USSME (Historical Office of the Army General Staff), and was located near Villa Serena on Via Gravina, now near the Murgia Hospital. It was active from 1942 to 1943. The same documents cited above show that it housed British, Indian, Australian, American, New Zealander, Middle Eastern, and other internees.

  2. Point of interest after 14.6 km

    Porta Bari

  3. Point of interest after 14.8 km

    Monastery of St. Clare

  4. Point of interest after 14.8 km

    Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption Historic 13th-century cathedral with ornate stone carvings adorning the exterior door.

  5. Point of interest after 14.9 km

    Antico Forno Santa Caterina dal 1306 great bakery

  6. Point of interest after 41.5 km

    Convent of Saint Agostino Our first sight of the Sassi was the breathtaking late afternoon view from the belvedere in front. Don't miss the lovely Madonna fresco in the rupestrian church. Free admission. The church is wonderful, however the below grade (downstairs) Rock (Rupestarian) Church of San Giuliano is amazing and shouldn’t be missed. Ceded in 1592 to the Augustinian Friars. The frescos are truly amazing.

  7. Point of interest after 42 km

    Piazza Vittorio Veneto offers a splendid view of the Sasso Barisano

  8. Point of interest after 42 km

    Castello Tramontano This massive castle on Lapillo's hill, was left unfinished after the unpopular Count Tramontano was killed by rebellious subjects.

  9. Point of interest after 42.5 km

    Piazzetta Pascoli offers a unique vision of the Sasso Caveoso, the Duomo and the Monterrone cliff with its rock churches.

  10. Highlight 10 along the Bikemap route "08. Gravina in Puglia to Matera"

    Point of interest after 43.2 km

    Church of Saint Mary of Idris Chiesa Rupestre di Santa Maria di Idris Unique Catholic church built into a rocky hilltop featuring a crypt with preserved frescoes.

  11. Point of interest after 43.2 km

    Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso

  12. Point of interest after 43.3 km

    The Sassi di Matera are two ancient districts (Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano) in Matera, Basilicata, Italy, famous for cave dwellings carved into limestone cliffs. Inhabited since the Paleolithic period (roughly 7,000–9,000 years ago), they are among the world's oldest settlements. Once a symbol of extreme poverty in the 1950s, the "city of stone" was revitalized, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, and served as the 2019 European Capital of Culture. Key details about the Sassi di Matera include: Architecture: The Sassi feature a, intricate, cascading landscape of cave houses, rock-hewn churches, and winding alleys built into the side of a deep ravine (ravine). History & Evolution: Originally, these were natural caves utilized as shelter. Over millennia, they were carved into complex, multi-level dwellings, with some inhabited continuously from the Neolithic period until the 1950s. The "Shame" and Revival: In the 1950s, the government forced residents to relocate due to slum conditions and diseases like malaria. The city sat abandoned until it was revived in the 1980s, transforming many caves into boutique hotels, restaurants, and museums. Cultural Significance: The area, along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches, is a UNESCO site celebrated for its unique, historic urban fabric. Film Locations: Known for its ancient, dramatic, and rugged appearance, the Sassi have been featured in films such as The Passion of the Christ and No Time to Die. Today, the Sassi offer a unique mix of ancient history and modern tourism, showcasing a remarkably preserved, formerly forgotten, city.

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