Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Well organised, good communication pre holiday, friendly team
Really great holiday, the Italian bike company were great and very organised.
This is my second Headwater cycle holiday and they never fail to deliver an exceptional experience. All went like clockwork the organisation and hotel selection perfect
Been with you many times, good holidays
An all round good experience
Everything went very well and communication with Headwater was very prompt
The cycle routes were carefully and thoughtfully arranged to provide a beautiful day cycling every day of the holiday. Thank you.
Everything worked well as planned, no issues
Loved cycling in Sicily although it was quite tough in parts! Good choice of hotels and days off to rest and enjoy the beautiful baroque architecture.
We absolutely loved Matera and the rides through the olive groves. We enjoyed the local food and wine and the cycle route along the coast was fabulous.
Navigation worked great The route was well chosen, minimal traffic on roads. Meeting with the rep at the start was very informative.
A great holiday with a chance to explore the wine growing area of the Langhe in some depth. Most roads fairly quiet, but some steep ascents so well worth considering e-bikes unless you are very fit.
It was well organised
The support and prompt feed back from Headwater to enquires, in particular Helen and the team, has been very professional. Have used Headwater previously and hope to again in the future.
Southern Sardinia is a wonderful island for a cycling holiday as it is very unspoilt and the people are very friendly. The weather in September was perfect and we enjoyed the contrasts of island hopping for a couple of days and then enjoying fabulous coastal views and stopping off at delightful, peaceful coves on others. Some stretches had quite busy roads but there were many peaceful roads and paths in between.
Efficient and friendly service throughout
Having now enjoyed quite a few Headwater Holidays, we know they work well! For us, the enjoyment comes from visiting small places where the locals congregate, rather than being surrounded by fellow Brits!!
Even after completing our HW holiday, add-ons to other places has always worked well, travel and hotel accommodation being organised for us, taking away the stress.
Efficient, good quality, good experience
Loved the trip. It was super easy to get around and was exactly what I was hoping for.
We have taken many holidays with Headwater. The staff in England are excellent and usually the trips they sell are very good with high quality hotels.
We had an enjoyable holiday and particularly enjoyed spending time at the agritourismo L'Albara, where we were very rested and made very welcome and well-looked after. We would definitely travel with Headwater in the future.
Good product
Had a great holiday in Puglia with Headwater. Accommodation was good to excellent in some cases and the app really easy to use. Met other lovely people en route. Would definitely travel again . Airport transfers are better organised locally though as much cheaper.
Good communication and organisation, interesting itinerary and nice hotels
The transportation of cases between hotels and the cycling App were excellent. Hotels chosen on the whole have been in good locations
Really well organised.
Very Good experience we have travelled with headwater for 4-5 years and have always enjoyed each trip. Overall great standard of accommodation and routes and Sardina was beautiful and wonderful for cycling sea and seafood lovers.
Nice hotels, decent bikes, routes mostly quiet
This is great holiday as the scenery, food and culture change as you descend from the dolomites, through to Venice. The second day of cycling was tough not only because it was long but the second half of the days cycling path was a lot of rutted gravel which we found not an easy surface to descend on. We had a great sense of achievement at the end of the holiday. The scenery and villages were stunning and we ate so well throughout the trip. The towns we stayed in overnight had v good restaurants to choose and book. We added a day in Verona to start , going to the opera in the arena and then a couple of days in Venice after cycling which complemented the trip.
Generally a great holiday experience.
Very good. Always accessible and answered any questions I had. Delivery at the location and advice was provided by the property owner, Stefano who was accessible and knowledgeable. His help and care was excellent.
Headwater-excellent
Easyjet-poor
Overall good communication & prompt replies to emails & queries .
Headwater were extremely helpful in helping us to plan our holiday. They were very responsive to any questions we had & organised a good route with great hotels and additional visits to local artisans. The guiding app is brilliant & keeps you on the right track without having to stop to look at maps. They were very good at contacting us about local conditions following heavy rain and were responsive to the feedback we were able to give.
They were also very flexible, allowing us to make our own way there by train.
We had a lovely holiday - a wonderful mixture of cycling, culture, warm weather, Italian food & hospitality & I wouldn’t hesitate to use Headwater again in future - many thanks!
Great hotels, fantastic views, wonderful food but cycling routes can have some very challenging hill sections for road bikes, make sure you are fit or happy to walk up hills
Of the cycling holidays we’ve done, Italy seems particularly well suited to cycling. Excellent cycling lanes, great food, weather & interesting scenery.
The location was stunning and Tuscany is quite beautiful
Navigation app was amazing as was the support from local agents. Beautiful rides through stunning scenery apart from short time on busy coastal roads. Accommodation was mostly good to excellent.
This was our fifth cycling holiday with Headwater and certainly not the last!
A fantastic holiday with a great itinerary and great places to stop and see on the way.
The first couple of days it was very hot and the hill climbing on those days was very tough with few places to stop or get out of the sun. We did this holiday on conventional bikes where’s e-bikes would have made some of those climbs easier. The latter part of the cycling was much easier and cooler by the coast which was more aligned to our expectations.
A lovely holiday - always well organised. Sadly several villas we wanted to visit were closed temporarily or permanently.
A really great trip- it was both a holiday and an adventure. Cycling allowed us an insight into local life that we would not have had on a different holiday. The contrast between the Dolomites and Venice was huge and every day the scenery was different. Some of the sights were truly breathtaking. The cycling was very enjoyable and we enjoyed the cameraderie with others on the trip when our paths crossed. We can't wait to go an another trip like this.
Given we didn’t cycle we still had a very enjoyable time.
I general enjoyed the holiday. Found the travelling to Gatwick challenging. If doing it again would go more regional. There was a mistake that sent us direct to the airport hotel instead of the Car parking facility that didn’t help and the hotel not booked for our return - this was sorted out promptly and we accept it was a honest mistake. Transfer from the airport to station was confusing because it wasn’t stated we needed tickets and I would advise that going forward this should be made clear. Train and transfer to hotel worked well. However before using the app Trenitalia we needed the agents email address to initially log in and this was not made clear. We inquired and it was sorted but maybe make clear initially. The hotel was excellent, it would have been nice to have tea / coffee facilities in the room but accept this may not be common in Italy. The food was enjoyed and we would stay there again or recommend. It was basic but adequate and had a relaxed and comfy feel to it. The family and staff welcoming and friendly The electric nikes Headwater app excellent. The bike support was not required but the individual concerned was good and filled us with confidence.
Overall I would travel with Headwater again and happily recommend.
So Thankyou.
The Dolomites are stunning. The routes on the first 3 days were fantastic, the last two days were a bit residential/industrial. However, despite the weather and Funactive we had a great time! We’ve visited some wonderful places, seen some beautiful sights and have made some happy memories.
Bikes - Triple 3x6 Acer group set. Regina valves (compatible with Presta) pump, inner tubes, locks and patches provided. Waterproof phone holder takes iPhone Max. Comfortable to ride. Better than expected.
Routes - fairly flat but not as pretty or scenic as some locations. Fly tipping no worse than parts of UK and only really seen around Trapani. Worth checking the weather as wind prone to changing and off shore breeze can make the flattest road a bit of a slog and effect timings.
Hotels - the two 4 star hotels are not UK "4" stars (Hotel Mahara and Hotel Admeto). They have may have more amenities but rooms are basic. Breakfasts were awful!!
Best hotels - first and second nights. Sopra la Mura, Castellammare: great service/breakfast and Baglio Pocoroba, Sagesta: warm welcome, middle of nowhere, home cooked food, great views. Hotel Carmine also a lovely place to stay. A trip to the Florio winery very worthwhile.
We arrived in Trapani at lunchtime and went up the cable car (great town at the top - lots of hotels and restaurants) leaving the following day to get the boat to the island (need to book if you want a popular "commute" time). Probably 6 hours needed to ride around and see things.
Archeological parks and sights are incredible.
Best restaurant: the last night at ORASEA on seafront or Gennaio 30 Bistrot in Trapani. Impeccable service and food.
Pleasurable with a very well chosen hotel and location
We thoroughly enjoyed our weeks cycling the heel of Italy, The Headwater navigation App was excellent and made each days cycling worry free. The organisation from start to finish was very well done.
We had a great time in Italy and enjoyed the route and variation of the area. Is not a cheap holiday and after the physical challenge of the day expect a certain standard of accommodation for the night which we had. We had an exceptional rep. in Croatia last year, felt a bit different this time round, welcome meeting about the bikes out in the street, didn't feel very personal, language was a bit sketchy also. There was a road closure in Alberobello which meant we had to walk quite a way with our luggage which made us late for the welcome briefing which didn't help but was out of our hands.
Great company with whom we have travelled previously and will do so again.Jo Chaplin very helpful and local agent in Piedmont excellent
A great trip
Very good but its not a cheap holiday. Might have liked a few more dinners included in price
Headwater were excellent and organised things exactly as we requested despite it all being very "last minute".
Megan was always very helpful and patient with us - despite us having to put things on hold at one point.
The local bike team (Puglia cycles) were very good. The initial briefing was excellent (the best we have had on our numerous cycling holidays). The Electric bikes were of good quality.
When a chain came off and got stuck in the pedal hub they sent someone out to help within 30 minutes. The same day we had a puncture that we repaired ourselves despite there being only one spare inner tube (wrong size) between 2 bikes - they did offer to send help but it wasn't required.
All accommodation was of very high quality and very welcoming (apart from Santa Maria 24). Breakfast were very good and always tried to provide Gluten Free for my wife.
The App is excellent - 99% accurate. Gives really good directions and clear route information as well as showing interesting sites en - route
Excellent holiday. Great documentation, routes and first class step by step navigational guidance. Outstanding quality of bike paths and bike cafes on route. Very good bikes, but very heavy. E bike excellent and easy to use. Very few bike garages had charging points. Battery had to be taken to room to recharge.
Hotels on Silver standard were clean and comfortable but lacking any extras - wardrobes and drawers were a rarity. Bathrooms were small and showers only. Most hotels only provided breakfast, but it was comprehensive. Eating out every night was essential but sometimes a taxi ride away. Documentation could have been clearer on this point especially in Peschiera after a 5 hour afternoon ferry with no catering on board.
We enjoyed our holiday and the e bikes were excellent but the countryside in this part of Italy was not especially attractive. Getting in and out of the 3 towns was slow, tedious and not easy to navigate even using the GPS app. It was so flat the e-bikes were scarcely needed, certainly not for younger and fitter cyclists (we are 78 and 75). Two of the highlights were the trips to the Parmesan factory and the Balsamic vinegar producer. The amount of cycling was just about right. The best day was the 28km short trip into the hills around Bologna, an extra as we got our bikes a day early. Perhaps more information as to good lunch and evening meal spots might help but this was mid May and the weather was showery and cloudy. Of the places we stayed the Agriturismo was the most suited to a cycling holiday although the pool was not yet open.
Really great holiday. The app is fantastic. Concerns about getting lost or stressed with route finding were irrelevant.
We hadn’t used the navigation app before but it was so easy to use. Had a few little blips with it in towns but soon got the hang of it. The rides were about 35-40 miles a day, four of the days were easy. The other two days had some long and sneaky climbs. We were the only ones at the hotel stops not on e-bikes though.
The hotels were all comfortable and easy to find. The masseria stay was lovely. Food in Puglia is excellent especially if you love fish and seafood. Might be a bit limiting if you don’t. The wine is pretty good too.
Quite a lot of variation on the route as you ride past trulli, along the coast and through vineyards and olive groves. Sadly the litter and fly tipping along the route, especially the Ionian coast, is dreadful.
Very good communication from start to finish. As always with a Headwater holiday we know we can relax and let them take the stress away of travel arrangements and the holiday lasts from door to door. Thanks again. Already booked our next one.
Another great holiday with good rides and nice quirky accommodation.
A few mistakes when booking including wishing couple who had to cancel due to hospitalisation a good holiday!
I have scored the experience highly. A couple of issues which may be down to the timing of the holiday. 1) The weather was mixed - could have been better. 2) I was the only person booked for the week and as I was travelling alone that was a bit of a disappointment. - but overall I still enjoyed the holiday.
A very unique way to explore a country that takes you to towns you wouldn't normally get to see. Thoroughly enjoyable. A great self lead adventure
We thoroughly enjoyed cycling through the beautiful countryside of Matera and Puglia. Puglia cycles need a mention for their incredible support, accessibility, kindness and consideration. We had the best introduction and best care we could have wanted. I do think that the beauty is primarily in the first week of the holiday. As you reach the plains and seaside the countryside is very flat, windy and a little boring: you can appreciate only so many olive groves and vineyards!
We didn’t complete the holiday because my husband had an accident: no fault of anyone. But I feel that an extra day mid holiday for bottom resting would have been appreciated.
We may take a break for a year but we have cycled with Headwater for almost ten years and they have been the best holidays anyone could wish for.
Cycling the Heel of Italy was a fabulous trip with an excellent itinerary and lovely choice of hotels exploring beautiful undiscovered Puglia. We went in early May & the wildflowers were everywhere, just wonderful and weather was perfect as sunny & hot but not too hot. Very few tourists so it was lovely and quiet! The route choices were excellent, taking us directly to fabulous view points or things of interest, we particularly enjoyed the strade bianchi off road parts though these are few as the route was mainly quiet lanes with few cars, drivers are in any case very courteous to cyclists. We are keen cyclists at home and are fit so were fine with the occasional slightly hillier days, views on those days were so beautiful, but most days were really fairly flat. Scenery was so varied with many olive groves, wild flower meadows, beautiful quiet sandy beaches for impromptu swims en route, then more rugged coastlines with rocks and sea caves. You get to see the real Puglia which is just so beautiful. The locals were incredibly friendly and kind to us. The bikes were hybrids and simple/comfortable. The local cuisine is delicious, with lots of fresh seafood. Many interesting villages to stop and explore en route for coffee, local cakes, ice creams, or Puccia for lunch. So much history, beautiful towns/villages, old churches, castles. We finished in Lecce which really is truly stunning so make sure you allow enough time to fully explore it! A wonderful holiday thank you Headwater.
All of our Headwater and Exodus holidays have been very good. This was definitely the best cycling holiday that we have had, with the extra two nights in Venice at the end making it one of our best holidays of any sort.
It was great and we would definitely like to do another cycling holiday with Headwater
Our second Headwater cycling holiday - we definitely needed e-bikes as well as mountain bikes as some tricky terrain and steed gradients. We had a great time but there were moments which were challenging.
Many years ago we traveled with headwater, but this was the first time in years. We feel that headwaters has excellent trips, excellent planning and very helpful staff. We are very satisfied customers and will certainly travel again with headwaters. Staying at the agri Turismo was the best. What a good idea, that headwaters arranged. We would love to do something like that again maybe in a different country.
Very enjoyable well organised . Description of rides were ot always accurate in terms of challenge
All in all an excellent and well organised holiday. Only small critisism was our first nights accomodation which after a very long day travelling did not provide a coffee or tea or the facillity to make one in our room also their breakfast was not up to the standard of the rest of the hotels.
We did have a delay on our first morning because they brought ordinary bikes instead of electric bikes and it took most of the morning to get these changed over. However Peter who was dealing with it was a very pleasant and helpful guy
Positive. I got confused at one stage with downloading the app. I recall you used an acronym for final joining instructions (FJI?) which is not obvious as so many companies use different slang!
App worked well.
Office helpful and responded very efficiently
Excellent from first to last contact. The decision to upgrade to e bikes was not regretted. There are a lot of uphill in the routes and we managed these with ease and comfort, even at the end of a long day. The charge was easily sufficient and even after a hard day's cycling had loads of charge and range left. The bikes were heavy beasts though! The Headwater app, route notes and voice commands were very good.....a couple of times the voice command contradicted the route on the app but wasn't a big issue as we re-routed quickly. Stephano was a wonderful host. The specially prepared vegan meals for my partner were superb and generous ( as we're all the meals at La Pietriccia ). Our room was super comfortable and the cycle trips fantastic. I gave Stephano a 5* review independently only because l couldn't leave a 10* review!
Very well organised
An great experience, very helpful staff at Headwater and the service at the hotels was great. Would have loved to have spent 2 nights in Lucca rather than Montecatini (seemed rather a sad and deserted) but that said understand that it was to do with the number of miles/rest times along the cycle route.
We have previously done multiple holidays (cycling and walking) with Inntravel, as we like their service, use of small hotels and quality routes. We went with Headwater this time as we couldn’t find an Inntravel holiday we fancied that was running at this time (that we hadn’t done already!) I’m pleased to say Headwater met the standard we were hoping for. The route app was excellent, and apart from the some sections of the coast road, felt very safe and enjoyable.
Although we were at the start of the season, we managed to find places for coffee, lunch and ice-cream each day, which was good.
Overall, a fantastic, well managed holiday. Highly recommended.
I was extremely pleased with this holiday. I travelled early in the season (pre-Easter). There were good traffic-free sections, but in fact all the roads, even the main ones, were unbelievably quiet. You do have to understand that at this time practically everything is closed, sometimes entire small villages. On the other hand, it was even possible to cycle round the narrow medieval streets, which I imagine is not easy in the season. The routes chosen were ideal, scenic, quiet; I could not fault anything. While there are some beautiful cycle lanes, some of the road surfaces. especially in the country, are challenging, and there are good potholes. Be prepared for distressing levels of fly-tipping, even in some very rural areas.
Such a great way to experience a destination. The routes allow you to soak up the landscape and the culture at a leisurely pace. It actually covering significant areas over the course of the holiday. The optional routes make for a great opportunity to delve deeper and widen your experience.
Hotels are well selected and in great locations to allow you dip in to the local food scene - always well deserved at the end of days cycling. We always feel recharged at the end of holiday with a stack full of great memories
Fantastic holiday and great welcome from all host hotels. Plenty of advice where to eat in the evenings and very well selected itinerary
We had a fantastic trip, though the northern italian weather by mid october isn't quite as balmy as we'd have liked.
Really well organised. Felt confident with all arrangements. Slight hiccough at the end when our itinerary said depart hotel for Bari at 1000 when it should have been 0900 but all ended well.
Our second ebike holiday with Headwater: again a most enjoyable experience. The routes chosen were on good roads with little traffic and provided lots of time for exploring towns /beaches etc. Small problem with one of bikes dealt with well, excellent battery so no range anxiety! Headwater app worked very well. With one exception (where we were marooned in a comfortable but soulless hotel in residential area outside Pozzallo) the hotels were excellent with Baglio Siciliamo a country house with excellent restaurant and pool, very close to Lido di Noto and within easy reach of Noto was absolutely delightful in every way.
This trip was really fun and well organised. Would recommend
A fantastic holiday in a beautiful part of Italy. The locations each night were really varied from amazing farmhouse in the country to modern hotel overlooking the harbour.
Cycling varied from coast road to cycling through olive groves. Would definitely recommend.
This was a lovely holiday. But with hindsight, other destinations in France have provided more of a relaxing holiday in that we could stop along the way for coffee or lunch whereas on this one we just went from A to B with little in between. Maybe this is because Sicily is a poorer area although it was beautiful. We didn't appreciate the fly tipping either!
It was a good holiday. It would be very helpful for Headwater to give some restaurant recommendations. Most hotels made suggestions but we had to spend time looking the suggestions up online which was time consuming. The recommendations in Castellamare and Mazara were excellent Headwater's notes seem to suggest a richness of seafood at Selnunte along the shoreline. We did not find it so,. It might be a good idea to draw attention to other restaurants that are available in the town and away from the sea.
Just more info on the places of interest on our cycle routes. Like the monastery is only open 3.30 to 4.30 pm.
Castle only open weekends! Abbey, pre booking at Euros 11. Etc
For an older man e-cycling solo this holiday was perfect. I was fortunate to have the amazing rolling vineyards and hazelnut groves of Piedmont in beautiful autumnal sunshine all week. Routed by the Headwater app for leisurely rides on mainly quiet small roads and occasional track was pretty stress free. Passing through iconic wine villages and towns to stop for a morning coffee and then onwards to lunch with possible arranged winery visits and tastings was right up my street. The small hotels were spot on (especially Villa D’Amelia) and the arranged restaurant food varied from very good to exceptional. Although relatively expensive, you certainly get a high quality holiday. Fantastico 🇮🇹.
A special mention to Fabrizio (your man in Piedmont). When my bike chain broke (luckily near to one of the hotels), he was on hand to provide a replacement bike ‘pronto’ the same evening. As the replacement e-bike frame was too small for me he willingly changed it back again to the repaired original bike the following evening, consequently minimising the whole inconvenience. A pretty good show I think. Please pass on my thanks for his efforts in not letting this adversely affect the holiday.
We were lucky enough to enjoy seven straight days of beautiful cycling in the sunny hills. Each route was really well thought out, challenging but immensely rewarding. We cycled on the standard bikes which we found to be very comfortable with good gears for the long climbs. We are both active fit people but not regular cyclists and we found the routes very manageable. We particularly appreciated being able to choose the optional longer routes.
We had a great holiday in Puglia. The countryside was lovely (except for the appalling litter problem which seems to blight southern Italy and Sicily), the towns were stunning and the length of cycling days just about perfect. The hotels were generally good, and the Masseria Bosco was outstanding. Swimming in warm seas on both sides of the region was very special, as were the gelati! The navigation app was brilliant - you really can't get lost (though you do have to be a bit careful in busy cities) and Headwater's communication was excellent.
We are not regular cyclists so self guiding using the app allowed us to go at our own pace but with backup from the local host. The app was easy to use, the routes were excellent, and the hotel a lovely place to relax at the end of the day.
We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday ( in September) and were blessed with lovely weather. In fact, we rather wished we had combined it with the 'Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling' holiday. The e-bikes were good and so was the navigation app. Agriturismo L'Albara was clean and comfortable and we enjoyed the food and the swimming pool. Fedrico is 'larger than life' and very helpful and made the stay particularly enjoyable. We found we did need mosquito repellant and was pleased with the recommendation on a previous review to take a travel kettle.
Was a good trip. Valued the free day in Matera and the shorter cycling day to Alberello so had time to visit the limestone caves. The app was easy to follow. Welcomed opportunity to upgrade the hotels.
We had a lovely holiday, the Sardinian coast is beautiful. The hotels were all good and the Sardinian food and wine excellent. The bikes were good. Everywhere was very welcoming. The hotel Luce de Faro (our favourite on this trip) will do a packed lunch for you (order the night before), and we would recommend you do this especially on the day you cycle to Teulada…as there is really nowhere to buy food especially if you are transferring on a Sunday. The cycling on day 4 (Teulada to Chia) is quite tough, and we felt the holiday might be better graded a 2 based on previous headwater holidays.
A couple of notes of caution, not many coffee stops, and not much of interest to visit along the way apart from the lovely beaches until you get to Pula. Pula was a lovely town to finish in, and we had a lovely lunch at Solaria in the square.
Really enjoyed our trip and was well organised by Headwater with very good guide to help. All hotels good with exception of Hotel Mahara
We really enjoyed the route and accommodation, and felt we had seen so much of Puglia. The route is difficult to get to and from, but fortunately we have some friends who live in Puglia, so they picked us up from Brindisi airport, we stayed with them for a few days and then they drove us to Alberobello. I discovered, whilst we were there, we could have got back from Lecce to Brindisi by rail to meet the Sunday flight. Instead we had to rely on staying with our friends again for a few nights). This would have been very useful information to have upfront when planning a trip, and this is where Headwater are weak. You should be giving more information on how to get to places, from different uk airports, rather than just via the London airports. I think you’d get more customers (as we were surprised that we were the only two on this trip).
Well researched itinerary and well located accommodation.
We had a lovely time in Sardinia: the food in particular was outstanding. We had electric bikes and so none of the routes were challenging, but at least one of the days would, I think, be hard work without assistance. One small part of one route was on a busy road which felt quite uncomfortable. It was also hotter than expected in September - but who can predict the weather! Still, overall an outstanding holiday.
‘For our first e-bike holiday we were challenged by the first route and length of ride( 41km) and would prefer the option of more rest days - perhaps have Day 3 as rest day. There was no information for activities/ sightseeing information on rest days and we were fortunate that our host Stefano was amenable and very knowledgeable of the area and assisted us in transport and background information of the areas to visit.
Well researched cycle routes and friendly hotels
A great trip - well organised from beginning to end. Good standard of hotels and a superb app to navigate.
All in all we had a great time. We would recommend Headwater to other people.
We have used Headwater many times and always found them excellent with a high standard of accommodation and good organisation. This is the first year that we have used an app for navigation which was fine but we would like it to be supported by good quality maps so that we can navigate the local areas.
A beautiful part of Italy which is well worth exploring and enjoying.
We booked our holiday with Headwater as a last minute post school holiday treat. Even though time was tight all arrangements were made within the restrained time period.
We travelled from France in our own car and had no problems finding our accommodation from the information provided. The e-bike plus road bike arrived early next morning with panniers and locks and we were off straight away for the start of a very enjoyable holiday. The agriturismo hotel met all our expectations with regards to friendliness, support and cuisine. In fact the traditional Italian meals were truly excellent.
Another great holiday from Headwater, thoroughly enjoyed the cycling and loved the location and the Puglian people, very friendly indeed. The contrasting accommodation was extremely interesting from a cave once inhabited by the Sassi in Matera, to a B&B where we had breakfast in the owners dining room in Putignano, a Trulli in Alberabello and a 4 star hotel in Otranto. The itinerary was full on and definitely showed us all that Puglia has to offer. Fantastic!
As always the holiday was memorable. It was our first use of ebikes and we are delighted. It will help us do future trips where hills or distances might have been off putting to the 70+ customers!
Nice easy cycling although a bit repetitive. Excellent Agriturismo accomodation with excellent food and wine a lovely pool.
Thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. More info possibly about booking wine tours would be good although hotels happy to do it for you. Villa d'Amelia fell over backwards to help us when our flight was re-routed. I wrote and thanked them. Just one other thing about bikes - you need a 'walk' mode in case you have problem going up the very steep hills. Pushing an e bike with no walk mode is exhausting.
Helen Hodson was extremely attentive, helpful and reliable.
A thoroughly enjoyable holiday. Scenery superb and the accommodation was the best we had experienced on a Headwater holiday. Food was excellent, the only disappointment was the electric bikes as these were so much heavier than we are used to. It was good to have the extra nights in Milan to see all the sights. It would have been great if Headwater had prebooked a tour of the wine cellar at Fontannafreda as there were no tours available during our time there and your agent had highly recommended this.
An enjoyable holiday. We have been on a number of cycling holidays. If you were inexperienced, the briefing would not have been sufficient. The agent appeared to be a rush to leave! One of our bikes had a constant issue with the gear cable but my partner was able to sort it out. The train journeys were difficult with the electric bike as it was so heavy and both stations had steps on and off the platforms. The Pisa hotel AC Grand was too far away from the centre of Pisa. Breakfasts in all hotels were basic and not replenished even when we were eating at 7am! Overall we enjoyed our trip and the big bonus was being able to download the route on our mobiles.
We had a great experience. No problems with the luggage at all. We would certainly think of doing it again, though we might tailor the experience a little by adding an extra night at some locations and checking the hotels more carefully before finalising a trip. It was occasionally frustrating to be in a very interesting city and not have quite enough time to explore it.
Always available to help if there is a problem
Product is a great itinerary
Everyone I dealt with at Headwater were knowledgable, helpful and efficient although they didn't have detailed knowledge of the trip I was looking at. Any questions I asked were sent to the Italian bike company and simple answers were received. Our only bad experience was the collection of the e-bikes, we needed someone who knew about the bikes, knew about the trip and spoke English. The route, the guide and the App were excellent. The hotels were mixed but overall fine. We had one big problem where we lost a bike key and the Italian bike company were very helpful (but we needed the help of the hotel to translate for us). Overall we loved the trip.
Had a really lovely holiday and would book again. Disappointed with one hotel as mentioned and pick up on arrival everything else was great.
I would recommend Headwater 100 per cent. We booked last minute and they still found all the accommodation we needed. The route was excellent - we were able to enjoy the scenery, stop off en route, enjoy the destination towns in the evenings. Mainly bike lanes and bike routes which was brilliant. Excellent service and communication throughout. We couldn't fault it - amazing unforgettable holiday
An excellent trip, beautiful hotels, fantastic cycling.
Overall, an absolutely superb experience, my non cycling wife thoroughly enjoyed it due to the E bikes assistance. Great service moving the bags daily, good hotel selection probably the most memorable holiday I will ever have. We are looking to do a similar thing with friends who had done the same trip in 2018 and recommended it to us. Hopefully next year we will book another amazing holiday with Headwater.
Had a wonderful time although it would be useful for HW include market days + opening times of places to visit along the way to help choose departure date. We missed all markets and a lot of places of interest are closed Monday or Tuesdays which coincided with our journeys. There are quite a few sections of cycling with industrial backgrounds in view but the scenery other than this was excellent in places. Bikes are great, (not electric) lovely and comfortable, cycling app is a must ....... so much easier than stopping to read route notes. Food was good on the whole. Villa Lussana in Teolo was a disappointing breakfast, tinned fruit salad and fruit straight from a very, very cold fridge, they appear to be concentrating on their restaurant next door. However, the larger of the Pizzeria's behind the village provides excellent food and you need to book or be prepared to wait .... best pizza's for 40 years mmm! Pretty good value too. Be sure to set off early to visit Vincenza, it's a beautiful place and takes around an hour to cycle to using the app. Lots of places closed in Padua on Monday's but an interesting place although not as beautiful as Vincenza **travel by train for this one. Agrutorismo L'Abara is unique with a fantastic humorous host (Frediricco) who will ensure you mingle with other guests at meal times. We met and enjoyed 2 evenings with 2 different Belgian couples who both spoke excellent English. Interesting to fine our countries have much in common.
We thoroughly enjoyed our cycle tour of Veneto which was an area previously unknown to us. It is unspoilt, easy cycling, with enough points of interest on the way to give you a break from the bikes. We found it amazing value and made us want to go back to explore more of northern Italy. The Headwater app worked great and there was plenty of information in the tour notes which encouraged us to take a train to Padova and to cycle on our 'rest' day to Vicenza, both of which were fascinating places. The bikes were excellent and we had a really good briefing from the local agent. Th only slight gripe was the first and last stop, Il Feudo, where we left our car, which was in a delightful spot but a bit too basic for us - we felt we needed aircon in the bedrooms (temperature was into the high 30's at end June) and a decent shower. Also be warned: take plenty of mosquito repellent!
The cycle route from Bolzano to riva del garda was outstanding.
Very positive. The Puglia itinerary was excellent. The scenery was very varied: inland (vineyards, olive groves), beaches on the coast and cliffs on the coast. We visited some lovely towns / villages in Puglia and had the time to see them each day. Most of the roads were not too busy. The navigation app was superb at directing us.
We had an excellent trip that met our needs to explore baroque architecture and the Sicilian coastlines. The initial organisation by Lauren and Stephanie was excellent and flexible in terms of us adding days. The transfers and bags movement were very good. The hotels were of good/excellent quality with the Baglio country house our favourite for location/style and food. The routes were good but not as interesting as our trips in Spain and Portugal and included many busy roads near the coast. We felt we had a real flavour of the country in terms of the people/food/scenery and architecture.
Overall a really enjoyable holiday although some of the accommodation experience could have been better given the price paid for the holiday. The experience at Villa Lussana was extremely poor due to the attitude of the management. While the management at Il Fuedo were very nice, the quality of the accommodation was quite poor (felt like 2 stars when were expecting 3/4 star level). Consideration should have been given to location on a Sunday. We had no real options to easily do day trips from Teolo without a major cycle again given no public transport available on a Sunday.
Very good, as before.
We rate Headwater and all its staff very highly. The sales team, mainly Andrew Palmer, were helpful from start to finish, always sorted out any problems or queries efficiently. We had to rebook flights after our airline cancelled but this was sorted out by Sara at Headwater UK very quickly. The local Headwater staff were similarly helpful when we wanted to make changes to our itinerary, this was sorted out with minimal hassle. In short, we have had an excellent experience with HW and we ended up having an absolutely brilliant holiday, just what we had hoped for.
Overall an excellent holiday. The hotel was in a beautiful location with easy access to facilities in the town. Good routes and great e-bikes which were essential for this region in our opinion. The hotel staff were very friendly and quintessentially italian ! They did all they could to accommodate one of our party who does not eat meat.
Excellent, although some of the cycling was tougher than expected. Would get an Ebike next time!
The whole experience was excellent, from dealing with the travel agent to the brilliant staff at the hotels. The route was very good and the app provided all the information I required. The highlight of the holiday was definitely the tasting menu on the last night.
A wonderful way to see the true Italy. You are independently exploring, with the freedom to roam but have the “safety net” of the company if needed. Giving you a sense of security and peace of mind.
The extension in Venice was somewhat spoiled by the cancellation of the return flight and the lack of help available. I related the events of the day in an email to Joanne the day after our return. Easyjet were no help whatsoever and we felt let down by Headwater, especially when we eventually got a call back from the Emergency Cover staff and the person said she had no record of what we had said in our earlier calls. From then on, we were on our own. A later email said H/W was exceptionally busy and calls were dealt with 'on a priority basis'. If two 76-year-olds stuck in Venice without help on their 7th H/W holiday isn't a priority, then I don't know what is! Fortunately, Paula (and maybe others) helped us to get our extra expenses refunded which we are very grateful for and has somewhat redeemed the situation: otherwise, this would have been our 7th and last H/W trip.
This is a wonderful holiday but it is much more than grade 2. May of the hills are long and some are very steep (14% gradient). Only extremely fit cyclists should even consider using a road bicycle. Some of the tracks are rough and our UK bikes would have shredded tyres, and inadequate grip. After rain, these tracks can be quite muddy.
The catering is outstanding, especially at Villa d’Amelia, where the gastronomic menu is worthy of at least one (and probably two) Michelin stars.
There is sufficient daily exercise to justify the calorie intake
Cycling holiday with Headwater was excellent and I would recommend this trip. We enjoyed the change of scenery from the inland routes of the first two days to the beautiful coastal routes of days 3, 4 and 5 - we spent two afternoons on the beaches which were outstanding. The trip have everything you need. The hotel in Gallipoli was only average but the remainder were very good. The family run hotel in Avetrana with a swimming pool was very special - staff amazing. We also loved the Hotel in Otranto where the staff were again great, the room was lovely and breakfast amazing with lots of choice. Overall the cycling was pleasant, not too challenging and a great way to see Italy. We will look to do similar holidays with Headwater and have recommended this to friends.
Excellent journey along stunning landscapes. Day five coastal path road more challenging but stunning scenery. Bikes good, friendly people. Enjoyed and made the most of our free day in Pula. We thought it was a well planned and well thought out journey.
Excellent routes through flatter parts of Tuscany giving varied interest through all the rides. Occasional (unavoidable) stretches on busy roads but most roads pleasantly quiet. Good friendly hotels for the necessary post-ride recovery. Although the strada bianchi only makes up 12% of the distance, it feels like more!
We had an excellent overall experience
The Bolzano to Venice cycle route was outstanding and made the most of the excellent cycling infrastructure in this part of Italy. Much of the ride was on hard, smooth surfaces on the banks of rivers or canals - safe, serene and scenic cycling. Where roads were needed (the incredibly beautiful descent from the Dolomites to Lake Garda), we were given plenty of warning of the high risk points. The recommended 'Ride with GPS" APP was outstanding - good mapping and very helpful voice messaging. Our ebikes were really good - comfortable, stable, excellent battery range & easy to charge (another pannier please!).
The historical cities on this beautiful route are truly wonderful and viewing them from bike and/or foot was a privilege.
We regretted opting against hotel upgrades as some of ours were distinctly average (small rooms, far from town centre) and not sure we got VFM.
Headwater staff helping us to organise our holiday were excellent - supportive, prompt and highly effective.
A very enjoyable and scenic tour of this area of Northern Italy. We travelled in early June and wherever we were, the wonderful aroma of Jasmine and the flowers of the Linden (Lime) trees filled the air. The bikes were solid, well maintained and comfortable and the cycling routes were excellent, mostly off-road and flat and the quality of the roads for most of the trip was very good (no pot-hole dodging required)! There was so much to see at the end of each cycling day in the historic towns and the hotel accommodation was, on the whole, very good. Most hotels were spotlessly clean, with comfortable super-king size beds. The breakfast at all the hotels was plentiful and good. We took the upgrade option and some of the hotels were much plusher than we had envisioned which was a nice surprise. On the whole, a thoroughly enjoyable trip with some lovely cycling routes, great scenery and sights and lots of cafes (and delicious Gelato) en-route. I’d recommend this trip without hesitation.
This tour around Puglia offers a varied insight into the region from the Trulli houses to resort hotels. Food and wine are consistently excellent and the hotel accommodation overall exceeded our expectations. The cycling, for the most part, is enjoyable. I would caveat that by saying some of the coastal roads are busy, even at the end of May/beginning of June and despite assurances from Antonio at the start of the tour that Italians treated cyclists with a degree of courtesy we found this to be generally not the case.
Excellent service from your team in UK. Top quality bikes. Lovely hotels in Sardinia. Have told everyone on my return what a good holiday I had.
Our holiday got off to a poor start with and a minibus driver who wanted to drop us off in the wrong place ! But once we got to Brenner we enjoyed some great cycling on smooth , traffic free cycle paths. The changing scenery from the Dolomites through to the Venetian plains was stunning with many miles along the River Adige, past vineyards in the Soave region and finally along canals and past magnificent villas as we approached Venice. There were many castles and other places of interest to visit en route and whilst the excellent guide book gave good descriptions of these there was no guidance in the 'Ride with GPS app' as to how to find them. All the cities we stayed at would have been worth spending longer in , but the guide book gave good descriptions of the highlights and useful tips on where to eat. The cycling was well described to help choose hillier or flatter options, but the hilly route from Verona to Vincenza was challenging. Overall a great trip.
A lovely itinerary with something different every day. Good accommodation and food.
This cycling trip in Puglia was wonderful. All accommodations and locations were excellent. This area of Italy was new to us and it didn’t disappoint. The range of areas and experiences was excellent from staying in Trulli to Masserias and quirky auberges. The support of the local agent was excellent and they were so supportive when one of our party had an injury. There was probably more road cycling than compared with other cycling trips we have done but mostly they were quiet. We would definitely recommend this as a trip and hope to visit other parts of Puglia.
Our first time with Headwater and on E bikes, initially with trepidation, then after working out how to use the map app etc, we rarely got lost and really enjoyed the mix of exertion, scenery, culture, food and wine!
The start was a bit rocky with no personal welcome from Fun Active and we thought the initial bikes offered were poor but we did get them changed to better KTM bikes as offered in the Headwater brochure. Other than this we really enjoyed our trip which was essentially a great route.
We enjoyed the holiday overall. The itinerary was great, the ebikes were excellent as was the navigation app, the accommodation was varied and interesting. We had administrative problems during the booking process and our bikes were collected a day earlier than they should have been.....but despite these annoyances, we enjoyed the holiday .
Overall our holiday was excellent, aided very much by the attention of our host Stefano Mazzetti
The route details was excellent but only provided the evening of arrival at the first hotel. More information should have been provided about the GPS website. Using this system requires a modern smartphone with extra backup power. We had rainey days which are not ideal for phone navigation so the enjoyment level was reduced. The holiday is recommended and was a great experience but we could have been better prepared by prior knowledge.
The Heart of Venetto cycling holiday was just the right level for me, as someone fairly new to cycling. We completed all 6 routes and found the App fairly easy to use. The rides To lake Fimon and Vicenza were particular favourites.
The village is very quiet and, as others have mentioned, the bar and bakery have short opening hours.
The food provided by The Agrotourismo was first class as was the wine. The pool looked lovely but unfortunately it was too cool for us to use.
We travelled to Sardinia just before the main tourist season started, so some places weren't open - but this meant that we often had places all to ourselves. We loved the quirky houses in Nebida, and the staff at the ferry port, Portoscuso, were really helpful. The ride up to the abandoned tuna processing plant on Carloforte was slightly underwhelming, but the loop ride was pleasant - and we saw the flamingoes on the salt pans! The ride to Chia (day 5) was tough in places (maybe class this holiday as a 1++?) but the reward was always a lovely downhill freewheel. Some other roads were rather busy. The Roman ruins at Nora were well worth a visit, as was the Batteria Boggio with its lookout points and abandoned gun emplacements (with ammunition stores - fortunately completely empty) . All the hotels were most welcoming, insisting on speaking English to us, and usually transporting our luggage to and from our rooms. Food and wine were also superb - what more could you ask for?
The cycling was fun and the app was generally easy to use though you should take an external battery pack. My phone was 3 years old and you need to set the screen to be quite bright so it uses up power quite quickly. The hotels that we used were all 3* but were comfortable. All hotels provided excellent breakfasts. We went in early May which is described as part of the holiday season but we found most places still closed so stopping off along the way wasn't as easy as we expected. One thing that we were really surprised by was the cost of transfers to and from the airport that Headwater wished to charge. Something like 240 from Bari to Arborobella (we caught a bus for 8 euros, and over 400 from Lecce back to Bari ( we caught the train for 24 euros). We hadn't been cycling for some years before booking this holiday but we practised for 5 weeks before going and we were fine.
We loved our holiday, apart from the rain! L’Albarra was brilliant, we loved staying there. The family are so welcoming and kind. It helped that I can speak Italian but the son speaks excellent English. It was relaxing to stay in one place. The E bikes were excellent. The website said that the pool was closed in May but it was, in fact, open. We were pleased to bring our own travel kettle, thanks to a previous review. Local shops are scarce so maybe more info about where to get lunch or buy provisions for a picnic would be helpful.
Overall we really enjoyed this trip and based on previous cycling trips the 1+ rating was about right. Undulating on the interior sections and generally flat on the coastal sections. With the exception of Hotel Hopps (not originally part of itinerary) all hotels were good with good breakfast. With the exception of the agriturismo all overnight locations had many points of interest if you had the time and energy, and there were many places for a swim on the coastal sections. A couple of unexpected route diversions encountered as well as a few injections of speed to get past the odd stray dog. Without wishing to condone any fly-tipping whatsoever, the level of rubbish was not as bad as expected having read previous trip reviews. We saw much worse as we continued our journey through Sicily. Botecchia cycles were appropriate for trip profile and distance. Filippo the local agent provided an excellent briefing and introduction to the trip. All-in-all we would recommend this trip.
A fantastic cycling holiday, that took us through through beautiful landscapes and cities.
A good mix of beautiful countryside, fascinating towns and scenic coast.
A great biking adventure through beautiful Puglia countryside and town. Directions in towns sometimes more difficult to navigate but always got there in the end. Back up when pedal came off bike was efficient but trying to give an accurate location was a bit difficult.
The helpfulness of team in Puglia when one member of team required medical assistance was absolutely wonderful and we were very appreciative of this.
Thoroughly enjoyed our cycling in Sicily with Headwater. All transfer arrangements went smoothly. The local Geotravel representative, Filippo was extremely helpful, friendly and efficient in imparting information and answering queries.
The bikes were perfectly adequate for the level of cycling and road conditions. The Navigation App is easy to use.
Cycling in April, the weather can be mixed so pack accordingly, it was cold and wet at the start of our trip but temperatures rose throughout the week.
The countryside is beautiful. Highlight visits were to Enrice, Marsala Wine Tour, Archeological Site at Selinute and it is well worth spending an extra two nights in Palermo to experience the magnificent buildings.
We ate well throughout at small local restaurants and drank the excellent local wines.
We have no hesitation in recommending this holiday. Headwater area great company to travel with.
Thank you.
Rosemary and Bryan
We had a wonderful holiday in Puglia cycling from Matera to Lecce over 9 days. It is a stunning part of the world and on a bike you have the advantage of seeing things and meeting people that you wouldn't if traveling by car. Overall, we would highly recommend this holiday. As we were cycling in April we did find a lot of the coastal areas were just getting ready for holiday season, so they were quiet and cafes were not always open. However, this was also a positive in that the roads were extremely quiet (apart from towns), so on balance this was good for us. The introduction and bike hike through Puglia Cycle Tours was excellent and our choice of electric bikes definitely the best decision for us as it was hilly in places. The electric bikes meant that we didn't walk up any hills! My only regret bikewise was that I didn't take my gel saddle with me but otherwise all worked well and we would love to return to this part of the world to explore further.
Excellent. Superb trip, well organised.
Itinerary fine. Unfortunately weather not great do not a lot to do when cycling finished
A wonderful introduction to Sicily that leaves you wanting to come back for more.
This was our second Headwater trip and once again we had a wonderful holiday cycling through the countryside of Apulia. I very much enjoyed the variety of accommodation which, while not of luxury standard, was varied, original and always comfortable (a Trullo house, a converted olive farm estate cottage and a boutique hotel in the middle of Conservano). The guide who picked us up from the airport was charming and gave us lots of information about local culture and customs . We love our food, and although there were no recommendations given in our information pack, Headwater were quick to send us a list of recommendations at our request and very good recommendations they were too! One thing I would point out is that my husband’s panier tended to fall off on the bumpy roads, so make sure you secure it to the bicycle frame with the opening straps. Also, the last bit of the tour around Monopoli on the last day can comfortably be omitted - much of it is a road next to the motorway!
A wonderful holiday. The weather in October was perfect for cycling. We had some superb lunch stops in restaurants we found by chance (I don't think you can go wrong in Puglia). The roads were very quiet so we felt very safe - more so than on some other cycling holidays we have had.
Fairly easy cycling through undulating countryside with some nice coastal sections. Wonderful food and good swimming in clear water. Some fine hotels, particularly the agriturismo and Room of Andrea. Unfortunately, Sicily is an opencast landfill of rubbish, and it is so sad and depressing to ride along otherwise wonderful backroads lined by endless garbage. The tourist board needs to apply some pressure to stop the accepted culture of dumping. I wouldnt recommend it as a cycling destination purely for this.
I loved being able to use an electric bike for the first time, the bike was of very good quality and was able to keep pace with my partner on a regular bike. The landscape we cycled through was mostly olive tree plantations, the towns were very interesting historically and particularly enjoyed our stay in Alberobello. Lots to see and the accommodation was in a trulli building which added to the atmosphere. Our favourite accommodation was at Masseria Salamina,
Fabulous food, lovely grounds and even had a dip in the pool in October! Altogether a great trip to an undiscovered area of Italy for me and my husband. The organisation and support was excellent. Two points that made it a challenge was the incomplete routes on the Headwater App not taking account of all our accommodation locations and the shortage of information on the routes , more detail would have been appreciated. I was quite shocked at the amount of rubbish, general waste tipping on the road sides. An excellent trip.
This is our second holiday with headwater and we would definitely travel with Headwater again. The organisation is good and all staff friendly and helpful. . We enjoyed Sicily very much and were very pleased with the bikes, locations and liked the mix of hotels . However we were really shocked by the rubbish that litters the Sicilian countryside and found it difficult to see past this to enjoy the countryside as we would have liked to. Most of the hotels were very good , one was a bit past it’s best . Mostly the food ( usual just breakfast ) was good, but our 2 last hotels the breakfast was poor and in one case very poor, with dreadful coffee in both. The other thing that I struggled with is that the beds were generally very firm to hard and in all the hotels but one the pillows were very hard foam and very uncomfortable. This of course could be normal for Sicily, but unfortunately I came home with a very sore neck. I am sounding negative, but really overall it was a great holiday .
Excellent holiday. Villa Favourita at Noto a real highlight
The route takes you through beautiful cities, where you eat delicious local food and sample local drinks. Cycling through the beautiful agricultural land and coast lines is throughly enjoyable on quiet roads. The routes each day are enjoyable but not too challenging. All the accommodation is delightful.
Although rated as 1+, there are a lot of hills on this trip so we were glad we chose ebikes . My ebike started to emitt an enervating wailing sound from the front wheel hub and Philipo came out in a storm that evening to repair it. The scenery was varied and interesting, but there was a fair bit of urban and main road to negotiate, which was not pleasant. The hotel breakfasts were on the whole limited for vegans. We spent a couple of additional nights in Selinute, with a beautiful beach, warm sea and a laid back feel.
We had a great time on this cycling trip, particularly enjoying staying in both the agriturismos, the one at Villaganzerla having the most convivial atmosphere at mealtimes, while 'il Feudo' was a more intimate family farmstead.
Whilst my husband is a regular cyclist for whom the (relatively rare) 'hills' and hair-pin bends were as to be expected, I as more of an occasional cyclist would have found them a challenge without the e.bike! We loved Este and Montelice, but didn't have enough time to see all the attractions, so if doing again would perhaps have built in an extra day. Similarly the canal boat museum at Battaglia was a gem. Our highlight in Teolo was being able to listen to a concert in the art gallery literally across from our accommodation (a once-a-month 'friends of' event). While October is clearly turning 'end of season', for us September was a perfect time as the weather was like a nice summer day in Britain.
The team also excelled with our extra night in Verona.
Sicily is a country of contrasts. The archeological sites are amazing, Segentum and Selinunte are fantastic. The roads are not in a great state of repair, and at times we had to wade through mud. The roadsides are disappointingly covered in rubbish, and fly tipping is very prevalent. The roads are also very busy for cycling, and the drivers don’t give you much room. As someone previously mentioned the bikes are not high quality, , heavy and really suitable for short city rides.
I’m sorry I don’t buy into the fact that they need to be sturdy as there are panniers. We carried virtually nothing . We went to the Egadi islands for a few days….they were fantastic, and great cycling, well worth a visit.
Eating out was very expensive.
We travelled in September , temperatures were great, and often a gentle wind.
The hotels were mainly great. It’s worth spending extra time in Palermo, as there are some amazing museums and palaces, The archeological museum has a lot of information on Selinunte.
The trip went like clockwork.Headwater delivered the entire y like clockwork .
We had a really great week cycling in Puglia. It’s a beautiful place and we felt we got closer to the countryside seeing it from a bike.
Overall we enjoyed the holiday but based on previous experience we felt the holiday should have been graded as a 2, and not 1+. The opportunities for visiting ancient sites on St Antioco and at Pula were well worth doing. We really enjoyed the frequent swimming breaks from the very many stunning beaches along the route, and the excellent food and wine! The support from the local agents, especially Naomi, was excellent
Doing our cycling holiday as a self-guided tour was an excellent way for four of us to travel, to see and experience this part of Sicily.
please see below
This was a first cycling holiday for my two friends and I and so we decided to get E-bikes. This turned out to be a good idea as there were quite a few hill towns to visit and the 'boost' was needed on some steeper climbs. The navigation app was very easy to follow and we never got lost. The accommodation along the route was excellent and having two nights in most places was very welcome. Cycling around this area of Puglia was really enjoyable and beautiful. I would definitely book another cycling holiday with Headwater as they were super helpful from start to finish and the whole trip was flawless
Wonderful welcome and support from Stefano and his team. Beautiful rides with some amazing views through varied terrain in the Val d'Orcia, challenging at times but not too much to handle. Lovely pool, ideal for a wind down after a day in the saddle. We looked forward to dinner every night, cooked with love from local produce. Excellent value home produced wines. We highly recommend this holiday. The Headwater team were incredibly helpful and efficient in answering our queries and arranging transfers. It is so refreshing (and so rare nowadays) to be able to speak to named helpful people who know what they are talking about.
Really enjoyable holiday! Well organised. Good bikes, easy cycling. Excellent, easy navigation app. Very quiet, rural location. Walking distance into the local village. Clean and comfortable accommodation. The pool and garden was an added bonus. Excellent home cooked food. I would recommend bringing a travel kettle and tea/coffee. It is also worth noting that not all rooms have a fridge.
Would highly recommend to anyone looking to experience a taste of rural life in Italy along with the chance to visit beautiful Vicenza.
There is a local supermarket, bakery and and a small café/bar in the village but worth noting that they seem to close at about 12.30 and don’t reopen until late afternoon.
A relaxing holiday, in a mix of beautiful country & small towns & villages. We were made to feel welcome by hoteliers & locals alike. Grape harvest was underway whilst we were in area & we found that very interesting!
Enjoyable holiday provided with excellent bikes. Impressive towns and countryside and excellent routes
Super. Cycling tour. Everything we needed was provided by friendly and efficient service. Highly recommended.
We really enjoyed the Barola wine trip. The hotels and the service was excellent. The countryside was beautiful, similar to Tuscany and no crowds. The hilltop villages were so pretty and each hotel was so comfortable and welcoming.I like some previous reviewers recommend an e bike unless you are a seasoned biker. Some of the hills were grueling.
For headwater. Recommend your guests to book ahead for the wine tours in Fontanafredda. We got there and they were all booked up which was disappointing.
Another great holiday with Headwater!
The holiday provides a great tour of the beautiful coastline of Southern Sardinia and the islands. The cycling is relaxed with lots of opportunities to stop off at beautiful beaches
A very good holiday, much enjoyed.
We were a party of one 25 year old who used a regular road bike and his 2 parents who were glad we’d booked ebikes as the route was very hilly in parts, as described in the route literature. The cities and towns we stopped in were beautiful and so interesting. The hotels in Florence and Pisa were a little out of town but pleasant walks there along the river. The routes between the stops were through mainly agricultural landscape and largely on roads, some quite busy, or on tough gravel riverside paths. In the cites luckily there were dedicated cycle lanes. The holiday was well organised and the local agent helpful although stressed he wouldn’t come to assist with punctures (fortunately we had none). The bikes were well maintained although some suspension in the saddle would have helped. All in all we had an excellent holiday - our third with Headwater - and would definitely recommend the company and look forward to going with them again some day
We have travelled with Headwater pre and post dependent children for over 25 years and loved every trip. Locations and itineraries alwasys spot on.
Wonderful (first time) leisurely biking high class gastronomic wine tour with beautiful mountain vistas every day
We loved our trip! and we are already planning more bike trips in 2023!! Some disappointments. 1. The boys’ bikes seemed to be much older than for the girls, with batteries that would hardly last a day, so that Fabrizio ended up replacing one of the batteries. Their power for turbo was often not enough for the steeper hills (and we all have bikes in Canada so we are used to pedal assist on hills). The girls’ bikes were excellent. 2. The app was great, except outdated for some places, which might have been a covid related issue. It would be handy for the app to include where free charging stations are, as it seemed that quite a few villages had them, and we definitely needed these at times with the battery issues. 3. We were disappointed with Fontanafredda, who did not seem to know how to deal with bikes, such that one of the bikes was plugged in near the lobby. 4. The other hotels were excellent in handling the bikes, and just lovely. Thanks for such a great trip!
What a glorious holiday! The cycling routes; the quality of the bikes; the standard of the hotels; the locations; the food - everything was perfect! One of our best ever holidays. Hard to find any ways this holiday could be improved.
Amazing holiday but beware the gradient guide can be deceptive! Barolo Gastronomic is hilly - electric bike recommended and we are active fit cyclists !
This was an amazing holiday. From the time of booking to the completion of the tour all ran smoothly. The app for navigation was brilliant - would only go on trips like this in future if this app was used. Puglia Cycling who did our transfers were always on time and very pleasant. Luggage was delivered by 4 pm each day, often earlier and usually waiting in room for us.
The weather was hot but a breeze kept it comfortable. Plenty of water is essential. It is worth noting that in some towns the public toilets are locked during siesta time but restaurants/bars were still open. There are many beaches and swimming holes along the way to stop and have a dip.
Unforgettable. Thank you to Headwater and Puglia Cycling.
The Bolzano to Venice cycle had beautiful scenery, especially in the Dolomites and Lake Garda. The cycle paths were excellent but some days cafes and restaurants en route were scarce and no guidance on this was given by the Girolibero agent. Usually the Headwater agent is very helpful about this. The only guidance we were given was about the electric bikes which were excellent and made the longer days, 75km, very manageable, although never staying in the same hotel for two nights made the cycle a bit intense. Hotels were not up to the usual Headwater standard except for the Sporting Hotel near Padua which was excellent. Some rooms especially in Mestre were very small. No advice was given about roadworks detours which caused problems.
A varied cycle tour with lovely locations at the end of each day. There are some challenging sections along the valleys when windy, but otherwise enjoyable. Although there are some pretty towns and villages along the way, it is best to travel to the end points to spend time in those areas.
This is a fantastic way to see parts of a country you would probably never see. The routes are so well planned and thought through taking you along cycle paths and quiet country lanes to villages and towns and places of interest away from busy main roads( mostly). The app is really accurate, useful and easy to use. The bikes are sturdy hybrids that are well maintained. If you don’t use an e-bike then you do have to have a certain level of fitness as cycling each day as some parts of the routes can be a bit of a challenge( some uphills require a bit of effort). Also you should be aware how the heat might affect your ability to do cycle. This caught me off guard but we just chose to leave earlier to avoid the sun. The arrival in Florence was fabulous, finishing at the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge with a cool beer and then having the following day to explore was wonderful. Truly spectacular city. On the last day we biked part way to Pisa and then took the train. A unique way to see Tuscany
Fabulous countryside, interesting villages, great wines.
Good. We enjoyed outselves.
A lovely region of Italy to visit, cycling through the vines and hazelnut forests. Loved the combination of cycling in the country but also visiting some interesting towns. The hotels were in lovely locations.
Excellent route through pretty villages, vineyards etc with stops at some wonderful Palladian villas. E bikes were a must in July as it reached 35 most days. Good route with reliable back up transport of bags etc
A great active holiday where you travel through different landscapes to arrive in interesting towns with lovely hotels.
We went on the Secrets of Sicily cycling holiday but happened to hit a heatwave which made the first couple of days cycling very hard due to the intense heat and lack of shade, but Headwater were very accomodating and arranged with the accomadations to provide breakfast earlier so that we could leave early in the morning and beat the sun, after that we enjoyed our trip a lot, the cycling was relatively easy and the scenery was lovely especially in the last few days, I thuink this trip would suit people who are interested in history, architecture and local "real" Sicily, we didn't see another tourist at all while we were cycling, only once we stopped in the cities. The highlights were the meal that we had in the Eco-Tourism hotel, and the small seaside resort of Selinunte on the last day - simply lovely !
A very pleasant area to cycle around from an excellent base location.
Great route. Varying quality of hotels. Poor bikes. Expensive for what we got.
We've holidayed with Headwater for many years in many countries and loved their GPS routes and journeying through a variety of different, characterful hotels they have provided with careful thought. This summer's route across the SE tomato growing region of Sicily was contracted out to a local agency & too busy with too heavy road traffic for our liking in June 2022 and breath-taking views were spoilt by significant roadside rubbish all along the route which had been fly-tipped (discarded loos, fridges, building material, endless bags of rubbish). Our local taxi driver explained that the Mafia wait for rubbish emergencies to be declared and then they pick up the contracts. Make sure 1. You challenge the hotel rooms you are given when busy as we had unacceptably poor rooms offered for the price we paid. (clearly some were struggling post pandemic) 2. You know how to change tyres (bring plastic gloves and wipes). 3. It can be very hot so ask hotels to freeze your water bottles overnight.
Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to post your review and for the additional comments made. We are truly sorry that certain elements of your holiday were disappointing. Fly tipping unfortunately does appear to be commonplace in this region, and I feel that the taxi driver explained the situation well. I’m glad that we were able to discuss your holiday with you directly.
Wonderful locations cycling through the Piedmont countryside with its vineyards, Hazel groves and rolling hills. On clear days we could see the French Alps in the West and the Italian Alps to the East. Great choice of hotels, with warm welcomes after a hard day’s cycling. Always delicious meals and a great choice of wines. E bikes are essential unless you are strong cyclists. These bikes enabled us to conquer the steepest climbs. Relatively expensive but good value for money; highly recommended.
Lovely accommodation although my room was very basic. The location was very scenic and the hotel owners were lovely. However the main criticism is that all 6 cycle routes were far too short and the 4th route was particularly dull and tedious due to it mainly being alongside I busy monotonous main road.
We absolutely loved this holiday. It was our first time in Sardinia and we were blown away by the magnificent blue sea and coastal line. The most magical moment for us was seeing the flamingos grazing in the salt pans. A sight to behold. The Sardinian people were lovely and welcoming and the food along with the Sardinian wines, delicious. This was a beautiful quiet part of Sardinia and cycling was definitely a great way to absorb as much of this beautiful island as possible. Given that we were mainly cycling on the coastal roads, we were amazed by the very considerate car drivers who always gave us loads of room and were incredibly respectful of cyclists. All in all this was a joyful holiday.
We had a fabulous cycling holiday for our first trip to Sardinia. Headwater provided a superb itinerary, great bikes and lovely independent hotels run by Sardinian families. The scenery was jaw dropping and we could not have packed in so many memorable sights and locations without the Sardinian Headwater teams’ thorough knowledge of the region. The ride was more moderate than “easy” in the high temperatures of June, but perfectly manageable with care and our luggage was always waiting for us in the room of our new hotel, a welcome sight after a hot day’s cycling. We’ll definitely be back to Sardinia and back to Headwater for another adventure on wheels. Charlotte and Clive Makin.
Reliable and always providing interest and challenges.
Good cycle routes through lovely countryside. Accommodation in Rome was excellent, with very attentive staff. Accommodation at Agriturismo La Peitriccia was disappointing, but Stefano was very helpful.
Extremely well researched & organised. Accommodation was varied & always clean, with helpful friendly staff, particularly Stefano at the Agriturismo & Martina at Hotel Marin. Length of cycling each day was perfect...not too much, so enough time to relax & swim in the clear warm silky sea or the swimming pools at two of the hotels too. Fresh fish was delicious. It was a tremendous week.
This seemed much harder than the other 1+ Dolomites to Lake Garda cycling holiday we have done despite our fitness being better. However this was probably largely due to an Italian heatwave in late May/early June when we travelled with the thermometer at 30C in the shade each day by 9am. Thoroughly enjoyed it though and were very glad we chose the 10 rather than 7 night option. The extra nights further south contrasted well and it was good to cycle by the sea. Hotels all of good quality and each had its own special qualities. Not being tecchies and with basic phone contracts had some concerns re the GPS app pre travel but after a few minutes on the first morning we coped fine with it. Much easier than the old paper instructions. Had taken a battery charger pack but never used more than half a phones battery whilst out. Amazed how cheap prices were when stopping for drinks in small rural villages eg 1 euro for usual menu of coffees
Organisation excellent. GPS App and map booklets were excellent. Good route with plenty of cycle lanes. One tougher day mainly on roads. Route was a good one with plenty to see in the Italian towns we visited.
A very enjoyable holiday, staying at interesting places in good accommodation. We would certainly book with Headwater again for a cycling holiday
It was lovely to arrive at the end of a ride in the little towns of Puglia, all different and charming. Some of the cycling was really spectacular, particularly along the coast. I was pleased to have an e-bike as the temperature was way over 30 degrees everyday at the end of May. As someone not very tech-savvy, I needed help with the navigation app. Remember to download last-minute adjustments just before you go!
Well-planned and interesting itinerary. Cycling is a great way to explore this region and we enjoyed the variety of destinations and accommodation, all of which were clean and comfortable. I would recommend this area for vegetarians- we had some great vegetable dishes and found restaurants were happy to adapt a pasta dish on request.
A great itinerary, a lot of variation in level of challenge.
Excellent way to see beautiful places. Good routes and well selected hotels
This cycling route through Puglia is a stunningly beautiful one - particularly in late May when the poppies and other wild flowers were in full bloom; the weather warm but not scorching and not too busy with other tourists. This was the first Headwater cycling trip I have done without 'stay put' days, and the overall mileage each day (at leisurely pace) did mean there was little spare time for sightseeing. However, it was absolutely worth the effort to visit each of the locations - they were wonderfully varied and I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on any of them!
One of the days involves taking a train - it's worth noting that not all the trains allow bikes, and we were lucky to have had help lifting up the bikes into the hanging racks on the train - a tricky manouevre for the vertically challenged!
Fantastic way to see the glorious countryside, towns, cities and natural beauty of Puglia. Well organised, good bikes, good accommodation and we think the best way to immerse yourself in a location. As firstimers with Headwater would highly recommend to anyone.
Excellent. the App was easy to use for middle aged people who usually ask their children to work this kind of thing out. The Headwater emails were well timed and informative and when you passed us on to Gulia cycle tours, they were equally as efficient. The route was fantastic, the hotels just ideal for this holiday. The people we met from Puglia Tours delightful. We had 2 potentially big problems - A) one of our parties' bags didn't arrive from England on our flight. So we logged a missing bag form at Barri airport but it was difficult with language barrier and not knowing where we would be if and when the bag might catch up with us. Headwater were amazing and the bag caught us up 2 days later. And the driver from Puglio Tours took us from Barri airport to a hypermarket ( thank god open on a Sunday pm) to buy essentials. We also had a problem with a bike and again - fantastic backup and all sorted. Best holiday & when probs occurred the finest back up
The cycle paths on this trip were excellent. Only traffic was going to our hotels.
Route was very easy to follow.
We really enjoyed this holiday with you. We were met on arrival at the first hotel by the local rep , who was very helpful. The cycling was very good and with beautiful scenery. The hotels were excellent and very welcoming. Certainly it has given us a taste of Sicily and we will definitely want to visit again.
For me this was to an excellent cycling holiday in the heart of the Tuscan Val d’Orcia, considering I was an ‘senior’ solo rider in early season. The hire of an E-MTB bike was a boon for the hilly ’strade bianche’ (gravel roads). A week at the Agriturismo ‘La Pietriccia’ was a very good choice. Stefano, the main host and his brother Simone, were extremely helpful in everything. From organising me on and off the suggested App routes, to giving me a beer when I got back and providing tasty 4 course meals in the evening. The ‘tasting’ at BradiToscani food/wine shop and the Chianciano Thermal Spa arranged visits were a delight. The cookery session was unfortunately cancelled because of Covid restrictions but was substituted with an enjoyable local pizzeria visit.
Highly recommended to any cycling Italophiles.
Generally we loved our holiday through Headwater. The only disappointment was the rental bikes - we are both very keen cyclists and felt, in the spirit of openness, advertising the bikes as 'high quality' is a little wide of the mark. They are heavy, clunky and are more of an entry level city explorer bike rather than biking 200 or so kilometres on. Scenery was beautiful in parts and the route great, however it was disappointing in parts to see so much rubbish dumped on the side of the roads (which we know is no fault of HW). Everything ran incredibly smoothly, mapping was very easy to follow, local support staff were excellent and in constant communication - we felt very safe and looked after :)
Would highly recommend and will definitely travel again using HW. The booking process was efficient and very friendly. On the whole we had a fantastic time.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback we are so pleased you had a lovely holiday and thank you for your comments regarding the bicycles. The bikes do need to be sturdy enough to withhold the usage, the weight of the pannier racks and panniers, the stand, heavier saddles and the suspension - all of which contribute to the overall weight.
Its such a shame that you experienced rubbish that had been dumped on the side of the road. Our team, when planning the routes do try to choose the most scenic routes
I do hope that we will be able to welcome you back to Headwater for another holiday in the future.
Kind regards
Customer Service
An exceptional route - everything had been thought of. The first day is a long distance so it might be off putting for those who don’t cycle long distances regularly. The food everywhere is of a fantastically high standard. We recommend Le Bubbole in Matera, La Cantina in Alberobello and The Dish in Ostuni. Booking in advance recommended.
Our holiday was a celebration for our 30th wedding anniversary. In order to be consistent with the previous thirty years of marriage I left the planning until the last minute. I contacted Headwaters barely two weeks before the half term started yet they were able , as ever, to provide a first class service which totally met what we were looking for. From the moment we landed, where we met Mimmo our agent, until our departure from our gorgeous Lecce hotel on the final morning, we encountered nothing but an amazing service wherever we visited or stayed. We loved all of the accommodation as well as the stunning routes. Puglia is indeed an astonishingly beautiful region in Italy, as evidenced by the breath taking coastal routes to Gallipoli and Otranto. Likewise the climb to the hilltop town of Ostuni, as well the town itself, was simply stunning. I am running out of synonyms for brilliant but that is the adjective that I want to use to describe the everything about the trip. Thank you.
We loved Sicily and the routes we biked through. The countryside was varied and the town’s spectacular. My bike was perfect but my partner’s had both technical difficulties and two flat tires on the last day. We were very quickly rescued though and that made all the difference. The GPS worked beautifully and we felt guided the whole way. Most of the hotels were lovely and beautifully located but a couple were disappointing so we would suggest you research the choices and make sure you like where you are going to be. Generally it was a very fun and interesting trip and with a few tweaks would have been perfect.
It was a well thought-out itinerary which took in the high-lights of Puglia - rural rides to beautiful hill-top towns and coastal rides with lovely views over the Mediterranean.
Very enjoyable. The first day's cycling is the hardest - make sure you have plenty of water. We also managed to view Ragusa on our arrival day so were able to set off and do the major climb before the main heat of the day. There is a beach bar at the Isola delle Correnti which we really enjoyed - it may not be open all the time but if fun if it's open.
We had an amazing week with Stefano and his family and team. The equipment was excellent and the cycling amazing, pretty challenging, but we got to see the beautiful countryside and villages of the region. The food at La Pietriccia was outstanding. Despite the Covid restrictions Stefano did everything he could to help us keep our plans flexible so that we could complete all the routes. We would certainly recommend this holiday for people like us, who like their cycling, wine and food in equal measures.
Headwater response:
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. We are all delighted that you had an amazing holiday and we hope we can welcome you on another trip with us again soon.
Headwater Customer Services Team
excellent itinerary with lots of variety .
excellent local support when we needed it
lovely unspoilt region of Italy !
The personal care and attention provided by ALL staff throughout the holiday was excellent. The hotels were a haven of peace and sophistication after our energetic days. The trip to Puglia included highlights such as the Trulli houses and the ancient olive groves. In general the cycling was pleasurable and, when our cycle let us down, we were rescued swiftly. Of interest to us was the fact that the residents of Puglia took great pride in their houses, gardens, vineyards and fields however outside of this the roads were strewn with litter, the like of which we have never before witnessed. It detracted from our enjoyment and reflected badly upon the region as a whole. Thank you again to all who made our holiday so memorable. Phil & Kath
Excellent holiday with good hotels, great scenery and realistic riding days for the described activity level. The bikes were excellent and comfortable.
Headwater holidays are amazing! The hassle of scrutinising where I’m going on holiday is taken care of by Headwater as I know they would have chosen great places to visit and stay. Thank you Headwater
Beautiful country area over Italy with lovely summer weather at the end of October. Lots to see, lovely little beaches. Pleasant cycling, especially with bikes for the occasional severe hill!
This was a first cycling holiday for us so we were apprehensive. However we definitely would recommend both Headwater and the Contrasts of Puglia tour. The organisation was excellent as were the hotels. In the end we took e bikes ( having deliberated about this) . We didn’t use the power so much but we felt that we definitely enjoyed the holiday more and did more on the bikes than we would have without the power. It was a very pleasurable and relaxed week.
The app works really well and is relatively easy to download and use though we found it useful to use the printed out route maps as well as a check. If you are not used to using apps etc it might be a little tricky to initially set up. We loved the routes that were chosen - mostly on very quiet country roads with minimal traffic situations. We found the car drivers very considerate, more so than in UK. The hotels were all in great locations and very nice.
This was our first cycling holiday (we are in our seventies) We had the most enjoyable time, meeting up with fellow cyclist from other countries on route
The towns we stayed in and the hotel were all very good. The cycling was almost all on quiet roads. We would certainly like to book another trip. Mary and Tim
Very enjoyable but two of the rides were slightly more difficult than we anticipated from a 1+ rating
Very enjoyable rides with a range of scenery and interesting places to visit. Vicenza and Padua which we visited on bike free days were particularly beautiful.
The bikes were fantastically maintained by our rep James - in contrast to Headwater agent holidays that we've been on before.
A GREAT BREAK FOR CYCLIST WHO LOVE ITALY
A good cycling break with a wide variety of good eating. Spectacular scenery. Be prepared for some serious hill climbs if you don't use an electric bike, gradients up to 13%, but manageable for those who are used to it. The mobile phone based navigation leaves a bit to be desired: difficult to hear in traffic, difficult to see if you need reading glasses: and a few quirks. A back-up paper map is useful or possibly a Garmin type GPS works better. If you like cycling this is a great holiday: if you are an occasional cyclist it would be fair to say that some routes take the long and occasionally tortuous way round between places which are quite close to each other. A few sections use quite rough tracks: if you aren't confident riding over large pebbles and avoiding big potholes, take care! A great selection of wineries to visit, and if you are tempted to buy, many will ship it for you.
A lovely activity holiday, cycling through interesting countryside, on quiet roads, visiting interesting towns and staying in characterful and comfortable hotels. The distances of approx 40km each day were just about right for over 60’s and the GPS navigation was excellent. It would have been impossible with paper maps only.
A wonderful opportunity to explore another part of Europe. Cycling allowed us to see genuine ways of life in Puglia and to enjoy the excellent cuisine guilt free after active cycling.
Our holiday was to celebrate a big birthday. It was as good as we hoped and we would travel again with Headwater
Headwater holidays definitely seem to include the eating experience as very important. They are well put together and well located.
first night restaurant Kamera in puglia not friendly or good food should change this.
Well organised and efficiently run with good choice of hotels.
Having taken several group and self-guided cycling holidays with Exodus and Headwater, the 'Contrasts of Puglia' self-guided holiday has to be ranked number one. The whole trip was wonderful, for the route through the various contrasting landscapes and the wonderful locations and excellent hotels. Best cycling holiday yet and would thoroughly recommend to anyone want a real insight into Puglia region of Italy. E-bikes were great up some of the hills !
A great holiday with good routes and accommodation. We really enjoyed the sense of freedom and variety.
Excellent centre for exploring rural Tuscany that was off the usual tourist trail.
A great way to see beautiful countries, keep fit and enjoy good food & wine
Beautiful area of Northern Italy - it was a total feast for the senses. Our rep was the best ever and our first cycling holiday in Italy was a lovely experience overall.
This was a really delightful holiday in a most beautiful part of the world. The cycling was perfect for us.
Where dinner was provided we felt that the eating options were adequate rather than good. When we selected our own restaurants we fared much better.
This was our third cycling holiday with Headwater and, once again, it proved to be a very enjoyable experience. Transport to and from the airport was quick and efficient and the rep, Antonio gave us valuable advice on the week ahead. The accommodation provided was as good as ever and the navigation app proved to be invaluable. This app makes like so much easier and it is one of the main reasons we travel with Headwater; no more pouring over maps or guidance notes which can be quite dangerous on busy or poorly surfaced roads etc. This holiday offers the opportunity to stay in or visit five beautiful medieval towns which are quite breathtaking. The route is quite manageable for the average cyclist with a few hills to contend with but nothing very difficult. Don’t forget, that walking up a difficult hill is a perfectly acceptable option. The road surfaces were a bit dodgy at times and it’s clear that the economic situation in Italy is having some effect on road maintenance. None of this detracted from the enjoyment of cycling in some beautiful countryside and through some beautiful and fascinating towns. This sort of trouble-free cycling really is a wonderful way of visiting a country and the saunter through this is part of Puglia was no exception.
A company that is all about subtle choices of accommodation, destinations and routes; knowing also how essential their own representatives are on the ground to make everything work well.
Headwater takes care of all the arrangements, leaving you free to enjoy the cycling. Thanks for a first class holiday.
GREAT HOLIDAY. ALL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS WENT TO PLAN. THE VENETO AREA IN ITALY IS SUPERB FOR CYCLING AS THE ROADS ARE VERY QUIET AND THE CYCLE TRACKS ALONG THE CANAL WERE LOVELY. GPS WAS REALLY GOOD AS WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING. THE WRITTEN ARRANGEMENTS WERE ALSO VERY GOOD WITH EXTRA INFORMATION ON VISITING PLACES ON FREE DAYS. WE WERE A GROUP OF FOUR WHICH WAS PERFECT AS WE COULD KEEP TOGETHER MOST OF THE TIME. WOULDN'T HESITATE TO BOOK ANOTHER CYCLING HOLIDAY WITH HEADWATER AND AM ALREADY LOOKING AT THE BROCHURE FOR NEXT YEAR!
Not a part of Italy we knew much about but Puglia was a great region for cycling. All the places we visited were interesting and the hotels were of a high standard. The food and wine were also very good and, generally, good value for money. The cycling wasn’t difficult although the Day 2 journey from Conversano to Alberobello, was quite hilly and would have been very tiring had we not had ebikes. It is definitely worth visiting Ostuni while at Pezze di Greco; we didn’t fancy cycling there as the route was long and hilly but the hotel organised a taxi for us which worked well. All in all, this was one of the best Headwater holidays we have experienced and we are currently planning our next cycling holiday for 2020.
Great trip, cycling is relatively challenging due to steep Tuscany hills and gravel roads but the scenery more than makes up for it! The food and welcome is fantastic, if you have the opportunity do the cookery course. Stefano is both educational and passionate.
Thoroughly enjoyed my stay
Joanne Chaplin, our contact at Headwater was excellent, as were Phaedra and Paul our reps in Piedmont. The e-bikes were amazing - they made the whole experience a real pleasure and enabled our group of different ages and abilities to enjoy the cycling equally. Thank you for a really happy and memorable holiday.
My friend and I had a great holiday. I had previously been on cycling holiday with Headwater, about 7 years, ago level 2 ish - from Auxerre in France. Comparing the two, the ride was not significantly harder than this one at level 1.
The cycling routes were good and quite varied with some hills and beautiful scenery. Sometimes it was difficult to hear the GPS in traffic but most of the routes were on cycle paths or quiet roads. I came home feeling very relaxed.
Great holiday if you like mountain bikes and fairly rough terrain. Beautiful countryside and friendly people, wonderful Agriturismo accommodation.
The location is perfect for quiet (often off road) cycling. Roads and gravel tracks gave access to a variety of stunning scenery. There was plenty of opportunity to experience the culture, local food and drink.
Our base for the week, Agriturismo ‘La Pietriccia’, a small family-run farm, was idyllic and the hosts very friendly, welcoming and entertaining!
Excellent mountains bikes were provided and were ideal for the hilly, gravelly terrain. We greatly enjoyed pedal cycling but the option of e-bikes would be a very good alternative for those less confident or fit. The routes gave a splendid variety and were never repetitive. It was a fabulous week.
A great taste of Tuscany - scenery, food and wine were all lovely! Stefano was very helpful, ensuring that the holiday would cater for each individual's needs. The fact that about 50% of the recommended routes were on gravel tracks (varying from flat, easy to ride sections, to quite steep and slightly more challenging sections) made the provision of mountain bikes most welcome.
Great holiday cycling through beautiful countryside with wonderful historical UNESCO cities to explore.
Easy cycling through lovely rural Italian countryside and villages.A very relaxed agroturismo providing an excellent base with extensive grounds and very good swimming pool.Wonderful evening meals which were the highlight of each day.
Unless you are extremely fit, make sure you hire electric bikes to make the most of the stunning countryside.
You need to be an experienced cyclist as there are some pretty busy roads. Scenery spoiled somewhat by the amount of litter. All,hotels excellent. Electric bikes superb. Baroque landscape superb.
Generally everything was fine
From the greeting by Antonio at the airport, throughout the holiday everyone was welcoming and helpful. The hotels we stayed in were quirky but excellent. They helped to make the holiday. The hotels location, mainly in the heart of the community allowed us to immerse ourselves in the Italian culture and feel a part of that community. The ride, at times was hillier than expected but our decision to hire ebikes made it so much more enjoyable and gave us extra time to go off route and explore the countryside more without putting any strain on us. We could also spend more time exploring the villages and towns that we passed through knowing that the pedal assist would help us getting to the next hotel without taking too much out of us to enjoy the evening and the next days ride. The RidewithGPS kept us on course but allowed us some leeway to go our own way but giving the ability to get back on course. The help and assistance from Morgan at Headwater before we left was excellent. She always got back to us with answers to our queries, which for us on our first cycle tour may have seemed silly but she always answered promptly and helpfully. We thoroughly enjoyed the cycling holiday and are looking forward to another one next year.
Excellent relaxing holiday - accommodation was faultless.
The holiday was well described and you can do as much or as little as you want. The food provided was the best Italian food I have ever tasted! So...different from UK Italian restaurants and the local wine was very easy to drink. There is a Family atmosphere to farm location and overall very relaxing. The cycling APP used with headphones makes life a lot easier and means you don’t have to stop and start at each junction. The cycling is generally easy, although it can be very hot, so be careful on the days where the route is longer. The other main thing to be aware of during July/August is that (other than in Vicenza) almost everything is closed during the middle of the day. So be very careful planning cultural, shop or restaurant visits else you are likely to be disappointed. Overall a really good holiday and ideal for one where you want a balance of activity and relaxation.
Great value holiday with very good back up service. Cycling offers a very good opportunity to see an area and experience it's culture while at the same time not feeling guilty for eating and drinking too much.
Piedmont is the next big thing in international tourism with its stunning countryside and world class restaurants so get in before it takes off.
You notice lots of detail when exploring a region by cycling at a gentle pace. You can stop whenever you want to and explore more or speak with people along the way. GPS is a must and saves so much time. The standard of hotel accommodation and cuisine at the end of each day's cycle is a delight. You feel yourself getting fitter and fitter with each day of your holiday. We enjoyed the Gastronomic Barolo Cycling so much two years ago that we returned this year and were not disappointed. We especially love Hotel Villa d'Amelia near Benevello.
We love the sporting holiday as a family. It brings us all close together. The Barolo experience was relatively difficult and at times the weather was rather hot. The E bikes made it more enjoyable for the 2 of us who are a bit older. The hotels and restaurants were all unique and enjoyable.
We enjoyed this holiday in this lovely Veneto region which seemed unspoilt and with few tourists. Particularly enjoyable were our visits to Padua (by bus) and to Vicenza by bike. Particular highlights in these cities were the stunning Scrovegni Chapel in Padua (book on line the day before), and the ancient indoor theatre in Vicenza. The weather was particularly hot (early July) for the duration of our holiday and we were glad to have booked a couple of extra days of relaxation at the L'Albara which had an excellent pool. It also had air conditioning which we considered an essential feature during our stay. Unfortunately we were moving on on a Monday when a couple of the best reviewed villas were closed. Cycling was generally easy and flat apart from the climb up to Hotel Lussana with four hairpin bends, and the final day with a climb up and down hills before our last stop at Il Feudo. Generally we were very impressed by the very many cycle paths in this area.
Excellent organisation. Extremely enjoyable. Highly recommended!
Fantastic holiday, we did not choose the Gastronomic tour as we prefer to explore for ourselves. Be aware though that restaurants close on different days and are all well supported by locals so without reservations you may not get a table! We ate at some amazing places with no English menu, just what we enjoy...but take your phrase book. Everywhere we ate we had excellent food and wine. Veal features on the menu in many forms along with hazelnuts! The scenery was stunning and mileage travelled each day very manageable. We would strongly recommend electric bikes, unless you are a Club level cyclist many of the hills go on and on. My husband who cycles regularly at home on a road bike found the ordinary bike heavy and inappropriate. My electric bike was amazing!!
This was our honeymoon trip, and I can safely say overall it was a brilliant experience. The hotels were excellent, the food and restaurants selected gave us a good variety and experience of what that part of Italy had to offer. Transfers and bag drops worked very well, and the support team were readily available for queries and help when needed.
We feel more information should have been available about the longer routes, and better advice about suitability of gearing and types of bikes needed in advance of the trip (we wanted to take our own bikes). The longer optional routes have some very steep sections and even a seasoned club rider would need gearing lower than is standard on most road bikes.
In general the holiday was good. Some of the hotels (eg Portopalo Suite, Ferro Hotel) were not of the usual Headwater standard in particular with regard to location. Some outdoor space and perhaps a pool would have been nice. Torre Dantona and Villa Favorita were far more what we expected. We loved both of these places.
The holiday was excellent. The hotels and food was great, we did flag one restaurant that needs to be changed. Our only negative point would be that the steepness of the routes were not reflective of the grade of holiday and we found this quite unpleasant. I think you need to offer e-bikes only! We made it though and the sense of achievement I guess is greater!
Good cycling with some climbing in a fascinating part of Italy. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, but this is a poor part of the country and prepare to be alarmed by the amount of dumped rubbish by the roadside.
An excellent holiday and itinerary, embracing 5 fascinating baroque towns and 2 pleasant coastal resorts. The cycling is not particularly demanding and passes through some lovely countryside. Usually, there are a fair number of cafes/refreshment places on the route. Most of the roads are reasonably quiet although there is the occasional fairly busy road for short periods. The hotels chosen are very good, especially The Stephano Palace and Villa Favorita. Claudio, our representative, was charming, informative and very helpful. He came out to rectify a mechanical problem within an hour of being called. The whole trip worked seamlessly including the audio app and transport to and from the airport.
Food excellent. James very helpful.
Puglia is a super place to visit, the scenery is stunning, the towns so beautiful and interesting, the routes well planned and the assistance wonderful.
We wouldn't have done this type of holiday if it hadn't been packaged by some one else. It felt like good value for money. I can't think of anything that I would have wanted to be different.
Great holiday. The route was full of contrasts between the coast and rural inland areas. We preferred the inland areas with the olive groves, stunning wildflowers, trulli and drystone walling. The coastal sections were tainted by the amount of rubbish everywhere. The routes were generally quiet. Sufficient challenge provided by hills and length of ride to make the cycling interesting without being exhausting. In the countryside motorists were considerate to cyclists.
We used the GPS in conjunction with the paper instructions. Be aware that your phone may overheat and shut down. The screen can be hard to see in bright sunlight. The battery may not have the capacity to last the day so you need to have a backup/charger. Excellent organisation from Headwater and the local operator - Antonio.
Superb a real sensory experience.
The holiday was about as good as it gets, especially the accommodation and food, which was often provided in nearby restaurants. The only worrying glitch was a vey late cancellation of our flight from Gatwick to Turin. Morgan at Headwater dealt with this efficiently and quickly arranged an alternative flight from London City to Milan.
Beautiful countryside, friendly, full of culture and excellent food and wine. Cycling not too onerous but there are some hills which are well worth it for the view.
Puglia is a great place for cycling, and the food and accommodation were excellent. We used ebikes, which were revelatory for us, opening up the possibility of resuming cycle touring which it seemed our knees had put beyond reach. The GPS navigating system, while not perfect, did allow much easier navigation than with paper maps and written instructions, making for a more relaxing holiday.
The towns in this region are welcoming, interesting and attractive (especially Alberobello), all the accommodation was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine and the wines. However, as the scenery is mostly olive groves and dry-stone walls, and the area is sparsely populated, the rides from place to place are less varied and hence slightly less interesting than other locations offered by Headwater. The most enjoyable ride was the "loop" from Alberobello through Locorotondo and Martina Franca.
My wife and I holidayed in Puglia in April, and are fair-weather cyclists. The grading we believe is more akin to 2 rather than 1+. The weather was sunny and warm; cycling in the higher temperatures expected later on in summer would have been tiring. Although there was one hiccup with a bike, the matter was resolved and the rep. helpful and attentive. Accommodation good throughout and at times pleasantly quirky.
Stunning scenery, with views you cannot capture on camera. Electric bikes essential unless you are extremely fit and able to cycle up hills easily.
The hotels and locations are very good, the optional riding days are also worth doing.
All but one of the restaurants was very good with lovely food and good service.
The reps,Phaedra and Paul were very helpful and friendly.
This a lovely part of rural northern Italy, highly recommend.
Our trip was excellent. We have taken many enjoyable Headwater holidays and this is one of our favourites. We cycled through beatuful Spring countryside with flowering orchards and wildflowers. The accommodation was delightful and made the most of the historical features. The food at the Masseria was amazing. The local people were friendly and spoke a lot of English.
This is a brilliant location for cycling. We chose it because we have both had hip replacements in the past year, but even so, we would have liked one or two more challenging days on the bike. We doubled up some days and went “off piste” a couple of times. Italian cities, other than Venice, are very cycle friendly. James Robertson is a superb rep for Headwater, hands on in his teaching us to use the bike Satnav. He did not crowd us and was always there when he promised. Good guy.
Brilliant hotels, great food, wine and beer. fabulous scenery good weather (could have done without the mosquitoes), fine bikes, excellent rep BUT you are let down by the quality of the paper cycling directions which were in places totally inaccurate. If the holiday is going to be based around an app on a smart phone then make that clear. We have been on several cycling holidays in Europe and are experienced at following directions but on each of the first four days we had instances where the directions made no sense. By the fifth day we had lost confidence in them and didn't go on the last round trip. Some of the inaccuracies were just irritating but at least two were very concerning! I have details of the main inaccuracies if you are interested. It's a shame because we both enjoyed the holiday and with better directions would certainly have gone with your company again.
This was a wonderful holiday in all respects. We loved the family atmosphere at La Pietriccia, everyone was very friendly and helpful and the food was delicious. Stefano is passionate about the food he serves and was very happy to share his knowledge and expertise. He also helped us to amend the cycling routes to avoid some of the more difficult terrain, which was greatly appreciated. We expected hills but steep gravel tracks were challenging until we swapped to electric bikes for the last two days and it was a completely different experience. We would wholeheartedly recommend this holiday.
This is our second holiday with Headwater and both have been excellent. We enjoyed cycling Piedmond and the high standard of accommodation and food that was on offer. The two nights spent in every stop over is a great format giving one time to explore the area. Some of the cycling was challenging which we expected but were able to complete it successfully. However we feel the grading could possibly be reviewed and changed to a 2.5 We went in the third week of September and the weather was wonderful. Thanks to Headwater and also to Greg and Laura for all their advice and information on each village that we stayed in. Jim/Anne Sandy/Janet
We thoroughly enjoyed our gourmet cycling holiday in Piedmont. Everything was well organised. The scenery, the food and wine were all excellent. The Hotels were all different and very comfortable . All the hotels and meals were of a high standard. We were very glad that we had electric bilkes. We would have struggled on the very challenging hills in the beautiful weather, and would not have enjoyed our holiday so well. Unless very young or fit I would recommend e bikes. You will still have plenty exercise to earn your dinner! Although quite an expensive holiday it was good value for money.
GPS application for navigation is excellent. But ensure you have backup battery
Well organised and interesting range of accommodation. Interesting routes and good navigation aids.
Excellent but a bit hillier than expected.
We had a wonderful holiday. Tuscany is beautiful and La Pietriccia a little gem. Stefano (the owner) runs a highly efficient setup with his helpful and friendly staff. He is one of those rare men who can multi-task (!) whether it’s reorganizing our cycle routes, finding new routes for others, briefing groups, getting bicycles mended, cooking and so on and all with a smile and quick wit. We were impressed that groups were given GPS locators in case they got lost and so clearly a lot of thought had gone into making the best experience for guests. I would thoroughly recommend this holiday.
The holiday did exactly as described. This is an easy but highly enjoyable cycle.
This was our first single centre cycling holiday and was chosen because I have been troubled with a leg injury and we felt my wife could cycle if I could no. As it worked out we cycled every day! Our reservations about a single centre were quickly dispelled. The accommodation is run by a marvellous family who have created a wonderful ambience. After the cycling we relaxed in the grounds, cooled off in the pool, and finally dined on the full Italian evening meal. We are both vegetarian s and one gluten intolerance. The food was the best we have had in Europe.
The presence of a local rep was reassuring and James was always available but never intrusive.
If you want a Tour de France this holiday is not for you, if you want enjoyable cycling with time to soak up the local environment go for it.
Well done Headwater.
A wonderful adventure. Challenging cycling through stunningly beautiful countryside. Ending each day with fantastic food and wine in very comfortable hotels.
Pleasant rides, but a fair amount on relatively busy roads. Good and varied styles of hotels.
Excellent routes and good hotels, good reps
In all good holiday if you enjoy cycling.
Absolutely lovely, easy cycling through the beautiful Veneto countryside.
Staying at L’Albara was a real treat especially the invigorating swim after each day’s cycling.
James was very pleasant & obliging.
Please tell future clients to pack water bottles & a variety of snacks as there are no shops & very few cafes en route. Local supermarkets are +1.5km away from L’Albara.
GPS cycling worked well.
Enjoyable, well organised
We went on the PIedmont Gastronomic cycling 2 years ago so had a good idea what to expect this time. The accommodation was all of a very good standard and well chosen. All the accommodation had bags of character and made a fantastic change from staying in standard generic branded hotels. The cycling was easier than Piedmont but still a challenge in 30 - 32 degrees. Although, the bikes are fitted with non puncture tyres, we unfortunately suffered a puncture! We were unable to complete a roadside repair due to a combination of the extra thick tyre walls and flimsy tyre leavers supplied. However, Antonio from the support team quickly came to our rescue and we were soon back on the road. Overall, a very stress free, enjoyable holiday, cycling through beautiful countryside one moment and along side the Adriatic the next. Also great wine, superb food and lovely sunshine.
Excellent experience, so many lovely places and the accommodation was really good. Some of the hills were tougher than expected, but not impossible. The service from Donna when booking was outstanding. Great way to see Puglia which is largely unspoilt by tourism and the wine is fabulous. So many more memories than just a beach holiday,
This was a really good holiday, the cycling was challenging in the heat so we would recommend early morning starts or later in the day cycling! Stefano the agritourismo owner could not have been more helpful and informative, the hotel was charming and all the staff very good and helpful. The food was really excellent and we would definitely recommend taking up the option of the wine and food event in the local town. Have already recommended this holiday to friends.
Avoid taking this holiday in August. We loved the holiday but it was too hot.
An fantastic way to see the region with a host that makes you feel like you're home
Relaxing, peaceful cycling in the Italian sunshine; great home-made food and wine at the agriturismo.
Very good but we took time to adjust to the mobile phone app instructions and the volume on the app was too low even with the phone on highest volume. We would prefer bike computers and detailed maps as this is what we are used to.
James was the best Headwater representative that we have ever encountered. His knowledge & summary of the area was excellent. The bikes, bag collection & transfer excellent. He could run the company! Thank you for one of the best holidays ever. We will be back for another Headwater holiday.
Well planned holiday. Cultural notes and cycling instructions excellent. Picture book countryside, very high standard food offerings everywhere. Our rep James was lovely and helpful.
Memorable holiday. Will definitely travel with Headwater again if still able to . Had a splendid holiday with HW also about 15 years ago cycling through Umbria.
This is our third holiday with Headwater and we very much enjoyed our experience. The Barolo Gastronomic cycling trip in Piedmont was excellent with amazing countryside.
Our first time to Puglia and we loved the rural relatively undeveloped charm of this part of Italy! Acres of cherry, fig and olive orchards, a pretty coastline and towns with narrow streets and ancient buildings that have been there for centuries.
An adventure and yes, it certainly provided "contrasts" of Puglia. We found Italian people (including drivers) friendly and very accommodating, they made us feel very welcome, especially the farmer who brought us 2 ice cold bottles of water and offered us a shaded bench in his garden to eat our lunch!
A delightful holiday in the Veneto. L’Albara provides comfortable, relaxing and welcoming farmhouse accommodation and the food is excellent. The region offers plenty of opportunities for interesting visits and the cycling is predominantly flat and on very quiet roads or cycle tracks. We cycled to Este and Padova, which although long rides were worth the effort. If you go to Padova a visit to the Scrovegni Chapel is highly recommended - book in advance on line to be sure of getting in. The Palazzo Bo is also fascinating. James our holiday rep was very helpful, especially in helping with the App for the rides. We made our own way to Mestre railway station having spent a few days in Venice and the travel arrangements arranged by Headwater all worked perfectly. A lovely holiday.
This was a very relaxed holiday, all the hotels were in the countryside where the views were lovely, the air clean and the environment quiet and peaceful.
Very good but you are not cheap.
Although graded as "easy", there was a particularly "challenging" prolonged uphill stretch to reach Teolo, where I had to get off and push but Teolo was so worth it. The Villa Lussana provided the best accommodation and vegetarian food on the trip. It was good to have a variety of individual styles of accommodation.
We are not into Apps and downloads, so our Rep provided us with excellent detailed written route instructions, having just recently cycled the route himself. We enjoyed meeting up with other cyclists for the 2 nights spent at Villaganzerla and with 2 walkers at Galzignano. I am not a competent cyclist and it had been some time since I was on a bike, so there was a certain sense of achievement at having completed the route unscathed!
We found the Trulli house rather dark, cold and uncomfortable but an experience. i would suggest that the tour only offers one night there. Eating well at night proved difficult, everywhere was booked the first night and the we did not know that Tuesday evenings is the night restaurants close there, so that night we has almost no choice along with most of the other tourists there.
Headwater came through as a very ambitious counterparty. The planning and execution of our tour was professional, excellent route notes and good accommodation.
Contrast of Puglia - just as it says - contrast in accommodation, cycling inland and to the coast, food different in each area - perfect mixed holiday
Excellent holiday. Very helpful and friendly Headwater staff. Be honest with yourself with regards your fitness for long uphill rides
Great food, beautiful scenery, cycling level wrong it is tough, some routes not good. not enough choice, but overall enjoyable holiday.
Well organised, reps were lovely and very helpful.
Cycle route is definitely more than 1 bike
Our party of 10 really enjoyed the Puglia cycling trip. The route is well chosen and delivered comprehensively by the GPS app. Logistics re luggage and bike support were excellent. Accommodation choices were spot on. We felt privileged to stay at these impressive locations and found a very warm welcome at each.
Cycling through the Veneto area allowed us to get a feel for rural Italy and the people who live there, as well as to experience the history of the area. The route takes you primarily through farmland and, since our trip was in October and after harvest time, many of the fields were plowed so we missed some of the greenery that probably characterizes the area in summer. We enjoyed visiting Vicenza on one of our non-cycling days and also had the opportunity to take a bus to Padova, a larger and more modern city than we thought. Sarah was attentive to our needs throughout the trip.
Headwater provide good all round holidays for active people. Their staff both in England and abroad are efficient, but I would suggest you be careful before you decide which level/grade of cycling holiday you chose. I have done 8 Headwater holidays and I think this one in Puglia should have been rated a 2 star, not lower. It was quite challenging in places - not too much so but this needs to be noted.
Cycling in lovely countryside with places of interest to see. Evenings spent in comfortable hotels with good local food.
Puglia is a beautiful région which, in September isn’t crowded with tourists. The food and wines are delicious and the locals are very welcoming.
This was the first time that we've tried a single-centre cycling holiday and we're now hooked. The potential downsides would be if you don't like the accommodation you're stuck there for the whole week (but the accommodation on this holiday was perfect) and the cycling might be repetitive if there aren't enough different directions to go in (but on this holiday the cycle routes went in all directions with only a few short stretches repeated). The upsides are not having to pack and unpack every couple of days, you can pick and choose where to go each day (and in our case skip a day when the weather was against us, and then double-up on a later day to make sure we didn't miss anything) and you feel like you're really getting to know the area that you're in. The RWGPS phone app is a fantastic new addition; it didn't matter who was in front as we both heard the same instructions, and afterwards you can see exactly where you've cycled - even down to the detail of where one of us was chased by a wasp around a car park! To top things off, this was the best place we've ever stayed abroad for understanding vegetarianism - no need to worry that a bit of fish or chicken might creep onto the menu. Overall, a great holiday!
Well-organised holiday, drawing on deep experience of the area, tried and well-tested, excellent hotels, supported by great staff.
We had a great holiday. The cycling was really good fun. The navigation system was brilliant. Most hotels were of a good standard and many were quirky and interesting
An excellent well thought out holiday, that undoubtedly made the best of a beautiful region whilst taking into consideration finding pleasant roads, interesting places, well-placed rest stops and good hotels. The route app on the phone made navigation really easy.
A truly gastronomic experience! An excellent introduction to the food, wines and culture of Piedmont. The cycling was sometimes frustratingly hilly but that is the nature of vineyards!
We have enjoyed at least 10 Headwater holidays since our first ride in the Loire in 2002, and the Gastronomic Barolo would have to be one of the best.
We have enjoyed at least 10 Headwater holidays since our first time cycling in the Loire and as we have travelled all the way from Perth in Australia, we obviously love our Headwater experiences. Gastronomic Barolo Cycling is probably the best in terms of countryside, scenery, accommodation, fantastic cuisine and helpful rep. But I suggest that grading of 2 bike is misleading as countryside is very hilly indeed. Thank goodness that my husband and I who are fit but 70 and 72 chose ebikes! Another couple in their late 60s struggled each day with the steep terrain and had to spend much time pushing their bikes. The weather was perfect for riding but it would have been very difficult if the temperatures were high. Another couple on the ride who are serious cyclists who ride regularly found some sections very difficult. Overall it was a great ride for us as it showed how enjoyable ebikes can be as we still got plenty of exercise to justify eating the amazing 4 course meals; enjoying the famous local wines and enjoying the company of fellow Headwater travellers.
A pleasurable experience cycling in Puglia
This was our fourth Headwater cycling holiday. All have been good, and this was at least as good, if not better, than the others. Contrasts of Puglia is an accurate description, and we feel we have got to know something of a previously unknown part of Italy. We enjoyed the routes, the accommodation and the food and wine of the area. We met some very friendly and courteous locals. We had a week of perfect cycling weather. It was a really good holiday.
Wonderful hotels, exquisite food and a friendly warm welcome from reps and hoteliers. The cycling was challenging at times but the uphills rewarded us with stunning views and we felt deserving of our gastronomic delights!
Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling lived up to its name as there is an opportunity to visit many villas in this area. We travelled during the grape harvest season and it was interesting to see both hand picking (especially around Cortela) and mechanical harvesting and to taste wine near Cortela. Sarah Hall is an excellent rep with 10 years experience and knowledge of the area and the routes. She keeps the bicycles in immaculate condition, and provided a comprehensive briefing and was always available if needed. The Villa Lussana Hotel was our favourite with wonderful views and delicious meals. We should have done more research on sights to see in Padua and Vicenza to make more use of the day trips. We added 3 nights at the Hotel Kette in Venice which was in a good location but very touristy compared to the relatively quiet and non-tourist cycling. Great trip overall and easy to add to the Coastal Croatia Cycling as we did that trip first and caught the ferry from Porec to Venice then on to Vicenza.
Excellent routes through lovely rural Italy. First &I last accommodation very disappointing because we thought we would enjoy basic country accommodation &I enjoy the food & wine of the area - we felt this was not the case at this accommodation. Food &I wine at Il Feudo were very poor - accommodation not good - rooms hot &stuffy - noisy -bed not comfortable & very poor lighting.
We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would recommend it to other travellers.
Wonderful again!! Our fifth holiday with you & again it was perfect. Perfectly organised routes so that we didn't need to see our great reps from start to finish! Beautiful, well considered hotels which all had really positive things to say about Headwater guests!
We all throughly enjoyed our cycling in the Veneto. The food and accommodation were excellent as was the pool at the end of the day! The family were extremely welcoming and we enjoyed out trip around the farm. Sarah couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. The routes were well planned and the gps talking to us made our journeys easy, without having to look at a map all of the time.
It was great to stay in one place all week and not have to move on to different hotels. Also we liked the accommodation with swimming pool and the food was fantastic
The cycling was easy and enjoyable. We will probably hire electric bikes next trip which will open up a bigger choice of cycle rides
A great holiday, virtually traffic free rides, excellent food and lovely scenery. A brilliant combination of cultural cities (if you wish to visit them) and rural isolation. However, consider the best time to go - the temperature hit 42 degrees & humidity was very high which made cycling difficult (4-13 July). We were the only guests at our first three holels and owners told us they consider July to be low season due to the heat. If you were expecting to meet other travellers you could be disappointed. On the other hand places of interest were not crowded & we didn't need to queue with the exception of Venice.
After three outstanding trips with Headwater previously (twice to Italy, and once to Spain), we were wondering whether our 4th excursion, 'Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling' could possibly live up to our high expectations. We were looking for an interesting and relaxing break that would immerse us in the Italian culture and suit the mixed cycling abilities of our group (two couples). This holiday managed to satisfy us all. While most of the routes were relatively flat, there were a few more challenging hills and options along the way. Highlights (just to list a few) included exploring the neighborhoods and museums of Vicenza and Padua, getting lost in the maze at Valsanzibio gardens, taking in the view from Villa Lussana after an exhilarating cycle up to Teolo, and the welcoming family atmosphere at L'Albara agriturismo (not to mention delicious meals they conjured up from homegrown produce). To surprise one of our party, we requested a birthday cake along the way. Our rep Sarah wisely chose Villa Lussana as the place for the surprise, and their experienced chef produced an amazing fruit flan right on cue, which helped make the event very special and memorable. There were a couple of slight disappointments - a room 'upgrade' that was of a lower specification than a standard room, and as seasoned Headwater fans we missed the detailed route notes that we've had every other time - but these are only minor niggles that did not detract from what was otherwise an excellent holiday, and great value for money. Thank you, Headwater, and we look forward to our next trip with you - wherever that may be!
From the moment our agent Antonio picked us up from the airport we have been looked after so well. The cycle route and accommodation was carefully thought out. My only concern is that the cycling in my opinion was not for beginners as there were some quite challenging inclines on a few busy roads. Overall a tremendous experience.
A superb blend of countryside cycles and splendid evening meals. Our local representatives Greg and Laura were consistently helpful; rescuing our bikes when needed, and proactively working out a new route for us when they realised a car rally would make the original journey planned for that day impossible. The restaurants were varied but all delightful. The unanticipated June heatwave made some of the uphill stretches a little more challenging than might be expected from its grading
Of our 3 Headwater cycling holidays this was the best. The accommodation was better and the cycling was the right amount although we skipped the circular route around Alberobello. The hard copy route guides were better than previous ones and the GPS app with the handle bar bracket worked brilliantly once one had sussed it out. We were fortunate that the bracket was just big enough to hold our phones; it was not big enough to hold the larger smart phones.
This holiday is well organised with reliable backup available if needed. Although we were initially sceptical we found the Ride with GPS system was good when the printed out notes were ambiguous! It would be nice to have more descriptive notes on points of interest on the itinerary. The cycling was varied and on interesting and not too hilly routes often with lovely views to enjoy. We were slightly disappointed with the quality of food, apart from at the Villa Lussana, as it didn't live up to our expectations of what we have enjoyed previously with Headwater. Also breakfasts could be a bit variable in what was offered e.g. in the Belvedere Resort ai Colli there was a 5 Euro extra charge if you wished cheese or cold meat or eggs while in other hotels these were included. On the whole we were made to feel very welcome but I would certainly recommend bringing a travel kettle if like us you enjoy a cup of tea as they clearly do not understand how to make decent tea and also charge a lot for it! Air conditioning is an absolute necessity and it was also of variable efficiency in the different accommodations, actually blowing the lights in the L'Albara Agriturismo when we tried to turn it up a little. However each place had different pros and cons e.g. L.'Albara had wonderful baking and fruit and the freshest lettuce straight from the vegetable garden even thought the main courses were pretty dire! We also had the best Tira Misu I have ever tasted and the pool was a real bonus! In summary a great holiday so long as you are prepared for a variety of accommodation and standards of food,
A gentle introduction to the Veneto Plain based at a very welcoming agriturismo.
Really pleased we chose this tour. Fantastic location, food and wine. We were lucky to have great weather and tour reps (Laura and Greg), that certainly helped. The cycling was tough at times in the heat, so glad we had water and could top up at fountains. Invariably there was a tough hill climb to the hotel destination, Peidmont is all about hill top locations, however the reward of a nice room, shower and dip in the pool made it worthwhile before dinner. Hotel staff were friendly and welcoming. We would do a similar tour again without question. Thanks Headwater!
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Puglia. We were very pleased with all the accommodation. The route took us through beautiful and vary varied countryside from olive groves and cherry orchards to coastal villages - in other words truly 'contrasts of Puglia'. The people we met were very friendly and helpful and the drivers considerate giving us a warning beep before overtaking. The food and wine on offer was generally locally produced and we felt it was an important part of the Puglia experience. Travelling mid-May meant, however, that the weather was much warmer than was currently the case in England and therefore we found cycling the uphill stretches in 24 degree or higher full sun quite challenging and it gets warm early in the day. We cycled last year in the Veneto - level 1 - and found the Puglia holiday - 1+ - much more difficult with some very steep hills and some very hilly sections. We are all year cyclists not averse to hills but we are over 65. The people we met were very friendly and helpful and the drivers considerate giving us a warning beep before overtaking. Overall it was an enjoyable adventure with lot to see and learn which is what we look for in a cycling holiday. .
We have had a wonderful holiday with Headwater. Everything was well organised and thought out. We have cycled through gorgeous countryside, with great scenery and the majority on quiet country roads. Perfect as always somewhere nice to stop and have lunch on route and cheaply, eaten miles too much but then have cycled it off 🙂
Excellent holiday but, perhaps, not so much n the shoulder season.
We did have a good holiday but experience could have been much better for reasons stated above and below.
Lovely place to stay, great food. Wine a little expensive at the farm.
Good healthy weeks holiday
Easy pedalling in the sun with local cuisine and a great chance to be somewhere where English is hardly spoken!
Mostly excellent, but disappointed there were more main roads than on previous cycling trips with Headwater.
In our opinion Alberobello should be dropped - too much of a tourist trap and not a 'Headwater' type destination.
A healthy way to explore a new part of the world, if you want it to be! Very easy to reward oneself after a cycle with fine wine and food, but after all it is a holiday! Travelling self guided allows one to be completely flexible, but others might prefer to have a leader to avoid unnecessary cycling, should one take the wrong route.
Would certainly recommend this type of holiday for a group of friends.
Great cycling holday for those that want plenty of excellent scenery without too much effort - routes were easy to follow and a good 1 bike holiday. The only slight downside is the accomodation is quite remote so after the evening meal there is no where to go, but of course lots of chatter about the days experiences with fellow guests.
The Heart of Veneto cycling tour was a very positive experience for us. The rides were interesting, the distances appropriate and the cycling notes were very clear. Sarah, our Headwater rep, was very helpful and approachable. L’Albara, our Agriturisimo accommodation, was perfectly fine, the farm interesting and the meals delicious but there wasn’t a lot to do in the evenings. Happily, we became acquainted with 3 friendly, fellow cyclists from Britain and at our dinners every evening we shared the day’s experiences amid laughter and lively conversation. We would definitely choose Headwater again but would choose a tour on which we would stay in a different place every evening,
Great holiday. The cycling was easy with the odd tougher bits but they were short lived. Varied scenery with coast and countryside. The notes/directions were at times diddicult to follow and really need updating because signs have fallen down or gone altogether and new roads have been built with new layouts so the notes are out of date. Monopoli is really lovely Palazzo Indelli is well situated right in the pretty main square. The rooms vary so if you are booking a standard room ask for the larger ones at the back of the hotel because the one we were given at the end of our trip was tiny and noisy being on the side at the front. Corte Altavilla is nice too but the staff on reception were unhelpful and grumpy. I am a coeliac and despite telling them in advance it was the only hotel that did not provide anything for me at breakfast other than fruit. The restaurant in the hotel for the evening was very good. Alberobella unfortunately has rather sold its soul and is very over commercialised. The Trulli are nice but we would have preferred some outside space as they are rather dark. Masseria Salamina is fabulous we had a huge room and you really feel like you are staying in a castle. The swimming pool was lovely and we really enjoyed our stay here. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable trip and we are now looking for another one!
Despite being in a National Park, this was a less rural holiday than we were expecting. While some of the routes are rural in nature, you are never out of sight of a dwelling and you are on, or next to, or crossing, busy roads quite a lot of the time. Italy is also home to a plague of noisy motor bikes and scooters but I guess this is part of the culture! That said, the hotels and the food were mostly very good. We did an extra two days in Teolo which worked well and gave us two days in Padua (easy bus ride) as well as a pleasant local hike. Rep Sarah was as good as we had been led to believe and gave us a most detailed briefing. Her route notes were also excellent.
A very enjoyable cycling holiday exploring the less known areas west of Venice.
The holiday certainly lived up to its name: Contrasts of Puglia. We enjoyed beautiful places both in town and in country. Weather conditions ranged from bright sunshine and blue skies to thunder-storm deluges --- but with the offer of alternative transport on the wettest days. Italian food was wonderful. Overall, it was a memorable week, and we are looking forward to a next time.
We had a great week touring Piedmont on our pushbikes Most of the days rides were quite challenging with some steep climbs but fortunately the distances we travelled were quite short We were blessed with fantastic weather in September so the secret was to set off promptly after a great breakfast each day to get to your destination before mid-afternoon and the hottest part of the day
The standard of hotels is very good although the air conditioning in a couple of them was not really very effective The hosts & locals were all very friendly whenever we stopped or needed directions The pre-arranged meals were all of a high standard and there are plenty of excellent places for lunch on the routes
The roads were always pretty much traffic free with occasional tractors & trailers passing laden with grapes
The guest exclusive secluded pool at the Albergo Castiglione deserves a special mention & I will remember our picnic lunch by the pool brought down by the hotel owner & two beautiful daughters on a baking hot day for a long time
All the route plans were accurate & realistic with several options on some days The bikes themselves worked well and the support team Dan & Cat were discreet but attentive
Finally the food, every meal was enjoyable ranging from a delightful local trattoria in the village to the award winning castle. No matter how hard you try I suspect you will eat too much of it! All the hosts seemed happy to advise you & would often let you drink it by the glass rather than the whole bottle if you wanted
This was an excellent holiday & I think reflects Headwaters long experience in organising these sort of trips Well Done
Puglia is a fabulous area of Italy. A great variety of terrain with scenic routes.
Exercise, fresh air, excellent food and drink and, as ever with Headwater, getting to know a new area pretty well.
Perfect. What far better than we could have imagined. The accommodation, food and quality of the cycles were all excellent.
Le Langhe in Piedmont - one of Italy's best kept secrets - a mecca for food and wine lovers, with breathtaking scenery.
Cycling from Slovenia was a great experience. Dependent on flight times though, I would suggest just one night in Ljubljana and an extra night in Bled. I agree with other reviewers, that it would have been good to spend more time in Slovenia. The local agent was very helpful and gave us a full briefing using his computer which was very helpful. This was the best briefing we have had from a Headwater 'agent'.
The cycling spectacular and easily the best scenery we have had on any Headwater trip although the cycling was generally easy (this was good!) - even on the long days. The parts of the cycle on old railway lines were particularly good - and easy, due to shade despite it being hot. I would actually grade the hotel as 1 not 1+
The Veneto cycling was not as spectacular as our previous week. We enjoyed it though. A good opportunity to see a different less touristy part of Italy. We particularly enjoyed staying in the agriturismo which are friendly and welcoming.
This was our first experience with Headwater. We were extremely impressed and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Our local Rep Sarah was helpful and informative. She knew the area extremely well and had clearly worked hard to develop helpful contacts and provide useful and interesting information about the area we were cycling in. She provided excellent notes and maps and obviously had good relationships with the hotel owners which helped us to feel cared for and welcomed. Sarah is literally the best holiday rep that we have ever encountered. We are full of admiration and gratitude and will definitely book with Headwater again.
Great holiday overall. L'Albara lovely place to stay, family very welcoming and evening meals and wine delicious. Hannah also very delighted to have cake for breakfast every morning!
Transfer from MarcoPolo to Venice mestre and then train to Vincenza quite tiring and a bit stressful.
Probably worth suggesting at booking the option for a taxi transfer ( I know this is mentioned in the brochure)
Very good, but next time would try a higher grade of route
Beautiful quiet region of Italy. Family at L'Albara are very welcoming. The food is excellent. A real get away from it all experience. This is our second visit and it was just as good the second time. Would happily go back again.
A superb holiday, tailored exactly to our needs and specifications. Our reception from our reps, Luke and Eleanor, was outstanding: nothing was too much. Very personable and up-beat - exactly what you want on holiday. Headwater's hotels are second to none, in perfect locations and with wonderful facilities. I can not recommend Headwater holidays high enough.
This was our first cycling holiday abroad so we were looking for a central base from which we could explore on a daily basis rather than living out of suitcases. With hindsight I'm not sure we could have chosen better. The accommodation was superb (in particular Angelina's cooking!), the cycle routes of the right length (such that we had time to ride the mornings and relax in the afternoons) and there were opportunities to visit Vicenza or go further afield.
Thoroughly recommended.
the provision of laundry local laundry services would be much appreciated.
Great holiday. Our rep Sarah was really helpful and ensured everything ran smoothly. Was sick on first day of arrival. Sarah and the people running the hotel helped me straight away so that I was able to get better and enjoy a great holiday. The scenery is stunning and people so friendly and helpful. Also the food was delicious in every place we stayed. You would pay an awful lot for that standard of food in the UK. We went in July so the weather was really hot in the afternoon so make sure you take lots of shade and water breaks.Was a fun holiday.
A lovely week of gentle rides on quiet roads through beautiful countryside. At the end of the day we could look forward to a few hours relaxing by the pool at the wonderful agriturismo L'Albara, before a truly magnificent evening meal. We loved every minute.
Great way to explore Italy.
Overall we really enjoyed the holiday and will be looking to book again. We chose the holiday for the gastro experience and really enjoyed the mix of restaurants from Michelin starred to more local / rustic. However we felt that the guide notes could have provided a brief summary of the restaurants to assist with expectations as some were really upmarket requiring smarter dress and had expensive wine, while others were more local where casual dress was acceptable and had reasonable wine prices. We also found some of the gradients challenging and thought that this holiday should have been graded 2 x bicycles+. Finally, we learnt by experience that shops shut on different days and afternoons. Unfortunately, we found ourselves without water on occasions despite reading the notes. For example, on route to Monteforte we did not stock up on water as the guide notes said that there were bars and shops. Unfortunately on arrival on Wednesday all shops were all shut meaning that we had to buy water from a bar at inflated prices. A line in each town description to show shop closing day would have assisted greatly. Hopefully, these points will be taken as constructive to help others as we really did have a great time.
This is a beautiful part of the world. some of the nicest scenery we have cycled through. I think possibly the nicest hotels and food [apart from 2 nights see below] we have enjoyed. BUT it is hard!! There is more climbing on this route than we have experienced before on other 2 bike routes. I think this does need flagged up. The 2 women in their mid 60s found the going very tough on the first day - over 900metres of climbing. BUT our excellent reps jumped to the rescue and produced e- bikes for the 2 elderly ladies! What a transformation - we could enjoy the rides- the views- and our husbands did not have the worry about us! Highly to be recommended on [in our opinion]this 3 bike holiday.On 2 nights we had to travel to a restaurant . this meant we had the same menu 2 nights running -for a non meat eater- the fish was poor. It was not a great ambience. We did speak to the reps about it. the food elsewhere was largely extraordinary and the hotels that only did breakfasts gave excellent breakfasts.
We did not find your new map system helpful. the route notes mentioned names of places that were not on your new maps. Thankfully our reps provided proper maps at our request.
Well planned and organised, good routes accurately described, very helpful staff.
Loved this little known area, which was perfect for easy cycling. Good variety of cycling ; quiet roads, alongside canals and dedicated cycle paths. Sarah our rep couldn't have been better and was always working hard for us to get the most out of our holiday. Loved Albara, which had a pool which was a bonus in our hot weather (30s). There is another holiday option to stay here as a base for week, I would think this would work well , as it was our favourite stopover out of the four we stayed at. Food and wine excellent all the way round and plenty of places to stop enroute.
Generally an excellent service but based on past experience will only go for future holidays with you where a Headwater rep is involved rather than an agent
This was our first cycling holiday, we are both reasonably fit but not regular cyclists so this was an excellent introduction.we found the routes fairly straight forward and enjoyable with the route notes easy to follow as long as we didn't read too far ahead (short term memory problems!). All the hotels were very good in their different ways , we ate well everywhere but the stand out food was at the Villa Lussana in Teolo. unfortunately we missed the ride to Teolo because of an extremely heavy thunder storm but Sarah our Rep picked us up and transfered us. The day wasn't wasted though, we were able to do a lovely circular walk later on in the afternoon to set us up for the first of our fabulous evening meals there. We took a bus into Padua on the rest day, well worth doing, we visited the Scrovegni Chapel and the the University to see the anatomy theatre. The two nights at the Agritourismo L' Albara were very convivial and the pool was lovely. To sum up, we had a great time, Sarah our rep was extremely helpful and helped make our holiday .
Bikes excellent. Lunches en route excellent. Accommodation a bit mixed.
This is the second holiday package organized by Headwater and both experiences have been simply great. We love you guys! Thank you so very much!
We've noticed Headwater doesn't have a package for Greece, please do so! Let us know about it.
The holiday, although accurately described etc,, the reality exceeded my expectations! Thoroughly enjoyed every moment. The meals, wines, and accommodation were all of a consistently high standard - without pretension or ostentation - a testament to the Italians respect and belief in the quality of their products. The countryside and people were also amazing, acts of kindness from strangers showed me several times what it means 'to go the extra mile'. The cycle routes are well designed, as is the holiday that alternates cycle days with rest days.
This was an interesting area of Italy and our holiday passed all too quickly with the usual Headwater mix of cultural visits and, of course cycling. The routes were well selected and mostly on cycle paths. Food was great. We didnt visit Padua, Vincenza or Venice as we preferred to explore the countryside. Otherwise the holiday was pretty much as described in the brochure.
Thoroughly enjoyable holiday in a beautiful unspoilt part of Southern Italy. The people here are incredibly friendly, not just in the hotels but everywhere. The cycling wasn't too strenuous and the 7km descent into Capitolo was exhilarating ! All the hotels were of a very good standard. Enjoyed staying in the Trulli house even though Alberobello can become very busy with day trippers but our favourite place was the Masseria Salamina, (keep some space in the luggage to stock up on their excellent home produced extra virgin olive oil) ! The food in this region is wonderful with a good choice of restaurants at all the locations except Prezze di Greco where the evening meal is included. This was our 12th Headwater cycling holiday and it lived up to expectations.
No comment - the unseasonal weather curtailed cycling on one day (thunderstorms) so this did affect the overall holiday experience with another day that was also wet.
We were very lucky with the weather and this is important when on a cycling holiday! The accommodation was varied and highly suited to starting and ending a days cycling. We loved the routes which were through beautiful countryside ( isn't this lovely! I kept saying) and which provided us with convenient coffee and lunch stops. The cycling was spot on for a 1 cycle ride but it also offered more hilly routes is we wished to challenge ourselves. We soon found we had total confidence in the route notes and once when we went wrong I said - Sarah would never send us down this road! And I was right. You have to be a little flexible - one of our routes was blocked off by a motorcycling event but we were able to use the notes to rejoin the trail. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the delicious local wine. I made friends with my bike and always looked forward to the next day's expedition. Great holiday!
We went for our honeymoon and the holiday was a perfect mixture of challenging cycling with beautiful views, lovely hotels and fantastic food.
Puglia is a fantastic part of Italy to visit - a real hidden gem - and a perfect location for cycling. We were lucky with the weather and got a good week but the weather in April can be variable (i.e. cooler and wetter than we had). Beautiful countryside and lovely coastline with proper beaches. Excellent food and friendly people, We would go back again.
April was a beautiful time of year to travel to Puglia; lovely weather for cycling and the fields were full of wildflowers, cherry blossom, flowering mimosas etc. Although the cycling was all on roads, they were mainly very quiet, country lanes and we found the Italian drivers surprisingly patient and respectful of cyclists. The route deserved its 1 1/2 bike rating; it certainly seemed a bit more strenuous than the previous '1 bike' holiday we had done and we were very glad not to be tackling it in the heat of summer. This was our second Headwater holiday as a family and we think the formula works well for both us and the children (aged 11 and 13). They particularly embraced the Italian love of gelati!
A beautiful part of the world made even more special by great hotels, great food and great cycling
A lovely rural part of northern Italy with a number of quiet country roads, largely traffic free, to enjoy. The relative closeness of Vicenza and Padua gives the opportunity also to experience a number of cultural and architectural delights. Add to this the wonderful food prepared at The L'Albara Agriturismo and this is a holiday to savour.
Pleasant cycling through mix of peaceful rural landscapes and historic coastal and plateau towns. Although experienced cycle tourists we found the cycling more tiring than expected due to the heat, even in early October, so were glad that the distances were relatively short. Puglian food lived up to its reputation and the local wines recommended by the rep were enjoyable. All the hotels had spacious and well equipped rooms - though we did benefit from an upgrade for the base hotel as the normal one was full. Detailed route notes a great relief after getting minimal and inaccurate ones last year with another company. Unplanned highlight was doing the 7km downhill run while road closed to cars as a proper cycle race came up.! Although not mentioned in the brochure, Monopoli is well connected to the rest of Italy by train, and the station is within walking distance (20 min) of hotel. So we negotiated a reduction in package cost as not needing a transfer to Bari, and made the cycling week the centre of an Italian / French train tour.
Great holiday. Everything just worked. Reps were helpful and knowledgable. Hotels and food were amazing. Cycling up the hills was hard work but all worth it when you reached the view at the top.
Good accommodation, clear instructions and good cycling. Met interesting people. Guides were very friendly and helpful.
Very good holiday overall, in a very interesting area. Route notes were at times inaccurate and ambiguous, which made the ride more like a treasure hunt!
All the hotels and accommodation were of a high standard and staff very friendly and helpful. Bikes were ok but not as good as the Headwater branded ones that we had in Burgundy last year. We would strongly recommend a Headwater holiday.
We were well looked after in all aspects of the holiday, from the comprehensive introductory talk, which was both entertaining and full of useful bits of information, through the well-planned and comprehensive route notes, to the excellent accommodation and surroundings of the rides.
Very well organised lovely places to visit !!!!
Puglia is a great destination for a cycling holiday. Hotels were welcoming, helpful and of good standard.But you definitely need better arrangements for route checking/updating and translation of self-guiding instructions, which misrepresented a number of key instructions, resuling in errors and distress. You continue to give paper instructions which don't fit the holders. Other companies provide mileometers and satnavigation
This is our 7th cycling holiday with Headwater and once again we have had a really enjoyable holiday.
This holiday does 'what it says on the tin' - provides accomodation, meals & cycling with a rep available as required.
The accomodation was a bit too far out of town for my liking - once dinner was over at 9:30 - 10.00 there was not much else to do.
s a solo traveller, I had several days when there were no other guests to talk to, despite Headwater implying there was limited space avilable when I booked..
Finally, as a non-drinker, I was disappointed in the lack of alternative drinks at dinner: water or water.
Apart from these small gripes I had a great time and loved cycling in the countryside. The food at the accomodation was generally very good and certainly ample quantities.
This was a wonderful holiday. We have done a number of cycling holidays in Italy with different tour operators and this was by far and away the best. Such beautiful landscape, food and wine and so un touristy. We didn't meet a single Brit. The hotels were simply fabulous and Headwater organisation faultless. We are a 70 and 65 year old who for various reasons had not managed do as much cycling this summer as we had intended and the cycling was challenging but we managed it. Hills meant wonderful views at every turn and then a downhill glide, and most hills were very manageable in lowest gear, slow steady pedalling and plenty of stops to admire the views. The distances aren't huge so you can afford to take your time, and with 2 nights at every hotel, you can break up the cycling with a rest day. We enjoyed this aspect, especially as the hotels were so lovely, and it was nice not to be re packing the suitcase each morning. We will definitely choose Headwater again, but this holiday has spoilt me and I shall be looking for another gastronomic trip!!!
Really enjoyable, few small comments, maps were hard to read, water bottles ideally insulated, stands of bikes needed, lovely holiday, expensive especially because of euro/sterling exchange
It was well organised, the reps were great and we had a great time. The hotels were terrific, very comfortable, a great selection.
The Italians could be encouraged to look after their surroundings better .The amount of rubbish by the sides of the roads is awful .It's such a shame and detracts from the unspoilt countryside.The historic centres of the town's are really interesting and not crowded.
An Italian adventure. Excellent bikes, fabulous food. Sometimes the instructions were a challenge but generally ok. Accommodation was varied which added to the overall experience, The Masseria Salamina was exceptional. Our rep Dave was a joy .
Lovely cycling trip, local agents, hotels and bikes were very good. The Trulli hotel was interesting, but dark and lacking in facilities.
This was our 5th Headwater holiday. We like the attention to detail and the fact that we can rely on the equipment and the rep. We feel we are in good hands and that we can be sure of everything running smoothly. We enjoy meeting other Headwater customers.
(I have put myself in the 'over 64' bracket, but my son now age 31 has been coming on these holidays with me since he was in his teens, and continues to enjoy them)
This was our first experience of an activity holiday and none of us are experienced cyclists so we chose a grade one single centre holiday, whilst a little apprehensive after a hefty breakfast and a briefing from our excellent rep Sarah we set off on our first ride. The cycling was well graded and the route description very easy to follow, we did not get lost or go wrong at all during our weeks stay, best of all we were able to go at our own pace and explore some lovely countryside. Returning to our accommodation we were able to share experiences with the other groups over a glass or two of the local wines. We never thought we would find a cycling holiday relaxing but have returned home very chilled and despite the exercise about 5lbs heavier than when we started, which is a testament to the quality and quantity of the food. Thank you to all.
Excellent holiday. The holiday representatives are a credit to the company. We would certainly book another holiday with Headwater!
A great place to tour on cycles, local people and hospitality are excellent
This was a fantastic holiday mixing activity through cycling with culture by visiting Vicenza, Padua and Venice. It is great if you want an authentic holiday experience getting the feel of a country independently by cycling along country lanes and canal banks undisturbed by traffic and stopping at local markets or cafes for lunch with the security of knowing that a comfortable bed and good food awaits you at the end of a day. You feel you have earned the glass of wine and the lovely food using fresh local ingredients . The hotels were all different but individual and whilst not needed it is good to know that there is a local rep on hand to sort out any problems. It was 10 years since our last headwater cycling holiday but we were pleased that we still easily coped with the cycling and this holiday was the best mix of scenery, cycle routes, hotels and food out of the other 4 I have had over a 25 year period. Thank you for a great time.
We were a group of 9, who were made to feel most welcome. L'alhambra is in a beautiful setting, and the pool was most welcome after a hot days cycling. The evening meals were always delightful, using produce from the farm, breakfast was however a little un imaginative and we had to ask for eggs-which were then available every morning.
Sarah is very knowledgeable, whether your asking about pumping the tyres, local wine or the times of trains! She quickly found answers to our queries and made calls on our behalf. The wine tour and tasting at Catalunga was the highlight of the week- bigger saddle bags required!!
An extremely positive experience, wonderful accommodation and cuisine, superb support from the rep, gorgeous rides offered suitable to our experience, great fun and relaxing holiday had by all!
It was our first cycling holiday and both of us enjoyed the experience. The pool was excellent, the bikes excellent, the weather superb, and our hosts Valfrido and Angelina, their daughter Romina and son Frederico certainly made us welcome. If circumstances allowed, for we are both skiers, i think we would certainly entertain repeating the holiday. As we never cycled after 2 pm, we both thought the pool was an essential requirement. As for the food and drink. I can certainly believe it all comes from the farm, as it tasted so fresh, but this means only wine and water are served with the evening meal. Finally the rep, Sarah was organised and helpfull.
We almost always travel independently and avoid package holidays. However, we wanted to do a cycling holiday and were attracted by the idea of being able to cycle from place to place with our luggage transported. Headwater did not let us down - we felt we had all the advantages of independent travel (getting off the well-worn tourist routes, meeting local people and eating regional food) yet had backup if we wanted or needed it. Our rep, Sarah, was outstanding, friendly and knowledgeable and generous with her time. Cycle routes were clear and had plenty of suggestions for detours to places of interest, or to make the day's trip more or less taxing. We liked all the places where we stayed - the two hotels were polished and comfortable, a lovely complement to the country cooking and warm family atmosphere of the two agritourismi.
Booking was not entirely straight forward. I appreciate that we had different members of the party coming from different places - and indeed staying for different lengths of time -and with some dietary requests - but for me there is not the attention to detail that i would expect. I picked up several errors during the booking and invoicing procedures - that were just frustrating. Everything was eventually resolved but not without my going through every detail carefully. Unfortunately when one error arises one has to look even more closely at all the documentation- all of which was exceptionally time consuming.At all times I was dealt with politely, and am grateful for the written apology I received on this occasion .
However if one can push through this - your holidays are just superb.Recognising that we were fairly energetic, Sarah provided us with 2 extensions on the given routes which were just what some members needed. Also, a previous guest, had written an alternative route back on the visit to the lake. That was wonderful but certainly in the 2 to 3 cycle realm - but we loved it.- so there is room to offer this as a more than one cycle if wished.
The hotel pool was wonderful and much used in the very hot conditions! The family at the hotel could not have been more helpful and the atmosphere there was just lovely- marvellous to relax there after the cycling.
For future customers you may like to add that if you have an inordinate wait at venice station there is a great restaurant opposite called Soul Kitchen - who allowed us to sit for 2 and a half hours over a lovely easy meal.
Super holiday, loved the area, and all the hotels. Our rep, Sarah, was absolutely wonderful. She found us a taxi at a good price, she knew all about the area, the bag transfer was done most efficiently, what a lovely lady. She even recognised that we felt more comfortable eating as just a couple, and not in a larger group, and without us asking she organised a table for just us two. How perceptive!! Thank you Sarah.
Excellent from start to finish as usual!
Great food and accommodation. Tough cycling but scenic. Thoroughly enjoyable.
The welcome briefing was far too long, we expected it to last for about 15 minutes and it went for over 2 hours. We could have read the notes ourselves, rather than having the rep read them to us. The route notes were excellent and easy to follow. Puglia is a varied part of Italy, some parts are stunningly beautiful, other bits less picturesque. Alberobello has been spoilt by the number of tourists and souvenir shops, we would have preferred to stay in Locorotondo, which is a far more beautiful town without the hoards of cruise ship tourists, although staying in a Trullo was a great experience. The people of Puglia that we came in contact with were incredibly friendly, helpful and kind, and the food and wine were amazing. All in all it was a good cycling holiday with lots to see and varied cycling.
It seems that overall the employees and agents of Headwater have forgotten who is the guest and who is the host
A really enjoyable holiday,in a beautiful area. Take note of the weather forecast in the Veneto - it seems it is often stormy in June. Great cycling but take your own saddle - I have a ladies saddle on my own bike and I never made friends with the one on the bike that was supplied, which, despite being a gel saddle was a generic one rather than a saddle for a women. The bike itself was excellent apart from the saddle problem. Another warning is take high strength anti-mosquito solution, I was bitten badly even though I was using what I thought was a good quality solution - I bought some high strength from the local supermarket and that worked well but I had to make sure I put it on every exposed bit!!
A well planned and run cycle tour through a beautiful part of Italy with good accommodation.
It was our first cycling holiday - we both really enjoyed it. Just the right amount of cycling. The suggestions of what to do on the non cycling days were very helpful. Unfortunately we got lost in Potigano - maybe you should recheck the route notes for leaving the old town. One of the highlights of our holiday was a boat trip on the final day on the Yasemin Sultan.
A first class package in terms of organisation, accommodation and quality of food. The cycling was a challenge in that the temperatures were in the mid thirties and the route notes could be improved.
Everything ran smoothly, with no problems with the transportation of luggage or airport pickup and drop off. The initial briefing by Davide was very thorough and informative. We found the route notes straightforward on the whole but there were a few inaccuracies. Hotels were of a good standard, but we were glad to have taken the option to upgrade, particularly at the Palazzo Indelli where our junior suite had a large terrace overlooking the lively piazza. Having outdoor space at the Trullo was also beneficial. Alberobello is interesting but very touristy and on the leisure day there, we opted to take the train to nearby Martina Franca, via Locorotundo and would recommend this. Italian trains are cheap and easy to use - just don't forget to validate your ticket before boarding! The cycling generally was perfectly manageable, although there was the odd challenging climb. On the last day, we chose to go our own way and followed the coastal route back to Monopoli, rather than go inland. This gave us an enjoyable but shorter ride, allowing us to enjoy the rest of the day in Monopoli.
Well organised , enjoyable and healthy
A beautiful area unspoilt by development. Fabulous food and wine. Loved it.
Very good accommodation in interesting buildings; friendly people; interesting towns; remarkable ancient olive trees; some days are very hilly.
This was our 13th holiday out of 15 with Headwater and the best yet! You are ahead of your competitors that we have tried.
The location of the trip was ideal.
Accommodation and transfer/transport arrangements were good and enjoyed. We thought a Grading of 2 would be more appropriate ; the first two days were difficult. However the route directions were disappointing and in one place wrong. Although the directions were recently revised, I suggest they are reviewed, in particular:
Page 9: the ERG petrol station has been replaced by a building site. On the same page, the 2 electric poles are on a right turn and the Via Marascelli sign is not there. The directions in and out of Noci were confusing and need clarity, probably by removing choice of routes around the town.
Page 28. Conchia to monopoli at the junction with the give way sign , it should say turn left! At present no direction is given. There were other minor errors along the whole route but as you say, signs change !
This experience allowed us to see the delights of Puglia at our leisure. The route took us through the most beautiful countryside and was made perfect with the excellent food, wine and accommodation
Marvellous trip. Good that you arranged no rain and temperatures of 32 degrees
Loved Puglia and everything about the region - scenery, cycle rides, food and especially the negro amaro wine we discovered. The accommodation was brilliant especially the Masseria although we did also really like the vibe of the main square in Monopoli.
There were just 3 slight disappointments
1. The spa at the Corte Altavilla in Conversano was all style over substance and was over-priced
2. The food at the Corte Altavilla was also slightly disappointing after our experience in Monopoli
3. The town and local maps provided by the local agent were utterly useless. Google was much better! They also didn't sometimes tally with the Headwater accurate directions
The cycling was more challenging than expected from the description mainly because of the many climbs involved. One of our party struggled with this, the fitter members of the party found it hard at times but more manageable
Puglia is a lovely uncommercial area of Italy and I would like to visit it again. The people are very friendly and helpful.
The bikes are very good but would benefit from the water bottles more easily accessible instead of having to be stored in the panniers. This is not allowed because of some ridiculous health and safety rule. There is a worry that you will try and drink from your water bottle when cycling.
Good with one serious caveat below
We have just had a wonderful week cycling in Puglia with Headwater. We would highly recommend going in late April/May as the countryside was covered in wild flowers and the weather was perfect for cycling at around 18C. The bikes were just right for the routes which are all on roads. Most roads are quiet but some were busier than I was expecting especially coming into the towns but the Italian drivers were surprisingly deferential and careful around cyclists. The hotels chosen by Headwater were all excellent. All the evening meals we had were delicious, both those provided and those we found ourselves. Not one disappointing lunch or dinner in the whole week! Some of the route instructions need clarification and personally I would have preferred them to be a bit shorter but overall an excellent weeks holiday. I'm sure we will be booking again with Headwater next year.
We loved this holiday. Dave provided comprehensive information on the routes and accommodation at our initial briefing, and could not have been more helpful. He also gave us lots of background information to help us make the most out of our holiday. Puglia is a beautiful area ideal for cycling, and the hotels (which were all excellent) all had very different characters, which added extra interest to the holiday.
This was our first time with Headwater and the impressive, friendly and efficient service, together with very good hotels in a variety of beautuful locations, ensured our total enjoyment. The routes suggested were good and we had the option of extending our rides (in particular an extension to the coastal ride on Day 1). A slight criticism would be that the directions could be clearer and presented in specific instructional order rather than paragraph narratives; we were not sure that anyone had actually cycled these routes 'blind' and thus we made some mistakes. neverthelessall rides were completed successfully. Puglia is something of a gem and the programme ensure that we enjoyed a full flavour of its varied geography and history. We would have no hesitation in booking another of your holidays and thank you for such a pleasureable experience.
Great dinners, basic breakfasts (although there were always delicious cakes).
Well organised holiday. Lots of places to visit and experience as a result of thoughtful planning. Good, comfortable accommodation and food.
The holiday was fantastic, better than expected. Hotels, food, wine, weather all perfect, with great cycling routes on very quiet roads.
The views were to die for, and the hills a challenge but rewarded with the downward ride on the other side.
Would love to do it all again.
A most enjoyable holiday.However I think that it should be graded as a 3 bike holiday or 2++ at least. the cycling on the last day was extremely challenging-- we chose to go via Dogliani.
Headwater take the headache out of arranging your holiday all you have to do is turn up and enjoy.
We are not regular cyclists and this was our group's (6 of us) first experience of a cycling holiday and of using Headwater.
The organisation was very good and the suggestion of Puglia for this adventure was first class.
We had excellent weather to enjoy lovely countryside and well chosen locations and accommodation.
I found cycling in Piemonte quite challenging. I did the Undiscovered Provence and also the Umbria cycling trips last year, and I would say I found Piemonte a notch more difficult, at least subjectively (I reviewed my cycling computer data, and Provence was actually much more climbing). It may be because there were very few flat spots, the hills were quite relentless and the warmth and humidity were quite high on several days.
Piemonte had the best food and hotels of the three itineraries I mentioned, while Provence had the better scenery and riding terrain variety (but much poorer hotels and food). Umbria was probably the best compromise of food and hotel quality and terrain variety.
Really excellent trip. Cycling was great and not too strenuous although cycling every day a reasonable distance. Beautiful scenery passing through coastal areas with shimmering sea and quiet coves, on to endless olive groves with not a person in sight. The Puglia towns are delightful in character. Hotels are undoubtedly excellent especially Masseria Salamina (a gem - what a location, luxurious pool area, fabulous dinners) and Trulli stay was also a delight, with very friendly but not intrusive staff. The cycling is all on surfaced roads which means that the provided bikes were more sporty and made cycling easier (lighter frame, thinner tyres, gearing better, no mudguards or bell). Southern visions, your local partners, were really helpful - we were travelling on to Dubrovnik by ferry and the transfer driver spent quite some time locating the left luggage for us, which would have been impossible for us without good Italian. Thus was really appreciated as we were able to relax in Bari for the day. Finally the Spa in a Corte Altavilla was a great bonus - each of us had a well-earned massage from Andreas after steam room and soaking in the hot tub. Weather was excellent (iPhone weather suggests cloudy and thunder storms but neither was accurate - sunshine daily in mid to late September.
Definately worth a try and nice varied holiday. It was good to experience a different part of Italy. Whilst for us it doesn't quite match up to the scenary of home and other parts of Italy such asTuscany and Umbria, it has its own charm. Our cycling route took in a good mix of the coast, the coastal planes and the plateau and some lovely little towns. The cycle down from Alberobello was lush. As we live in God's own countyclose to the Yorkshitre Dales all the miles of dry stone walling made us feel quite at home. Luckily we don't have anywhere near the problems the Italian's have with roadside litter and fly tipping. It's a real shame. However, it's not all like that by any means. It certainly isn't something in Headwater's control as isn't the weather, which was indifferent but we managed not to get wet whilst riding, which was good and we did see some sun - just thought it might have been a bit better in early September, but your in the lap of the gods . There's some fantastic old olive vines throwing up some weird and wonderful trunk shapes to feast your eyes on. We saw very few animals despite there been a plentiful array of meat on the evening meal menus. The people we met from Southern Visions your local agent were all very friendly and they provided an excellent service. Manopoli was a wonderful place to start and the Palazzo Indelli a nice little hotel right in the thick of the old historic quarter in a lovely little square, which came alive at night, and close to the waterfront with its fortifications and castle. Worth doing the extra short loop on the first day if you want a bit of fish for lunch. Corte Altavilla was a nice little hotel also and well located just off the square by the cathedral and near the castle in Conservano. I just thought the hotel restaurant on the top floor lacked a bit of atmosphere, but we were only there for one night, so no great shakes. This hotel looked to have a good spa, but it was fully booked, so if you want to partake best to book in advance. Staying in the Truli house was an experience, as were the bangs on the head I gave myself on the low doorways! However, previous reviews on your website weren't wrong that you had saved the best until last - the Masseria Salamina. I dont think I've ever felt so relaxed so quickly on arrival at a hotel and I've stayed at many. We were so pleased that after reading the other reviews we'd opted for another night. In fact if we went back and did this trip again I'd be looking to rejig things to stay in Arerobello and the Trulli House for just 1 night instead of 2 and have a further night at Masseria Salamina. What a lovely place. There's opportunities for those who want to mix cycling with a bit of train travel with the bikes, such as the round journey from Alberobello where we actually chose in the end to take the train back from Marta Franca. Be aware Italian drivers seem to like to honk their horns I guess to tell you they are coming even though you've already heard them. Overall a very pleasurable experience well worth a go.
We celebrated our wedding anniversary with this holiday. Overall we had a wonderful experience despite the unseasonably wet weather in Apuglia this September. We flew independently and organised ourselves 2 days in Lecce which we would recommend. We arrived in Monopoli by train and walked to the hotel - from there on we were welcomed and looked after by Southern Vision rep Davide who was extremely informative. We were a bit concerned that we would end up on a group tour but the other headwater guests were lovely and everyone had their own plans and did their own thing. The cycling was just the right level for us, the hotels great! The inclusive food was very good standard and elsewhere we did not have one course of food that was not delicious! Highlights were the pretty town squares, the Esspressini, the Vongole, the Negramero wine, the sea food at Savelletri, the afternoons lazily cycling through olive groves, the quiet routes and the friendly people of Southern Italy. When we arrived at Bari airport with the wrong passports with 50 minutes before the gate closed, Southern Vision contacted Salamina, and then the young Boss Phillipo (apologies for spelling) broke the land speed record, and every level of service and commitment to get our passports to us! while the Southern Vision team worked on a backup plan the accommodate us and rearrange flights - All in under 45 minutes! We made our flight, sweating, tired, but very happy that we had chosen Headwater for a great fun way to celebrate.
Puglia as a region is over-hyped. You will mainly be cycling along dusty roads through olive trees. The southern Italian towns have very messy litter strewn outskirts with disused factories and omnipresent graffiti but once you get to the centres you will find lovely old walled towns with stone pavements - completely closed as you are most likely to arrive in the middle of the afternoon siesta!
you did ask!!
A great area with varied cycling and a relaxing base. Sarah was very helpful with advice on alternative routes.
Not sure - with 6 of us booking together (ie a lot of custom for Headwater) it would have been much more helpful if someone in head office had thought through our travelling requirements more carefully. The girl who took the booking always said that we could fly on Friday or Sunday, but did not explain the implications of choosing the Friday in terms of extra travel problems to and from Munich, nor at the outset of the cost implications. The extra costs crept in as the booking progressed - as full time workers it was easier to just carry on with the booking than say hang on, why weren't all these extra costs explained before we started this process (room supplements, transfers, extra prices for flight because a busy weekend (did the UK sales rep explore whether the Sunday departure would have been cheaper for us, for instance - I think not). We also thought that Headwater should have had another rep out there in Piedmont - Martha and Esme could not help us out on non cycling days as they were on airport runs .... but with a holiday of this quality, there should be someone available at all times.. I would also add that I have been on a number of other holidays with cycling companies - more down market - but the experience and knowledge of the rep and mechanic has far outweighed the knowledge and experience of Esme and Martha; they did nothing wrong, but did not add the type of spark to the holiday a good rep can.
The daily notes explaining the route would have benefitted enormously from a proper map - with other companies we have been given laminated copies of the map giving all the local details - your sketches together with the provided maps were not easy to interpret. We suspected they needed a bit of an update - gradient outlines for example would help - we knew it would not be easy but the hills did seem to dominate!
We probably will go with Headwater again on account of the quality of the hotels, but will ask a lot more questions next time about exactly what is involved and what help will be available.
We did have a good time, but a lot of niggles that ought to have been sorted. I have never complained before about a holiday .....
What a wonderful holiday! We thoroughly enjoyed it. Regarding the hills - yes, they're steep, but the bikes were perfectly maintained (thanks, Esme!) and the overall distances aren't that long, so I (reasonably fit but not a great cyclist, had probably been out 10 times this year previously and in Hertfordshire so hardly hilly) found them perfectly doable, and certainly easier than I had feared from reading earlier reviews. We did all the tougher options and the amount of cycling was just hard enough to give a sense of achievement/work up an appetite for the next feast! Personally, I enjoyed the challenge of the hills and the wonderful views at the tops! Having said that, if you haven't been on a bike in years/aren't generally active, this might not be the holiday for you.
Hotels were all lovely; restaurants all very good and the majority truly excellent. Spa facilities at Villa d'Amelia were particularly good.
We found plenty to fill the non-cycling days, sometimes on foot and sometimes by bike. Almost always there were local walks (e.g. on noticeboards in the town centre and signposted from there) which we enjoyed.
Overall a hugely enjoyable and memorable holiday!
We enjoyed another quality holiday with Headwater. This area of Italy is very pretty, ideal for gentle cycling and sightseeing. All of the hotels provided excellent food, wine and accomodation.
We had a wonderful holiday with Headwater. The hotels and food were excellent. The scenery is stunning because the area is hilly. (You definitely need to have done some recent cycling and be reasonably fit.) A great holiday for food and wine enthusiasts. We were planning our next Headwater trip on the flight back!
Wonderful - just what we were after
it was very interesting, enjoyed the countryside, the people especial. the l' Albara family met some very good people and cycled with some . Pleasantly different
You really get to know a country on a bike - the real people, the flora and fauna, food and customs. Eat like a king and not feel guilty!
You have to accept some discomfort - mosquitos, missing/faulty air conditioning, rain showers, bikes with no suspension at all, miss the odd lunch, but it's got to be better than plonked next to a pool reading a book, and cramming another meal in.
Not sure you'd want to publish these comments though!
Seriously, we enjoyed our holiday, and look forward to our next one - maybe Denmark?
People can book with confidence as the description in the Headwater booklet is an accurate description of the experience on offer. Sarah, our holiday rep, was very friendly and helpful. Our accommodation was very good, lovely location and great food. However, as a family group of between ages 10 and 67, we did feel that eating our dinner at 8.00 pm was far too late and we would have appreciated the availability of tea-making facilities in our rooms.
The perfect holiday for the more active.
Overall a superb holiday, occasional cyclist managed route, good accommodation, good route and other notes. Good access to other locations for tourist visiting.
Excellent local rep.
The holiday was a lovely mixture of fabulous scenery, challenging cycling and good food and wine. Your website does have some comments about the grading of the cycling, we did all the longest routes and although there were some steep hills the overall length of the routes was quite short so we agreed with the grading.
We had a fabulous cycling trip in this beautiful part of Italy. The accommodations were lovely and the dinners ranged from very good to excellent. The cycling was challenging at times, but not unmanageable. As usual, the Headwater bikes were great and the local reps were very helpful. The people in this region are very friendly and there were lots of opportunities to do wine and grappa tastings. This was our 4th Headwater trip and we are already planning the next one.
A very well organised holiday with excellent travel arrangements and a warm welcome from rep and hosts.
The holiday was very enjoyable and the suggested places to visit/eat and short town guides were very helpful. The food in this part of Italy was amazing and there was a lovely mix of Coast and hills.
Excellent route through the countryside beautiful but the cycling can be very challenging at times particularly if it is very hot.
our third Headwater holiday. Set dinners in the hotels often poor and we are really fed up with this. It is not a cheap holiday but we seem to get the dregs of the food. Our best meals were out in independent restaurants. On the first night when Pallatzo Indelli couldn't feed us they sent us out for a wonderful simple fresh supper at a restaurant. Dinner with them the second night was DISGUSTING. We felt like the poor relations.
Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Alexander, Thank you for your constructive feedback, We were sorry to see that you were disappointed with the standard of meals served at some of the restaurants on this holiday . We have discussed your comments with our local suppliers and from this some new menus have been put into place with more choices available. Whilst the overall feedback for this holiday is positive, we realise we cannot afford to let our standard slip and thank you for bringing these points to our attention. We hope that by making these small changes our customers will continue to enjoy this lovely area of Italy.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team
This was our 13th consecutive year of cycling holidays with Headwater and was one of the best. This was partly because the weather was so good but mainly because the Veneto is such a lovely area for cycling and hoidaying. The food at all hotels was excellent and the local wines are not only excellent but cheap.
Cycling quite tough; should be rated Two-Bike +. Landscape lovely but little variation. Rest days can be hard to fill. Accommodation good, breakfasts mostly wonderful.
L'Albara was wonderful and accommodated our dietary requirements (vegan) very well - every course had a vegan version and the quality of the food was the best we've had.
Good fun helped by good weather, hotels, food and wine.
Our stay in Monopoli was wonderful and the hotel was ideal - got a little lost on our way back on the first cycle ride as we mis-counted some of the 'Y' turns. Enjoyed the cycle rides along the side roads - pretty wild flowers in May.
Because of our ages (I am 80, my wife is 78) we decided not to do the Puglia trip on bikes but by car. This worked very well. The only problem was the very narrow streets and difficulty in finding the way in Monopoli. Doing it by car meant we had more time to explore the places where we stayed and time to drive to Lecce. We thought that Masseria Salamina would be a very good base for anyone wishing to explore Puglia by car. It is a lovely hotel, easy to find and in a good location for visiting other interesting places in that area. The sea food restaurants on the coast are excellent, especially one at La Forcatella. The remains of the Roman town and port at Egnazia and the museum are very intersting.
A wonderfully authentic Puglian expeience -great locations, countryside, food, wine & cycling
We decided to book our own direct flights with BA instead of using the advertised Alitalia via Milan flights. The timings don't differ significantly and Headwater were happy to arrange non standard transfers at no extra cost. The standard of accommodation throughout the trip was of a high standard. We really enjoyed the stay in the Trulli house and were pleasantly surprised to be given a Trulli suite with a small patio garden! The highlight however was our stay in the Masseria Salamina. On booking we upgraded to a garden suite but on arrival we were delighted to be allocated the luxury suite complete with private balcony and sea views. We were made to feel really welcome by the family and the food was excellent. Simple, fresh and plentiful with much of it coming from their own farm.
The map of the area is only good for an overview but the route notes and briefing were excellent and at no point did we stray off route. Some of the roads (as has been mentioned before) are in a poor condition but this did not detract from the enjoyment of the cycling.
Another enjoyable, well organised and well supported holiday from Headwater. The next one is already booked!
This area of Italy proved to be lovely for cycling. Most of the routes were along very quiet lanes lined with dry stone walls, along side olive groves and vineyards. Staying in a Trulli in Alberrobello was a delightful experience, so much so that we wish we had been able to book an extra night: we didn't cycle on the middle day as we wanted to look round the town.
Your local agent organised a great tour through Puglia, linking key sights of interest via lovely quiet back roads where we observed rural life.
Great combination of exercise, exploration and recreation.
A cycling holiday is an adventure. We started in summer weather and ended in cold and rain which did somewhat marr this experience. This was our 6th cycling holiday, and we felt that the route was somewhat artificial. [Our favourite was the Danube, Passau to Vienna, which was a real journey.]
nice hotels, gentle cycling and wonderful surroundings....all makes for an enjoyable and relaxing break
Piedmont is a very attractive area and not at all 'touristy'. It is, however, much hillier than we expected from brochure description, and though the climbs were interesting at times, the rewards were the views from the top and the descents!
The accommodation was excellent in every respect, the hotel and restaurant staff almost invariably very welcoming and helpful and the food and wines were generally very good. Special mention to the Osteria Dai Cateri in Monforte d'Alba for the best dinner of the holiday but most of the others were extremely good. Moda again in Monforte d'Alba was only average and Verde Rama in Castiglione Tinella was a bit disappointing; they gave us a restricted '?Headwater' menu and several of the dishes served were poor. I think all the other restaurants gave us a choice from their a la carte menus.
This is our third Headwater holiday and the bikes provided were the worst. The bikes were fairly basic and slightly heavy hybrids compared with what the Chain Gang gave us last year but they were poorly maintained and my bike was unsafe. My wife's bike's handlebars weren't straight and she couldn't get into the lowest gear (not handy in hilly terrain!). My bike's gears were also not set up corrrectly but I was able to sort that myself, but the bike felt unsteady on corners. Eventually it started creaking loudly going up hills and my wife observed the rear wheel wobble especially on corners. I've a little experience in bike maintenance and the problem seemed to be due to slack spokes that needed tensioned. Marc brought out, the following morning, a replacement wheel taken from another bike and this seemed ok during a quick test in the hotel's garage but after a few yards with panniers on, ball bearings started falling out of the rear wheel bearing. Unfortunately the reps had gone and as they'd forgotten their mobile, it was some time before I got a replacement bike. This was a Giant and much better than my original Headwater bike, thankfully. If both our bikes had been of this quality, we would have definitely considered another Headwater holiday and recommended you to our friends and family.
During the booking process, Headwater arranged the train tickets from Nice to Cuneo and informed me on the phone and in the original invoice, the train departure times and that we would change trains at Breil Sur Roya. When the final invoice arrived, train depature time and station to switch trains at (now Ventimiglia), had been changed. Fortunately I noticed the alterations but I think Headwater should have drawn our attention, specifically, to this, as we might have missed it.
On the whole all the hotels exceeded our expectations as did the bikes, which were very good, though I would recommend extra padded cycling shorts.
If you arent going to have lunch at a restaurant en route, buy your provisions early, because everything closes for lunch, we never did work out the closing times, as we always seemed to be on the road. Many of the roads are awful, so those padded shorts will serve you doubly!
The dinners are plentiful and wonderful food. The routes are delightful, mainly on small roads with little traffic. There was only one day which proved to be rather taxing with a lot of ups and downs from Alberobello to Martina Franca. Luggage transportation went without any hiccups and all in all it was a really enjoyable destination to catch the last of the summer warmth.
have spoken to joanne prior to your e mail but conform we thought the holiday was excellent in every respect. bikes were brilliant hotels and food better than expected. the area was fascinating and very unspoilt and great cycling routes.We were dismayed to hear of Ali accident just after our our meeting and hope she recovers quickly and fully because she was really great and helpful and knowledgeable and sensible. One set of directions per cyclist would have been better and advance warning of city taxes in two of the hotels might be wise. Otherwise a really great holiday.
Wonderful cycling holiday with varied days and experiences. The cycling could be easy or more challenging according to the options. The scenery and architecture was amazing, but very few tourists (except Venice)
The holiday itinerary was well-planned and took us through a delightful and unfamiliar part of northern Italy. The cycling was leisurely but varied, with opportunities to visit a range of very interesting and attractive places and sights. Sarah's advice and suggestions were excellent, and she dealt promptly with a problem with one of the bikes. Accommodation was very good: we particularly enjoyed our stays at Belvedere Resort ai Colle and at Agriturismo l'Albara (where dining alongside the family made for a great atmosphere). Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, the weather was excellent at this time of year, and the local wine a revelation (unfortunately we were only able to bring back 2 bottles from Gabriella at Agriturismo Il Feudo)!
The outgoing travel was poor as we waited 5hours in Venice for out train as our rep did not have the time to meet us earlier.
We were all very tired having been up since 3 a.m and not arriving at our destination until 5.30p.m. On our return we were offered a coach to take us directly to the airport for an extra cost of 10 euros each forfeiting our return train tickets. Why could this not have been done on the outward journey ad we could have spent a pleasant afternoon around the pool instead of waiting on a station. We used the main Station in Venice not the one of your choice as this one had left luggage facilities and restaurants.
Negatives first: Somewhat expensive for the type of holiday which will cause us to carefully evaluate 'rival' companies for next year. The countryside was too similar and the beaches poor unlike the Alsace tour we went on previously which was pleasantly varied with overall better hotels. The trulli experience was not to be recommended, no working air conditioning, light bulbs missing etc... On pointing this out told the air conditioning had been switched off as weather getting cooler ! In fact it could be switched on but did not work. Our friend next door discovered the air conditioning in his house had no plug. The plumber was to be told about the problem and we had a fan so clearly problem was longer standing.
Positives: the hotels were all good and staff helpful in most, the organisation of the tour by Southern Visions was excellent and the Salamina was to be particularly recommended. Weather perfect.
Overall we were happy with holiday but will be more careful over selecting the area we go to next year to ensure variety/interest. That is not the fault of Headwater!
We were unprepared for the heat or the severity of the hills
Headwater were friendly, efficient and the holiday was well organised throughout with comprehensive directions. Rest days offered the opportunity to put the bikes on the train for part of the tours, or just cycle part of the routes and the hotels were well placed for this and other sightseeing. All in all, a very good holiday was had by all!
We enjoyed our holiday in Piedmonte a great deal. Accommodation and food etc were excellent. Backup was good too. However, we felt that the cycling difficulty rating as stated (moderate/leisurely) was a little on the optimistic side Having cycled the 'Secrets of San Gemiagno' route last year (moderate), we thought 'Gastronomic Barolo' was significantly more difficult, despite selecting the 'easier' options when there was a choice of route.
Future travellers heading for this holiday via Nice (Easyjet) should note that you will have a 5 hour wait in Nice following the 6 a.m.departure from Gatwick The Castle Hill to the east of the city is pleasant place to spend a few peaceful hours, but had we known that we could have dumped our cases at the station this would have improved the experience.
As a holiday it represented poor value for money with poor communication skills on behalf of the hosts ad the area had little variety. The food was fair at best and nothing like we had expected or experienced on previous headwater holidays. Overall not good value.
Just what we wanted!
A fantastic holiday. Great cycling routes and all the accommodation was of a high standard, beautiful scenery and fabulous food!
We had a fantastic holiday! The food was fabulous and the hotels were perfect. Villa Beccaris is particularly stunning. It is a beautiful part of Italy which is very lush - even in August. The reason for this is that it sometimes rains, so take some waterproofs for you and your valuables. We had 2 rainy days - the showers were short but heavy. The panniers supplied seemed watertight but some extra protection did not go amiss.
Grading a cycling holiday is difficult as it is subjective and depends and on what you are used to. We are in our mid-fifties, reasonably fit and do most of our cycling in Scotland or occasionally Yorkshire so are used to hills. We can happily cycle 50 - 60 miles/day. All of the towns in this region are on the tops of hills but you are often given the option of shorter/easier routes longer/more challenging ones. We always took the 'challenging' option as they are usually very scenic and didn't find them too difficult. However, so if you have not cycled for a while you will enjoy it more if you try to improve your fitness before you go. The bikes are good, with lots of gears and the distance between the hotels is not excessive so you can take your time and enjoy the scenery which is stunning. It is not really leisurely, however, and a novice might find it tough going at times.
The bikes also come with comfy gel saddles but we can recommend wearing proper cycle shorts. The extra padding helps and the seams in normal shorts can cause uncomfortable friction. The water bottles supplied by Headwater only contain 750 ml and there is no way of securing them to the bike so you have to keep them in the panniers.Bottles cages are not supplied for safety reasons but we took Camelback rucksacks which are very useful. They hold 1500 ml and the tubing means water is always readily available to drink on the move rather than having to stop half way up a hill. There are lots of public drinking fountains to top up so you don't need to worry about buying water in shops.
If you are thinking about an August holiday, be aware that this is peak holiday time in Italy so some shops and restaurants will be closed. As a result, we ate at the same restaurant on 2 consecutive nights but that was no hardship.
An excellent holiday with the usual high standards of food, accommodation and planning.
Really lovely holiday. We loved Il feudo especially, but variety in the hotels was a positive feature. Would avoid temperatures in high 30s next time by going earlier. Sarah was helpful and knowledgeable. Ideal for family with children, including chance to visit Venice and Vicenza.
A marvellous combination of exercise, high class food, excellent accomodation in an unspoilt part of the world.
Our holiday with Headwater was a real pleasure , everyone we dealt with , from the girls in the office to our rep Sarah were very professional , friendly and helpful , taking all the worry out of the planning . Okay , so we feel that we have maybe paid a bit more than we would have if we had done all the organizing ourselves , but hey , it was worth it !! Thank you.
Excellent communication prior to departure - during the stay - and arriving home!! A great service which gives clients confidence that nothing has been left forgotten !!
Sarah was fantastic- all credit to her. Funny, kind, thoughtful and a wealth of knowledge!
It was well organised, trouble free, and thoroughly enjoyable with the added comfort of an excellent superb locally based english-speaking rep (Sarah) who was only a phone call away in case of any issue, big or small, and who provided excellent route notes and a fountain of local knowledge about the area we were cycling in.
the holiday was just what we needed and was 'up there' with the best package holidays we have done!
All good. Particular thanks and compliments to Mark and Marsha who are lovely people and excellent reps.Also admired their efforts to speak Italian and to integrate with local people.
We found the combination of cycling till 2 or 3 and then swimming in and relaxing by the pool ideal ! The food and welcome at the Villa Ganzerla were excellent.
SShhsh! Don't tell anyone about Puglia ! After many years of travel in Italy , We have a new favorite region ! Wonderful food and wine,peaceful rural and coastal lanes, and each town is more beautiful than the last ! A real treat of a holiday - and few tourists ! Let's keep it like that !!!
This is our third Headwater holiday, and each one gets better. The Piedmont is a beautiful area, the hotels and restaurants are first class, and the staff friendly and efficient. It is a very hilly area, hence the wonderful views (and also the long steep climbs on the bikes). The cycling directions were good overall, but a bit confusing in parts. Our reps were extremely friendly and helpful, and as I sprained my ankle on the 3rd day they had to move me on with the baggage! Nothing was too much trouble for them. I have already recommended this holiday to our friends!
No-one should expect to lose weight on this cycling holiday - the food and wine is superb!
We really enjoyed this holiday, the thing that made it was the friendliness of the people in the hotel! They would do anything for you! the food is lovely and they did a great job of catering for a vegetarian. it was very cosy but we did feel that previous holidays have been better value for money where we had more facilities! The rep is wonderful and the scenery is very pretty! We had some lovely weather and great cycles!
A little-known corner of Italy with some of the most captivating scenery, best food and wine and least touristy small cities the country has to offer. The holiday is definitely a grade 2 when it comes to the cycling as every village is perched on top of a hill but the food and wine are more than compensation for the effort of getting there. May seem expensive at first sight but the standard of accommodation and food are second to none. We've been on many Headwater holidays and this was one of the best.
This was our eighth Headwater holiday over 20 years and they have all been very enjoyable. Yet again, Headwater and their agents were very efficient throughout. We were particularly impressed by the Masseria Salamina which exceeded our expectations and was a perfect place to finish our holiday.
Wonderful opportunity to see some of the lovely Veneto plain, whilst getting exercise, and building up appetite for the evening meals. We have used Headwater twice now and would not consider using another cycling tour company as the variable start dates, knowledgeable and helpful reps, and welcoming hosts make the entire experience enjoyable.
Puglia tourist people very welcoming and can be very helpful but be careful of gross overcharging.
Look at your bills and dispute perceived unfairness on the spot.
We've been on a headwater holiday once before (to Switzerland) and it was amazing - in fact it was the best holiday we'd ever had! However we were very disappointed this time. Although the scenery, accommodation and food were lovely the cycling was not enjoyable, it was punishing! Since this is the most important element of a cycling holiday it completely ruined our stay.
The difficulty rating was totally wrong. We're a couple in our 30's (not unfit) but not regular cyclists- the description suggested this would suit us fine and included descriptions of 'softly rolling hills'. This was certainly NOT our experience. The hills were steep and long and never ending.I'm aware that since we returned the difficulty rating has changed. Furthermore, the various stop-offs on the way (cafes etc) to refill water were closed due to the time of year (which we were not forewarned about) - considering the heat this made the cycling even more intolerable.
All in all very disappointing. We paid 5000 and were expecting another dream holiday. Instead we needed a week to recover once we got home.
