The Hermitage Trail, the new route that takes you into the heart of the Mercadante Forest.

There is a place a few kilometers from Cassano delle Murge where Aleppo pines cover the sky and the air smells of nature. It's the Mercadante forest And from today Puglia e-bike adventure takes you to discover it with a brand new itinerary: The Hermitage Path.

The route starts from one of the forest entrances, where you can safely leave your car and take our Trek e-MTBs. It winds for about 15 kilometers along well-marked trails, perfect even for those who prefer to explore independently. The most challenging sections are concentrated at the beginning and end, less than 100 meters, where you'll need a bit of agility when shifting gears and descending. If you're really not up for it, you can get off and push the bike, no problem.

You can view the complete route directly on our website, or on Komoot at this link: [insert link].

And if you prefer not to rely too much on your sense of direction, you can also rent a Garmin cycle computer from us. In the forest the camp disappears with surprising ease, and at a certain point Google Maps throws up its hands and leaves you there, alone, surrounded by pine trees that all look the same. The Garmin, however, doesn't, it knows the road even without a network.

Along the way you will pass in front of Il Tronco and Baby Dicecca, two stopping points where you can stop for a coffee or a snack.

Further ahead, centuries-old oak trees await, silent giants that tell the story of this forest, created through reforestation almost a hundred years ago. The most evocative stop is at the Hermitage of Sant'Antonio, a 16th-century Franciscan hermitage surrounded by greenery, now managed by the Capuchin Friars Minor of Puglia.

An itinerary suitable for those who already have a minimum of cycling experience and want to experience the Murgia from a different point of view, between nature, history and silence.

Come and find out with us.