Stage 5 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia is a largely flat route from Ceglie Messapica to Matera. But a climb awaits the peloton in the final 3km, with a 10% ramp that will likely filter out the pure sprinters.
Ceglie Messapica
The Ducal Castle, built by the Normans in the 11th century, is the boldest calling card of Ceglie Messapica. One of the oldest cities in Apulia, it has kept off the main tourist routes only due to its distance from the sea. A stroke of luck for those who discover it, as they can immerse themselves in a remote past testified by the vestiges of the Messapi people who founded the town in the 7th century BCE. And never mind that today it appears predominantly medieval, just a short walk is enough to step much further back in time. There are, for instance, 18 specchie – megalithic monuments up to 20 meters high – right near the town center.
Ceglie Messapica also lies at the heart of the production of the renowned DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) extra virgin olive oil, one of the culinary jewels of this region. And speaking of excellence, a mere fifteen kilometers away lies Grottaglie, the “City of Ceramics,” where dozens of workshops are still in operation today. Here, talented artisans – sometimes true artists – carry on the tradition of those who, over the centuries, made this town famous around the world.
A few kilometers after the start, the riders reach Martina Franca, with its captivating historic center marked by a striking contrast between medieval alleyways and opulent Baroque buildings.
Next comes Massafra, perched along a deep ravine whose tuff rock walls hide ancient cave settlements (prehistoric and early medieval) and crypts adorned with frescoes, often still well preserved. A visit to this astonishing underground world is a must.
Matera
For about 40 kilometers, the route runs along the beaches of the Ionian Sea until it reaches Lido di Metaponto, where it turns decisively inland. The stage nears its end, but the wonders are far from over. The archaeological park of Metaponto, with its temples built by the Greeks 2,500 years ago, offers a breathtaking leap into the past of what was once considered the capital of Magna Graecia.
In Montescaglioso, visitors can explore the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Michael the Archangel (1079), the most important of the four monastic complexes that earned the town the nickname “City of Monasteries.”
Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, is the majestic finish of the fifth stage of the Giro. Once the riders cross the finish line, a walk through the “City of Stone” is a nothing short of mandatory. The ancient town is divided into two districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, with the rocky spur of the Civita in the center, home to noble palaces and the Cathedral. The city’s modern spirit can be experienced especially at the MUSMA, the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture, considered Italy’s foremost museum entirely dedicated to sculpture. What many don’t know, however, is that Matera and Montescaglioso are also the heart of Italy’s upholstered furniture manufacturing district. So, if you’re planning to renovate your living room, this might be the place.
The stage is played out on flat terrain, up to the final 35 km. The first part remains on the Murge plateau, the route then heads towards Taranto and runs along the Metaponto coast on the 106 state highway. The race leaves the ss. 106 and heads inland, with a short kick up in Bernalda, and then continues on rather wide roads to the short, steep and practically straight Montescaglioso climb (on wide roadway). After a short descent, a false-flat up leads to the finish in Matera.
Final kilometres
The last 3 km feature a 10% ramp that leads onto urban avenues, descending slightly at first, and then point uphill to the finish. Two left-hand bends shortly before the last kilometre (incl. a sharp one 1,200 m before the finish) lead into the 300 m long home straight, on a slight incline.
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