Bicycle tours – Salento (Apulia) tour

Day 1 – Arrival in Lecce

Individual arrival in Lecce. Overnight

Day 2 – Lecce and its coastal landscape (45 km)

Discover the beaches where the locals go! Frivole may not be the most famous sea resort, but it lies in the middle of the wonderful nature park “Boschi e Paludi di Rauccio”. You will have also the chance to visit the medieval hamlet of Santa Maria in Verrate, which lies along the Southern Via Francigena. Finally, don’t forget to stop in an old Masseria to taste fresh produce and local delicatessen. The Masserie are very interesting also from a historic point of view, as they represented the local agricultural centre during the second world war. Overnight

Day 3 – Lecce – Acaya – Le Cesine – Caprarica (45 km)

Today you will begin cycling towards the sea. At half way you will reach the hamlet Acaya, built by the emperor Charles V. Its castle hides also a Byzantine
cloister, which is older than the hamlet itself. Then, passing through the nature reserve “Le Cesine” you will finally get to the sea, with its long sandy beaches, before reaching Caprarica for the overnight. Overnight

Day 4 –   Caprarica – Grecìa Salentina – Uggiano La Chiesa (60 km)

 You will cycle in the so-called Salentinian Greece, a territory composed by 9 municipalities, where ancient “griko” is still spoken by elderly people. You will cross Martignano, Martano and its olive groves, and get to Carpignano. Don’t miss a bath in the crystal clear sea at Roca Vecchia, close to the mythical cave of Poetry, well-known by daring Salentinian cliff divers. Cycling along the Alimini Lakes, you will finally get to the pretty square of Uggiano la Chiesa. Overnight.

Day 5 –   Uggiano – Megaliths way – Turks’ Bay (60 km)

Today you will cycle on the famous “via dei Megaliti” (the street of megaliths) and reach enchanted places such as the isolated Stabile dolmen. If you are a
greenery fan you can visit the Botanical Garden “La Cutura”, with a collection of succulent plants coming from 5 continents. Then you will get to one of the most
beautiful places of the whole Salento, the unspoiled “Baia dei Turchi” (the Turks’ Bay), where the Turkish warriors landed in 1480, during the battle of Otranto.
Here the deep blue sea will tempt you…but it’s time to get back on your bike! You will cycle to Otranto, with its white point into the Adriatic sea, and then to Uggiano
la Chiesa for the overnight. Overnight.

Day 6 –  Uggiano La Chiesa – Castro – Otranto (45 km)

This stage is dedicated to the Salentinian inland, where you will cycle in the countryside until you reach the panoramic viewpoint of Castro, a village built on the cliffs where Aeneas landed, according to the legend. Then you will continue on one of the most beautiful cycle paths of Italy: after Punta Palascia you will head to Torre del Serpe and then again towards Otranto. So, if on the previous day you spent some time on the beach, today you can visit the castle and explore the narrow streets. Then you will cycle back to Uggiano la Chiesa through the Serra Overnight

Day 7 – Lecce/departure

Transfer to Brindisi and end of the tour (or proceed with your Italian trip)

Difficulty: MEDIUM

 Total length: 255 km

Total vertical up: 660 m

Terrain: 95% tarmac, 5% unpaved

The route is mainly on secondary country roads with some unpaved stretches, all in good conditions. There are some short climbs