During 8 days You will travel 'the heel of the boot' along quiet secondary roads next to the coast and through the rural interior. With daily stages of 29 to 61 kilometers, on mainly flat and easy terrain you will have more than enough time to enjoy il dolce far niente. Live the Mediterranean in its purest essence.
ITINERARY
The journey begins in Lecce, baroque city classified as one of the most beautiful in Italy. As soon as you leave there you will enter the Cesine Nature Reserve, a great place to observe migratory birds. You will continue to the protected oasis of the Alimini lakes, ending in the city of Otranto.
Discover the surroundings of this beautiful city by pedaling through the plains full of vineyards and olive trees. Enjoy a local food tasting at a family bakery, which we have included in the program.
Following the wildest coastal stretch you will reach Saint Mary of Leuca. with a little luck you can see even the mountains of Albania and Greece. Stop from time to time to take a swim on one of its dream beaches.
Land of farmers and fishermen, highlights the remunerated gastronomy, which combines flavors of the sea and the land. And don't forget to try the wine, especially Negroamaro, a grape that grows almost exclusively in Salento and is recognized by its dark color and rustic aroma.
Around Gallipoli you can take another day to discover the interior. Don't get on the bike without having tried the spumone, combined with a good doppio. In the afternoon we included another tasting, this time of cheese, at a local farm.
On the way back to Lecce you will pass through centuries old farmland, country houses and 19th century fortified villas. Make sure you book a few extra nights in this beautiful city, allowing yourself the time to visit everything at a truly 'slow' pace.
