Salento cycling tour Food & Wine

If you want to deeply discover a territory, you might feel its smells, its tastes, the food, and the wine….Salento’s kitchen style includes seaside and ground favors!

Grade

Easy

Where

South Puglia

Price

From €1200

Accomodation

Villa, Resort & B &B

E Bike

(On request)

Trekking bike

€ 90

When

March to Oct

From: €1,200

Description

Salento cycling tour Food & Wine

Departures on Fridays and Saturdays from 17/03/2023 to 08/07/2023 and from 01/09/2023 to 30/12/2023.
Also available on other days on request.
For guided options from 4 persons or more send us an email.

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Experience Salento on two wheels with food & wine!

If you want to discover a territory, you might feel its smells, its tastes, the food, and the wine… Salento’s kitchen style includes seaside and ground favors, mixing each other in a very special way that makes all “gourmet” people. A good glass of wine, Negroamaro or Primitivo – it’s the perfect award after several hours spent cycling through small villages, masserie (a kind of typical farmhouse), and Ancient orchards. The “Food and wine” tour is a week’s travel – in complete autonomy – following the taste of the old Salento’s cooking tradition.

We’re in the “heel” of Italy, on a peninsula that, jutting southeast, divides two seas, the Adriatic and the Ionian.

Salento South Puglia

Salento was settled in the prehistoric era. Situated in a strategic position in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Salento has been populated by different peoples, each leaving a particular heritage with the land. Salento is an open-air museum. It offers the perfect marriage of nature and culture. Even the farmers are inadvertent artists using special techniques to build out of mortarless stone, creating a unique landscape unlike any in the world!
This land smiles at the bicycle tourist! Its hillocks never climb more than 200 meters and even beginners can easily enjoy its beauty by bicycle. And the sea – words cannot describe its beauty, which has become internationally renowned.
But we wish to bring light to the many treasures hidden, not only by the sea but also inland! In the entroterra, we find many small farms and artisans who strictly follow traditional ethics and respect for the land. Salento today is a land as fragile as it is beautiful, threatened by several environmental factors, It is our job, both residents and visitors, to take care of and respect its slow and deep breath.
Day 1
Arrival day
Check-in around 14.00 at your charming hotel in Lecce. There will be a briefing, bike fitting and the tour organizer explains the coming itinerary of this road cycling trip. Airport transfers (on request).
Day 2
Lecce to Otranto 56km
The Flat Route today, with many interesting cultural and naturalistic sights. First, you visit Acaya – a fortified city with a huge castle -and then you plunge down to “Le Cesine” – a WWF-protected area, the crossing point for many species of migratory birds. From there you head towards the coast, along the ruins of Roca Vecchia – an ancient Bronze Age city – and ‘Alimini’ Lakes. Some more kilometers and you are in Otranto, where narrow streets reveal wonders at every corner: the St. Peter church Byzantine frescoes, a walk along the ramparts overlooking the sea, and finally the cathedral with its paved mosaic, a sort of figurative Middle Age encyclopedia. Dinner is based on seafood in one of the best restaurants in the town.
Day 3
Otranto’s surroundings 36 km
Exploring Otranto's surroundings day. Riding along the little river “Idro” (“water”), which gave the name to the city, you arrive in Casamassela, where old looms are still being used in the “le Constantine” foundation. After a guided tour you move toward Giurdignano, crossing a Bronze Age megalithic park containing huge stones (“dolmen” and “menhir”), and you could decide to visit “La Cutura” botanic garden. Here ‘Toto’ would lead you through his incredible plant collection (unique in Europe for its cactus species). In the late morning, you’ll enjoy a wine and cheese tasting in a wine cellar. Return to Otranto and free dinner in the historical center. Optional horse riding in the morning or in the afternoon.
Day 4
Otranto – Leuca coast 54km
Today you cycle along the wildest Salento coastal stretch: the ‘Palacìa’ lighthouse (easternmost point of Italy) and a little red lake surfaced in a disused bauxite quarry are between the most interesting spots. Nestled among the cliffs above the sea, this road is a huge balcony that looks onto Otranto Strait. With a little bit of luck, we will be able to see the mountains of Albania and Greece. You could visit ‘Zinzulusa’ cave, going down nearly 200 feet into the earth's bowels. On the way, you can admire some terraces and dry walls, the ingenious devices of peasants to get arable land in barren and impervious areas. After crossing the bridge over the “ciolo” (a small and rich in rare flora canyon carved by the waters) you reach Santa Maria di Leuca where you visit the sanctuary, following the ancient pilgrim's footsteps. Dinner is based on seafood in the best restaurants in the town.
Day 5
Leuca to Torre Suda 47km
Today you discover Leuca Cape, the southern part of Apulia. After an astonishing defense tower situated in the center of a small village - it's possible to visit an enigmatic funerary monument made of big stones (its name “centopietre”, means “a hundred stones”), coming from Vereto, an ancient pre-romantic town situated nearby. In Giuliano, you’ll find a castle and an X-century church. Finally, you visit Leuca piccola ('little Leuca'), an important pilgrimage station that still maintains a vast underground area. Through olive groves and dry stone walls, you'll reach a  farmhouse, for a tasting of organic products. Afterward, you'll move on to Ugento to visit it's archaeological museum and spend the night in a beautiful ‘Masseria’ (farmhouse) overlooking the sea - with dinner served in Masseria.
Day 6
Gallipoli and Ionic coast 55km
In the morning you'll head towards the coast for a dip in the sea of St. Andrew’s Island and Punta Pizzo" natural park. Then, you'll move on to Gallipoli where you'll enjoy a rich aperitif. Located on an island, this small fisherman village is striking by its light, its alleys, and its fish market. After delicious ice cream, you ride again toward the San Mauro church: one of the hidden treasures of this country, hosting an ancient Byzantine frescoes cycle. Enjoying the sunset we cycle to Santa Caterina, a Quiet village on the borders of Porto Selvaggio Natural Park. In the afternoon optional kayaking in the Park of Porto Selvaggio. Dinner is served in Villa or in a nearby restaurant (depending on the size of the group).
Day 7
Gallipoli’s surroundings 42km
A day dedicated to Gallipoli's surroundings. The first stop is in Sannicola to discover its underground oil mill, then Tuglie with its amazing “rural culture museum”. You'll go to Galatone to visit its beautiful Baroque old town and the Norman castle of Fulcignano. In the afternoon we reach Galatina where you can admire the church of Santa Caterina, totally painted with frescoes in Giottesco style, and then visit the beautiful historical center of the town. Later stop in the vinery “Santi Dimitri”, to know closer about the process of obtaining oil and wine, and for a wine-cheese tasting.
Day 8
Back to Lecce
Last day of the trip. You’ll pass by many 19th centuries fortified farmhouses and villas on your way back to Lecce. You'll stop in Nardò to visit its decadent baroque-style historical center. Next stop in Copertino to discover its impressive Norman castle and listen to stories about Saint Joseph of Copertino, 'the Saint of the holy of flights'. Some km before Lecce the last stop at a handcrafted traditional pottery, at the Martina brothers, skillful keepers of this ancient art. Late afternoon arrival in Lecce and bikes drop off. Final dinner in one of the best restaurants in the town!
Day 9
Departure
Departure day... Time to say goodbye, a good flight back home, or a pleasant stay in Italy. Transfers upon request.



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  • All prices are per person in double rooms
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Extra Information

  1. Fill out and submit the online booking request or send an email to info@cycleclassictours.com
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  • 8 overnight stays in villas, resorts, farmhouses, or B&B
  • 8 breakfast
  • 5 dinners, drinks included
  • 5 tastings with wine, cheese, and local products
  • Baggage transportation
  • GPS guide with tracks included
  • Roadbook with cultural information and tips about the route
  • Assistance h24 based on a local company with English speaker
  • Transfer to/from the airport
  • Optional trekking bike rental: €90
  • Optional e-bike rental: (On request)
  • Single supplement: €240
  • Extra nights in Lecce or Bari: €75
  • High season supplement (from 16-06 to 16-09): €120

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