PUGLIA, THE HEART OF THE MEDITERRANEAN	price from 649 €
Puglia - Leisure cycling - Family holiday - Self-guided cycling - 8 days

Discover the south east end of Italy. On this bicycle-tour you will not only experience the unique countryside between the Adriatic and the Ionic Seas, but also the friendliness and hospitality of the southern Italians. The countryside is rich in culture. The Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Habsburger and the Bourbons have all left their mark in the region.

Program

Day 1 Arrival and installation at your hotel Arrive at your hotel in Alberobello. This small town in the province of Bari is famous for Trulli stone constructions. The town makes part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 2 Alberobello - Ostuni Enjoy a tour through the Valle d'Itria, one of the prettiest cultural landscapes of the south, with a stop in the famous vinyards in Locorotondo to taste some of the local wine. The next stop is Ostuni, the “white town” offering breathtaking views of the sea. Approximately 40km

Day 3 Ostuni - Mesagne/surroundings Guided by the soft sea breeze you will reach the Adriatic coast and the nature park Torre Guaceto. Here are various and abundant breeds of animals, including several migrating birds in their nesting places. Agde old olive groves line the cycle path going inland towards Mesagne. Approximately 50km.

Day 4 Mesagne/surroundings - Gallipoli After breakfast transfert by minibus to Salice salentino (included). After a short ride through the interior of the country you carry on along the Ionic coast to Gallipoli. This Greek "Kale Polis" (beautiful town), a surprise awaits you on the Ionic Sea. Alt-Galliopoli is situated at the end of what seems to be an impregnable rocky island that stretches far out into the sea. There is a fantastic view both from the north and the south. The town itself has many churches, lanes and interesting museums. Watch the fishermen at work. The town was the largest exporter of lamp oil made from olives in the 17th and 18th centuries. Approximately 52km (or 82km whitout transfer)

Day 5 Gallipoli - Santa Maria di Leuca Today you reach the most southerly point of Salento and at the same time the watershed to the Ionic Sea at Santa Maria di Leuca. The town is well known for its church and pilgrimages. At the turn of the century, many opulent villas were built and their fantastic and sometimes absurd forms are now an absolute architectural highlight. The people who lived here were eccentric people who loved the peace and quiet and wanted to enjoy the sea and the town. Approximately 50km

Day 6 Santa Maria di Leuca - Otranto The tour takes you along the south coast of the Adriatic Sea, and up to the Messapian town of Otranto, one of the nuggets in the charming landscape. The old part of the town is surrounded by a mighty wall and contains the impressive Habsburger Castle. On the way to Otranto, you have the chance to visit the famous Grotta Zinzulusa, the only coastal grotto that is open to the public. The Santa Cesarea Thermal Spa is well known for its hydrotherapeutic cures and radioactive mud therapy, and is well worth a visit. Approximately 54km

Day 7 Otranto - Lecce Carry on along the coast through innumerable olive orchards to Lecce. If you want to stop on the way, the best place is at Torre dell’Orso beach which is surrounded by limestone cliffs. Lecce, the capital of Salento, is a town with lots of appeal mainly due to its buildings and churches. The cities of Naples and Lecce are the Baroque metropolises of the south. There are over 30 churches and innumerable palaces. Don’t forget to visit the amphitheatre and the Roman theatre, both built under Kaiser Augustus. Approximately 50km

Day 8 The end ! End of holiday after breakfast. The airports at Bari/Brindisi are easily reached by train. For those who parked their cars at Alberobello, this too is also very accessible train. We can provide a transfer service if necessary.