7 Days & 6 Nights

4.5

Cycling the Coast of Puglia

Easy-going cycling around Puglia's southern Salento coastline
Start and finish in Lecce, an architectural Baroque masterpiece
Relax on the whites sands of Torre dell Orso
Explore the coastal towns of Gallipoli, Leuca and Otranto
Dine on freshly grilled swordfish and orecchiette pasta

Beginning in the heart of southern Puglia, explore the town of Lecce and its wealth of baroque buildings, which flourished between the 16th and 18th centuries. From Lecce, cycle through a patchwork of olive groves to the charming ancient walled city of Gallipoli overlooking the Ionian sea. Pedal along the coast, hopping between sandy beaches to the southern tip of Puglia, where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. Ride along the dramatic rock formations of the Adriatic coastline to the ancient Greek port of Otranto. North of Otranto, relax on the golden beaches of the Cesine Coastal Nature Reserve before returning to Lecce, where you may wish to enjoy one last dish of Puglia’s fresh orecchiette pasta!

From $1,470.00

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Gallery

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive Lecce and overnight

The Baroque buildings and churches of Lecce are within an hours bus journey of Brindisi Airport or a 90-minute train journey from Bari. Depending on your time of arrival you may wish to visit the amphitheatre and the Roman theatre, both built when Caesar Augustus was in power (a 40-year reign from 31BC to 14AD). Explore cobbled alleys, lively piazzas and in the evening sample fresh seafood and delicious pasta dishes.

Overnight Lecce

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Palazzo Bignami | Bed and breakfast

A boutique B&B, Palazzo Bignami features a terrace and guestrooms. This bed and breakfast offers a shared lounge, rooftop terrace and easy access to all the sights.

Eos Hotel | 3 Star | Hotel

Just outside the historical centre of Lecce, Eos offers design rooms with flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi.

The Roman Amphitheatre and other historical sites are 15 minutes' walk away.

All air-conditioned rooms at Eos Hotel feature parquet floors and a minibar. Each room has private bathroom complete with luxury amenities. A varied breakfast is served daily until 10:00, including a sweet and savoury buffet, and freshly baked traditional Salento pastries. In the evenings, you can relax with an aperitif or cocktail in the Espera wine bar.

Hotel delle Palme | 4 Star | Hotel

Hotel Delle Palme provides concierge services, allergy-free rooms, a restaurant, free WiFi throughout the property and a bar. This 4-star hotel offers room service and a 24-hour front desk.

The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms offering a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. Guest rooms include a wardrobe.

Day 2 Cycle Lecce to Gallipoli via Galatina 33 miles / 53 km

Leaving Lecce, cycle southwards deep into the Salento countryside. Ride quiet country lanes through olive groves towards one of Puglia’s hidden gems, Galatina, a chic little town with beautifully preserved baroque buildings. Once you have explored Galatina with its impressive walls, numerous churches and aristocratic palaces, pedal onwards to Gallipoli. Upon arrival here enjoy wandering the picturesque old walled town, built on a small island which juts out into the Ionian sea.

Overnight Gallipoli

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Al Pescatore | 4 Star | Hotel

A 17th century property located in the historic centre of Gallipoli and only a few minutes’ walk from the beach and cathedral. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant serving fresh local seafood pasta dishes.

B&B Salentus | Bed and breakfast

B&B Salentus is located in the historic centre of Gallipoli and is only 3 minutes walk from the beach.

Hotel 33 Baroni | 4 Star | Hotel

The hotel is equipped with a panoramic terrace overlooking the Old Town and both the Northern and Southern coast, where you can enjoy a rich breakfast or an energizing aperitif with a sea view from dawn to sunset.

Day 3 Cycle Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca 32 miles / 51 km

After a fortifying breakfast today cycle to Puglia’s most southerly coastal town of Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. A day of easy cycling leaves plenty of time to make an short diversion to the beach or explore one of the many of the charming villages and towns you will pass through before arriving in Santa Maria di Leuca. One very interesting place where you may wish to stop and check out is Torre Vado, the town named after its round tower. The fortifications lend a magical backdrop to the beach and boat marina.

Overnight Santa Maria di Leuca

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Terminal | 3 Star | Hotel

Hotel Terminal has a private beach with a direct access reserved only to the hotel guests. The hotel has been refurbished mainly using local raw materials (the stones produced in the city of Alessano, the terracotta of the city of Lucugnano and the reeds of Gallipoli). It has wide terraces, a garden, a library and Wi-Fi service. Rooms equipped with private bathroom, shower, hair-dryer, telephone with programmable alarm-clock, TV with sky decoder, cable radio, air-conditioning, mini fridge, safe box.

Day 4 Free Day in Santa Maria di Leuca

Today you can spend a wonderful day in and around Santa Maria di Leuca, a place well-worthy of exploration. This lovely town sits on the most southerly point of the Salento peninsula and has long been mentioned in the annals of history. The Santa Maria part of its name refers to the religious sanctuary that was built on a hill high above the harbour. Visit the sanctuary, the impressive lighthouse, built in 1864, and a waterfall that signifies the end of the Puglia's Aqueduct. Discover its dramatic stretches of coastline and enjoy the sandy beaches, bars and restaurant that this attractive little town has to offer.

Overnight Santa Maria di Leuca

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Terminal | 3 Star | Hotel

Day 5 Cycle Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto 32 miles / 51 km

With a choice of two routes today you can choose between pedalling the rise and fall of the Ionian coastline or an easier, rolling route through a patchwork of olive groves and small villages.

The rocky Ionian coastline reveals the most spectacular panoramic photo opportunities. Just over halfway you can visit one of the most impressive karstic cave networks, the ‘Grotto Zinzulusa’ (a 4km detour). Alternatively the gentle rolling route weaves its way through farmland and peaceful countryside to the chic city of Otranto.

Overnight Otranto

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Albania | 3 Star | Hotel

Set between the beach and the ancient gateway into Otranto, the Hotel Albania has fresh, bright rooms and a rooftop terrace (on a clear day you can see across the water to Albania).

B&B La Terrazza Sul Mare | Bed and breakfast

Set in Otranto, 200 yards from Castello di Otranto, La Terrazza Sul Mare features air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi throughout the property. Each room has a flat-screen TV. A terrace or balcony are featured in certain rooms. Rooms have a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find free toiletries and a hairdryer.

Vittoria Resort & Spa | 4 Star | Hotel

Set in Otranto, the Vittoria Hotel & Spa features elegantly furnished rooms with WiFi and TV. There is also an onsite spa which is the perfect place to unwind after your adventure! There is a restaurant and the resident chef will take you on a journey through the flavours of Apulian local cuisine.

Day 6 Cycle Otranto to Lecce via Cesine Coastal Nature Reserve 30 miles / 49 km

The last day of cycling continues north towards the dunes, forests and flora of the Cesine Coastal Nature Reserve, rich in birdlife, flora and picturesque beaches. From here, pedal inland through the Greek communities of Salento as you ride to Lecce. ‘Florence of the South’, enjoy a dinner al fresco surrounded by the grandeur of the Lecce’s baroque architecture.

Overnight Lecce

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Palazzo Bignami | Bed and breakfast

A boutique B&B, Palazzo Bignami features a terrace and guestrooms. This bed and breakfast offers a shared lounge, rooftop terrace and easy access to all the sights.

Eos Hotel | 3 Star | Hotel

Just outside the historical centre of Lecce, Eos offers design rooms with flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi.

The Roman Amphitheatre and other historical sites are 15 minutes' walk away.

Hotel delle Palme | 4 Star | Hotel

Hotel Delle Palme provides concierge services, allergy-free rooms, a restaurant, free WiFi throughout the property and a bar. This 4-star hotel offers room service and a 24-hour front desk.

Day 7 Onward travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 6kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 6kg is equivalent to 4.5 ham and cheese sandwiches from the store. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.

Reviews

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

Graded easy to moderate, this tour follows the Salento coastline and is suited to cyclists that like the idea of a riding between beaches, ancient towns and discovering the local pasta and seafood dishes unique to Puglia. Each ride is between 50-60km and is predominately along easy going coastal and country roads. Spending each night in comfortable, centrally located hotels means you are only ever a few minutes walk from the sights or panoramic sea views.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie

Wine

Activity Level & Terrain

This cycling tour is graded easy to moderate overall and follows a combination of quiet country and coastal roads which take you through little resort towns and national parks with saltmarshes and wetlands. The elevation gains and losses are minimal and daily distances not too challenging. We also offer an easier inland option on one of the rides which you may take if you prefer. We also offer the rental of E-bikes if you wish to take this more easy-going option. If you are using a regular bike it's a good idea to regularly get out on your bike for a couple of consecutive days in the lead up to your tour. Be prepared for busier routes when approaching and departing towns.

Experience & Fitness

This cycling tour is suitable for relatively fit regular cyclists seeking an active holiday who enjoy being on their bike for up to 3-6 hours per day. You'll spend much of the day in the saddle experiencing a region and discovering its variety. The terrain is rolling with some longer and steeper ascents/descents, with daily total elevations ranging from 10m to 300m. E-bikes are available for hire should you want to have battery-powered assistance for the hills.

Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included

Included

5 Nights in 3-4* hotels
5 Breakfasts
Baggage transfer
Information pack
Access to maps, GPX tracks and route notes in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

Excluded

Travel to / from Lecce
Bike hire (or upgrade to an e-bike)
Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
Personal equipment
Travel insurance (required)

Extras

Additional nights along the route
Bike hire (standard hybrid)
Upgrade to an e-bike
Arrival and departure transfers

When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

Equipment

Bike hire is an optional extra for this tour as you are welcome to bring your own bike. If you intend to bring your own bike, please do let us know at the time as extra transfer arrangements may be required for any large bike cases/boxes.

Rental bikes are 21 speed touring bikes equipped with a basic repair kit, pump and helmet (though we recommend using your own). Specific male and female frames are available. If you’d like to hire a bike, we will ask for your height and the frame size you currently ride so we can make sure your rental bike is the best fit. E-bikes are also available (subject to availability) if you would prefer a power-assisted ride.

Minimum age for ebike hire is 16yrs.