Bike Tour in Salento

(7 days/6 nights)

An exciting journey into the wonderful land of Salento between art, nature, sports, food and wine       

(BIKING IN PUGLIA VIDEO)

 Arrive at the airport in Bari / Brindisi and transfer to Lecce by Deluxe Bus. Accommodation in 4 * Hotel. Welcome dinner at a restaurant in the historic center of the city. Presentation by the Pro.Italy tour guides, taking the opportunity to know us better.

 In the shadow of the Baroque. The day starts with a visit to Lecce, known as the "Florence of the South"; an explosion of flourished Baroque in the city considered one of the most beautiful in Italy. Beautiful palaces, splendid churches and quaint squares in the Baroque style, the work of sculptors who have been able to deftly work the typical local stone with a beautiful light yellow color. The tour includes a visit to Lecce to a workshop of "papier mache", typical of the local crafts, followed by a tasting of local products at a characteristic place of the old town. After a short rest in the hotel, we will reach a wine cellar, where there will be a wine tasting accompanied by baked goods, and a visit to the Wine Museum Negroamaro; here they will illustrate the techniques of winemaking, aging and bottling of wines typical of the Salento : Primitivo and Negroamaro. Dinner at local restaurant near Lecce.

 Bike tour Lecce-Acaya-Lecce (Km. 30). The tour provides a wonderful bike ride near Lecce to the Natural Reserve of "Le Cesine". These wetlands are of international interest and under the protection of the WWF, and one of the last remaining stretches of the vast marshes that once stretched in Puglia . There are several protected plant species, like the orchid lake, and numerous migratory and stationary animals such as red and white herons and gazette. On the way back, stop in the fortified village of Acaya with its beautiful Aragonese castle. Built by the architect Giangiacomo dell'Acaya for the Emperor Charles V, it represents a prime example of military architecture of the 1500 in Puglia. At the end of the tour, dinner at a "Masseria", with a show of "Pizzica", the typical folk dance of Salento.

 The land of sun, sea and wind. Leave Lecce and the Hotel and head farther south. Luggages and bikes will be transported by bus to the hotel in the second part of our tour. First stop Gallipoli, city of the Ancient Greeks built on an island. The historic center of Gallipoli is connected to the mainland by a stone bridge of the seventeenth century. The castle, the walls and strong bastions, were constructed around the fifteenth century to defend the city from several attacks, especially from the Saracen pirates. In a maze of narrow streets, structured to break the wind, we can enjoy beautiful churches and stately palaces with arched alcove and wrought iron balconies. Visit one of the many underground olive mills where the oil for illumination was produced and transported with ships from Gallipoli across Europe. Leaving Gallipoli, we will tour the spectacular Coast "FinibusTerrae" of overhanging cliffs, stone walls, olive trees and a turquoise sea. Dinner and overnight in 4*Hotel near Otranto.

 Bike tour Uggiano-Poggiardo-Uggiano (Km. 25). The tour includes an exhilarating bike ride in the typical Salentine countryside among olive trees, vineyards and dry stone. It will make a stop in the archaeological area of the Megalithic Park in Poggiardo to admire Dolmens and Menhirs. Stop for a buffet lunch in one of the most famous Botanical Gardens, which houses a unique collection of succulent plants from deserts from around the world. Return to hotel late in the afternoon for dinner.

 Bike tour Uggiano-Otranto-Uggiano (Km. 25). Another pleasant ride to enjoy the beauty of this magnificent land. Destination of the tour is Otranto, a city declared by UNESCO a "messenger of peace". In its Cathedral, the western style is combined with the eastern byzantine. Here you can admire the largest mosaic floor in the world of the eleventh century, which allegorically represents the Tree of Life with the Good and the Evil. Otraanto, a city in the heart of the Mediterranean, but reaching out to the East, with the palms, the cube-shaped buildings with domes, the narrow, winding streets of a typical Mediterranean style. We will stop at the natural quarry of Bauxite, a surreal place for the red color of the earth, vegetation and a small natural lake. A stop at the Lighthouse Palascìa, the highest point East of Italy where you can see the mountains of Albania. Finally, a break with gourmet cheese and wine. Country style Dinner in a typical locale.

 Arrivederci Salento. Transfer to the airport for your return trip home.