Green-blue Apulia
GROUP HOLIDAYS • September 27th – October 4th 2020 (Enrollment before August 13th)
White old towns, incredible flavors, menhirs and cyclopean stones: the unforgettable heel of Italy
The Salento bike tour starts and finishes in Lecce, lovely baroque city, and develops mostly along the sea. We will bike around the whole Salento peninsula, always having the sea on our right side, with stops in Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca and Otranto. We pedal along the Ionian coast, where wide strands and sand dunes alternate with low cliffs, and then along the undulating Adriatic coast, with higher broken cliffs and intimate bays. We spend two nights in Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca in order to explore the interior: the beautiful Apulia countryside in bloom, neverending olive groves, isolated rural houses and the remains of stone-age civilizations. And then, small villages rich of elegant palaces, old quarries, private and botanic gardens, churches with amazing frescos, sanctuaries and oil mills carved in stone, most of them open just for us. Off the bike, we have time to visit the narrow streets of Gallipoli and Otranto, white-stone-made villages facing the sea, and finally the baroque city of Lecce.
2020 Italy re-starts
A bonus of 50€ has already been applied to the price of this tour. #2020italyrestarts #iwilltravelagain
Trip Itinerary
Departure on September 27th 2020. Arrival on October 4th 2020. Enrollment before August 13th 2020.
Individual arrival to Lecce. Metting with the agency in the hotel. Briefing and bike delivery.
Overnights in Lecce
65 km / Mainly flat
Just outside Lecce, we cycle through the Apulia countryside, where the flowers in bloom cover the fields. We cross Copertino flanking an imposing castle, then we visit Galatina and its church rich of frescos and finally we reach Gallipoli, enjoying a great view over the sea.
Overnights in Gallipoli
56 km / Few climbs
We flank the Ionian Sea and its beautiful white sand beaches until we get to Santa Maria di Leuca. It’s the very bottom of the “Italian heel”, overlooked by the church of Santa Maria De Finibus Terrae and a very high lighthouse.
Overnights in S. Maria di Leuca
45 km / Few climbs
We cycle inland, among olive groves and mysterious dry-stone buildings. Top attractions are Centopietre, a very ancient burial site, the little village of Presicce, with remarkable palaces and underground oil mills, and the Sanctuary of Leuca Piccola, hidden gem in the countryside.
Overnights in S. Maria di Leuca
60 km / +Few climbs
We follow the coastal road with great views over the sea and the high cliffs. Before getting to Otranto we stop to admire the Palascìa lighthouse and the blue sea, and the vivid colors of abandoned bauxite quarries. Once in Otranto, we visit the old town, defended by a castle and thick ancient walls.
Overnights in Otranto
55 km / Few small climbs
Just outside Otranto we visit stunning high cliffs that deep into the shining sea. We head inland and following small country roads that bring us to stone-age sites, dolmens and menhirs, still shrouded in mystery. After a break in the botanical garden “La Cultura”, featuring hundreds of wonderful cactuses, we ride back following the coastal road.
Overnights in Otranto
55 km / Almost flat
On the way back to Lecce we stop in the beautiful fortified village of Acaya. Once we get to Lecce, a professional guide shows us the city and its baroque palaces. Not-to-be-missed are the pastry shops with the renowned delicacies of Lecce.
Overnights in Lecce
Departure from Lecce.
End of the services.
Not happy with your own bike?
Count on us: pick up your bike in Verona! Hybrid bike, gravel bike or e-bike? Choose your way.
Want to find fellow travellers?
That's the place! Bike, sweat, rest, eat, enjoy. Together.
Want to fully enjoy the panorama without struggling in finding the way?
Don't worry, the tour leader is always with you, adapting the speed to the group's pace and making sure nobody gets lost.
Feeling like having some support?
Our van is right there to move the luggage from Hotel to Hotel, to prepare pic nics with fresh ingredients in panoramic spots and to offer all support anytime.
Book the tour
Enrollment deadline before August 13th.
The tour is confirmed with 12 participants.
Clicking on BOOK NOW, you’ll proceed with the payment of 250 € (deposit).
Before the booking, download and read the important documents.
Important documents and info
Download and read carefully documents and information.
- TRAVEL PROGRAM and information Green-blue Apulia 2020
- CONDIZIONI GENERALI SBT 2020 bozza
- Insurances 2020
If you want to rent the bike with us, discover our bikes here.
In the rental, padlock and one waterproof side bike pannier are included. The bike is delivered on the spot the first day of the tour and retired at the end of the travel.
Details about the hotels are written on the program; due to reason of force majeure, hotels may be substitute with others of the same (or higher) category.
Minimum 12 – maximum 24 participants.
250 € needs to be deposited as downpayment at the moment of the enrollment. Once the tour is confirmed, balance needs to be deposited not later than 30 days before the departure.
Customer renouncing may be substitute by another person if the organizer receives written notice. The substitute must satisfy all the conditions necessary to the service fruition. The substitute must reimburse the organizer for all the secretarial allowances, 20 € are to be deposited plus any extra costs related with the substitution.
If the customer withdraws from the contract, penalties are applied. Penalties may be refunded by the withdraw insurance, if taken out.
Cancellation until 30 days from the departure: the down payment will be withheld.
Cancellation until 14 days from the departure: 50% refund.
Later than that: no refund.
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Full information will send via email before the departure, with tour leaders’ name and contacts. Due to logistic or weather problems, there might be some program changes.