APULIA
Between the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea

Welcome to the extreme south-east of Italy! You will not only encounter the unique landscape between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, but also the hospitality and cheerfulness of its inhabitants. You can imerse yourself into a lot of culture: the Greek, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Staufer, the Aragons, the Habsburger and the Bourbons have left their marks on the beautiful region in Apulia. The relatively unknown south east of Italy will enchant you with endless sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, whitewashed villages and a vivid past.

TOUR PROFILE:
You bike mostly on asphalted side roads with very little traffic. Some short uphill stretches.

ROUTE:
Day 1: Alberobello
Individual arrival.
Day 2: Alberobello - Martina Franca (approx. 25 km/16 miles)
Bike tour across the Valle d'Itria, which is considered the most beautiful cultivated landscape of the South. In spring, the blossoms of orchards and almond trees turns the landscape into a wonderful, multi-coloured garden. Stop over in the renowned wine-town of Locorotondo where you can taste the local white wine. Today's destination is Martina Franca, a baroque town situated on a hill, which is famous for its splendid old town-city center.
Day 3: Martina Franca - Manduria/surrounding (approx. 50 km/31 miles)
Today's leg will lead you past the medieval town Grottaglie to Manduria, a charming village in the country-side, situated in the mattocks of the Murge Tarantine. Enclosed by fields where not only vine but also sweet herbs are cultivated, Manduria will enchant you with its wonderfully withered Old Town, which was built almost entirely of yellow sand stone. Manduria was once a settlement of the Messapians, an indigenous tribe of the Puglia. You can still visit a wall of megaliths and some tombs from that long-gone period. Furthermore, do not miss the magnificent Palazzo Imperiali, the Romanic cathedral San Gregorio Magno and the lovely quarter of the former Jewish ghetto..
Day 4: Manduria/surrounding - Gallipoli (approx. 40 km/24 miles)
Aong the Ionian coast to Gallipoli. This formerly greek town is situated on a craggy ledge, which seems to venture out fearlessly into the sea, Gallipoli can be seen from afar from both the south and the north. Do not get lost in the maze of it's alleyways where a number of churches and a cosy museum are waiting for your visit.
Day 5: Gallipoli - Santa Maria di Leuca (approx. 40 km/24 miles)
Today you will reach the most southern point of the Salento, which also divides the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea. Santa Maria di Leuca is primarily known as a place of pilgrimage, its church being a popular destination for pilgrims. At the turn of the century many grand mansions were built here whose architectonic shapes range from fantastic to absurd.
Day 6: Santa Maria di Leuca - Otranto (approx. 50 km/31 miles)
Today you will cycle along the southern coast of the Adriatic Sea to Otranto which is situated in the midst of a charming landscape. Its Old Town is enclosed by thick city walls and will impress you with its mighty HAbsburger-Castello. On the way to Otranto you have the chance to visit the famous Grotta Zinzulusa, which is the only grotto open to the public.
Day 7: Otranto - Lecce (approx. 60 km/38 miles)
On the way to Lecce you will cross numerous picturesque olive groves. If you need a break before reaching today's destination, you best relax in the romantic bay of Torre dell'Orso. Lecce, the capital of the Salento, will attract you because of its splendid buildings and churches. Apart from Naples, Lecce is considered the baroque metropolis of the South. More than 30 churches and uncountable palazzi are definitely worth a visit. Do not forget to have a look at the amphitheater and the Roman theater, both built probably under the Roman Emperor Augustus.
8. Tag: Lecce
Individual departure or extension.

INCLUDED SERVICES : 7 nights in hotels/ private inns/ Trulli/ Appartements, private facilities, luggage transport until Lecce, maps and information

BICYCLES: 7- or 24- speed-touring bike with pannier

For more details just e-mail us, please: radreise@web.de