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+44 78 2332 5626
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Dates:
8 June – 15 June 2019
31 August – 7 September 2019
7 September – 14 September 2019
14 September – 21 September 2019
Join Journey Amazing on an amazing Puglia Bike Tour set in Salento, Puglia. Salento, set in the southernmost tip of Puglia, is fast becoming the go to destination of South Italy. This area is rich in culture, food, awe inspiring landscapes and white sandy beaches. Our Puglia Bike Tour is set a a ‘recreational level’ which will suit any cyclist. This Puglia Bike Tour is not only about cycling, far from it. Try your hand in a typical cooking class learning regional traditional recipes. Wine tasting of the sought after Primitivo and Negroamaro are also on the cards as well as tons of sightseeing.
Discover key towns and also a little history thrown into the mix. The Puglia Bike Trip will allow you to see and access parts of Puglia that are off the radar and you will get a real insight into everyday life here in the heel of the boot. Meet with like-minded people and also enjoy a little beach time. You will have the opportunity to discover gems including Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca. Stay in select 4 star accommodations which allow you to relax after all the cycling. Still not concinved? Contact us for more information. Please note our retreats do not discriminate against age, race, sexual orientation.
€3490 or USD $3,990 sharing in double room.
Solo traveler? If you prefer your own room, please add a Single supplement of €990 or USD $1290
Fly to Bari or Brindisi Airport.
30 Minutes Before Event Time
Welcome to Lecce! Known as the Florence of the South, Lecce is the Baroque capital of Salento, the southernmost part of Puglia. Lecce is the starting point of our Puglia Bike Tour. Here the sun reflects off white stones that adorn hundreds of churches and buildings enclosed in its historical city walls.
Once in Lecce, make your way to your accommodation in the very centre of Lecce and settle in. We can also collect you from the station, getting to Lecce is very easy and you can fly into both Bari and Brindisi airports. Upon arrival of the Puglia Bike Tour you will be welcomed by your hosts and given a welcome pack. In the evening join your fellow bikers and your tour hosts for an aperitif followed by dinner in Lecce. We will all get to meet each other and have a full briefing on the adventure that lies ahead.
Overnight in Lecce Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Dinner
After breakfast the whole group will meet to discuss the Puglia Bike Trip. We will adjust our bikes and make sure everyone is ready for the first bike ride of the tour. You will be supplied with a bike, lock, bag and helmet for the week. After a short briefing the Puglia Bike Trip will start!
We leave Lecce and head towards the Adriatic coast, following ancient landscapes carved by the Romans. We head towards Acaya, the only fully remaining fortified town in Puglia. After exploring the castle we will have a light lunch in the town before heading back towards Lecce. We pass through quaint towns including Lizzanello, Struda and Merine.
Free time in the evening to eat, drink and explore Lecce.
Overnight in Lecce Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, the Puglia Bike Trip heads towards Otranto, a striking port town on the Adriatic Side.
We cycle first towards the coast then head south before reaching Grotta della Poesia (the cave of poems). Here we take a quick dive (for those adventurous enough to) before heading towards torre dell’orso (the Bear Beach). Here we will have a light lunch and then spend a little time on the beach.
Next we head to Otranto where we will get a glimpse into the history of the town and the famous church with 800 bodies on display. We are transferred back to Lecce that evening where we enjoy typical dishes in a local restaurant. Try ‘fave e cicoria’ or ‘Ciceri e Tria’
Overnight in Lecce Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast we head to a typical Salento kitchen to learn first hand with the expertise of an Italian mamma! Here you will learn hands on how to make delicious recipes from the Puglia Kitchen. The Puglia Bike Trip is not just about cycling. After eating what we have made we head towards another picturesque barouque town called Nardò where we will settle in to our bed and breakfast. Your luggage is transferred for you.
The evening will be enjoyed in the Old Town followed by dinner in a courtyard restaurant nestled with Lime Trees and delicately prepared Salento cuisine.
Overnight in Nardo Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast the Puglia Bike Trip takes a short reprise from the cycling to head to one of the best wineries in Puglia. Here we try bold flavours including, Primitivo, Negroamaro and Susumaniello. After getting a little tipsy we get back on the saddle (no falling please) and head to the picturesque old worldly bay of Santa Caterina and Santa Maria al Bagno. Here we have a light lunch before heading further south to the impressive port town of Gallipoli! Here old smells and flavours fill the town with a nostalgia and beauty that can only be experienced and not described.
We check into our bnb in the Old Town before exploring the small alleyways and head to our favourite Pizzeria! A trip to Italy wouldn’t be complete without a Pizza and beer evening!
Overnight in Gallipoli Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today is a free day to enjoy the beaches in and around Gallipoli. There are beautiful sandy beaches that stretch for miles on your doorstep. Try the Lidos like G Beach and Pôr do Sol for those looking for a fully relaxing experience. If you are not a beach person then feel free to visit Gallipoli for a spot of sightseeing or shopping or just relax by the pool at the hotel.
Overnight in Gallipoli Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast
Today is the last day of the Puglia Bike Trip. We cycle down the most impressive terrain Puglia has to offer. The backdrop is the savage beauty of the Salento coastline on the left and the southernmost tip of Puglia’s sea on the right. We reach Santa Maria di Leuca, the Southernmost tip of Puglia. Here Moorish architecture blends with Salento style creating a beautiful yet strange style like no other place.
We enjoy a typical lunch by the seaside before a transfer back to Gallipoli. Here we rest a little and get ready for the farewell dinner.
The farewell dinner is held on the port walls overlooking the bay of the old town where we will drink, eat, laugh and reminisce about the spectacular week we have all held.
Overnight in Gallipoli Bed and Breakfast
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, we all say goodbye (no tears hopefully) and hope that we see you the next time on the Puglia Bike Trip or one of our other tours.
Transfer back to Lecce.
Meals included: Breakfast