Along peaceful, mostly paved, and fairly easy country roads. A chance to discover a different Salento, away from the coastal landscape that has made this area so popular, a Salento that is remarkably abundant in cultural and natural treasures. Cycling through endless seas of olive groves interspersed with megaliths, Basilian crypts, underground olive oil mills, fortress-like farmhouses, Marian shrines, dolines, surface water inlets, gullies and bizarre landscape formations. Like magic, a dense network of secondary roads enable you to cycle easily from one town to another, exploring small but interesting historic centres, steeped in thousands of years of history revealing treasures such as churches, bell towers, palaces, crypts and much more
Day 1 – Ciao Salento - Arrival – Arrive in Salento by your own means. Get your room and bicycle if requested. Briefing with our cycling excursion guide who will explain the itineraries and the timetables for the start of the rides.
Day 2 – Belvedere Wood – Buffet breakfast. The excursion starts in the area to the southwest of the town of Maglie, an area that was once the immense Belvedere Wood, but today is a century-old olive grove. After sighting the old town centre of Scorrano, you’ll get to the ‘Trappito della Castagna’, an underground olive oil mill (not open to the public) and main point of interest on this excursion. You will also be able to see a karst ponor, or surface water inlet, and huge century-old olive trees. Another point of interest is the Casino Canale d’Oronzo, an old traditional house fortified with palisades. Back to your hotel.
Day 3 – Cutrofiano - Galatina – Corigliano d’Otranto - Buffet breakfast. Today’s destination is Galatina, which can be reached safely by cycling on the dense network of secondary roads that run throughout Salento. Worth visiting: the underground olive oil mill at the Masseria (farmhouse) Astore on the eastern outskirts of the town of Cutrofiano, the historic centre of Galatina (don’t miss the Church of Santa Caterina), the ‘pozzelle’ (ingenious man-made covered rock pits to capture rain water) of Corigliano, located in the south-western outskirts of this town, plus the historic centre of Corigliano, which boasts a castle adorned with a beautiful baroque façade dating back to 1667. Back to your hotel.
Day 4 – Heading East – Buffet breakfast. Today’s destination is the ancient town of Otranto. This itinerary calls for a ride along roads interspersed with menhirs, dolmens, Basilian crypts and fortress-like ‘masserie’ (farmhouses) as well as bizarre landscape formations (for example, a unique rock formation locally known as the ‘Masso della Vecchia’ and the eerie bauxite quarry of Monte Vergine) where picturesque scenery characterize your ride through a sea of age-old olive groves. Visit both the Messapian ancient town of Muro Leccese and Giurdignano as well as the medieval centre of Otranto, dominated by the Norman cathedral. Back to your hotel.
Day 5 – The Basilians – Buffet breakfast. The main point of interest on today’s itinerary is the 10th century Basilian crypt of Santa Cristina in Carpignano. After admiring the large dovecote tower and cycling past the Staurotomea Menhir, head towards the Church of Santa Marina of Stigliano, centre of a tiny medieval village. From here, go to Masseria Torcito and then on to the town of Cannole where you can admire the Palazzo Baronale (Baronial Palace) Don’t miss the Church of San Giovanni in the little hamlet of Morigino. Back to your hotel.
Day 6 – Messapian Tour – Buffet breakfast. Today’s itinerary involves cycling on the ridge of the ‘Serra di Poggiardo’. Along the ride you’ll encounter the Hermitage of San Giovanni in the vicinity of the town of Giuggianello, the ‘palazzo baronale’ (baronial palace) of Specchia Gallone, the Crypt of Santi Stefani and its invaluable frescoes as well as the archaeological park in Vaste, an ancient Messapian village. Then Poggiardo and its interesting historic centre. Lastly, it is worth visiting the little Church of Santa Maria di Miggiano near Muro Leccese. Back to your hotel.
Day 7 – Kalos Irtate – Grecia Salentina – Buffet breakfast. Today’s itinerary can be shortened by taking the local train (FSE-Ferrovie Sudest) from Maglie to Sternatia. The excursion winds through the Grecia Salentina to towns such as Martignano, Calimera and Martano, with its castle and houses with traditional little courtyards. Points of interest: the ‘pozzelle’ (ingenious man-made covered rock pits to capture rain water) of Castrignano dei Greci and the imposing Palazzo Orsini in the small town of Melpignano. Back to your hotel.
Day 8 – Arrivederci Salento – Buffet breakfast. Transfer to airport or station (if scheduled) for departure.
