Puglia by bike in 6 days - southern Italy

Cycling trip in Puglia

Do you dream of contemplating the azure blue of the Ionian Sea and discovering a region with breathtaking landscapes? This cycling holiday in Puglia in southern Italy will charm you with its picturesque beauty. Large olive groves, grain fields and vineyards characterize the region of Puglia.
Located on the heel of the Italian boot, between the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea, Puglia reveals its beautiful whitewashed towns in the hills and its kilometers of Mediterranean coast.
Your cycling holidays in Italy begin in Lecce, nicknamed the “Florence of the south”, to reach the region of Salento and visit the vast territory of this beautiful region.

Highlights of the stay:

• Lecce and its impressive religious buildings
• Otranto, pretty fortified city
• Ionian sea
• Santa Maria di Leuca
• the exceptional landscapes of Puglia

Day 1: Lecce

Arrival in Lecce in Italy and discovery of the city. You can reach the first hotel of your stay.
Lecce, located in the Salento region, is a city rich in historical and architectural monuments with more than 40 palaces and churches to discover. Don't miss Lecce Cathedral, Piazza Sant'Oronzo and the three city gates.

Day 2: Lecce - Gallipoli / 50 km

You cycle into the Salento countryside as you leave the city to get closer to the coast of the Ionian Sea. Your destination for the day is the city of Gallipoli.

Day 3: Gallipoli - Santa Maria di Leuca / 50 km

Your Apulia cycling trip continues along the coast to reach the beautiful town of Santa Maria di Leuca or simply Leuca, the southernmost point of Puglia. The Greeks named the city for its luminosity, the term leuca coming from leukos and meaning white.

Day 4: Santa Maria di Leuca - Otranto / 50 km

The cycling route runs along the coast of the Adriatic Sea to the town of Otranto. It is the easternmost city of Italy, it has an extraordinary historical past. Otranto was the most important maritime town in Puglia during Roman times. The city is also known for its tasty cuisine based on seafood.

Day 5: Otranto - Lecce / 55 km

The Alimini lakes are among the most beautiful natural areas in the Puglia and Salento region. They are located north of Otranto, the starting point of today's cycling route. This protected oasis consists of two large bodies of water which offer magnificent landscapes and the prospect of beautiful swimming.
Your route ends in Lecce, your point of departure and arrival. You will be able to take advantage of the attractions of this beautiful city for the last evening of this stay in Puglia by bike.

Day 6: Lecce - end of cycling trip in Puglia

Your cycling trip in Italy ends after breakfast.

General informations :

• 6 days and 5 nights
• Accommodation comfort level: 3 and 4 *
• Prices for children: contact us.

The dates 2025:

Departure Mondays from 17/03 to 21/07 and from 01/09 to 03/11

• Low season: 17/03 to 06/04 and 27/10 to 03/11
• Mid season:  07/04 to 20/04 and 13/10 to 26/10
• High season: 21/04 to 29/06 and 15/09 to 12/10
• Very high season: 30/06 to 21/07 and 01/09 to 14/09

Included :

• 5 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast
• GPS application
• Luggage transport
• Telephone assistance service

Not including :

• Local taxes (around 10-15 €)
• Anything not mentioned in the "included" section
• Transport to the place of departure
• Dinners and lunches

The options :

• Standard and ebike rental
• Helmet
• Bari airport transfer - Lecce round trip (on request)
• Brindisi airport transfer - Lecce round trip (on request)
• Additional night at the start or end of the tour in Lecce
• Bike theft insurance (for rented bikes)
• Cancellation insurance

Levels:

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Mainly in the plains, sometimes hilly. Traffic is almost non-existent in Puglia, except during high season. The route includes very beautiful sections on the coast.

Some days the route will be flat, others more hilly. Suitable for people in good physical condition and with cycling experience.

Weather :

Hot and dry summers. June and September are the most pleasant months.

Technicality:

Cycling: 50 to 55 km per day or 5 hours of cycling. From 0 to 620 m of elevation gain.
Partly marked itinerary, useful roadbook and map reading.

Bibliography:

- cycle maps for Italy on cartovelo.fr

Additional nights:

An additional night is offered to you at the start and / or end of the tour in Lecce.

Meal :

- Breakfasts: generous (coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, butter, bread, jam, orange juice) or buffet
- Lunch: not included
- Dinner: not included - restaurants nearby on each stage.

The bike :

- Rental bicycle: If you rent a bicycle, it will be given to you on the day of your arrival at the 1st hotel. At the end of the tour, you will have to leave this bike at the last hotel and notify reception. 

- Personal bike: We do not recommend bicycles with small tires. Hybrid bikes and mountain bikes are excellent. Remember to check your bicycle before setting off. At the end of the tour, you will have to take care of your own bicycle.

Assistance :

Assistance in the event of a breakdown (except punctures for which we do not intervene).

Luggage:

They are transported by a courier or by our partner and limited to one piece of luggage per person. (max. 20kg).

Roadbook :

It includes GPS app, vouchers for hotels and restaurants as well as labels for luggage.

Transport:

- By train: It takes a day by train from Paris to reach Lecce.
- By car: Lecce is approximately 1879 km from Paris.
- By plane: Brindinsi (40 km) and Bari (150 km) airports

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the reimbursement of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more about insurance, click here.