Salento offers a unique tourist experience, with cycle routes that pass through breathtaking landscapes, ancient villages and spectacular coastlines. In this article, we’ll guide you to discover the area’s most striking cycle routes, particularly in the spring season, when brighter days, mild temperatures and roads with little traffic make perfect conditions even for a longer-than-usual bike ride. Get ready to experience an alternative vacation under the banner of slow but top-notch tourism with the five Salento bike tours we recommend.

1.In the Baroque and beyond the city walls of Lecce

For a trip to the heart of Salento, it is a must to start from the capital: the Lady of Baroque, Lecce. Pedaling along the city’s ancient city walls, you’ll have the opportunity to admire the splendid palaces and richly decorated churches that characterize the historic center, letting yourself be enveloped in the unique charm that only this city of art can give. But the wonder does not end there: Lecce is filled with bike paths and, moving toward the suburbs, in the Quartiere Stadio you can admire dozens of monumental murals that make the neighborhood a true open-air museum of street art. Continuing toward the sea at San Cataldo on a flat, paved 10km straight, you can stop at the Cesine Nature Reserve, a WWF oasis, pedaling in the cool of the trees, while turning back you can pass through the fortified village of Acaya.

Distance: 38km

Duration: 2h

2.Loop tour on the Heel of Italy.

Starting from charming Gagliano del Capo, in 10 minutes you can cross the famous Ciolo panoramic bridge, about 26 meters high and connecting the two ends of this canyon, considered among the most beautiful fjords in Italy. In another half-hour bike ride along the coast road, passing by the Grotta del Soffio (Breath Cave) and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de “Finibus Terrae” (“where the earth ends,” the definition given by the ancient Romans to the Heel of the Boot), you arrive at the Monumental Waterfall of the Apulian Aqueduct in Santa Maria di Leuca, an imposing work, undoubtedly among the most fascinating in Italy, an exciting spectacle amidst the play of lights, sounds and the roar of water. Continuing along the coast one encounters the Grotta delle Tre Porte, the Grotta degli Innamorati and can stop at the spectacular marinas of Felloniche and San Gregorio. Turning back inland, obligatory stops in Morciano and Patù to contemplate the medieval core and the monument of the Hundred Stones, a mausoleum dedicated to the knight Geminiano, a messenger of peace slaughtered by the Saracens.

Distance: 27km

Duration: 1h45

3.Grotta delle Veneri trail towards Gallipoli.

This route starts right from Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli and crosses paths paved with dry stone walls, an ancient art recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pedaling toward Parabita, in a quarter of an hour you’ll find yourself at the foot of the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Coltura and the Convent of the Alcantarini, before plunging into the history of the Archaeological Park, which testifies to the presence of man in these lands since the Paleolithic. In particular, the Grotta delle Veneri is world-famous for the discovery of two very ancient statuettes praising female fertility, now on display at the MARTA museum in Taranto. Staying with the prehistoric theme, passing through the countryside of Tuglie you can admire no less than 4 Menhirs dating back to the Neolithic period, before entering the characteristic Alezio and reaching the wonderful Gallipoli after 5km of comfortable straight road. After circumnavigating the Ionian town, you can return to Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli enjoying the pure air and relaxation of the Salento countryside on your bike.

Distance: 34km

Duration: 1h48

4.From Nardò to the greenery of Porto Selvaggio

Nardò is one of the most charming towns in Salento, a lively and lively town with a cozy, elegant historic center that is all about living. Our fourth bike route to discover the Porto Selvaggio Regional Natural Park starts from here. The first attraction reachable in less than half an hour by bike is the so-called “Stanza dei Bagni,” one of the most characteristic corners of Salento: a secret room carved out of the rock and frequented by ladies of the 1800s who wanted to bathe away from prying eyes. After that, you’ll dive into the unspoiled environment of Porto Selvaggio, which from Torre dell’Alto to Torre Uluzzo, passing through Grotta del Cavallo and Occhio della Sibilla, will reconnect you with nature and its wonders uncorrupted by the hand of man. From here, in another handful of flat kilometers in the midst of a relaxing rural landscape, you will be back in Nardò.

Distance: 25km

Duration: 2h

5.In the Park of Ugento, strolling through the villages

The last route is also based on Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli and will take you to discover the Litorale di Ugento Regional Natural Park by exploring inland Salento towns such as Taviano, the “city of flowers”; the villages of Racale and Alliste, with their prehistoric menhirs, dolmens and specchie; and the pretty coastal village of Torre San Giovanni. You’ll pedal through centuries-old olive groves, cultivated fields and majestic masserias, arriving in just over an hour at an enchanted place that protects one of Salento’s most beautiful coastlines, with golden beaches, sandy dunes and crystal-clear sea. After enjoying this oasis of tranquility, you can set off again for Ugento, which stands on the remains of the ancient Messapian city of Ozan, stop at the church of Santa Maria della Croce in Casarano and, finally, the Palazzo dei Marchesi del Tufo in Matino, to admire the precious frescoes between the sacred and the profane, before refreshment again at our Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli.

Distance: 55km

Duration: 3h

These five evocative bike tours will make you feel an integral part of this unique land, its history, art and traditions.Book your stay at Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli now and get ready to explore Salento’s most beautiful bike routes, fully immersing yourself in the beauty and authenticity of the Heel of Italy. Cycling along scenic roads, spectacular coastlines and ancient villages, you will lose yourself in the beauty of its breathtaking landscapes, losing track of time and leaving all thoughts of the daily routine at home.