Puglia: from village to village by bike

Olives, wines and administration on a bicycle tour through the heel of the boot

I am a weekend cyclist, or more precisely of the cycle path that every Sunday is set up in São Paulo along the main streets of the city, and I thought I was ready to face five days of cycling through Puglia, a region that goes from heel to to heel of the boot. The itinerary, focused on first-class gastronomy and hotels, was curated by Duvine, an American company specializing in bicycle travel.

OTRANTO

my gateway Puglia went to the capital Bariwhere I took a train Toasts. There I met Nick, one of the expedition guides, who had picked up three other companions from the local airport a few minutes earlier, Trever, from San Francisco, and a couple from Wales, Glyn and Menna. We followed 90 kilometers in the van up to Otranto, a small town at the eastern end of the Salto da Bota, which immediately surprised. Surrounded by Byzantine walls, it has a historic center that is a masterpiece and is bathed in a blue and calm Adriatic. When you swim, go down the steps of the wall. The city was founded by the Greeks and was very popular for being the gateway to the rest of the peninsula. In the two days we slept in the city, the program consisted of going back and forth several times through the narrow alleys, going up the Aragonese castle to get an even higher view and, yes, go down the steps of the wall to dive into the deep blue.

At the Palazzo Papaleo hotel, that first day, we found two other couples who were cycling companions, the American EV and the Irish Tadhg and the Brazilians Cecília and Márcio, from Ribeirão Preto. Made the introductions, then they introduced us to our bikes, which were ready with our names near the city walls. we departed Otranto and we took a narrow dirt road lined with hundreds of olive trees. Same trees, how monotonous, I thought at that moment, but I promise that in this story I still pay for my language. We cycled for about 10 kilometers Minervino of Lecce, where we visited the tavern of the Menhir winery. A stone building, tables on a bamboo pergola, Nina Simone in the boxes, climate. When the wines arrived, I was able to put into practice the main tasting lesson I learned one day: the best wine is what you like.

I really liked the white PASS-O, made with Fiano grapes, which in the mouth had a scent of peach and a sparkling tip; and the red N.ZERO, produced with Negroamaro, a trademark grape of the region of Salentosub-region of Puglia which takes the entire heel of the boot, right where we were. To accompany, the vegetable pie, a kind of spinach muffin topped with a creamy ricotta with the consistency of whipped cream. I left there high, but willing. We resumed the way back Otranto and at one point we embarked on a descidona. I was at a good speed, cutting the wind, with a goofy smile on my face, when I decided to put even more force on the pedal. I took an angry speed with u-huu’s right, but all it took was the end of the climb and, oh-ou, I didn’t have the strength and had to get off the bike to push it. I learned the 101 lesson of cycle tourism the hard way: after a long and delightful descent, there is always a painful and tiring climb, and that effort is necessary.

“SLOW TRIP”

Lecce, 50 kilometers north of Otranto, is considered the Florence of the South and has an extraordinary historic center. The explosion of lions, dragons, horses and flowers on the facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce from 1695 is a feast for the eyes, as is the 2nd century AD Roman amphitheater set in the center of Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the lively center of the place. Watching life go by at the table at Caffè Alvino is a great request.

SAINT MARY OF LEUCA

On the second day, the script was to cycle about 30 kilometers Otranto along the entire Bota jumps along the sea to the point where the Adriatic and the Ionian meet, in Santa Maria di Leuca. At that time I was already consecrated as usher of the group. There were parts of absurd boredom, others of great joy, like the super-slope that precedes Santa Cesarea Terme, a town famous for its sulfur springs. We clicked and continued our journey Tricasi, where we had lunch at A Casa Mia. I was a dedicated diner, mainly to house wine, so for the first time I used the van that accompanied us all the time. It worked like this: we had Nick and the Italian Davide as our guides who alternated between leading the group and driving the van. The American EV, 73, impressed me the most. She took the whole trip on a racing bike and asked for water, or rather, a van, only once – I ordered about four.

LOCOROTONDO

The third day we went to the van Valle d’Itria140 kilometers north of Otrantothe first step is to be an olive oil producer, trisolein tank. There we learned about the oil extraction process and in the end we had a tasting. What I learned: You need to put some oil on your tongue, grit your teeth and inhale through your mouth. If you get a sore throat, a sign of good oil. From there we went up to locorondo, the most bucolic of cities, located on top of a hill. Life in that labyrinth of narrow alleys of whitewashed houses follows a rhythm all its own.

Suddenly you come across balconies covered with geraniums and a pair of slippers on the doorstep. lunch at the restaurant To the Three Saints it was Babette’s party. THE Puglia it is the land of cheeses such as burrata, mozzarella and its cousin selling focaccia, radicchio and bean purée. And you can pedal! In locorondowe took the road to the outskirts of Martina Francawhere the Masseria Fumarola hotel is located, a construction made of trulli, the conical houses that are a trademark of Puglia. Sleeping there anticipated the visit we would have the next day Alberobello, which houses over a thousand, built around 1400. The twin trullo that fell to me that night was very comfortable. And the dinner prepared by the hotel was one of the most divine.

“ADRIATIC SHOW”

Polignano a Mare, 35 kilometers south of Bari, is one of the most surprising coastal landscapes in Puglia. The old part of the city was built on a rock with the houses facing the sea. The main beach, with pebbles and very transparent water, is very popular in the summer months.

ALBEROBELLO

The next day it was time to do it dawns robello. I confess that I felt a pang of disappointment. Many of the trulli have been transformed into anonymous souvenir shops. The exact origin of the buildings is not known, but one hypothesis would be a way they found to escape the IPTU indicted at the time. As it was a construction made of sockets, they could easily be torn down when tax collectors visited and then rebuilt. The nice thing is that there we met Mimmo, a figure who guided us around the place. After the tour, lunch, prepared by the mother, was served in one of the trulli that the family rents to tourists. The standard of accommodation was high and remained so until the end. That day we went to sleep on the outskirts of the city of Fasano (the same where the family of restaurateur Rogerio Fasano).

I stayed at the Masseria Torre Coccaro and the rest of the group at the nearby 16th century Masseria Torre Maizza. Puglia, usually farms immersed in olive groves. In the evening we meet in Maizza for a cooking class. We learned how to make panzerotti, a type of fried calzone, and orecchiette, the typical ones Puglia, which is shaped like an ear. Other noteworthy farms are Salamis, reminiscent of a medieval castle, and Borgo Egnazia, the most extravagant of all: the place was the scene of the “yes” between Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. The omnipresent landscape in the five days were the olive groves, which with a less careful look I came to think that they were all the same. Read the error. These trees, which may be hundreds of years old, appear to be carved, sometimes they seem to dance. Some are contortionists, they hug or repel, they can be single, bipartite, cursive, they can be fat in the stem like a Botero painting, or at the same time deformed, anthropomorphic and with breasts like a Louise Bourgeois sculpture. never boring.

“IN VINO VERITAS”

Once known for mass-producing low-quality wines, Puglia has seen its reputation transformed in recent years and is gaining prestige. The specialty is the reds, and mainly from Primitivo and Negroamaro grapes. Good value for money are the Taurino Salice Salentino Riserva 2008, the Leone de Castris Salento Negroamaro Elo Veni 2010 and the Castello Monaci Salento Negromaro Maru 2008. It is worth including in your itinerary a visit to wineries such as Masseria Altemura and Castel Di Salve. .

TOASTS

On a bicycle trip, the group sets the pace and there are groups traveling travellingwhile others inside fast forward. In many moments I thought that my companions took it too seriously and passed in front of landscapes that deserved a little more contemplation. to the airport ToastsIn goodbye, 70-year-old EV said it was inspiring that I’m not competitive, that I don’t mind always being the last. I explained that for me it was just a matter of conditioning, and if I pushed myself I could hurt myself or give up. And I corrected that I found it stimulating to see her with that taste when she might as well have been inside Boston drink tea with loaves. We laughed and, like someone who just starred in a chapter of a self-help book, we hugged each other. Until we meet again.

WHERE STAY

In the heart of the historic center of Otranto, Palazzo Papaleo has nine very comfortable rooms. Simple and cheap is the B&B Viaprimaldo Camere. In Alberobelloin Trulli and Puglia and in La Rosa dei Trulli you sleep in the trulli, houses with a conical roof typical of the Puglia. on the outskirts of Martina Franca, the trulli of Masseria Fumarola are very comfortable. At Masseria Serralta a locorondo, coffee is served in the garden. In Fasano, are adjacent to the farms Torre Coccaro and Torre Maizza, very comfortable and located in the middle of the olive groves. Borgo Egnazia is luxurious and Salamina is reminiscent of a medieval tower and serves impeccable Apulian cuisine.

WHERE TO EAT

In Otrantoto the by Sergio Fish of the day is served, charged by weight. At the Cantine Menhir, in the city of Minervino of Lecceyou can taste some of the best wines of Salento. In AlberobelloAmong the restaurants, La Cantina and Il Poeta Contadino are worth a visit. In locorondoEither way, Curdunn is worth a stop, serving great appetizers. or To the Three Saints It is open on Mondays which is rare in the city.

Source: Terra

Benjamin

Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.