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The best beaches for kids in Puglia

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When you are going on holiday to the seaside with your children the first question to ask is: what beaches are ok for our children? I have written this post for those families that want to come to Salento on holiday in Puglia or that have already booked one. Before giving you the list of beaches that are adapt for your family, let’s see what are the characteristics a beach has to have for your children. If you want further information, you can contact me by phone/email or write to me in the comments section at the end of this post.Read More

Ten reasons why I love to go to the beaches of Torre Lapillo in September

With Torre Lapillo I mean also Punta prosciutto and Porto Cesareo, of course. What can we might define the Ionian Salento. I like too much September, a hot and quiet month with a dreamy sea. In September temperatures are every day between 25 – 30 C° and nights are lukewarm, so I don’t need to put on something long-sleeved during my long evening out until late at night.
It’s nice here: September in my opinion is the best month ever of the year but I’m going to explain you why. First, I want to give you some information about photos that you’ll going to see in this article. These are photos that I’ve took at the sunrise last Friday at 6.30 am, along the bay of Torre Lapillo, during a regenerate walking. Let’s start!Read More

The Waikiki Beach – beach service on the sea of Torre Lapillo

Some of my friends have opened an establishment on the beach of Torre Lapillo: The Waikiki Beach, right in the centre of the bay. I will take advantage of my blog to tell you about it: to discover new places and spend a wonderful holiday in Torre Lapillo, in Salento.Read More

What to sea and where to bathe on the Adriatic Coast in Puglia

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I went to Castro for the nth timealong the Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca coastal road in Salento, one of the most beautiful ones in Italy. The serene and sunny day urged me to take various photos and write this mini guide at Castro that you may find useful in case you find yourselves on holiday in Salento. The first thing you will notice about Castro is its position on a small bay dominated by the Castle at the top. The lower part is called Castro Marina, the part where the marina is. At this time of year Castro is very peaceful, a little white town where you can take walks along its little streets, hear the birds singing and see the sea at your side constantly. I will suggest some things to visit and some public places and the beach resorts where you can bathe in summer.

3 things to sea in Castro in Salento, Puglia

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1. Castle | The castle was built in the XI century, it has 4 towers the tallest of which is called Torre del Cavaliere. The entrance fee is of 2.50 € and you can visit it with a tourist guide that gave me a lot of information, the first of which was that Aeneas landed not in Porto Badisco as I thought but in the marina of Castro (I think I will write a dedicated post for this): Aeneas landed here, Virgilio describes the morphology of the land and it seems it really was Castro that at that time had a temple dedicated to Minerva and visible from the sea. You can also visit the Civic Museum inside the Castle wich has Messapian, Illyrian and Medieval relics found in archaeological diggings in town. You will also find a stone slab with Messapian language engraved on it, a language still unknown to me that looks a bit like Greek letters. From the Castle you will also enjoy a literally stunning and beautiful view on two sides, both north towards Santa Cesarea and south towards Andrano and Tricase. I took the opening photo from the terrace of the Castle: a square with view of the sea where you can have a coffee and read the paper, two daily things that become relaxing and exciting at the same time!

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2. Cathedral | It was built in 1171 maybe on the ruins of an ancient Greek temple. On the outside you can also see the ruins of an ancient Byzantine basilica in which various frescos were discovered during its restoration. The Cathedral stands in a white square very near the Castle. Take a walk through the small ancient centre and walk along the perimetral walls.

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3. Caves | The coast of Castro is rocky, with rocks and full of caves, like all this part of the coast of Salento. Generally the caves are not of easy access therefore it is better to contact the touristic structures that organise excursions to them. In Castro, there is the most famous cave in all Salento: The Zinzulusa cave, whose name comes from the presence of many stalactites and stalagmites inside it which with the light of day remind us of lots of hung up washing “li zinzuli” in the Salento dialect. It is accessible from the sea and it is a small treasure chest of biodiversity. Another cave in Castro is the Romanelli cave near Zinzulusa: the cave is important for the remains of mural art that date back to the paleolithic period, designs engraved in bone and stone with zoomorph mainly and anthropomorphic ones as well. There are other caves as well: the Azzurra cave and the Palombara cave.

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Where to go swimming in the sea in Castro?
Seeing as we aren’t in a beach area, but on a rocky one, I will let you know where you can go swimming in Castro, suggested to me directly from local people. Go along the Tricase coast road where you will find the following places.
– “La Sorgente” beach resort
– The Roccia Hotel with beach resort
– Punta Correnti, public access
– Argentiera, public access

If you need more information just ask!

How to avoid the traffic on the Ionian Salento coastal road in summer

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Today’s question was asked by Guido and it’s relative to movements towards the sea in Salento in August: how do I move about? Will I find traffic? Here’s my answer, but before I must explain the opening photo. It’s a photo I took from my mobile phone while I was going to my sea, yes: it can happen that a flock of sheep interrupts your trip. They are the rhythms of Salento.
“hello fabio, I see that you are an expert on the area and therefore I wanted to ask you some tips. I would like to spend about ten days in Salento in August near Nardò at Santa Maria al Bagno (I haven’t booked yet) […] I was wondering will I be able to move around from there or is it all blocked seeing as it is August (for example going to Torre Lapillo or Punta Prosciutto or Torre San Giovanni) do you think it’s possible.. otherwise I would divide the holiday on two locations to be nearer but then I’d have the problem of finding 5 days in one place and 5 days in another.. In other words, is it possible to go around in August? How much time does it take to go from one town to the other… Thank you and if you have any further information it is always very welcomed.”

Map of the traffic areas in August

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Well then, this is the situation: the two mid August weeks: all blocked! Nontheless, Santa Maria al Bagno is without doubt a good spot because it is in the middle between the two most famous sea locations of gallipoli and Porto Cesareo (where there is more chaos). I took a screen shot from Google Maps to indicate the hot spots, previous image: Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli (discover where are the best Gallipoli beaches) and the sandy coast near Torre Vado where Maldives of Salento are. In the two weeks of August these places are packed with local people and tourists because of their beautiful beaches. In that period you will find traffic on the inland roads that lead to the sea, flowing traffic that will increase gradually as you get closer to the coastal road. The first block is usually found when you enter the coastal road, here you will risk driving for a few minutes at a snail’s pace under the hot August sun. Once on the coastal road you will drive at a slow pace in the direction of your favourite beach. For example, on a Sunday I found a cue at the entrance to Torre Lapillo from the San Pancrazio road, the following photo was taken from my car while I was stuck and listening to the radio. This is the situation but: the traffic can be avoided. Here are my tips.

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1. The time is the most important thing
The time in which you move is important. Avoid the time in which everyone moves to go to the beach (10:00-12:00) and when they all go home (18:00-19:30). Above all, the return time is important or you may find yourself stuck! Be strategic: you either anticipate the time to go to the beach or you postpone it and enjoy the sunset on the sea that on the Ionian side is fantastic.

2. The day of the week is also important
Although in August there are many people, the day of the week is still important. From Monday to Friday there is a lot less traffic compared to Saturday and Sunday.

3. What if you avoided using the car?
If you can, go to the sea on foot or by bike and you will free yourself of any stress. In my opinion it is better to walk 500 metres on foot than half an hour of traffic under the sun.

When to take the car then?
You should only take the car when you want to go and visit other beaches in the area. Then, the previous rule applies: choose the perfect time to go and come back. A part from the general hours of chaos, during the rest of the day it is easier to move by car. If you have to go further, my advice is to take into consideration roads that run inland and that are often parallel to the coastal road. For example: if I want to go from Torre lapillo to Gallipoli. I have two options: (1) I drive along the inland road; (2) I drive along the coastal road. Number 1 is more flowing. Number 2 is the more beautiful one because you can see the beautiful views overlooking the sea of Porto Selvaggio, but it is also slower. You can’t have everything in life! The choice is up to you.

In synthesis: let’s say that driving on the coastal road during the day isn’t ideal in the two middle weeks of August. The first and last weeks of August are less chaotic but bear in mind that always more people come to Salento every year, you may read Where do Italians go for summer holiday and why. In August try to keep the car parked, find a dwelling on the sea and go to the beach on foot. You will relax and avoid driving in traffic. If you really can’t avoid driving bear my three tips in mind. Be strategic and leave a little earlier or wait for the sun to set on the seaside which is fantastic. As for the inland there is no problem with traffic, for example going to Lecce is fine, like going to visit the various towns to go and see the pizzica or to eat in the cheap local restaurants. Have a nice trip.

How to avoid problems renting your holiday home

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In light of the my years of experience of renting holiday homes in Puglia on the most beautiful beaches of Salento with my real estate agency in Torre Lapillo, I feel like giving you some practical advise on how to avoid frauds on renting a holiday home. Yes, frauds. In August especially, we read or hear news about disappointed or downright angry travellers that were swindled in renting their holiday home or villa. The advice I am about to give you doesn’t only apply to Puglia but can be useful in every other Italian location you want to spend your holidays in: I’ve read about these frauds in other places both at the sea and in the mountains in Italy and also in cities of art. You mustn’t consider this post as a signal of alarm because however the great majority of rents is successful: these are only a few suggestions to bear in mind in the booking phase to avoid inconveniences later during your holiday. Let’s begin by identifying two situations that could happen to you: the first is about the house that is not in compliance with what you chose, the second is about real non existent houses.

HOUSES NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DESCRIPTION

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In this case, you rent a house that is white but in reality you find it is black! I’ll explain. You went online and found an advertisment for a holiday home, you saw the photos and read the description, you contracted the house with the owner, you paid the down payment. You can’t wait to go on holiday to the seaside. Good, you get there and surprise: you find a house that is not in compliance with the description. Careful: not that it’s better but on the contrary that it is worse! I’ll show you a real case that came up on Tripadvisor, click here.

“AUGUST holidays in Salento (TORRE LAPILLO) we trusted the ads found on internet. After a few days I found an ad on Kijiji of two flats precisely (we are renting a small villa in a quiet area among the most beautiful beaches of Salento. The house is composed by two double bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with external and internal shower, possibility to eat outdoors and use of the barbecue, car park space, TV, washing machine, air conditioning, quiet area surrounded by green). From the description it looks like a dream villa, I called immediately and the owner answered so I asked some questions, everything seemed ok. I sent a €500 down payment for both flats. When the day we were to leave arrived we left in the evening also because the trip was 10 hours long. We got there and found these sort of small villas in a road in the middle of the countryside with a sign that said “no entry to cows”, the two houses weren’t what they described, the bathroom was not the one they said and let’s not start on the kitchen and the washing machine. The external shower was a rubber hose and the most drammatic thing was that we had to go to get water every day with a tanck because it wasn’t drinkable, etcccccc. (I’m ok with the fact that it’s not my house but when it’s not livable one can’t swindle people this way). I had to argue here and we went searching for two flats in the town after 10 hours of travelling in the week of the mid-August holiday”.

Isn’t that a shitty situation? In this case, you are up against the difformity of accomodation: I expect a certain house and I get one that is totally different. What to do to avoid this situation?

1) Leave a written trace of the conversation. In the booking phase, write via email don’t just do it over the phone. Print the confirmation email with the advertisment to show to the owner directly the photos he posted online.
2) Ask detailed information about the house. Always ask all information about the house: Is there a washing machine? Is there air conditioning? Could you please supply me with the full list of what is supplied in the flat? Can I have photos of every single room as is? Sometimes, I personally am amazed as to how you can rent a flat seen on internet with 4 or 5 photos in which, for example, the photos of whole parts of the bathroom, kitchen or a bedroom are missing!
3) Get the location on Google Maps. Today, everyone goes on Google Maps to see places and find routes. Get them to send you the exact place in which the house is located. This will help you find the exact distance from the house to the sea and to the main services.

NON EXISTING ACCOMMODATION

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The second thing that could happen to you is this: non existing houses. While in the first case you will find the house, but it’s different or not like the advertisment, in this case the house doesn’t exist. This is a real fraud: I get people to send me a down payment and then I disappear. The web is full of these cases, click here and here … How to make sure you don’t get swindled?

1) Ask who you are dealing with. Who is the person that is renting you the house? The owner? An agency? In case it’s an owner, you can trust them but get them to send you a copy of the tourist rent contract, a receipt of the down payment and the owner’s data. In case of an agency, the matter is easier because you can verify the existence of the agency through the Chamber of Commerce. Let me start by saying that I don’t want to cause any injustice to owners who rent their houses on their own, there are many of them and the majority are good and honest people and here in Salento we have a wide network of relationships with them. On the other hand here are the advantages of renting through a real estate agency on the territory and with a numerous clientele.
– The Agency is an intermediary. It chooses the houses by looking at them in person and then proposes them on the market. The agency risks losing its face. If you have any problems, you know who to turn to: there is an office!
– The Agency is a guarantee. The agency works with tens or hundreds of houses therefore its interest is to work well. And let’s not forget that nowadays there are clients’ comments posted directly online.
– The Agency gives you detailed information. For example, in the case of our agency, for every rent advertisment we give you: a descriptive text of the house, many photographs (every room is photographed from different angles), details of the characteristics and accessories supplied, plan of the house and possible video. Last but not least, the real reviews of those who have rented previously.
– The Agency protects your payment. Take care to notice the proportion between the down payment to be given as a “warranty” for the success of the rent and the actual rent fee. Usually it’s around 30%. Again, be careful not to make payments through methods that aren’t quite secure: the least safe are payments on prepaid cards, or payments via Western Union or money transfer [source].
– The Agency assists you on location. Once you have arrived at the house, problems could crop up in the course of one, two or more weeks of stay. Organised agencies supply emergency services for the maintenance and management of the houses. That’s very important seeing as you are on holiday.

There are always cases of improvised agencies and owners but what I feel like telling you in the end is this: whether you are dealing with an owner or with an agency, always ask for information, it is your right!

If you have any other suggestions or experiences to tell, the comments section is at your disposal.

How to get to Lecce city from the Brindisi airport

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If you arrive in Salento by plane the airport of reference is the Brindisi airport that is called Aeroporto del Salento. It is the airport of reference for southern Puglia and ideal if you want to visit the cities in Salento and in the Valle d’Itria where the Trulli are. While if you want to visit the northern central part of Puglia then it’s better to land at the Bari airport. Right, once you have arrived at the Brindisi airport how do I get to Lecce?

Shuttle Bus

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From the square in front of the Brindisi airport there is a shuttle bus to Lecce that ends its run at the Airport City Terminal. This is located just at the entrance to the city of Lecce coming from Brindisi, near the Hotel Tiziano. Inside the Airport City Terminal you can:
– make all check-in operations if you are travelling with hand luggage only
– ask for tourist information about Lecce and Salento
– park your car or camper
Travel time is about 40/45 minutes. Price: 6.50€. At the Lecce Airport City Terminal you can also take buses that connect Lecce to the other most important destinations in Salento. From here you can also take a city bus for the Lecce train station.

Click here for further information.

Taxi

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Taxi services are just outside the airport. In general it is better to book in advance to guarantee a quicker service. The Brindisi-Lecce route costs about 55/60€.

Telephone number: 0831.597901

Train

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You can also get to Lecce by train. How? In this case you must first take a bus from the Brindisi airport to the Brindisi train station, then from here take one of the first trains to Lecce. The shuttle bus service from the airport to the Brindisi station is supplied by STP Brindisi. Generally there are connections according to the arrival time of planes. Travel time is about 40 minutes and the frequency of the service is every 30 minutes. As for train connections between Brindisi and Lecce consult the Trenitalia web site.

STP Green Number: 800.232042
Whatsapp: 366.7880781
Twitter: @Stp_Brindisi

AirShuttle
It is a transfer service from the airport to the main destinations in Salento. It is a car rental service with chauffeurs specialised in the direct transport of passangers between the Brindisi airport and the hotels or private homes in Lecce and Salento. The route Airport-Lecce costs 20€.

Further information about AirShuttle.

Note: prices and timetable can vary in the course of time. However I advise you contact the suppliers of the transport services directly.

5 things you can only see in Venice

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As I mentioned in my Strolling through Venice post in which I told you about my first time in this more than magnificent city, Venice captured me completely. I went a bit unprepaired and maybe it was better because I was able to capture some of its more characteristic aspects as if I were an inexperienced traveller. And Venice has so much to tell, but a few in particular more than others caught my attention and they are mainly about its unique architecture. The gondolas obviously but also other very particular details. Here is my personal list.

The canals

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The first thing you see as soon as you leave the Santa Lucia station are the canals. In Venice the majority of houses open directly onto the canals. Apart from the Canal Grande, the Canale di Cannaregio and the Canale della Giudecca the other hundreds of canals are very small ones and in most cases they are just the size for a gondola or a small boat. And with the entrances to the houses directly on the water! If you are in Venice, though, don’t call these canals but Rii, the smaller ones of which are called Rielli.

The alleys

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They aren’t canals, there are also paved alleyways that enable you to move on land among the buildings of the historic centre. But, considering that Venice is unique even its toponymy is unique. In Venice, instead of Roads, Squares and Alleys there are Calli, Campi and Campielli: these are the names by which Venetians call there roads and squares. And there are some cases in which the roads skirt along the canals, but don’t call them like this: they are… Fondamenta.

The bridges

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To go from one alley to another there are bridges (they are called precisely ponti [bridges]). In Venice there are 340! The most important ones are certainly those that cross the Canal Grande: The Ponte di Rialto, the Ponte degli Scalzi, the Ponte dell’Accademia and the last one in order of construction, the Ponte della Costituzione built by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. But its in the names that the bridges express themselves at best: Ponte delle Tette (Bridge of the Breasts), Ponte dei Pugni (Bridge of the Fists), Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of the Sighs), … a whole book could be written about their names.

The gondolas

~ it sounds like a bit of a great beauty … ~ #venice svegliarsi la mattina, aprire la finestra, vedere le gondole nei canali #venicecanals

Una foto pubblicata da fabio ingrosso (@fabioingrosso) in data: 18 Ott 2016 alle ore 07:11 PDT

Where the bridges can’t manage, there are the gondolas which are probably the symbols of the city. In Venice, boats have the function that cars have in the rest of the cities of the world. The gondolas are unique handmade objects, they require a long time to make and are “driven” by gondoliers. They are row boats without engines and with a timeless charm to them.

The palaces

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In Venice I saw some of the most beautiful palaces ever. The most famous one is Palazzo Ducale, one of the most beautiful ones in Italy. Then there is a series of other palaces identified in general with the names of who fouded them or of who left his personal sign on them. In some cases the name Ca’ is used that in the past indicated the house and the building at the same time.

And I am convinced that, when I go back next time, I will have another list of unique things to see in Venice and to propose to you.

Where can I find the beaches of Porto Cesareo, Torre Lapillo or Punta Prosciutto?

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My advice for today’s trip is: where are the beautiful and best beaches in Porto Cesareo in Puglia, Italy? From the emails and phone calls I receive, this is a recurring question. So much so that I have decided to write an article on the subject to share with all of you who follow me. I will begin by telling you that Porto Cesareo is quite a large district that extends itself along a coastal strip that is kilometres long. Therefore saying Porto Cesareo sometimes means saying everything or nothing. When we say Porto Cesareo we also refer to its seaside resorts of Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto. Locations I name not by chance because it is there that the most beautiful beaches can be found! The following is a question that has been sent to me: “Hello, my boyfriend and I would like to come on holiday to Porto Cesareo in August and we don’t know if a flat or a b&b would be cheaper […] Another doubt is if to choose Porto Cesareo, Torre Lapillo or Punta Prosciutto because in the various forums there are contrasting opinions.. about the cleanliness of the sea or there is who says there are more rocks than sand and viceversa. We are looking for a crystalline and sloping sea with white sand.. in other words a Carabean beach 🙂 what do you advise? Thank you! Carolina”

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Porto Ceasreo in itself, the town, doesn’t have any beaches to advise. It only has one small beach that I wouldn’t suggest because it is the town beach, very small and always packed with people in August. To find the beaches at Porto Cesareo: forget Porto Cesareo and go from Torre Lapillo upwards, towards north, towards the magnificent Punta Prosciutto (we are still in the municipality of Porto Cesareo, ok? Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto are two of its fractions, remember that). The previous image will show you the beaches of Torre Lapillo highlighted in yellow: did you see how big the bay is? There, that area is all a very long beach, kilometres of fine, white sand, yes. As you can see, I have voluntarily left the area of Porto Cesareo and surrounding areas to the side: there there are rocks, then there’s the port.

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The other area with lots of sand is the area of Punta Prosciutto, as I see it one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Puglia and certainly the most beautiful in Salento togheter with Torre Lapillo beach (obviously this is a personal opinion). The beach begins from the area of Torre Castiglione towards north with a rocky part that is Punta Grossa. Then, from Punta Grossa to Punta Prosciutto, it is all beach with white sand again with dunes as high as 8 metres. Here there are fewer houses than Torre Lapillo, the area is wilder. In any case, in both Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto you can find holiday homes and villas to rent for the summer (I am selecting them personally …). I specifically answered the previous request with this specification: but what are the forums that talk about this area? Here they are: …

“http://www.tripadvisor.it/ShowTopic-g1069599-i12807-k3627349-Aiutatemi_a_scegliere_meglio-Porto_Cesareo_Puglia.html qua la 3° risposta dice che a porto cesareo centro il mare non è un granchè..(forse perchè più vicino al porto)e che le spiagge sono migliori a torre..
Qua invece dicono il contrariohttp://it.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080326102213AAnwQQ9 cioè che la spiaggia a torre era sporca e i fondali erano piu rocciosi che sabbiosi.
Perciò non saprei..in alcuni siti ho visto foto di punta prosciutto che sembra di essere ai caraibi e in altri ci sono foto in cui sembra che la spiaggia sia decisamente piu scura..sul dorato diciamo..”

Indeed, the two links signalled by a reader say various interesting things. In any case, I will summerise it for you:
– Porto Cesareo town: no beaches
– Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto: yes beaches (we are still in the municipality of Porto Cesareo)
– Clear sea? Wherever there is sand. I think that for absolute clearness, Torre Lapillo is better
– Fine sand: Torre Lapillo first then Punta Prosciutto
– Peacefulness in August: Punta Prosciutto is better
– Holiday homes and villas at less than 200 metres from the sand: both Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto
– Ideal for children: the water in some parts of the bay of Torre Lapillo is very shallow for many metres! But also in many parts of Punta Prosciutto.

I hope I have been helpful to you, in any case you can contact me via email if you need further information!

What to see along Puglia’s coast of Salento

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In October I enjoy my Salento sea completely. It’s a period in which we work less here at the beaches, schools have started again, working life also after the summer holidays. But for those of us who live in Salento, some weekends can be really incredible! Yes, because even if October is a month that belongs to Autumn in some places in the world it seems more like a temperate summer. So, a friend of mine calls me to say: “Shall we go round the Salento coast on a motorbike this Sunday?”. Without thinking twice I said: “Yes”. And this is where our tour begins and that I will show you through some photos and videos in name of the good Salento life! With some tips on what to see on the coast.

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Our bike is this, a BMW G 650X country. We leave with the intention of arriving in Gallipoli at lunch time and more or less we manage to. But first we stop a bit near the Montagna Spaccata just before the beach of Lido Conchiglie. The day is warm, we have about 27/28 degrees C.

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At Gallipoli we decide to pause for a quick lunch with a “Leccese rustico”, the typical Salento street food dish. In the Gallipoli town centre there are many tourists, small restaurants and little taverns, but there are also sea urchins. And these is what we are interested in. At the marina there are some fishermen that sell them in great quantity, here we buy a jar of sea urchins, the last available because it is late. A jar of sea urchins in Gallipoli usually costs about 15,00 € and there should be about 30 of them, so the fisherman guarantees. We take one that costs us 10,00 € because it is filled with the last sea urchins.

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We must continue, our trip foresees getting to Santa Maria di Leuca through the Ionian coastal road and go back up the Adriatic side to Otranto. We continue our trip and pass near Punta della Suina and we can’t not stop to admire such a spectacular view.

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The previous images were taken from the inside of Lido Punta della Suina where we have a coffee and inevitably stop to sun bathe a bit! Considering that half way through October it is enchanting: beach, sea, sun, heat, sailing boats and yatches on the sea and a view in the distance of the whole of Baia Verde up to the centre of Gallipoli. A sudden pressing will to stay there takes over us and spend the rest of the day on the beach, but then we take courage and continue our motorbike hike. We get to Santa Maria di Leuca half way through the afternoon and as usual, every time we come here, we fully perceive the concept of finibus terrae: beyond Leuca there is only sea, nothing else.

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The day is so beautiful that there are people everywhere in the streets. If you find yourselves in Leuca you must stop at Martinucci’s to eat one of their excellent ice creams. The Basilica Santuario Santa Maria De Finibus Terrae is illuminated by a splendid sun just like the lighthouse.

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After Leuca, we head north on the Adriatic side and from the very first kilometres we begin to live that unique experience that is the coastal road from Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto: a coastal road from which you can see some of the most beautiful views of the whole of the south of Italy. An excellent road for motorcyclists (I am not a motorcyclist), surely for cyclists (I partly am). Tricase Porto, Castro, Santa Cesarea Terme, Porto Badisco and then Otranto: all fantastic.

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