Puglia eBike
– The Heel
of Italy
Cycle along the coast of
south-eastern Italy, experience its
history, architecture and cuisine.
The Puglia (Apulia) region of south-eastern Italy has quite a story to tell, having been in the hands of the Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Spaniards and others, each contributing to the region’s varied dialects, flavourful cuisine, and distinctive architecture.
This is Italy’s best kept secret for outstanding cycling and with eBiking new on the scene, there has never been a better time to visit. From Otranto, the crossroads of culture, to the enchanting white sand beaches near Gallipoli. Enjoy riding through sparsely inhabited ancient olive groves, Mediterranean Mache and invigorating coastal roads, all with views that will make you fall in love.
We offer Puglia, the The Heel of Italy as a 6 day eBike cycling tour
April – June and September – October
Self Guided
Arrival Sunday, start eBiking Monday
Duration: 6 days
Pricing based on minimum 4 participants, single / 2/3 pax option available with supplement.
Grading: Moderate / Challenging
Nearest Airport: Bari (BRI) or Brindisi (BDS)
Starting point: Lecce
Days 1 - 2
Arrive in the Baroque masterpiece of southern Italy: Lecce has a lovely historic centre (centro storico) where you can easily spend a day exploring its picturesque little lanes and discovering its treasures of the architecture and the Baroque churches. This lovely town will charm you with its attractive countryside, seashore and small towns close by.
Lecce to Gallipoli (49 km)
Today’s ride is you and nature. Pedal across flat countryside, an occasional olive tree, pine tree forests and sand dunes. The natural morphing of the scenery is spectacular, especially as this area is almost uninhabited. Pass ancient seaside watch towers, as you approach the medieval fishing town of Gallipoli, bursting with life.
Days 3 - 4
Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca (51 km)
A coastal road takes you to the southernmost point of Puglia, which divides the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. But first, take a swim in the turquoise waters of paradise, at the Torre del Pizzo beach and lie upon the fine white sands. Then continue south to Santa Maria di Leuca, a magnificent village of fantastic beaches and wacky, wild, colourful mansions.
Nb. There is the option of staying 2 nights at our excellent hotel in Santa Maria di Leuca, enjoying the hotel facilities and having a little longer to explore the town, swim in the sea and take a boat trip from the ‘heel’ of Italy.
Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto (51.5 km)
Revel in the sea breezes as you ride along the high coastal route, winding your way along the gentle, undulating ridges of the cliffs. Phenomenal views will make you feel part of a National Geographic cycling special feature. Stop for a glimpse of the spectacular cave, the Grotta Zinzulusa, and then on to Otranto, a Greek-come-Roman port town, frequented by merchants and thrill seekers.
Days 5 - 6
Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto (51.5 km)
Today you visit the Alimini Lakes which run parallel to the sea. Cycle your way through the countryside of Greek Salento, where traces of the former colonies are still present in the dialect, cuisine and bright style of architecture. The whites shine against the euphoric blue of the sea. Arrive in Lecce, a brilliant city full of wonderful palaces and a treasure which will mesmerize you.
Arrivederci Lecce ! The trip and our services end after breakfast. You may book extra nights in Lecce or a transfer directly to the airport.
e-Bike Information
Model: Atala Bfree E-bike
Assistance modes: ECO, TOUR, SPORT and TURBO
Battery: BOSCH Lithium Ion 36V, 300 WH, under the roof rack, weight 2.4 kg. Recharge mobile devices via USB on board!
Autonomy: Up to 145 km in Eco, up to 85 km in Tour, up to 70 km in Sport, up to 65 km in Turbo (with charged battery and up to 75 kg load)
Charging time: Up to 2.5 hours (300wh)
Maximum assistance speed: 25 km / h
Power: Walk assist: 0-6 km / h without pedaling
Sizes: XS – S – M
Hybrids and Trekking bikes also available
Need To Know
Accommodation
All the accommodation for this trip is different, as the areas are sparsely populated.
They are all comfortable 3* and 4* hotels or cosy B&B, depending on the version of the trip:
CHARME VERSION: All 4* hotels
All the rooms have a private bathroom and a continental breakfast is served each morning.
What’s included
- 5 Nights in selected B&Bs, hotels and agriturismo
- 5 Breakfasts
- Luggage transfers
- Bike delivery to Lecce, theft insurance and collection from Lecce
- eBike hire €183 includes bike, rear bag, helmet, odometer, a Hybrid bike is also available at €123
- Detailed information pack, route notes, gps tracks, phone holder, bike lock, rear side bag and odometer
- 24/7 telephone support
NOT INCLUDED
- Lunch / Dinner
Guides
This is a SELF GUIDED trip, however should you prefer to have the expertise of a Cycle Leader then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We adopt an excellent guiding ratio meaning we can cater for differing levels within the group:
One Guide – 1 – 7 clients
Two Guides – 8 – 14 clients
Booking and Price
The Heel of Italy – Classic 6 days and 5 nights
* Extra nights available
16/4/2023 – 27/5/2022 & 1/10/2023 – 15/10/2023
Double / Twin Room €798 pp
Single Room €983 pp
Triple Room €667 pp
28/5/2023 – 07/6/2023 & 24/9/2023 – 30/9/2023
Double / Twin Room €841 pp
Single Room €1050 pp
Triple Room €701 pp
08/6/2023 – 27/6/2023 & 10/9/2023 – 23/09/2023
Double / Twin Room €922 pp
Single Room €1103 pp
Triple Room €725 pp
28/6/2023 – 10/7/2023
Double / Twin Room €884 pp
Single Room €1125 pp
Triple Room €737 pp
3/9/2023 – 9/9/2023
Double / Twin Room €902 pp
Single Room €1153 pp
Triple €750pp
11/7/2023 – 16/7/2023
Double / Twin Room €914 pp
Single Room €1175 pp
Triple Room €763 pp
We manage every booking independently to ensure attention to detail and provide a personalised service.
Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions (updated November 2020) – All trips are sold subject to these Terms and Conditions (hereinafter T&Cs).
1. Insurance
All clients need to be adequately insured for all activities they are taking part in. Insurance must include repatriation and details should be provided at the beginning of each trip.
All European clients should obtain a European Health insurance card (EHIC), however, this is not a substitute for travel insurance.
2. Health and fitness
Trip members have the responsibility to select a trip appropriate to their abilities and interests. In order to assist with this, all trips are graded and we welcome the opportunity to discuss trip details/answer questions in advance of your reservation. Trip members must be in sufficiently good health to undertake the trip, and if unsure seek medical advice in advance. For your own safety, you need to inform us of any medical conditions in advance or at the start of the trip. Trip members are also required to bring adequate clothing/equipment as advised in the pre-departure information.
3. Dietary Requirements
We endeavor to work with clients and accommodate their dietary requirements. However such is the nature of adventure travel we may be limited to specific menus e.g remote Mountain Huts, Tea Houses in the Himalaya’s etc. We fully encourage you to contact us in advance to discuss your requirements then we have every opportunity to explore options thereafter.
4.
4.1 Cancellation due to COVID travel restrictions.
If your chosen destination country or the country where you reside have restrictions in place due to COVID, meaning you are unable to travel, you have three options:
4.11 Postpone your trip until a later date.
4.12 In case Italy ends up in lockdown in clients’ period of travel, 100% refund
4.13 In case there is no lockdown or restriction in Italy but clients don’t want to travel for COVID-related reasons (mandatory quarantine or similar) we of course try to minimize the cancellations
Our standard cancellation policy:
- Until 31 days before departure: no cancellation fee
- From 30 to 16 days before departure: 30% cancellation fee
- From 15 to 9 days before departure: 50% cancellation fee
- From 8 to 2 days before departure: 80% cancellation fee
- The day before departure or in case of no-show: 100% cancellation fee
4.14
If any other reasons prevent you from travelling, including quarantine measures then our normal (4) T&Cs will apply. We recommend that you check with your travel insurance provider to fully understand your level of cover.
5. Complaints
If you have a complaint, please contact us as soon as possible, in the first instance your leader is often your obvious point of contact. This ensures we have every opportunity to explores solutions to the problem(s) arising and we will do all we reasonably can to resolve the complaint. You must tell us within 4 weeks after your holiday of any complaints that you feel have not been dealt with properly.
6. Alterations By Us
We will tell you as soon as reasonably possible if we must make any alteration to your holiday. Most alterations are minor, but very occasionally we might have to make a major alteration. A major alteration is a change of location or to a lower standard of accommodation for a substantial part of your holiday, a change in start/finish dates or necessary price rise in your holiday caused by rises in costs (e.g. exchange rates, internal transport etc). You may then choose as follows:
- To accept these alterations
- To withdraw from the holiday, in which case we will repay all monies paid to us including your deposit and this is the sum of our liability to you
- To accept an alternative holiday that we may propose to you, in which case if the proposed holiday is a lower price we will pay you the difference and if it is a higher price we may ask for the difference.
You must inform us of your choice as soon as possible after we contact you.
7. Group Leadership
On a guided holiday your leader is responsible for the safety and enjoyment of the whole group and has sole discretion, on behalf of Live Breathe Hike, to exclude temporarily a participant from the group. They may also choose to terminate the participants holiday without the possibility of a refund if the leader thinks the participant is likely to endanger the group safety or spoil its enjoyment.
8. Your Responsibility
Mountain holidays by their very nature are adventurous, with a certain level of risk is undertaken. Individuals need to conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner at all times; responding to advice, guidance, and instruction that may be given by the group leader / experienced professional and take all reasonable actions to eliminate accidents or injury.
9. Our Responsibilities
We will take all reasonable care to ensure that the information we give to you is accurate, including on our website, in your schedule and information pack. We will do all that we can to provide the service as described in the information we give to you. We are not liable if any failure is:
- Attributable to anyone other than us
- Attributable to a third party unconnected to us, and unforeseeable or unavoidable
- Due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and could not have been avoided even if all due care had been taken
- Due to an event which even with all due care we could not foresee or forestall
10. Cancellation By Us
Live Breathe Hike reserves the right to cancel any trip prior to departure for any reason whatsoever, including insufficient signup or logistics problems that may impede trip operations. The refund of all land payments received shall relate Live Breathe Hike from any further liability.
Live Breathe Hike must normally make substantial payments to its suppliers far in advance of the scheduled trip departure date. If a trip is canceled due to force majeure; (acts of God, war, strikes, earthquake, flooding etc), Live Breathe Hike will promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not already advanced to suppliers and use its best efforts to recover and refund the balance as promptly as possible. However, Live Breathe Hike does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made.
11. Additional Costs
Live Breathe Hike shall not be liable for (a) expenses such as additional nights and meals not specified in the individual trip itineraries, but which may required to get to from a trip start or end; expenses due to the delay of a trip for any reason (e.g. bad weather, trails conditions, land slides, flooding, sickness etc); (c) expenses occurred in recovering lost luggage by airlines, belongings left behind on a trip or in shipping purchases or other goods home from abroad; (d) visa and other incidental costs.
Live Breathe Hike reserves the right to take photographic or film records of any trips, and may use any such records for promotional and/or commercial purposes without payment.