You’re probably thinking it’s a bit graceless to have today’s video jammed to the top. I agree, but can’t do anything about it because there are no edit handles to delete it or add space above it. It’s locked in place.
Rachael, who’s always complaining that the videos don’t get enough prominence, is fine with this though. In any case, it’s a nice video so watch it anyway. It’s not the video’s fault that it’s so awkwardly placed.
We made a rather poor job of our time management today. We got off to a slow start because we were waiting around for a breakfast at our B&B that wasn’t worth waiting for - we were surprised to see that we were staying at another B&S (bed and snack) joint, in contrast to the appealing breakfast spread shown on in the photos this place’s listing. After that, for no good reason we loiter around the room for too long, and then stop at the market to pick up lunch. We don’t make it out of town until nearly eleven.
When we do, we are startled by the amount of traffic on the coast road. Unlike yesterday’s quiet ride, we are constantly being passed by cars zipping past in both directions. There’s probably ten times or more traffic south of Porto Cesareo today than there was on the north side. Not too pleasant, since it’s a narrow, shoulderless, somewhat rough road.
After a few miles of this we stop to consider our options, which include adding a few miles by going inland. Rachael votes to give it another few miles before deciding, which proved wise - soon after, we come to a complete bottleneck in front of a massive Sunday market.
Leaving Porto Cesareo, finally. Here, we’re looking back across the south lagoon toward town.
It’s not just the market - the nearby beach is jammed too. Maybe folks make this an outing for the day, going to the market and then hanging out on the beach for a while before heading home.
After this we start making reasonable time - until we come to a lovely stretch of rugged coastline near Porto Selvaggio. We stop first to take a photo of a rocky structure of some sort; and then decide to park the bikes and walk out to the point for a good look at the crumbling Uluzzo Tower; and then peer over the cliffs at the dramatic coastline and the waves crashing below us. We probably spend a half hour here.
After that, we come to our first big climb of the day, huffing up two hundred feet to what I like to think of as the South Salento Highlands. We’re in nosebleed territory up here, and for the next several miles we roll along at this lofty elevation through the pine forests of Porto Selvaggio Regional Park before finally dropping down to the coast again at Santa Maria al Bagno, where we’re pulled off the road by a massive cluster of four rotting towers. There, we engage in conversation with a nice Bavarian couple on a ten day cycling tour of Puglia.
By the time we hit the road again we realize that it’s time for lunch and pull off to make up for our scant breakfast, sitting on a lovely but rough limestone formation while we enjoy our cheese, meat and bread and take in the impressive views.
Uluzzo Tower stands on the coastline west of Nardo. Built in 1575 and largely disintegrated, it stands isolated on a cliff high above the sea.
This stone structure stands near the road, and not far from the tower. We’ve seen several of these in Salento, but I haven’t read anything that describes them.
Our picnic spot on the shore south of Santa Maria al Bagno. The limestone rocks are rough and sharp - the views are great, but it wasn’t easy to find a comfortable spot to sit. On the horizon in the distance is Gallipoli.
The Bavarian couple had the same idea, and are enjoying their lunch across the inlet from us. It’s OK - it’s a big coastline, and we don’t feel crowded.
We’re back on the road by about 1:30. Not bad - it’s only early afternoon, and we’ve already put nearly fifteen miles on the odometer. Quite impressive!
Unfortunately, that still leaves us 35 miles away from our room in Santa Maria di Leuca. We promised to show up between four and five, so we need to show some discipline and keep moving for the rest of the afternoon. We do well, stop for very few photos, and arrive in Leuca at 4:50. We’re helped by the flat road and winds that are much abated from yesterday.
The wind isn’t as strong today - perhaps 10 mph - but enough to generate some decent waves. We see breakers crashing against the low limestone apron and raising their spray skyward most of the rest of the way to Leuca.
Punta Ristola, and the western outskirts of Leuca. Most of the city lies along the bay between this point and the Cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, the southernmost point of Puglia.
Santa Maria di Leuca is really lovely, and as soon as we arrive and start walking around we quickly regret how long we took getting here. The coastline is stunning, the breakers piling up against the point at the west end of town are stupefying, and on the east end rises the southernmost point of Puglia, splitting the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and crowned by a towering lighthouse that is the second highest in Italy, after the giant in Genoa.
In between is a beautiful seaside promenade, lined with graceful palm trees and jammed with strollers. It’s the most animated and charming passeggiata we’ve seen on this tour. With more time, we’d have loved to walk all the way to the far end and climb the stairs to the lighthouse, for the views across both the Ionian and Adriatic seas - perhaps we’ll do this in the morning before leaving for Otranto. And with more flexibility in our schedule, we’d stay here for two nights and take a day ride in the interior tomorrow. Score one for those that book as they go - for once, I agree with them.
Santa Maria di Leuca, with its giant lighthouse towering above the cape.
A seaside walkway begins here, at Punta Ristola, and continues all the way to the base of the lighthouse. We dropped down to the sea here, and then passed underneath the bridge rather than braving the ferocious waves and continuing up the other side.
This photo doesn’t begin to do justice to how amazing the waves are here, piling up against the point. Hopefully the following video gives a better sense of them (but note that I’ve mispronounced Leuca, and I do know this is the Ionian and not the Ionic Sea - I apparently had water on the the brain). We stayed here for about ten minutes just staring in wonder at one great breaker after another.
Scott AndersonTo Andrea BrownJust checking to see if you’re paying attention. Those ‘P’ trees are all so similar, it’s easy to get confused. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
After the paved promenade ends, a pair of planked boardwalks undulates along the shore for the rest of the way to the staircase below the lighthouse. Taken together, the whole complex is a wonderful spot for a walk.
This lighthouse isn’t one of the tallest, but standing upon this cape it is the second highest light in Italy (after the one in Genoa), throwing a light visible for 24 nautical miles.
Walking back to our room, we look down from the overpass to the waves crashing below. The wind has died down and it’s less dramatic but still very impressive.
