Otranto

April 14, 2023

We biked from Leuca to Otranto four years ago, following the coast the whole way after first climbing over the headland past the lighthouse. I’m surprised that I have so little memory of this day other than of the fact that I got sick and had to abandon Rachael at the restaurant in the middle of our meal and hurriedly rush back to our room, leaving her to wait there for a full hour for her second course, which never arrived. I had even forgotten that I or we visited the cathedral, with its exceptional mosaic floor. On today’s visit I was determined to make it to the cathedral this time and see the mosaics for myself, having just been reminded of their existence by rereading Bob Koreis’ journal of his visit just last year - which I did, and instantly realized I’d been here before. It’s startling to realize I’d forgotten visiting this place just four years earlier.

I’d also forgotten that as beautiful as the coastline here is, it was hard to enjoy because both of us were laboring under mechanical issues, hoping we’d find a bike store in Otranto for some emergency servicing.

Today’s ride went much better by comparison. Rather than following the coast the whole way this time we mixed it up by biking straight north through the interior for the first ten miles, through country similar to what we hiked through yesterday. After that we dropped to the coast and followed it for the middle third of the ride before climbing over the headland behind Castro and staying inland the rest of the way before dropping to Otranto the end.

Weather was excellent, sunny and mild - one of the last of the fine days before a spell of rain is due to settle in over southern Italy. Roads were quiet the whole way. Very relaxing, all good.

Leaving Santa Maria di Leuca, on a quiet road that gradually climbs up to the plateau along a minor ravine.

In Corsano, stopping to shed a layer. Apulian puce, I call this shade.

Ten miles in we drop to the Adriatic Coast, striking it just north of Torre Nasparo. The tower, one of the series that girds Salento, was built in 1565 during the Spanish domination.

Much of the next ten miles looks like this, with one striking vista point after another as our road hugs the coastline. This whole stretch of the southernmost coast is protected by a recently established regional park. Here we’re looking down on Marina Serra, which as you see also is guarded by its own tower.

The recently restored Torre Palane, in Marina Serra.

Looking ahead to Castro, where we’ll leave the coast.

A closer look at Castro, perched atop a low ridge overlooking its marina.

Castro, crowned by its 12th-13th century Spanish castle, looks well worth a visit and even an overnight. If we return to Puglia some year, perhaps we’ll give it a try.

Most of our remaining miles were very quiet on roads like this, much of it marked as a ciclovia. A few cars, a few goats. We carefully biked past these two goatherds, glad that they’re keeping their dog under control.

Not for long though. The goatherds and their dog are coming our way, so we take our look and move on.

There should be at least one photo like this from the day’s ride. Others were possible too.

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We had originally planned to stay in Otranto for two nights but changed our mind several days ago when it looked like tomorrow would be the last dry day for awhile. Better to ride while the sun shines of course, so we requested a change to our dates and rebooked ourselves for a second night in Lecce instead.

We never heard back from our host though, so we didn’t know what to expect when we arrived but were prepared to pay for a second night we wouldn’t use. Our host was fine with shortening our reservation though once she saw we’d requested it earlier. Camere Sulla Mura is a very nice place just behind the town walls, and one we recommend. We’d have been quite happy to stay here a second night in other circumstances. It’s especially nice that it’s a ground floor room with a large protected patio behind for the bikes.

Our bike room, with a tower from the town walls rising above the back wall.

It wasn’t quite accurate to have said that all I remembered of Otranto was being sick at dinner. I also have held a quite clear memory of its seaside piazza, a remarkable public space with the city’s massive fortified walls rising above, the improbably blue sea behind, and a white marble surface that shimmers in the sun. It’s why I planned to stay here for two nights when we remapped our tour.

It’s as fine a space as I remember; and really has a fair claim as my favorite single spot in all of Puglia. It’s blissful sitting here in the late day sun taking in the ambience. When we’re too old to travel as we do now, we could do worse than to use Otranto as a prolonged base. Rachael can take hikes, we can both take shorter and less challenging day rides, and I can spend substantial time sitting on one of its white marble benches and acting like a local.

The facade of the exceptional Otranto cathedral. We’ll come back with a separate post for the interior.

Otranto is well positioned on the tourist circuit. Some of its lanes are lined with tourist-luring shops and there’s a wealth of restaurants to choose from. Rachael found tonight’s winner on one of her forays into the inner streets to escape the wind while we waited for restaurants to open: Patronale Ristorante. The food is fine - we should have taken photos of our crusted salmon dishes before they disappeared - but it’s a charming space also. When our server saw me taking a photo of it he did his best in his broken English to relate its history. The back space was originally a bakery servicing the armory, and he showed us the dumb waiter space used to hoist bread up to the troops above. Out front is a massive ball, the payload of a catapult.

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Ride stats today: 30 miles, 1,300’; for the tour: 506 miles, 30,400’

Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 506 miles (814 km)

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Bob KoreisAnd I knew to check out the mosaics from reading your journal entry!
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1 year ago