Puglia Coastal Walking

Toss your bags on the hotel bed and get out to enjoy the historic centre of Otranto. Dine on Italian food to your heart’s content tonight - you’re carb-loading for the trek ahead!

Today, you’ll walk alongside a babbling stream in the peaceful Idro Valley. You’ll be surrounded by orange trees, olive groves, and orchards. Hike up through the forest to the San Angelo rock church, and then drop back into Otranto to relax for the evening. Dinner is included tonight.

The next adventure of your walking tour of Puglia begins in a maze of narrow streets in the old town of Otranto. You’ll emerge onto a gravelly, flat path that winds around a series of oceanside coves and old WWII bunkers. Take as many stops along the beach as you like- the water never stops tempting you! Eventually, you’ll reach the Punta Palascia lighthouse, which contrasts in bright white against the blue water. On a clear day, you’ll be able to look across the Adriatic all the way to the Albanian mountains, just 71km away.

Start the morning at the lovely inlet of Porto Badisco. Grab a coffee and a breakfast sandwich from the local supermarket before heading up a shepherd’s path towards an inland plateau. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for “Pagliari”, the round, flat-topped stone buildings where shepherds used to stay. Rest for a minute in the pine tree forest before heading downhill to the spa village of Santa Cesarea Terme, which is great for swimming.

The morning starts with a walk up to the fields near the ancient Messapian town of Castro, wrapped with high stone walls. Grab lunch in the town centre before running down the hill for a swim. Then, walk along the coast to the Acquaviva coast. It’s a lovely secret inlet with a flowing fresh water spring trickling in. You probably won’t want to leave this magical spot, but leave some time to finish your trek to Marittima for the night.

Grab a picnic lunch in Marittima before walking through the nearby olive groves on the way to Tricase Porto. On the way, you’ll see “tratturi”, or the ancient system of roads and pathways used by locals to get to the ocean, orchards, and nearby towns. The view of the sea will lead you to Tricase, where you should definitely grab one of the delicious iced coffees the town is known for. Feel free to take a swim before heading to the hamlet of Marina Serra to unwind in bliss for the night. Dinner’s on the house.

The last portion of your walking journey through Puglia starts up the enemy’s path! Don’t worry, the Sentiero del Nemico trail might have been used to ambush unwanted visitors back in the day, but there’s no risk now. You’ll cross over back inland before reaching Novaglie, a rocky beach perfect for a quick rest. Then, you’ll start the most wonderful part of the tour- a walk along the Cipolliane path, named for the caves along the way. It’s simply beautiful all the way to the Ciolo bridge, which is the last of many swimming spots on your journey. Enjoy a final dip before heading up the valley to Gagliano del Capo, where you’ll hop on the train to Lecce. This beautiful Baroque city offers great restaurants for dinner and plenty of lovely sights to enjoy as the sun sets.

While you won’t want to head home, after breakfast it’s time to pack up and start your travels. Until next time!