You can find this route on the BikeSquare app with code E-04
It is a dive into the sea colored in green and blue, the itinerary that starts from Torre Lapillo to reach Nardò through the flourishing Salento countryside.
The endless pine forest surrounding the bay of Porto Selvaggio indicates that you are in the heart of the Porto Selvaggio and Palude del Capitano Park. From tower to tower, you pedal just a few meters from the long white beaches protected by imposing dunes, projecting onto the magical sea of the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area.
This route starts and ends in Porto Cesareo.
You pass through these municipalities: Torre Lapillo, Villaggio Boncore, Nardò, Cenate, Torre Inserraglio, Sant'Isidoro, Torre Squillace, La Strea.
You mainly cycle on asphalt roads, about 75%, but also on dirt roads.
Traffic is light along almost the entire route. In the months of July and August, the stretch on the coastal road is instead characterized by heavy traffic.
Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area
The Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area is a natural jewel located along the Ionian coast of Puglia, in the province of Lecce. This precious marine ecosystem, established in 1997, extends for about 17 kilometers along the coast, protecting a vast area of crystal-clear sea and rich seabeds full of biodiversity.
The waters of the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area are characterized by extraordinary transparency and a varied marine fauna, including species of colorful fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and algae. The seabeds are dotted with meadows of oceanic posidonia, which play a fundamental role in the ecological balance of the sea and in protecting the coast from erosion.
In addition to its extraordinary natural beauty, the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area also offers the opportunity to visit enchanting white sandy beaches and discover ancient archaeological sites that testify to human presence in these lands since ancient times.