Excursion in south Serre Salentine
Salento is an extremely varied land, its beaches, its culinary tastes are known, but the hinterland is all to be discovered. And what we would like to do is a tour in the south south of Matino, in the heart of Serrre Salentine.
Along the routes by bike, in low traffic lanes that branch off between dry stone walls and olives, we will show you the “masserie” (farmhouse) where you can taste typical products and stop for lunch, museums, shops of local peculiarities, monuments and structures of historical-artistic relevance . Together with our friends from Bikeitalia, we traveled the roads of the SAC (Environmental and Cultural System) Salento a cycle tourism project in the lower Salento area.
It is based on Matino, in A Locanda Tu Marchese, and after a short tour in the historic center and an abundant breakfast, we proceed towards Taviano, “City of Flowers” with controversial origins dating back to the Roman Empire. Here we will cycle along the Palazzo Marchesale de Franchis and the Church of S. Martino of Tours, two places we recommend to visit.
From Taviano we continue in the direction of Melissano, without getting lost among the historical palaces of Monsellato, Santaloja, Panico and Nassisi, and arriving at the cantina sociale Agricola of Melissano (winery), where you can stop to taste some local specialties, as well as drink some good local wine: the Negro Amaro, the black Malvasia of Lecce, the Primitivo and taste the olive oil produced by Cellina of Nardò and Ogliarola olives.
From Melissano, we come to Casarano, or rather to Casaranello, the old historical centre of this town, in which we will see one of the most important examples of early Christian church with mosaics dating back to the 5th century AD. This is divided into three naves, each marked by three pillars. The lower side aisles were added in the fourteenth century. The high altar has a 14th century painting of the “Madonna della Croce”. We will also see the monumental palaces D’Elia and Ludicibus of the fifteenth century and the Palazzo Capozza.
From this wonderful ride tour into history, we return along the itinerary of the SAC and from Casarano we then return to the Locanda, where we have workshops of homemade pasta or pizzica pizzica, and a regenerating dinner based on local products km0 and ancient recipes of the tradition Salento.
In this our itinerary, we also offer an extraride that includes Racale, Alliste and Felline with a visit to the historic center and some local craft little shops.
Anyone would like to try this route in the Salento hinterland, away from the usual tourist routes, could have the gpx track, with directions and tips to better discover the tastes and smell Salento, get in tune with olive trees and red landscape, know the ancient history that inhabits these places.
Info and reservation:
info@lalocandatumarcese.com
phone: +39 3387441813 or +39 0833507562
www.lalocandatumarchese.com
