Brindisi to Lecce - the Giro begins today!

We have started our own personal Giro at a somewhat more leisurely pace than the one which started in Bologna today.
We're a little jaded after our very early start, but the transport has all worked smoothly and by 11.30 the bikes were assembled, panniers fitted and we were off through the rather drab suburbs of Brindisi to find Decathlon and buy some camping gaz.

Brindisi Cathedral 

The last couple of kilometres of the Appian way took us into the historic centre, though the Romans would have been astonished by the modern, chaotic, very Italian traffic jam along it - cars parked at all angles,  cars and vans stopping in the middle of the road to deliver or to pick up people and of course lots and lots of hooting!

The city centre was calmer and more or less traffic free and we lingered for a picnic lunch by the harbour before heading south.

Soon the bustle of Brindisi was behind us and we cycled through a flat landscape of artichokes,  vines and olive groves. It was sad to see many of the latter ravaged by a bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, for which apparently there is currently no cure.   

Abbazia S. Maria di Cerrate

A little further on we arrived at a beautiful abbey, dating from the 11th century. After many years use as a farmhouse it has recently been lovingly restored by the FAI,  an Italian organisation inspired by the National Trust. Rather surprisingly NT members get free entry!

Masseria La Lizza

We're staying in a Masseria - a farmstead- as there are no campsites near here, but this is very welcoming and is a most interesting building.

Brindisi Airport to near Lecce  - 59km, 150m climb.