More about the Adriatic Cycle Route
Everything you need to plan your journey.
Best time to go
April–June and September–October are the ideal months: mild temperatures, long days and less traffic. Summer is doable but hot, especially in Puglia and Salento.
Difficulty
The route is mostly flat (Adriatic coast). There are hilly sections in Friuli, Le Marche and the Gargano. Suitable for cyclists with decent fitness and some cycle-touring experience.
Getting there by train
Start: Trieste Centrale station is connected to the whole of Italy via Venice or Milan and is the starting point of the Ciclovia Adriatica.
Finish: from Santa Maria di Leuca the nearest station is Nardò (FSE – Ferrovie del Sud Est line), about 60 km from Leuca. From Nardò you head up to Lecce and on to the rest of Italy.
Getting there by plane
Start: the nearest airport to Trieste is FVG Airport at Ronchi dei Legionari (TRS). It has a train station – Trieste Airport – that takes you directly to Trieste Centrale in about 30 minutes.
Finish: the nearest airports to Santa Maria di Leuca are Brindisi and Bari, both well connected by train towards Salento.
What to bring
A touring or gravel bike, panniers (35–50 L), repair kit (inner tube, tyre levers, pump), waterproof clothing, comfortable shoes for walking. GPX files for every stage are downloadable from the site.
Daily stages
At 80–100 km per day the entire route takes around 17–20 days. For a more relaxed pace (60 km/day) allow 3–4 weeks. Stages are flexible: every section has plenty of accommodation options.
GPX files
Each itinerary has its own downloadable GPX file directly from the stage page.
The Adriatic Passport
Like the Camino de Santiago, but by bike: a stamp for every stage, from Trieste to Santa Maria di Leuca, and discounts on partner accommodations.