Luca | Apulian Way

Marina Serra – Tricase (LE) – Natural Pools

by Luca | Jun 30, 2017 | Routes, salento

The view is Amazing! An high cliff falling down in the sea and forming amazing inlets and caverns.

The rock of the bay was dug by human hands, probably to do a tank in which keeping the fishes alive (first example of aquaculture) or to practice the thalassotherapy – widespread among ancients – or it was used like quarries. In the Apulian rocky coast there are many ‘tanks’, from Bari to Santa Maria di Leuca.

Marina Serra is a little village – during the winter the inhabitants are 25/30 – crossed by few streets, but its characteristic is be inside this natural bay, in front of SSO winds and the heights of Calino promontory behind. There are many little coves and caverns to visit, unfortunately few only by sea.

Not far away there is an ancient watchtower, Palane Tower, erected on the coast against Saracen pirates raids, very common in these places in ancient age. Palane Tower is the end of the road that run along natural pools in this little, amazing village of Apulian coastline.

Just a little advice: from half July to the end of August it’s full of people.

“Lido Piscina” – Marina Serra – Tricase (LE)

by Luca | Jun 30, 2017 | Places, Reviews

FLAG: “Lido Piscina” – Owner Luigi

ADDRESS AND TOWN: Marina Serra – Tricase (LE) – Apulia – Italy.

WEBSITE: —

LOCAL PRODUCTS – TYPICAL CUISINE: There isn’t a local Apulian cuisine, but you will find a cuisine for all tastes, with two or three local dishes – in June we had “Linguine allo scoglio” (typical Italian pasta with seafood – good) and “orecchiette al ragù” (typical little Apulian pasta with tomato sauce – to taste). There are also meat and fish dishes and sandwiches.

LOCATION AND INTERIORS: Marina Serra is one of the most difficult places to reach, but at the same time is one of the most suggestive of all Salento. “Lido Piscina” is located closer to a natural sea pools with an amazing view to 180 degrees of the bay. Sunbeds and parasols are limited, so if you want to spend one day in this place (opened from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm) my personal advice is to be here at 9:30/10 am, not later. In July and August there are many tourists. The best period is June and the first ten days of July or September.

PRICES: 8 euros each sunbed (below parasols or pagoda) for all day.

Local dishes – average € 6 /// Meat or Fish dishes – average € 4-5 each /// Sandwiches – average € 5.

BIKER FRIENDLY: Two moto-parkings are close to “Lido Piscina” without shade. A little shelter is the tower at 300 mt, but not for all day.

Pizzeria “La Bruschetta” – Vieste (FG)

by Luca | Jun 30, 2017 | Local Cuisine, Reviews

FLAG: Pizzeria “La Bruschetta”

ADDRESS AND TOWN: Via Cavour 3 – Vieste (FG) – Apulia – Italy

WEBSITE: None

LOCAL PRODUCTS: Instead of products of the season, is better to talk about local products. There isn’t an enormous variety of dishes and pizzas, few things but good. The menu is tipically for tourists, considering the town (one of the most famous and popular of the Gargano) and the period, you couldn’t expect a lot from a pizzeria opened from June to October.

LOCATION AND INTERIORS: It’s situated near the historical center, in a little square. The tables are disposed in this square, because is a pedestrian area. The traffic is very close to the tables anyway.

PRICES: Different menu, different prices.

BIKER FRIENDLY: During the day, there isn’t shade but you can find a parking space. It’s better by night.

Restaurant – Pizzeria “Padre Pio” – Vieste (FG)

by Luca | Jun 30, 2017 | Local Cuisine, Reviews

FLAG: Restaurant – Pizzeria “Padre Pio”

ADDRESS AND TOWN: Via Cavour 2 – Peschici (FG) – Apulia – Italy

WEBSITE: —

LOCAL PRODUCTS – TYPICAL CUISINE: All dishes in the menu are made with local products and according to the local cuisine and traditions. The variety of pizzas (prepared only in the evening), gluten free too, and “paposce” (‘extended’ pizzas, stuffed with products of the season and ‘reclosed’) is enormous.

LOCATION AND INTERIORS: Pizzeria is on the highest area of Peschici, on a lateral little square, at the end of Corso Garibaldi and the beginning of Via Cavour. The furniture is simple, coloured with the white of houses in the town and the blue of sky. You can see the amazing view of beaches below by the inner room and the first clients can choose their table with panorama. There’s the open-plan kitchen.

PRICES: Starters (local products) – average € 8 /// Starters (fish) – average € 12 /// First dishes – average € 10 /// Second dishes (fish) – average € 12-13 /// Second courses – average € 7-8 /// Side dishes – average € 3 /// Desserts – average € 3 /// Pizzas – average € 6-8 /// Paposce – average € 6-8.

BIKER FRIENDLY: There aren’t a lot of parking spaces for cars, but for bikes you can always find a little space.

Restaurant – Pizzeria “Guarda che luna” – Vieste (FG)

by Luca | Jun 30, 2017 | Local Cuisine, Reviews

FLAG: Restaurant – Pizzeria “Guarda che luna”

ADDRESS AND TOWN: Via Jeduca 2 – Vieste (FG) – Apulia – Italy

WEBSITE: None

LOCAL PRODUCTS – TYPICAL CUISINE: All the menu is dedicated to Apulian products. We ordered two different starters (a seafood salad and a mixture of local cold cuts and cheeses), one main course (squid ink troccoli) and a meat course (calf with rocket salad and grana cheese). Ten minutes later my order, I asked to substitute the meat course with a first course, but I received a curt negation: “No, I’m sorry! Your meat course is cooking yet.”, he said, serving the appetizers…..Ok…

The seafood salad, at the first taste, shocked me! It was disgusting! The seafood was old, dry and drowned in extra virgin olive oil, to mask the taste. I sent it back complaining what happened. They didn’t propose us something else to apologize.

Our first and meat courses arrived. The meat I asked with ‘blue steak’ cooking was quite pink only in the middle (maybe they don’t know what ‘blue steak cooking’ means or maybe they cooked the meat in that way because it comes from a very cold place) and with the black scorching of the grill (scorched grease) that proved slightly bitter. Squid ink troccoli was served spicy. The chili sauce with fish! Never!!

LOCATION AND INTERIORS: To reach the restaurant you should walk through a street that seems going on forever……and after three flights of stairs and you arrive finally. The view from terrace isn’t so beautiful. The back rooms in the restaurant don’t exist. The toilets are upstairs, above the kitchen and the chimney. Boiling. We dined with the ants.

PRICES: Appetizers – average € 10/15 /// Main Courses – average € 10/12 /// Second Courses (Fish) – average € 15 /// Second Courses – average € 10/12 /// Pizzas – average € 8 /// Wines – average € 18.

BIKER FRIENDLY: Absolutely NOT for bikers.