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Specchia Ruggeri Tower – Acaya Castle loop from Merine

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Specchia Ruggeri Tower – Acaya Castle loop from Merine

Moderate

4.5

(66)

427

riders

Specchia Ruggeri Tower – Acaya Castle loop from Merine

04:41

79.1km

250m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: June 13, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

14.5 km

Specchia Ruggeri Tower

Highlight • Monument

The tower is part of an extensive defensive system spread along the Apulian and overall Salento coasts, referring to the XV and XVI centuries. Built by Charles V in 1584, to oppose the enemy raids, it has a truncated cone shape and a single floor (the original base restored), as well as an external masonry staircase and a terrace for the guards. The location of the watch-towers, called the "sentinels of the sea", allowed that the signals could be spread both laterally along the coast line and parallel to the internal fortified villages, thanks to the use of fire signals during the night and smoke during the day.

Tip by

21.2 km

Archaeological Site of Roca Vecchia

Highlight • Historical Site

The wide archaeological area contains important testimonies of different ages starting from the settlements of the Bronze Age. On the promontory it's possible to visit part of the town of the medieval hamlet with the remains of the surrounding walls, the church, some houses and a ritual hypogeum area. The Messapian area is also of considerable importance, with the imposing walls still clearly visible along their entire route, such as the coastal strip with traces of the foundation of square-plan buildings, the wells, the necropolis, which located both inside and outside the fenced area of the Park.

Tip by

23.1 km

Torre dell'Orso (Tower of the Bear)

Highlight • Monument

Torre dell'orso ... known for its beach of fine silver sand, however, occupied by several bathing establishments.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

39.1 km

Historic Centre of Otranto

Highlight • Settlement

Main attractions of the city are the Cathedral of Santa Annunziata with the mosaics (1163-1165), the fortress Castello Aragonese as well as the small Byzantine church of San Pietro and the Hypogeeum of Torre Pinta.

Above all, the old town, surrounded by a mighty city wall, is a major attraction in summer; on Saturday evening, it is the meeting place of the whole environment of Otranto. On Sunday afternoons the coast road from the Porta Terra is closed to through traffic and reserved for pedestrians (Passeggio).

Translated by Google •

Tip by

57.5 km

Roca Vecchia Swimming Pools

Highlight • Beach

58.6 km

Beach

59.5 km

Tower of San Foca

Highlight • Monument

Today the seat of the Harbor Master's Office, after the overly invasive restoration discussed, it still holds the primacy of symbol of the town that hosts tourists and locals to enjoy the sea view, the flavors and the wind, which always blows here.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

73.6 km

Central Square of Acaya with View of the Castle

Highlight • Castle

Splendid fortified village designed by the military architect Gian Giacomo dell'cAaya

Translated by Google •

Tip by

73.6 km

Acaya Castle

Highlight • Castle

The Castle of Acaya was built to protect the fortified citadel by Gian Giacomo dell'Acaya, trusted architect of Charles V, who had been entrusted with the strengthening of the defensive walls of Lecce and its castle. He did the same here, between 1521 and 1535, transforming the small agricultural village into a typically Renaissance fortress.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

79.1 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

64.4 km

6.68 km

3.37 km

3.20 km

1.50 km

Surfaces

63.7 km

10.4 km

4.52 km

575 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Sunday 30 August

35°C

26°C

16 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

May 14, 2024,ITA-2024-20a Otranto nach Lecce

Last leg of the journey, tomorrow we're going back by train. Unfortunately the weather wasn't ideal, there was even a shower, but there was a strong tailwind.

Showing Translation

July 7, 2024,Da Lecce a Otranto

From Lecce to Otranto passing through the beautiful "Le Cesine" WWF Oasis Nature Reserve.
Arrival on the coast road in the Torre Specchia Ruggeri area and then always with the sea on the left up to Otranto.

Showing Translation

June 10, 2024,07_Otranto-Lecce

The beautiful coast north of Otranto is represented by cliffs interspersed with white and black sand beaches. The cliffs (often inhabited by marine birds of prey that nest here) are subject to erosion, so much so that it is often forbidden to approach the edge. The black sand comes from the cliff that ended up in the sea, while the …

Showing Translation

April 15, 2025,Salento giorno 4 - Otranto - Lecce

Last day of our bike tour, finally we see the sun again, and with the sun the blue of the sea.
Look at the photos, I won't tell you about the incredulous faces when we found ourselves in front of the stacks of Sant' Andrea... That's exactly why it's worth taking a bike holiday.
The possibility of arriving anywhere, a …

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Specchia Ruggeri Tower – Acaya Castle loop from Merine

Specchia Ruggeri Tower

Archaeological Site of Roca Vecchia

Torre dell'Orso (Tower of the Bear)

Historic Centre of Otranto

Roca Vecchia Swimming Pools

Tower of San Foca

Central Square of Acaya with View of the Castle

Acaya Castle

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