SalentoBike rental
Bike rental in San Foca
San Foca is the one place on the Adriatic coast where you can walk in and collect one of our bikes for free. We are SalentoBike, a bike rental in Lecce, and our second pickup point is at **Via D'Annunzio 13** in San Foca, 24 km from the city. From the door you are on the coast road: Roca Vecchia and the Grotta della Poesia to the south, the Le Cesine reserve to the north, and the Greek-speaking villages of the Grecìa Salentina fifteen minutes inland. This page is about riding from here. The tracks come with the rental.
Collect your bike in San Foca
Pickup and return at Via D'Annunzio 13 are free, and the time is agreed with you, early starts included. We set saddle height, pedals and bags, load the tracks on your phone and stay on WhatsApp for the whole rental. If you are staying elsewhere on this coast, in Torre dell'Orso, Sant'Andrea or the Alimini, we deliver at a fee quoted by distance and written in your quote; above 1,000 € of rental, delivery is included. Our other free points are Lecce (Via Ribezzo 2D) and Calimera (Via Roma 163), 18 km from Lecce in the Grecìa Salentina: a useful second end for a one-way day.
Without a car. From 13 June to 13 September the Salento in Bus line 101 runs three times a day from Lecce City Terminal to San Foca (44 to 49 minutes), then on to Roca, Torre dell'Orso, Sant'Andrea and Otranto. Its timetable says nothing about bikes, so use it to reach us, not to carry the bike. There is no railway on the coast; Lecce station is the hub, and from there the ride to San Foca is 24 km on quiet lanes.
The coast road: Roca, Torre dell'Orso, Sant'Andrea
South of San Foca the shore turns into low cliffs and watchtowers. At Roca Vecchia the Grotta della Poesia and the archaeological site are now managed as one ticketed area: from 18 July to 30 September 2026 the entry is 5 € (free for Melendugno residents), open 9:00 to 19:00 in August and September, and swimming and diving are not allowed. Go for the site and the view, swim further on. Torre dell'Orso is an 800-metre beach between two cliffs with the Due Sorelle sea stacks at its southern end and a watchtower begun in 1568; Sant'Andrea, just beyond, is the rock-arch coast. Otranto is 21 km from San Foca by road: the Coast Road to Leuca and the Francigena stages start there, on bike rental in Otranto.
We ride this shore as part of a 99.9 km day from Lecce through Le Cesine and down the Adriatic, 209 m of climbing in total, essentially flat. From San Foca we give you the middle of it: the coast south to Sant'Andrea, inland through Melendugno and back.
North: Le Cesine, San Cataldo, Frigole
North of San Foca the road passes Torre Specchia and the Le Cesine reserve: 348 hectares of ponds, Aleppo pines and holm oaks at Vernole, the last piece of the marshes that once lined this whole coast. Entry is only with a reserve guide, by reservation: Sundays and holidays at 10:00 and 16:00, groups on weekdays by arrangement. Beyond it, the flattest ride we have starts about 3 km up the coast from our point: Torre Specchia to Frigole via San Cataldo, 22.5 km with 20 m of climbing, never above 16 m, which we ride ourselves. Ride it out and back for a 45 km morning with a coffee at San Cataldo.
Inland: the Grecìa Salentina
Fifteen minutes from the sea the lanes run into the eleven Griko-speaking villages: Calimera, Martano, Martignano, Zollino, Sternatia and the others, where a variant of Greek is still spoken. Two loops from Melendugno cover it: Torre Specchia to San Cataldo and back through the villages, 47.7 km with 110 m of climbing on mixed surfaces, and the longer loop to the mouth of the Alimini lakes and Torre dell'Orso, 55.9 km and 200 m, mostly tarmac. Finish at our Calimera point instead of San Foca if you prefer.
Rides from San Foca
| Ride | km | Climbing | Bike | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torre Specchia – San Cataldo – Frigole (from 3 km north of our point) | 22.5 | 20 m | any | at sea level, the flattest ride we have; ridden by us |
| Lecce – Le Cesine – Adriatic coast (passes San Foca and Roca) | 99.9 | 209 m | road, gravel, e-bike | flat, long, one GPS ride; ridden by us |
| Torre Specchia – San Cataldo – Grecìa villages loop from Melendugno | 47.7 | 110 m | gravel, e-bike | mixed, some unpaved; a ride we suggest |
| Alimini mouth – Torre dell'Orso loop from Melendugno | 55.9 | 200 m | road, e-bike | mostly tarmac; a ride we suggest |
| Lecce station – San Foca – Pisignano loop | 57.5 | 140 m | gravel, e-bike | 3 km unpaved; the ride from the city to our point |
Swims, markets, August
Swimming by bike: San Foca's own beaches, Torre dell'Orso and the coves at Sant'Andrea are all on the coast road. San Foca has a Sunday market; Torre dell'Orso a summer farmers' market. In July and August the coast road to Torre dell'Orso is busy from late morning: ride it before 10:00, spend the afternoon inland. Best months: April to June and September to October.
Which bike for San Foca
Any. Road bike for the coast and the long day to Otranto; gravel bike for the Grecìa lanes and the unpaved bits around Le Cesine; e-bike for families and the afternoon wind. Sizes XS to 61, riders from about 150 to 197 cm.
Prices in short
Road and gravel bikes from 50 € for one day down to 35 €/day from 8 days; e-bikes cost a little more. Helmet, lights, lock, bag, pump and repair kit always included. No deposit, payment at pickup, free cancellation: see all prices or ask for a quote. Other towns: bike rental in Puglia; collect here and finish elsewhere: one-way rental.
Free pickup is available at our three points in Lecce, San Foca and Calimera. Delivery elsewhere is quoted by distance.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I collect the bike in San Foca?
- At Via D'Annunzio 13. Pickup and return are free, hours are agreed with you. Our other free points are Lecce (Via Ribezzo 2D) and Calimera (Via Roma 163).
- Can I swim at the Grotta della Poesia?
- No. Since 18 July 2026 the site is ticketed (5 €, open until 30 September) and swimming and diving are banned. Ride on to Torre dell'Orso or Sant'Andrea for the swim.
- Can I cycle into the Le Cesine reserve?
- Only with a reserve guide, by reservation: Sundays and holidays at 10:00 and 16:00. The road past the reserve is open, and the flat ride to San Cataldo and Frigole runs alongside it.
- How do I get from Lecce to San Foca?
- By bike, 24 km on quiet lanes, tracks provided. In summer the Salento in Bus line 101 takes 44 to 49 minutes; it does not state that it carries bikes.
- Can I collect in San Foca and return in Lecce or Calimera?
- Yes, at no extra cost: Lecce (Via Ribezzo 2D) and Calimera (Via Roma 163) are our other free points. Other end points are quoted by distance.
Request your bike
Send your dates, rider heights and pickup or delivery point. We reply with availability and the complete quote.