San Foca to Otranto, Puglia, Italy. Sunday 17-September-2023.
Day two was pretty much all on the coast with a real a mix of paths, rocky shoreline and some beach walking.
On the path we saw about one proper sign per day, the rest of the time it was scanning for stickers on posts or painted arrows on rocks. When we could not see either we reverted to the GPX which was invaluable in keeping us on the right track.
Beautiful coastline and water. Some of the cliffs were pretty spectacular - I kept well away from the edge!
Just 2 km south of Roca we stopped for a quick look at some Messapian walls and tombs from around the 3rd century BC. The Messapians were an Iapygian tribe who inhabited Salento in classical antiquity.
The sea looked so blue and clear and inviting.
Some of the paths were quite rocky and at one point we spotted a fossil in the path. I reckon it is a Trilobite.
Once more into leafy lanes with dappled shade which was so lovely in the heat of the day.
After a lunch stop in the shade of a closed beach bar we had a bit more sandy beach to walk on. At this point Mary could not resist taking her shoes off for a paddle and reckoned it was the highlight of her day.
Before too long we entered Otranto via a back road with no Otranto road sign on our way in so we made do with this to record our arrival. Shame we missed the jazz.
First view of Otranto centre. Mid-September and the beaches were still packed, mostly with Italians.
Distance: 25.75 km, Walking time: 5:50 hr, Steps: nearly 35,000. Very slightly longer than yesterday.
We stayed at the Hotel Albania a modern, comfortable place near the town centre with the essential fridge in the room for chilling the next day's water.
After checking in to the hotel it was a quick trip up to the castello to collect our stamps for our Cammino "passport".
Pre-dinner beer was at Bar Blu, which we were tempted into by the promise of artisanal beers, one blonde and one red on offer and very enjoyable. Sitting outside in a busy alley it was the perfect place for people watching.
We ate at restaurant Summer Fish which as the name suggests did seafood and did it very well, it deserves to be busier than it was when we went there.
Not a late night after our second of walking.
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