It was humid and starting to get warm when we left the hotel this morning. We also got warmed up by climbing 100m to the Santuario di Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae overlooking the marina at Santa Maria di Leuca. We took some obligatory photos.
We followed the coast all the way up to Taranto (sadly, they don't have a hockey team either). Unlike the west coast of the heel (mostly flat), the east side is hilly. This means that there were very few beaches along the way. It is more picturesque. We climbed from sea level to about 120m four times for a grand total of 570m of elevation gain. Traffic was lighter than the previous two days.
We also crossed paths with a lot more cyclists today than in the previous four days of our tour. Two groups were going in the same direction as we were, while the other two were heading in the opposite direction. Two of the groups had matching jerseys. They also travelled as a bunch. That's not how Vélo Québec works.
We stopped for a break at Menamè Tricase Porto. Most of our fellow travellers did the same. Likewise, two other touring groups chose to take a break here, too. They had pastries, coffee and alcohol for sale. Sadly, they did not have gelato. I stuck to a cappuccino and a microscopic sandwich.