The invention relates to a method and an apparatus of handling tyres. The method includes: —generating a first relative motion between a detecting line (4) and a tyre (100) for acquiring the position of a first edge (106) of a tyre (100) with respect to a reference (5); —generating a second relative motion between said detecting line (4) and said tyre (100) and acquiring the position of a second edge (107) of said tyre (100) with respect to said reference (5); —positioning a gripping device and gripping said tyre (100) on the basis of the positions of said first and second edge (107) with respect to said reference (5).