The Salento
And welcome to the “Salento to love“… Land of sun, Sea and wind. Middle Earth, land of encounter between two seas. The sea “Father of Salento” It has always been the very soul of this region of southern Puglia, with the beautiful coastline which alternate long stretches of fine sand in hard rocks, angular full of caves and bays with a blue sea cobalt, crystalline, clear from waters rich in life and color.
Starting from the ionic side meet landscapes of rare beauty: Porto Cesareo, Santa Maria Al Bagno, Santa Caterina and the wonderful Gallipoli, Pearl of the Ionian Sea with its historic center, busy narrow streets and baroque churches. Going south you cross Torre Del Pizzo, Mancaversa and Torre Suda until you get to Torre San Giovanni with its notes of white sand and fine, the Mediterranean dunes that border the beach shaded by pine trees. Proceeding south, passing through the sandy shores of Torre Mozza, Lido Marini, Torre Pali, Pescoluse with fabulous beach “Maldive Del Salento” Torre Vado and you get to Santa Maria Di Leuca. Defined by the ancients “earth”, It is the pearl of the extreme strip of Italy, which lies in a stretch of coast alternate with cliffs and small sandy coves, where the waters of March Jonio he was born in Adriatic sea they meet. The many caves of which this land is rich are of great historical and natural interest and the seabed is a real paradise for diving tourism. going, then, the Adriatic coast we reach the clear water of Tricase Porto, the caves of Zinzulusa with their traces of prehistoric inhabitants, and Castro.
Continuing our journey on the seacoasts, Then we find the Arabic Santa Caesarea famous for its hot springs and the cobalt blue sea, and further north we can visit the wonderful Otranto. millenary city that in the alleys of the old town enclosing “The Lady of Otranto”, the XI century Cathedral, beautiful for its immense and mysterious mosaic floor, the chapel which houses the bones of martyrs beheaded by the Turks in 1480 and the underground crypt that surprises with a labyrinth of columns and capitals are all different. In addition to Aragonese castle, Aedicule Byzantine and the many other monuments that enrich it from an artistic point of view, historical and cultural, Otranto is a remarkable city for its natural beauty, unique for its fine coasts boast the protected oasis of the Alimini Lakes and the unspoilt Baia Dei Turchi.
This and much more is Salento, land of beautiful landscapes but also art, culture and folk traditions, in which the courts, the squares and the historic buildings the city as Lecce, Sweaters, Ugento, frame the rites and folk customs of the people of the south. The workshops of papier mache and local stone, the smells and the flavors of food tradition Salento, festivals as well as typical plucked courtship and the famous tarantate keep alive the historical memory of a land that attracts and fascinates anyone who knows.
“Salento is a land of mirages, sucker; is fantastic, It is full of sweetness; remains in my memory more like an imaginary journey as a journey” (Guido Piovene – I travel to italy)
To visit
To visit the Museum Messapico, the Addolorata Church and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Lizza. In the Sanctuary of Lizza is celebrated 14, 15 e 16 August one of the oldest parties and known Salento, the feast of the Madonna della Lizza. In the past, women made pilgrimages to the feet of Our Lady, from the entrance of Gallipoli feud, knees, until the Church. Next to the religious festival takes place on the market Lizza, very important and regional eco. It still uses, in those days of celebration buy “cupeta e mendula” (mixture of cooked sugar with toasted almonds), at the “pupiddri” (fish fried with breadcrumbs and saffron) e “the lace” (celery).
Many are also important illuminations, band concerts and fireworks that close the official party between the night of 15 and the dawn of 16. The day 16, then, The festival ends with the performance of light music.
The beach has numerous beaches, well-equipped with every service. Enchanting is the view of the entire coast of Gallipoli and on’ St. Andrew's Island, included in the Regional Natural Park of Punta Pizzo and Coast island of Sant'Andrea, important plant species and nesting colony of the ongoing Seagull, only along the Adriatic coast of Italy and the Ionian.
Travel Destinations best known in recent years, thanks to its low practicable cliff and full of creeks and hills with olive trees and mills. E’ the perfect place for relaxing holidays. It is about 4 km from Alliste.
In the vicinity of the bridge you can admire the Hellenistic fountain, rich with bas-reliefs inspired by Greek mythology. In front of the fountain you can visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Canneto. The small island has a circumference of one kilometer and a half and is characterized by a set of alleys and small streets that cross each other. The walls, the ramparts and towers, that once protected the city from invaders, today protect against storm surges and give it a unique charm, that transports visitors in ancient times. Of particular interest is the Aragonese Castle, Saint Agatha's Cathedral, splendid example of Baroque Lecce, the Church of Purity and the numerous churches that face the sea.
Travel Destinations for lovers of the sea offers beautiful white sandy beaches with well-equipped beaches and free and clear blue sea. During the summer, the feast of Gallipoli Santa Cristina: The celebrations begin the day 23 July, with the firing of shots blanks in the early morning. In the late afternoon there is, first by sea on board vessels, and then ground through the streets of the city, the religious procession of the statue of the saint. The next day there is the traditional band concert in a theater and, in the evening, a fireworks display in the harbor city. This show is also repeated on the third day of festivities. During the duration of the festivities there is a traditional evening market in the Gallipoli main course, for the occasion, It is decorated with illuminations throughout its extension. Also famous The Gallipoli Carnival starting on 17 January with the feast of St. Anthony Abbot (you fire = fire). It is welcomed with traditional Focareddha, ie, a large bonfire built with Christmas trees. The last Sunday of Carnival and Mardi Gras takes place the parade of allegorical floats and masked groups.
However Lecce is known as the city of the Baroque par excellence, with a very special and unique style, recognized as “Lecce baroque”, and it characterized by a friable local stone, the so-called Lecce stone, warm colors and easy to work. Among the major monuments of the beautiful old town are the’ Roman Amphitheater in Piazza Sant’ Oronzo and the Roman Theater, both of the second century after Christ and the Column of Sant'Oronzo, He is representing one of the two columns of the Via Appia and was conducted in 1666 Brindisi. Also you can enjoy the Castle of Carlo V visit, the churches of S. Niccolò and Cataldo 1180, the Baroque Basilica of Santa Croce with its beautiful facade, the Cathedral with the bell tower of 70 m and Vescovato '600.
Lecce is a city rich in architectural and artistic heritage, who knows how to impress with its workshops of traditional crafts, where craftsmen still realize wonderful papier-mâché statues, with its flavors and scents of fine cuisine and imaginative, with its marine, located on the east coast of Salento. A long mostly low and sandy coast, where they are distinguished special traits such as the Natural Reserve of Cesine di San Cataldo, or the sea of Torre Chianca, Spiaggiabella and Torre Rinalda, that away from Lecce only 5 O 10 km.
The coast stretches for about 2 km and includes a stretch of high cliffs, ideal for those who enjoy diving and fishing lovers, a low cliff tract, recommended for those who want to explore the seabed and a large sandy stretch with a free beach and some beach resorts. The resort is also very inviting for its culinary, offering typical restaurants and taverns where you can taste the seafood and freshly caught fish, prepared with traditional recipes.
In these enchanting places you can also take walks in the pine forest, play on the beach, do sports like surfing and sailing, or visit the exhibitions of local products and local crafts, stroll through the numerous festivals with illuminations and fireworks. Also nearby there are plenty of nightlife offering concerts, pub, discotheques, water park, riding school, excursions by boat.
quiet Marina, ideal for those seeking a relaxing holiday, by the sea,the nature and gastronomy, with the ability to move to the next Gallipoli and Torre San Giovanni or Leuca, home to beautiful suitable nightclubs, of beach clubs and typical restaurants for lovers of good food. Mancaversa offers every kind of comfort, kiosks on the beach, trattorias for home cooking and an excellent wine, sports facilities, riding schools, swimming pools and parks. Moreover summer evenings guests are enlivened by numerous events such as concerts, theater and vernacular, outdoor cinema, fairs and festivals of all kinds.
The shallow and clear and the vast expanses of sand give the pleasure of wonderful walks in the fresh water or fine sand. Besides the wonderful sea, Pescoluse also offers a range of services for tourists, starting from the parking areas a few meters from the shores, Bars and restaurants on the beach, in runs for fitness and dance, up to the car and scooter rental, rest areas for campers and caravans and organization of excursions at sea and inland. The long coastline alternating beaches equipped, from the famous “the Maldives” Salento, enchanting spot for its colors and scents, which each year attracts thousands of tourists.
But Pescoluse be discovered also for its historical implications, artistic and cultural, with its many dolmens scattered inland, the characteristics Salentine rural dwellings, calls “pajare”, or tower dating back to '500 Masseria Borgin, erected in defense of the raids of peoples coming from sea.
