THE SURROUNDINGS

Gallipoli

Distance: 15 km.

Gallipoli derives from the Greek Kale polis, città bella (beautiful city).
The Borgo Antico (ancient hamlet) is located on an island and connected to the dry land through a bridge.
The city was conquered by the Romans in 265 A.C, whom enhanced port activity making it a military centre. Then other populations ruled it, including the Angioini (the Capetian House of Anjou), that is the reason why Gallipoli’s inhabitants are to date still called “ngiò” in the local dialect.
Gallipoli has two facets: the first is cultural, artistic and gastronomic, while the other is social, thanks to its events and clubs.

Must-see places:

Chiesa del canneto (Church of rushes),
Cathedral,
Greek fountain,
Angevine Castle,
Palace Tafuri,
Palace Ravenna,
Palace Pirelli,
Museum,
Garibaldi theatre,
Frantoi ipogei.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Lecce

Distance: 50 km.

Lecce is often called the “Southern Florence”.

If you take a walk in the historical centre, you can admire the fascinating Baroque facades, a unique architecture.

In the paved lanes there are artisanal workshops manufacturing papier-mâché, Lecce’s stone and timber.

Must-see places:

Lecce cathedral,
Roman amphiteatre,
Greek amphiteatre,
Castle of Charles V,
Church of Santa Croce.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Nardò and Porto Selvaggio

Nardò’s town centre is an exhibition of Baroque art, with its numerous churches, Temple of the Osanna and Acquaviva Castle.

In the fief of Nardò there is the Porto Selvaggio’s oasis, down the coastal road from Gallipoli to Porto Cesareo. This is a natural park where you can go for a hike, bathe and enjoy one of the purest and most suggestive landscapes in Salento. You can also visit the Grotta del Cavallo (Cave of the Horse), where Neanderthal evidence was found.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Otranto

Distance: 40 km.

Otranto is the most easterly point of the Italian peninsula. The residential area is not very wide but is filled with history. Otranto has a beautiful shape, as it develops along the high and low coast, along the ramparts, the doors, the Castle, through the magic of its millennial Cathedral and its breathtaking floor mosaic.

Must-see places:

Castello aragonese (Castle),
Cathedral,
Alimini lakes,
Historical centre,
Baia dei Turchi (bay of the Turks),
Beaches and seashores.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Santa Maria di Leuca

Distance: 18 km

Leuca derives from the Greek “Lucos”, white, where the 47-metre-tall towering lighthouse watches the two seas.

At its base, the basilica of S.M. De Finibus Terrae rises, right under the monumental waterfall of the Apulian aqueduct, which ends here.

Must-see places:

Panoramic view,
Liberty villas,
Historical buildings,
Boat tour to the caves.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Ugento

Zeus’ town was an ancient Messapic centre in the 5th century A.C. The majority of the archaeological evidence found in the area are held in the New Archaeological Museum, in the Adolfo Colosso’s private collection and in the diocesan Museum.

Must-see places: