Visiting the city of Otranto and exploring the streets, views and squares is a lively yet romantic experience. The small stone or white-painted houses, the streets that narrow and then widen, the stairways and ancient walls are the elements that make Otranto a village full of beauty. A visit to the Aragonese castle is recommended, as is a stop at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, where a huge, ancient medieval mosaic (by the monk Pantaleone) covers the floor of the three naves: the tree of life is the central theme, juxtaposed with others such as hell and paradise. Monstrous animals, exotic life forms and allegories build a never-before-seen narrative, where the eye and imagination are lost in the details. You can certainly organise an excursion to the Bauxite quarry, not far from the town: here, a quarry of a thousand hues houses a lake inside, creating an out-of-this-world scenario. In Porto Badisco, lovers of prehistory will be able to visit the cave of the deer, while heading towards the Alimini lakes you can admire the beautiful and poetic lagoon. Finally, we cannot fail to recommend the Bay of Turks (where in 1480, the Turks landed to besiege the city). Beautiful and unspoilt, it has a low cliff overlooking the sea and is enveloped by the fragrant and verdant Mediterranean scrub.

The cuisine in Otranto is typical of Salento, with the scent of citrus fruits and almonds, vegetables and fresh olive oil and, of course, the sea. In the morning, especially during summer, it is ideal to start the day with a Salento coffee: an espresso, but served with the addition of ice and almond milk. Among the first courses, spaghetti or linguine with seafood or cuttlefish or urchins are a must; these, also excellent on their own, are a true local excellence. An alternative is the traditional taieddha, a dish of rice, mussels and potatoes that, properly prepared, is a real delicacy! Black olives and fried potato panzerotti are excellent to accompany every meal, although during the colder periods, vegetable soups made with spelt, broad beans and other legumes are a must: ciciri e tria, a durum wheat pasta to be eaten with chickpeas, are excellent. Tasted with a strong Negroamaro wine, they will bring out all the flavour of the land and the long Apulian peasant tradition. In Otranto, the desserts will not disappoint! You will definitely have to try those made with almond paste: they are fragrant, soft and one pulls one another, but you cannot miss the famous and very ancient pasticciotto pastry filled with custard (although there are now numerous versions with fillings).

The events to attend in Otranto are diverse and spread throughout the months of the year. One of the most famous is certainly 'L'Alba dei Popoli' (Dawn of the Peoples), held during the Christmas period and culminating on New Year's Eve, when concerts and cultural events are concentrated in the town waiting for dawn, which, being Otranto the most easterly point in Italy, arrives earlier than in the rest of Italy. In the last week of May, on the other hand, there is the patron saint's festival of San Francesco di Paola: after the procession and the religious function in which there is the symbolic handing over of the keys to the saint by the mayor, the entire 'Minerva' area is filled with illuminations and stalls. Finally, in the evening, a fireworks display is prepared. From mid-July and throughout the month, there is the eagerly awaited Otranto Festival, a festival dedicated to cinema and art exhibitions, accompanied by concerts and musical events. From 12 to 15 August there are celebrations for the Beati Martiri, commemorating the 1480 slaughter of Otranto. The most festive moment is the evening of 14 August, when the centre of Otranto comes alive with stalls and stands dedicated to sweets and typical products, in a joyful folkloric atmosphere. On 24 September, it is the turn of the Grape Festival, a very interesting and popular event: here, many traditional peasant products are present in themed stands that alternate to offer faithful reconstructions of ancient scenes of work in the fields. But a place of honour on this occasion obviously belongs to the wines: Salice Salentino, Leverano, Copertino Aleatico di puglia are just some of those you can taste, to relive the wine tradition that still resists in this beautiful area.