Salento

The Salento, vast and varied, is a unique land that can offer everyone a tailor-made holiday. Nature, art, excursions, good food, nightlife, relaxation... the Salento lacks nothing. The sea in this land is postcard-perfect: Marina di Pescoluse, Porto Cesareo, Torre Lapillo are just some of the beaches that will enchant you with their white sand and Caribbean waters of a thousand shades of blue. While a visit to the Salina dei Monaci to spot pink flamingos or a stop at the Alimini Lakes by canoe will be experiences not to be missed. Gallipoli, with its historic centre and nightlife, is the perfect city to enjoy a holiday full of beauty and fun, while the old town of Otranto, with its white houses and terraces overlooking the blue sea, will amaze you: here you can stop at the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata and admire the famous floor mosaic from the Middle Ages depicting the tree of life. Also worth a visit is Ostuni, the white city, and of course Lecce, where everything is enveloped by the soft golden light of Lecce stone, used to make houses, stately palaces, churches and town architecture: here the ancient, rich and elegant style has given its name to a real trend, that of Lecce Baroque. Looking for something incredible and rare? A tour to discover prehistoric dolmens is just the thing for you! Maglie, Corigliano, Giurdignano, Salve are just some of the villages where these ancient architectures can be found; you can choose which ones to visit and how far you want to go on your itinerary!

In Salento, just as in the rest of Apulia, gastronomic traditions have ancient roots and unforgettable flavours. The olive oil produced by the local oil mills is a delicacy to be savoured raw on bruschetta or as a condiment for soups or seasonal vegetables, while Apulian taralli and focaccia, prepared in many variations and according to old-fashioned methods, fill the windows of local bakeries with their fragrance. The first courses are rich and authentic, ranging from the not-to-be-missed spaghetti with sea urchins, typical of seaside towns like Gallipoli or Otranto, to orecchiette with turnip tops, to the homemade Apulian maritati: a double-format pasta, i.e. orecchiette mixed with minchiareddi, with tomato sauce and basil leaves. For main courses, you can choose from broad beans and chicory, legume soups, raw seafood or the famous pignatta octopus, cooked in an earthenware pot with sauce and herbs. Don't forget to accompany your meal with a glass of Primitivo or Negroamaro, enveloping and decisive wines with an intoxicating aroma. For dessert, in the land of Salento you must try the pasticciotto, a casket of fragrant short pastry filled with cream and black cherry and made in many versions (pistachio, chocolate, fruit jam, etc.). Alternatively, you can try fruttone leccese, similar to pasticciotto, but filled with almond cream or fruit jam (usually pears or quinces) and covered with a layer of dark chocolate.

The events to attend in Salento are numerous and are spread throughout the months and seasons of the year. January is the month of the focare (bonfires): in Aradeo on 5 January for Epiphany and in Taviano in honour of Sant'Antonio Abate the town's alleys are lit up with suggestive bonfires amidst devotion and folklore; the month of March is dedicated to St Joseph, celebrated in many towns with festivals and processions: In Giurdignano, the Tavole di San Giuseppe (St Joseph's tables) are held, where some traditional dishes are shared and tasted, while in Maglie, as in many other towns of Salento, during the feast of the saint, the zeppole di San Giuseppe (a fried, cream-filled cake) can be tasted. In Castro, in April, there is the Sagra del pesce 'a sarsa', a typical dish of fried fish marinated in stale breadcrumbs, vinegar, garlic and mint. In Carpignano Salentino, the Festival of Santa Maria della Grotta is held in early July, when beautiful and scenic illuminations colour the atmosphere, making it magical. In August, the calendar abounds with events, including the Sagra della Puccia in Supersano (a special bread baked in a wood-fired oven and stuffed with grilled vegetables, or condiments of your choice) and festivals dedicated to the Taranta, such as the Sagra della Taranta in Salve or the Notte della Taranta, the famous travelling festival dedicated to the traditional music and dance of this land. But there are so many events, festivals and patronal feasts, and each one deserves to be experienced at its best, so we advise you not to leave anything to chance during your trip and look for all the events scheduled during the period of your stay, so that you don't miss a single one!