Salento From The City To The Sea

One of the most famous tourist destinations in the world is located in Puglia: it is Salento, a land that never gets tired thanks to its history, its cities, its dynamic life and its unique seaside.

Salento is an Italian territory located in the south of the Apulia region. It can be said that the Salentine Peninsula is located in southern southern Italy, squarely in the heel of the boot. Salento is not an Italian administrative region as such, this territory covers the entire province of Lecce and part of the provinces of Brindisi and Taranto. It should also be mentioned that Salento has kept its Greek influences.

Described as the “heel of the Italian boot”, it encompasses the entire province of Lecce, the southern part of the province of Brindisi and the eastern part of the province.province of Taranto. It is bordered by two seas: The Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea. It constitutes the major part of the old province of the Land of Otranto. The specific dialect is salento, apparently due to a substrate of the Messapes.

The Salento peninsula

The Salento peninsula, from a purely geographical point of view, is separated from the rest of Puglia by an ideal line which, from the Gulf of Taranto (at the level of Massafra), moves towards the Adriatic Sea near the ruins of the city Messapian of Egnazia (on the municipal territory of Fasano), on the edge of the old Peucetie or Terre de Bari.

From a cultural point of view, it is usual to move the boundaries a little further south, along a line that goes from Taranto, to the west, to Ostuni, at the edge of the Adriatic.

The Salento peninsula is the most eastern territory of Italy, and Punta Palascia, or Cape of Otranto, constitutes its easternmost point; here, Albania is 72 miles distant through the Otranto Canal.

Among the most popular beaches of Salento there is Pescoluse, with its fine sand and turquoise sea, which is nicknamed the Maldives of Salento. The beaches of this region never disappoint: from Torre del Greco to Baia dei Turchi, there are sandblasters, made of pebbles or deep bottoms, depending on the requirements of each.

A harmonious landscape of hills and gentle plains occupies the heart of the province studded with villages that testify to the presence of man since prehistoric times. Ancient civilizations from overseas have deeply touched the culture of these places, to the point that in Greek Salento, the old language Grika, is still been spoken.

 Vineyards and olive groves drawing geometric shapes are delineated by walls built with local stone found in its raw state, on farms, dolmens and menhirs, symbols of the ancient Messapic civilization.

 A real history book in the open air, where the chapter of the Middle Ages is told by the old towns and imposing castles and that of the Renaissance by the aristocratic houses that recall the elegance and grandeur of the capital.

The food and wine offered here is just as full as that offered by Mother Nature: oils, wines, cheeses, vegetables and fresh pasta are reminiscent of the flavors of the past, thanks to the artisanal method of working with raw materials.

Motto Of Salento

The motto of Salento is simple and clear: the sun, the wind, the sea. That’s what awaits you if you venture into the southern tip of Puglia during your holidays. But this land actually offers much more than beautiful beaches, a blue sky and a crystal blue sea.

You can discover cities of art and history with exceptional monuments. Lecce the Baroque is a city that seduces the visitor with the wealth of these churches and palaces, but many other small towns around the capital of this province of Italy are remarkable and worth a visit: Nardo, Galatina, Galatone and many more in the land.

And what about coastal towns like Otranto and Gallipoli with history and pleasant seaside resorts? Many other beaches are spectacular in Salento, such as the “Italian Maldives” south of Gallipoli. The Salento countryside also deserves a visit with its olive trees as far as the eye can see.

If Salento attracts especially for its coastline, it is also appreciated for the numerous possibilities it offers: from the point of view of the history, but also for the trekking or the beauty of its natural phenomena, as the underwater caves from Castro and Santa Maria di Leuca.

Accommodation in Salento

It is tempting to be hosted by the sea (for example in a village holiday club) during a stay in Salento. There are quality b&b and agritourism accommodation not far from the sea, as well as more than adequate Italian campsites. The hotel in town (in Lecce for example to enjoy the urban nightlife) is also an option not to be overlooked.