Adriatic Salento

Jagged coastlines, bays and natural coves. Headlands alternating with sand dunes and dazzling white beaches. Crystal-clear water, almost transparent, thanks to the sea currents and to freshwater springs. Unspoiled nature, between the green of the trees and the blue of the sky. A true paradise on Earth. And all of it right here in Italy.

Apulia is famous for many reasons, and its beaches are one of them. It's hard to compete with beaches like San Foca, Torre dell'Orso and Otranto. It's no coincidence that five places on the Adriatic Salento (the part of Salento that faces the Adriatic Sea) boast awards such as the Blue Flag (for clean, beautiful beaches) and Legambiente's “sails”.

Salento is full of beauty and of chances to relax and have fun. Its many beaches and seaside towns draw thousands of tourists every summer. Add the castles and other historic sites scattered between headlands and stretches of green, and the picture could hardly be better.

The beaches of Salento (on the Adriatic and beyond) are marked by towers, once lookout posts for watching whoever came from the sea. Reaching out toward the East, Otranto and the lands around it were the favorite landing place of many foreign peoples.

Most of the towers date from the 15th and 16th centuries; some are very well preserved, while of others, sadly, only ruins remain. Today the towers mark out the many beaches, setting one apart from the next. The shift from land to be defended to a favorite destination for so many sea lovers was a short one.

The symbol of the seaside towns on Salento's Adriatic coast is Otranto, a small town in the province of Lecce with a big reputation. Besides being one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Otranto is the country's easternmost town. In fact, it's also known as the “Gateway to the East”.

Punta Palascia is considered the easternmost point of the whole Italian peninsula. It is crowned by a white lighthouse, one of ten lighthouses protected by none other than the European Union.

A lovely tradition is to wait for the New Year's dawn at the foot of the lighthouse. Since this is Italy's easternmost point, the sun rises here first, and you can watch the country's first sunrise of the year. Many famous artists also choose to play here on this very occasion.

It was here in Otranto, in 1480, that the fleet of the Ottoman Empire landed, set on conquering the Italian peninsula. Otranto was left almost razed to the ground, and was later rebuilt thanks to the House of Aragon. This is the famous “Battle of Otranto”.

The Turkish devastation struck the main landmarks, such as the Castle, the Cathedral and other historic residences. The Cathedral still holds the skulls of the townspeople beheaded during the bloody battle between the Turks and the people of Otranto. The roughly 800 citizens who died in the battle were raised to the rank of Holy Martyrs and patron saints of the town.

In Otranto, traditions are deeply respected and still alive. Local crafts, for example, are thriving. Master craftsmen work with Lecce stone, a fairly soft limestone, and with rush, used to make wicker baskets and other pieces. Otranto's churches are also full of mosaics, most of them from Roman and Byzantine times.

Good food is a given. The flavors are typical of Lecce: the rustico, a savory filled puff pastry, oily fish, and among the sweets the “pasticciotti”, filled with pastry cream. The “Terra d'Otranto” wines and olive oil are renowned too.

And finally, music. In Otranto and on the beaches, people dance to the rhythm of the “pizzica” or the “tarantolata”. In folk culture, the bite of the tarantula brought on a very high fever, and the only cure was to sweat it out, dancing to this irresistible music.

As for the beaches, Otranto has also earned the Blue Flag, for the shore of Porto Badisco in particular. But many other beautiful stretches of coast await visitors: the Baia dei Turchi, Conca Specchiulla and Frassanito, near the Alimini Lakes.

There are two lakes, and their water is almost salty, being so close to the sea. The two lakes, Alimini Grande and Alimini Piccolo, are surrounded by rocks and green vegetation. This too is an oasis in the heart of nature, rich in protected plants and wildlife.

The Adriatic Salento is the first stop on the journey through this sunny, beautiful region. Nature and the sea have so much to offer, and if this is how it begins, the trip looks more than promising. Welcome to the land of “sun, sea and wind”.