WELCOME IN THE TOURIST SITE OF THE CAPO DI LEUCA (SALENTO, LECCE)

In Bari - Apulia's capital city - they say: "If Paris was by the sea, it would be like a small Bari". Presumption or arrogance? No, just pride (for which these people are famous, apart from their strong sense of humour). The pride of living in a city that successfully blends art and deep historic roots with a very modern spirit of business enterprise. Traditionally the "land's end" that bridged Italy with the worlds of Greece and the Middle East, Bari enjoyed its "golden age" during medieval times. The Cathedral and Church of St. Nicholas with their Romanesque forms, bear majestic witness to that period. Traces of the ancient trading and social contacts with the Greek world can be seen in the Archaeological Museum. The blend of history and art that characterizes the monuments of Bari is reflected in many areas of Apulia, where you will often discover cathedrals built during the medieval era such as in Brindisi, Andria, Barletta, Trani, Ruvo di Puglia, Lucera, Troia, Manfredonia, Otranto, and Gallipoli. Belonging to another era yet equally precious and extraordinary is the flourishing of the baroque architecture in the town of Lecce. In Taranto, the Archaeological Museum has sections of the more remote past. And Alberobello, in the province of Bari, is the capital of the Trulli, singular domains dating back to pre-history no less. As to nature's wonders, Apulia offers an extraordinary intermingling of mountains, woods and uncontaminated sea, for which the promontory of the Gargano in the province of Foggia is so well renowned.

This is another land of ancient civilisations, the Messapic, which was native, and the Greek which came from overseas; these two civilisations were enemies until they were fused under Roman domination. Some of their richest cities disappeared over the centuries, such as Sybaris and Metapontus, others such as Taranto, survived.
Taranto had as great a population in Roman times as today. Others came later, as the centuries passed. Brindisi came to mark the end of the great road to the East, the Appian Way.
Horace was born in the harsh mountainous country of Venosa and the other great Roman poet, Vergil died at Brindisi.
After the fall of the Empire came that long succession of conquests and warfare-Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese and Bourbons-a bloody and often dark history, relieved by the civilising presence of Venice, whose sea-routes to the East skirted the Apulian coats, jutting into the central Mediterranean. There was a brief flowering in the Swabian period, when this land dear to Frederick II, was covered with fine cathedrals and castles.
Castel del Monte, built by the Emperor for hunting and feasting, is still the finest example of a medieval castle in Italy; Frederick II died in the castle of Fiorentino; in the Lucera district rises the castle where his son Manfred left wife and son before the disastrous battle of Benevento. After the Swabian flowering came the long winter of blood and violence which attended the Angevin conquest, and then the long sleep of the Bourbon regime: few glories came the way of Apulia in those times, either political or artistic. Today Apulia attracts by castle and cathedral in other words, it is still the Apulia of Frederick II that appeals to the visitor. (*Enit)

We introduce the Salento to you: blue sea, beautiful beaches, uncontaminated nature, good food, sun and fun: welcome to the salento's coast:

It's one of the five regions ( the more southern one ) which constitute Puglia, jointly Murge, Tavoliere, Appennino Dauno, and Gargano. It's the Land of Lecce, spreaded over 2300 km2. It's the Salento, homeland of art, culture, nature. And it welcome and invite You to discover all the places of this wonderful territory, suspended from the Mediterranean Sea and stretched out East. In fact, Occidental civilization and oriental magic live together in this suggestive corner of Italy, in thet one which is the "heel" of the Stivale. A peninsula in the peninsula, a balcony which leans out of the mediterranean limpid water. History and art are interwovwn between two sea, Jonio and Adriatic, which alternate wild and incontaminated seashores and modern tourist villages, green oasis and pleasant small town where life goes on easely and peacefully and where people's spirit gives a tripper a sincere and exquisite hospitality. From Porto Cesareo to Gallipoli, from Lecce / Capital of province) to Nardò, from Otranto to Tricase, from Ugento to Santa Maria di Leuca, towns of Salento offer a very good gastronomy, particular landscape, artistic beauties, fabulous routes, centuries-old traditions and so on. Everything to discover! It's a land which has been recalled in the literary sea voyage in Odissea and Eneide, has been gone through the centuries by maritime and terrestrial courses, has inherited a great concentration of dolmen, menhir, specchie, nemanthol from the prehistoric civilization. From the Mycenaeans to the Greeks, from the Romans to the Byzantines, until the normans and the Spanish. Let's dive into the Salento, in its age-old culture and art, which come here from a far past, in its vegetation, in its coast and sea, in its colours and scents, in its dances and typical atmosphere.

Salento has got a level round, a sunny landscape, overgrown by almond and orange trees and secular olive trees. With some spurs of Murge. There are many natural parks, such at those ones in Cesine and Torre Guaceto, or in Porto Selvaggio, but also lots of pine woods ( Alimini, Ugento, Torre dell'Orso ) and the ancient Mediterranean maquis. A crystalline sea permitts to see the depth. Coast is a sort of Heaven with its overhanging cliffs and rocks. Finally, there is a type of Salento which is hidden, with its underground " monuments " thet were created by rain of rivers underground, where limestone plasm the ground and creates gorges, dolines, galleries, caves e coves. A world to dicover, up and under the Salento's land.

The Salento's gastronomy has an ancient tradition and it correspond to the history and culture of a people who continues loving and tasting quality and flavours of the most typical local products, in a technologic era even. That is, those tastes of past ages. Pasta and juice home-made, legumes' purees, lampascioni, horse's chops in ragout, roulade of lamb's trippe, seafaring tielle, pettole, jams, almond pastes, rosoli, winw, olive oil. These recipes are distinctive of the mediterranean cousine. The Salento's cookery is humble and poor, but very nutrient and rich of good and different flavours, because of many dominations in this land. As fist courses, we have tagliatelle with chick-beas, namely " ciceri e tria ". Tagliatelle with tomato's juice, cottage cheese and basil became " sagne 'ncannulate". Orecchiette an maccheroncini (" minchiareddhi") are really appreciated and genuine ( they are often combinated to vegetables and meat). As second courses, we have "pitte" ( thet is chapatti with potatoes and vegetables). "Turcinieddhi" are herbal lam's roulades. "Taieddha" is made by little pumpkins, potatoes, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, and black cozze. "Purcedduzzi" and "corteddhate" are Christmas cakes, made by sweet paste shaped pellets or roses, enriched with anice and honey little dragee. Every dish is supplemented with olive oil and wine. Salento is the region of "Negro Amaro", one of the best red and ruby wine in Italy. (* Siff)

Route, How to get there, How to move around, Where to eat, Wines, Specialties > < Products, More detailed information, Cities of art: Lecce, The last patch of land of Puglia, Salento by www.discoveritalia.com: Wet from two seas, Jonio and Adriatic, suspended between West and East, Salento, in Puglia, contrasting land with exquisite tastes, not only in gastronomy. The town is a magnificent collage of Baroque and Morocco styles; with high and steep side coasts and large and sandy extension. This geographic area thanks its glamour to sea mixing its vitality with the end of Italian boot, where resides actual in this double soul, unpredictable and charming. A vacation in Salento, will be an important change, it is as the sign of the simplicity: you should look over it without hustle, reaching the extreme boundary of Italy, to Santa Maria di Leuca and return, to enjoy the beauty of its places and immersing in the much cultures that here marked the history...→→→

Sun, sea, wind. Nature strikes in the first place, when one gets to this land stretch in balance between two seas. Salento has its core in the province of Lecce, - a Baroque Florence in Southern Italy – and reaches the provinces of Brindisi over the Adriatic Sea, and Taranto on the Ionian Sea side. The cities and inland towns expressions of the unique Lecce Baroque with Messapi and Salento Grecìa can still be seen. Its language, songs and feasts still show the culture of Graecia Magna. Surf, kite-surf and windsurf lovers never miss the beaches facing the Alimini lakes, while scuba diving fans just have to choose among the several equipped centers and charming sea beds of the Ionian coast as well as of the area between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca.

Salento Greece

Salento Greece In Southern Apulia, at the heart of Salento, nine municipalities united to save what is still left of the ancient Grika culture. In this area of Salento there can still be found traces of Graecia Magna Grika language spoken in the Basilian convents dismantled after the council of Trent
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Salento Coast

Lecce Baroque

Salento Greece