The attractive Salento, land full of olive trees and grapes, is located in the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region in Italy.

The cultural region of Salento includes the entire administrative area of the province of Lecce, large part of the administrative area of Brindisi and part of that of Taranto.

Lecce,city of messapic and roman origins well known for its brillant baroque, is the heart of Salento.

Outstanding baroque example is the Church of Santa Croce.

The church is an explosion of fantasy, it captures attention through its predominant large rose window richly decorated façade with animals, grotesque figures and vegetables.

Wonderful is also the atmosphere created by the Duomo square, it is as a saloon to open sky.

The Cathedral, one of the most significant in Italy, offers the possibility to dream to closed eyes, tanks to its attractive seventeenth-century decoration, its white and hot leccese stone.

Not less important is S. Oronzo Square, it evokes a charm without time where it is possible to admire the authority of the patron saint of the city. The statue of the saint stands on the roman column that used to mark the end of the Appian Way in Brindisi and dominates the scene of the piazza.

Another important jewel of Salento is Gallipoli. The old town , reached by an arched bridge which is flanked by a spectacular Graeco-Roman fountain,is really attractive.

At sunset is entrancing to observe Gallipoli’s buildings pick up a subtle reflected light from the sea.

From May /June to September is possible glory in all boast pristine beaches and submerge in the fabulous crystal-clear waters owned by the peninsula. The most known location in Salento for summer holidays are: Ostuni, Oria, Ugento, Manduria, Porto Cesareo, Gallipoli, Torre dell’Orso,
Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca, Lizzano, Pulsano, Santa Cesarea Terme.

One of the greatest aspect of these places is the sensation of peace and quietness that they infuse by admiring them.

The coasts, above all, show special landscapes and environments, among them the Alimini Lakes, on the Adriatic coast and Porto Selvaggio on the Ionic coast.

Salento enchants also with its heady mix of traditions. Every town and village has a yearly festa, in summer there are a lot of events to attend every night. On August the most important event is named the “Night of Taranta”, held in Melpignano. It is based on the pizzica , a fast and compelling rhythmic dance done to the accompaniment of the tambourine, accordion and violin. The origins of Pizzica dates back ancient Greece, it is associated with dancing out the poison of a spider-bite, thanks to its really involved sound it crates a vibrant atmosphere.

A date very significative is the 11th November, day in which the country tradition wants that the most turns into the wine. People of Salento join together to celebrate the importance of wine,drinking tasteful wine bottles bottled during the last grapping-harvest.

In the Salento area Mieru is a dialect word used for wine. This expression is linked to the hard constitution of wine product in this attractive land, it takes origin from the latin word “merum”, true, sincere.

True and sincere is undid the tradition Salento satisfy the hard palate, too. The quality of the products, tilled in the fertile lands, and the particular ways to cook represent the secret of the taste of the Salento cooking.

Characteristic are the ovens of stone where bread is cooked and where saucepans and clay baking-pans are baked rich of typical dishes. The most typical dish is represented by ciciri and tria, a sort of pappardella with the cecis.

Very appreciated are the base dishes of meat of horse and lamb without neglecting the base dishes of fish among which the mullets of Porto Cesareo and the lobsters of Leuca.

Traditions, music, natural and architectural beauties, hospitality, atmosphere, and of course sea and its coast make Salento an unforgettable Land, lifting an indelible mark.