Santa Maria di Leuca   

Santa Maria di Leuca is a famous seaside resort situated at the tip of Apulia where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet. Its name Leuca was given by the Greek sailors from the East who saw this place lightened by the sun and called it "leukos", meaning white. The town of Leuca was originally built on the Iapigio promontory and the Basilica de Finibus Terrae (also called The anteroom of Paradise) stands on the remains of a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva. According to legend, Saint Peter, during his pilgrimage from the East to Rome, landed on the shore of Leuca, where he began the evangelisation of Salento. The port of Leuca was a compulsory stop-over in the busy commercial routes towards the east. But the history of Leuca can also be discovered in its caves, where archaeological excavations have unearthed artefacts from the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic period. These caves, like the Devil’s Grotto, still conserve a large part of the graffiti on the walls in which prehistoric man and the animals left traces of their stay. The “Grotta Porcinara” where the god Batos has been worshipped since the ninth century B.C. is full of Greek and Latin inscriptions.   Not to be missed are the magnificent and colourful villas of the nineteenth century that slope down towards the sea-front.

Gallipoli

Founded by the Messapians between the 10th and the 16th centuries B.C., was named Callipoli (from "Kalè polis", which means 'beautiful city') by the Greek who invaded the Salentine peninsula in the 6th century B.C. It was conquered by the Romans in 265 B.C., subsequently ransacked by the Vandals in 450 AD and by Totila in 542. It was later rebuilt by the Greeks of the Eastern Roman Empire who fortified it and used the port for their fleet. Over the centuries it has endured many invasions: occupied by the Normans in the 11th century and then by the Angevin and Aragonese. Besieged and conquered by the Venetians in 1484, by the Spaniards in 1501, and by the French in 1528. After the French occupation, it became part of the Kingdom of Naples for many decades. The town is divided into two areas: the old city and the new village. The historical centre rises on an island linked to the land by a brick bridge which was built under King Ferdinand II. After crossing the bridge one faces the Greek-Roman fountain, considered the most ancient of Italy and adorned with freggi and legendary figures belonging to the classic period.To the left of the bridge, stands the castle/fortress built by Charles of Angiò at the end of 1500 to face enemy attacks. The old city is full of ancient buildings of Baroque style, and the Cathedral, built in 1629, contains many interesting frescoes.

Otranto

Founded by settlers from Taranto or by the Cretans, Otranto is the most oriental point in the South of Adriatic and that’s why it is also called “Oriental Door”. It was occupied by the Greeks and the Romans and repeatedly besieged by the Saracens. The Byzantines fortified the town making it one of the strongholds used to defend the region against the incursions of the Normans. Otranto enjoyed great prosperity based on its port activities and geographical position which favoured commercial traffic to the East and pilgrimages to the Holy Land. On 11 August 1480, it was invaded by the Turks who almost destroyed the whole town and massacred its inhabitants. Despite the destruction it has undergone and the constant threat from the Turks, Otranto has preserved a characteristic historical centre, an old town full of oriental charm. The Cathedral built between 1880 and 1888 is considered the biggest church in Puglia. It contains the remains of 800 martyrs killed during the Turkish invasion, and it is famous for the extraordinary floor mosaic from the twelfth century by the monk Pantaleone, with scenes drawn by the Breton epic of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Aragonese Castle built in the 15th century has a square plan with cylindrical towers at the corners partly surrounded by a traditional moat.
The Church of St. Francis was built as a memorial to the citizens massacred by the Turks in 1480.

Castro

With its pleasant welcoming atmosphere and enchanting sea, Castro – the Pearl of Salento - is one of the most beautiful tourist resorts in the region. It is divided into two areas, the upper part populated by tourists during the summer and the lower part, Castro Marina, overlooking the emerald green sea. Castro Marina retains the same appearance of the old fishing village with its characteristic port, with the little caves that were used as storerooms by fishermen. The origins of Castro date back to the Cretans and Greeks. According to the legend, the town was called “castrum minervae”, fortress of Minerva, built by Aeneas in honour of the goddess. Over the centuries, it was invaded and ruled by Romans, Vandals, Goths, Lombards, Byzantines and Saracens. Under the Norman rule, Castro became a flourishing trade and military centre. Immediately afterwards it was conquered by the Arabs who ruled it for eleven years. The Norman Tancredi d’Altavilla was the first to have the title of Count of Castro. The Cathedral, enriched with paintings representing the lives of saints, was built in 1171 on the ruins of a Greek temple. The Castle dates back to the 13th century, during the Angevin period. It stands on the remains of a former building from the Byzantine era which defended the fortified village. The sun roof is the panoramic spot of the castle and the highest point in Castro. The area of the grottoes near Castro is a paradise for divers. The Zinzulusa Grotto takes its name from the calcareous formations that “hang” from the ceiling, like rags that have been hung up (in Salento dialect, zinzuli): the stalactites and stalagmites create strange shapes and colours. Not far from the Zinzulusa Grotto is the Blue Grotto, a large marine cave with turquoise coloured waters which can be reached only from the sea. Just 6 km from Castro is the spa resort of Santa Cesarea: people with health problems come here to benefit from the curative properties of the local waters.