A territory of engaging sceneries and ancestral culture,
as beautiful as deep.
100% pure Mediterranean...
A territory of engaging sceneries and ancestral culture as beautiful as deep... 100% pure Mediterranean
Salento is a sub-region of Puglia known for its rich culture, baroque architecture, beautiful beaches and engaging scenery. While most of the tourism is concentrated between the capital city Lecce and by the coast, real Salento lives inland.
Besides the hustle and bustle of the main areas, there is a wide network of over 100 towns and villages with an hospitality scene that has something good for both budget and high-end travellers.
With a population of over 1 million (the capital city Lecce counts 90k) extended on 5.400 km2, the region is vast and full of surprises, for us the locals too
FOUR ARE THE MAIN AREAS:
- Lecce, the capital city;
- The west coast, with the white sand beaches of Porto Cesareo, Nardò, Ugento and Gallpoli;
- The east coast, where Otranto is historically the gate to the Orient and Santa Maria di Leuca the world's end...
- The extended inland, where tens of small towns keep alive an ancient country culture and are now defining a new role in the contemporary
ITINERARIES
PHOTO GALLERY
SOME ESSENTIAL FACTS:
- Being a bit loud is part of our soul, don’t be scared if sometimes locals seem arguing…. that’s amore!
- Despite the rich events calendar, in general nightlife isn’t particularly attractive to the more exacting, at the end of the day Salento is a day-time place. Even though in summer there are tons of interesting gigs, festivals and art shows
- You do need a car to dig deep into the region, unless you want to spend hours on short but long journeys in vintage trains and overcrowded buses. And car hire isn’t cheap here.
- Salento – and the whole Italy – is home to strong contrasts, with beauty and ugliness sometimes living very close: don’t be surprised should you run into some horrible buildings every now and then… it’s part of the magic
- Check the wind before choosing your beach for the day: more or less, with northern winds it’s nice on the west coast; with southern on the east
- Tips are not formally required, still they are appreciated
- The identity of Salento lays in its plants: Olive, Pine, Prickly Pear, Vine, Fig, fig cactus
- Local handicraft: Paper-Mache; Pietra Leccese (Lecce limestone); Weaving; Ceramics; Wooden furniture
- Essential Food: Frisa; Rustico; Pasticciotto; Seafood; Citruses; Tomato; Cheese; Herbs
- Essential wine: Primitivo, Negroamaro, Susumaniello
- Essential beer: Dreher; Terrona; Nastro Azzurro