You can’t decide between a cultural holiday and a vacation to the seaside? Salento is the place you are looking for with its 150 km of coastline and a cultural heritage that you can find in every small village. If you have a few days off, you can choose to come here and you won’t regret it! To help you, we developed a 5-day mini guide with the most beautiful places to see.
DAY 1, LECCE – Let’s start with the city of Baroque: Lecce offers a great art itinerary, without however making you forget that you are on vacation and therefore you will finally have time for coffee breaks in one of the clubs in the old town.
Enjoy a walk in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, with its statue of the Patron Saint that dominates the square and the symbol of the Lupa; let yourself be enchanted by history with a visit to the Roman Amphitheater and the Castello Carlo V and, eventually, let yourself be captivated by the beauty of the Baroque with a visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce and the Cathedral with its bell tower. If you still have some time left, why don’t you dedicate it to do some shopping and buying souvenirs to your friends and relatives at home?!?
DAY 2, OTRANTO – Moving from Lecce towards the South, we stop in Otranto, the small jewel located in the most south-eastern point of Italy. The Aragonese Castle, the Cathedral with the medieval mosaic and the chapel with the bones of the martyrs massacred by the Turkish invasion in 1480, will give you an unforgettable journey dedicated to art and history.
Even here, however, there is time for shopping in the colorful streets of the old town full of shops and for relaxing with the nearby beaches (Baia dei Turchi, among all).
DAY 3, GALLIPOLI – On the other side, driving across Salento, we reach Gallipoli, famous for its old town enclosed by walls and surrounded by the sea. You can breathe the eastern influence, derived from the domination of Byzantines, Swabian and Angevin Normans, in all the alleys of the old town of the “beautiful city”.
Take a trip to the harbor and taste the excellent fresh fish. And, of course, enjoy the sea in one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Italy.
DAY 4, PORTO CESAREO – Still on the Ionian side, we enjoy a whole day at the beach visiting Porto Cesareo. The white sandy beach and the crystal clear waters make it a perfect place also for children.
Visit the Isola dei Conigli by boat or by swim and enjoy the extraordinary landscape. For the lunch break, we recommend one of the excellent restaurants where you can enjoy high quality fresh fish.
DAY 5, LEUCA – We are at the end of our itinerary and to conclude we could not choose the most extreme point of the Heel of the Boot. We reach Santa Maria di Leuca, a small village that stands on a promontory, with a special charm.
Here, (and more precisely in Punta Méliso) there is “border” where the two seas, the Ionian and the Adriatic, meet. In Leuca you can visit the sanctuary and the lighthouse, and take a boat trip, exploring the numerous caves of great historical and naturalistic interest.
For some advice on where to stay during the holidays, follow the links below:
holiday houses -> www.casesalento.com
Holiday luxury villas -> www.villesalento.it
email -> info@villesalento.it
Mobile Phones -> (+39) 392/0202233 – (+39) 328/461763
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