Lecce, the capital of baroque and papier-mâché. It is well worth a visit for its extraordinary beauty. See the Basilica di Santa Croce, the Cathedral and the amphitheatre from the Augustan age, the Castle of Charles V, the Church of San Matteo and the Church of San Niccolò and Cataldo.
Riserve Naturali Cesine e Rauccio costituiscono due delle ultime testimonianze rimaste delle vaste paludi che si estendevano sulla costa pugliese tra Brindisi ed Otranto. Si tratta di una zona umida retrodunare residuo di un antico grande sistema lagunare e palustre.
Galatina Tradition has it that the apostle St Peter stopped here on his way from Antioch to Rome. Places to visit: the basilica of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, one of the most important monuments of Italian Romanesque and Gothic art; the 18th-century church of San Paolo, also known as the Chapel of the Tarantate. You can't leave without eating the pasticciotto, a typical Salento dessert.
Gallipoli is the most beautiful town on the Ionian Sea. The old town, perched on a limestone island, surrounded by a crystal clear sea is connected to the mainland by a 20th century arched bridge.
Otranto, a magical and mysterious medieval town, is the first Italian city to see the sun rise. Don't miss the Mosaic of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata in Otranto that covers the floor of the three naves, one of the most important mosaic cycles of the Italian Middle Ages.
Santa Maria di Leuca, the Caput Mundi of Salento, is the furthest point of Apulia, washed by two seas: the Adriatic and the Ionian. The coast is charming, rich in caves and rocky cavities, where the chromatic variety of the water enchants those who love diving.
Santa Maria di Cerrate Abbey is one of the most significant examples of 12th-century Otrantine Romanesque architecture. The complex is currently managed by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano.
The site was an important religious and cultural centre until the 16th century and was later transformed into a farm.
Brindisi, the Roman city where the famous Virgil died on 21 September 19 B.C. on his way back from a trip to Greece. At the height of Rome's splendour, it was the most important port in the entire empire.
Valle d'Itria, an area rich in specialities, both gastronomic and cultural. It is surrounded by immense expanses of olive trees. Also known as the Valley of the Trulli. Visit Cisternino, Ceglie Messapica, Locorotondo and Martina Franca.