Salento is located in the heart of the Mediterranean in the southernmost part of Italy's “heel”, and it begins where the hills of the Valle d'Itria end. Salento is washed by two seas, the Adriatic to the east and the Ionian to the west. Salento is home to some of Italy's loveliest towns and cities: the sea-front city of Gallipoli and Otranto, the baroque beauty of Lecce and the luxurious seaside city of Leuca.
Home to some of Italy's stunning beaches and most dramatic rocky coastline, the Salento is a paradise for sea lovers. From Leuca to Gallipoli and beyond, the golden sand strip of transparent azure waters will charm every visitor. To the east, the Adriatic coastline is more varied, offering sandy beaches, grottoes, cliffs and salt-water lagoons. Thanks to the warm temperature during all the year, Salento is an ideal destination not only in the summer mounts but all year round. So, if you're looking for a holiday destination with a great climate, dreamy beaches, beautiful historic towns, delicious food and wine and fun for all the family, you have found your ideal destination!
Salento has a lot of hidden gem towns that are off the beaten track, but truly worth visiting for their unspoilt historic centers and their authenticity. Examples include Specchia and the so-called Greek towns of Calimera, Carpignano Salentino, Castrignano dei Greci, Corigliano d’Otranto, Cutrofiano, Martano, Martignano, Melpignano, Soleto, Sternatia and Zollino where people still speak a dialect (Grika) that resembles Greek. These towns - around 20km south of Lecce – prove Salento's strong historic ties with Greece, dating back thousands of years. Notte della Taranta is one of the most renowned events in the area.
Sleepy whitewashed villages, olive trees, splendid cuisine, and crystal clear sea, Puglia is a heaven on earth destination in the Deep South of Italy. Puglia is a less tourist destination than the overcrowded Tuscany, Venice, and Rome, making it an ideal destination for carefree holidays and an ideal destination to practice your skills in Italian since few people speak English. For the food lovers, Puglia is the favorite region in Italy for eating, patters of marinated and grilled vegetables, cheeses and of course homemade pasta are only some of the dishes you have to taste. Go to the beautiful hobbit-like Alberobello, at the labyrinth streets of Locorotondo and Ostuni, or the gorgeous towns of Otranto and Gallipolli next to the sea. Visit a fortified farmhouse or else masserrie and see how they produce olive oil, wine vegetables, and cheeses, it is an over the top experience. Don’t forget to enjoy the sun's powdery sand, and swim in the crystal clear waters at the beautiful Puglia's coastline.
The birthplace of the Roman Empire and Renaissance, Italy, showcases many of the world’s greatest artworks, architectural buildings and over the top gastronomical proposals. This is the country where the word “style” expresses the whole nation. Italy has more Unesco World Heritage cultural sites than any other country; among them are Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, Michelangelo’s David and Sistine Chapel and da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
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