The Province of Lecce: The Salento

Salento is the region in which the Baroque style triumphs. The architectural and artistic patrimony of Lecce is enormous, so much so that the city has been called the "Florence of the South" or "the Pearl of Salento". Visiting this area one appreciates the open sky, ancient ruins, and museums of all types. The buildings are made of stone indigenous to Lecce which lend a distinguished aspect to the churches, fortifications, and other historical monuments. There are many beautiful churches to visit in the city but the most famous is surely the Basilica of the Sacred Cross. In the old part of the city one finds the Cathedral. Another site that absolutely should not be missed is the Amphitheatre and the Convent of the Olivetanis. Another important city of Salento is Maglie with an urban structure characterized by stone buildings executed in the murattiano style.
Another example of the Baroque style is the Cathedral of St. Maria of the Scala. Dozens of small towns share come boundries as one becomes the other and it is hard to understand where the one starts and the other ends. In the interior areas further from the sea, we have Copertino, where visitors delight in the Castle and the Convent of the Dominicans; Salice Salentino which is famous for a notable wine; Specchia considered one of the most beautiful towns in Italy; and Galatina, where one can visit the Romanesque-style Church of S. Caterina in Alexandria. In the communes of the "Grecìa Salentina", the people continue to speak the so-called "grecanico", a modern version of the Greek dialect spoken in ancient Greece. It is possible to visit many points of interest in this area: in Galatone there is the Sanctuary of the Crucifix, at Castrignano of the Greeks one finds numerous Byzantine churches among which the Byzantine crypt of S.Onofrio built by the basiliani monks stands out. Corigliano of Otranto offers the parish church of S.Nicola, the Castle de'Monti, the Lucchetti Arch and the Tower of Cimurri, and finally Melpignano where every year the communes organize "the Night of the Taranta" a festival which celebrates the folkmusic of the Greek salentina.
Among the coastal communities it is impossible to ignore Otranto, the city that rises on the most easterly point of Italy. The Cathedral of Otranto is the grandest example of Apulian architecture, characterized by the imposing Renaissance rose window and artistic influences taken from the Gothic and Arabic traditions. Continuing south we find the baths of Santa Cesarea Terme, one of which at Castro, features the Grotto Zinzulusa. Gallipoli is divided in two parts: the new part of the city and the historic center built on an island of limestone. An arched bridge connects the island to the mainland. Finally Ugento offers 8 kilometres of sandy coasts and a megalithic city wall.

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