Puglia

Puglia is the ‘heel’ of the proverbial Italian boot, a long, narrow region hugging the southeastern seaboard. It’s mostly flat and highly fertile - it produces the largest amounts of olive oil and wine in Italy.

For centuries it was a strategic province, colonized, invaded and conquered by just about every major power of the day. There was a long-lasting Greek influence, though the golden age of Puglia’s past was under the rule of the Normans, followed by Frederick II who, between his return from Germany as emperor in 1220 and his death 30 years later, only spent four years away from here.

Puglia has glorious architecture, particularly in the churches and castles of the north. The curious trulli houses in central Puglia, the florid Baroque of Lecce, and the Levantine atmosphere of its merchant cities complete the picture of an ancient land subject to more influences from outside the Italian peninsular than from within it.


Otranto – Salento

The area around Otranto, once known as “the Serre peninsula”, is full of places to visit all the year round because of its mild climate; the best season to visit it is spring when colours, scents and beauties of nature spread everywhere.
Salento This day is devoted to exploring the Salento peninsular, the heel of Italy between the Ionic and Adriatic seas, enjoying fine views of the wild and indented coast. Otranto is an attractive fishing port which once held
out as the last remaining Byzantine stronghold. The cattedrale is remarkable for its astonishing mosaic floor laid between 1163 and 1165.