Head over Heels
Otranto and Salento
The picturesque seaside own of Otranto is less than an hour's drive from Lecce, even if you take the very scenic route along the Adriatic coast which I would absolutely recommend.
As with most smaller Italian towns the narrow streets have adopted a one-way system to manage the traffic, but it didn't take us too long to navigate to our rented apartment. It is worth looking for places to stay that do offer parking, as space is limited, even out of season.
Otranto was the first stop on our two week tour of Southern Italy that demanded we wind down and relax, and we took full advantage.
Our apartment balcony overlooked the main beach of the harbour, and you really are spoilt for choice with beaches along this coastline. Just beyond the harbour the Centro Storico beckoned with excellent choice of restaurants and bars in sumptuous settings.
The old town boasts a castle and cathedral, complete with a chapel of bones, and is the perfect size to explore, not too big, not too small.
Faced with a plethora of beaches to choose from, we dipped into the pleasantly warm Adriatic on more than one occasion in our two days relaxing by the coast.
One even boasts a small lighthouse, the Faro di Punta Cràulo.
We were fully rested after two laid back days in Otranto, and raring to go again on the next instalment of our trip which would take in the the southern-most point of Salento. Salento is the region at the southern end of Puglia in Southern Italy sometimes described as the 'heel' of the Italian 'boot'.
First stop was only 20 minutes drive away. The unmissable Faro di Punta Palascìa is spectacularly placed at the most easterly point of mainland Italy.
The location of the lighthouse will take your breath away. It is truly astonishing and the walk descending the clifftop to the lighthouse offers up wonderful views of the Adriatic Ocean.
It was very hot and sticky on the day of our visit. We were lucky enough to find the lighthouse open and even managed a visit to the lamp room, which was probably the hottest place on the planet at that moment in time
Driving south we stuck to the famous coastal road and stopped for a quick look around the spa town of Santa Cesarea Terme. We headed through Castro and a few other smaller towns with some more crazy one way systems before our next stop. This was the big one we had really been looking forward to at the southern-most point of Solenta.
The Lighthouse of Santa Maria di Leuca is one of the most famous lighthouses and places to visit in Italy, and it certainly lived up to it's billing. Dramatic, imposing and solemn. It's a place to sit back and reflect, in between the coaches of tourists coming and going.
It's also adjacent to a cathedral with a friendly shop and a busy local cafe, so you can grab a quick bite before heading back north for views of a different coastline and sea.
Now we were driving back north along the Ionian coast and there was just one more lighthouse to check out on the way to our next overnight stay.
The Torre San Giovanni di Ugento Lighthouse was a little ugly but in a nice quiet spot! And the little boy climbing through the building window in the foreground made for a nice picture.
Our next port of call was the European capital of culture, Matera, and whilst we'd seen some pretty spectacular sights so far in Southern Italy nothing had prepared us for our first look at this iconic city.
See you next time.
The picturesque seaside own of Otranto is less than an hour's drive from Lecce, even if you take the very scenic route along the Adriatic coast which I would absolutely recommend.
As with most smaller Italian towns the narrow streets have adopted a one-way system to manage the traffic, but it didn't take us too long to navigate to our rented apartment. It is worth looking for places to stay that do offer parking, as space is limited, even out of season.
Otranto was the first stop on our two week tour of Southern Italy that demanded we wind down and relax, and we took full advantage.
 |
| Otranto, Puglia, Italy |
Our apartment balcony overlooked the main beach of the harbour, and you really are spoilt for choice with beaches along this coastline. Just beyond the harbour the Centro Storico beckoned with excellent choice of restaurants and bars in sumptuous settings.
The old town boasts a castle and cathedral, complete with a chapel of bones, and is the perfect size to explore, not too big, not too small.
 |
| Otranto, Puglia, Italy |
Faced with a plethora of beaches to choose from, we dipped into the pleasantly warm Adriatic on more than one occasion in our two days relaxing by the coast.
One even boasts a small lighthouse, the Faro di Punta Cràulo.
 |
| Faro di Punta Cràulo, Otranto , Italy |
We were fully rested after two laid back days in Otranto, and raring to go again on the next instalment of our trip which would take in the the southern-most point of Salento. Salento is the region at the southern end of Puglia in Southern Italy sometimes described as the 'heel' of the Italian 'boot'.
First stop was only 20 minutes drive away. The unmissable Faro di Punta Palascìa is spectacularly placed at the most easterly point of mainland Italy.
The location of the lighthouse will take your breath away. It is truly astonishing and the walk descending the clifftop to the lighthouse offers up wonderful views of the Adriatic Ocean.
 |
| Faro di Punta Palascìa, Italy |
It was very hot and sticky on the day of our visit. We were lucky enough to find the lighthouse open and even managed a visit to the lamp room, which was probably the hottest place on the planet at that moment in time
Driving south we stuck to the famous coastal road and stopped for a quick look around the spa town of Santa Cesarea Terme. We headed through Castro and a few other smaller towns with some more crazy one way systems before our next stop. This was the big one we had really been looking forward to at the southern-most point of Solenta.
 |
| The Lighthouse of Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy |
The Lighthouse of Santa Maria di Leuca is one of the most famous lighthouses and places to visit in Italy, and it certainly lived up to it's billing. Dramatic, imposing and solemn. It's a place to sit back and reflect, in between the coaches of tourists coming and going.
It's also adjacent to a cathedral with a friendly shop and a busy local cafe, so you can grab a quick bite before heading back north for views of a different coastline and sea.
 |
| The Lighthouse of Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy |
Now we were driving back north along the Ionian coast and there was just one more lighthouse to check out on the way to our next overnight stay.
 |
| Torre San Giovanni di Ugento Lighthouse, Italy |
The Torre San Giovanni di Ugento Lighthouse was a little ugly but in a nice quiet spot! And the little boy climbing through the building window in the foreground made for a nice picture.
Our next port of call was the European capital of culture, Matera, and whilst we'd seen some pretty spectacular sights so far in Southern Italy nothing had prepared us for our first look at this iconic city.
See you next time.
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