Apulia - Girolibero Greens Cycling guide

CYCLING GUIDE

Apulia Sights, history, wining and dining tips, useful information

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS Marco Ferriero and Irene Vigolo share a love of nature, good food and fine wine.

Ever on the lookout for new stories and discoveries, they are both incurable bike adventurers. In summer they enjoy leading fellow explorers around the world; in winter, when they are not busy planning new tours, Marco immerses himself in the peals of his trumpet and pages of his history books, while Irene can be spotted scaling a mountain and surfing the waves.

Fabio Perselli, the translator, has led Girolibero groups along the cycling trails of the Venice Lands, Dolomites and Provence for some years. He is also a travel writer and professional translator specialising in theatre, classical music and travel.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATION In the interests of both authenticity and clarity, names of locations, sites, dishes etc. generally appear in their original Italian form, with an English translation alongside, e.g. L’ulivo che canta (The Singing Olive Tree), Città Presepe (City of the Holy Crib) or crema pasticcera (Italian custard). Sticking to the Italian names should also help with your navigation, since signs directing to archaeological sites, beaches, etc. are likely to appear just in Italian.

Dialects, reflecting the country’s remarkable diversity, are still very much in use in Italy – often with a literary tradition of their own. Again, in the interests of authenticity we have preserved some dialectal words: the ring-shaped biscuit bread, for instance, appears in its original form (Friseddhra ((Friseddhra) as well as in Italian (Frisella,, also commonly used in menus) and in English.

As far as pronunciation is concernced, we simply do not have the space to delve into this realm here and we prefer to leave it to phrase books and language tutors. Scapece,, the fish stew dished out of a wooden vat at festivals, for example, is pronouced “scapaychay”, not “scapeess”. If it is of any consolation, a northern Italian visiting the Deep South would struggle to pronounce Friseddhra as well. And besides, as every seasoned traveller knows, the mantra is: Just do it! There is no better ice-breaker than visitors showing the host that they are making a good effort.

Finally, please note that this guide is in UK English and that some words may not be immediately obvious to users of American English: the pavement, for example, is intended here as where people walk, not where they drive.

Photography: Simone Renoldi, Carla Santiccioli, Marco Barbanti, Alessia Damiano, Silvano Mistrorigo, Piergiorgio Bonetti.

All other photos by Girolibero and no.parking.

Girolibero, Vicenza 2015 Maps, concept and design: no.parking, Vicenza Printed in Italy www.girolibero.com

MARCO FERRIERO IRENE VIGOLO

Apulia

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This guide is designed as a companion to your travels through the regions of Basilicata and Apulia, focusing on the lands known as the Murge and Salento that lie between the towns of Matera and Lecce.

It provides information on their history, nature and culture, along with practical tips to make your journey all the more pleasurable, safe and rewarding – from tried and tested trattorias to hidden artistic gems, sensible craft shops and, of course, our favourite gelaterias.

Index From Matera to Lecce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Basilicata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A potted history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Matera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Events.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 From Matera to Alberobello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Le Murge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 A potted geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Alberobello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Events.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 From Alberobello to Ostuni.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Martina Franca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Ostuni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Salento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 A Potted History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 From Lecce to Gallipoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Nardò . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Gallipoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

From Gallipoli to Leuca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Santa Maria di Leuca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 From Leuca to Otranto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Otranto.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Events.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 From Otranto to Lecce.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Lecce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 History of the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 The best in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Eating and drinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Events.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Useful information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

MAPS OVERVIEW OF THE TOUR . . . .8 STAGES OF THE TOUR

CITY MAPS

Matera to Alberobello . . . . . . . . 30 Alberobello to Ostuni . . . . . . . . . 56 Lecce to Gallipoli . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Santa Maria di Leuca to Otranto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Otranto to Lecce . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Matera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Alberobello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Martina Franca . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Ostuni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Nardò . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Gallipoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Santa Maria di Leuca. . . . . . . . 120 Otranto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Lecce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

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Apulia

From Matera to Lecce

The idea behind this cycling itinerary is to combine Matera, a quite unique city, with the very best of Apulia. This is a tour through breathtaking landscapes and millennial history, through gastronomy and music written in generational sagas, through religion and folklore – in a region that lies at the heart of the Mediterranean. The human heritage and natural treasures that we encounter are all contained within a long strip of red earth called Terra d’Otranto (Land of Otranto) – a historic region encompassed by the province of Matera and the ancient land of the Messapii people.

The itinerary starts in Matera itself, the “City of Stones”, and progresses through the Murge Plateau. Your first days of cycling will take you through the winding tracks and roads of the Itria Valley and its whitewashed small towns. Our first night stop comes at Alberobello, capital of the famous trulli, the traditional white stone huts of Apulia; next up is Ostuni, the milkywhite town par excellence, on the borders between the Murge and the Plain of Salento.

From Ostuni, a short hop on the train will take you to the town of Lecce, famous for its decorative Baroque, from where you can enjoy a loop through the deepest Salento. The sea dominates the final four stages, with its spectrum of blues and ever-changing coastline – from the long stretches of bright sand between

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Gallipoli and Leuca, to the craggy shores of the eastern coast, which drop dramatically into the Ionian Sea. The Adriatic brings the tour to a close, initially with Otranto and then with a succession of small summer resorts as far as the Cesine Nature Reserve. Here, we leave the coast behind and push inland as far as Lecce, the “Florence of the South”, for our last night.

This guide aims to provide a modest but comprehensive overview of the region’s art, history, culture, food and wine; plus, summarised information and practical tips to make your days easier and all the more enjoyable. We hope that within the available space we have come up with something more than a standard guide: a pleasant read, perhaps, as well as a good taster of the culture, qualities and quirks of this eccentric piece of planet right in the heart of the Med. Welcome to a land blessed by sun, sea and wind!

Bernalda

Montescaglioso

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Laterza

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Overview of the tour

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Apulia

Basilicata Foggia The Basilicata region, or ancient Mare Bari Adriatico Lucania, is almost entirely mounBrindisi Matera tainous and rarely fails to enchant Potenza Lecce the visitor with its natural beauty BASILICATA Taranto and extraordinary millennial hisGolfo di Taranto tory.

A canvas of perched settlements and dense forests, of stark rock badlands contrasting with the gentleness of the people, and the authentic no-nonsense local cuisine all speak for this relatively unknown territory bordering Apulia. What the visitor will appreciate here is a civilisation that to this day remains discreet and unostentatious, at ease with itself and not overrun by the excesses of our times.

THE REGION IN NUMBERS AREA: 9,990 km2 POPULATION: 575,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Potenza 67,400; Matera 60,500; Melfi 17,700; Pisticci 17,200; Policoro 17,000; Lavello 13,700

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A Potted History 600,000-300,000 BC Earliest human settlements suggested by

archaeological finds near Matera and Venosa.

8TH-5TH CENTURIES BC Magna Grecia colonies of Siris, Metapontus and, later, Heraclea. Within these provinces, however, some indigenous communities persist.

6TH CENTURY BC Arrival in the region of the Lucani people. Their largest and most powerful settlement, Leukania, poses a threat even to the strongest of the coastal towns of Greek origin.

4TH-3RD CENTURY BC Expansion of mighty Rome topples the local balance of power. The Lucani are overrun and subjugated and, with the conquest of Taranto (272 BC), the Romans establish control over the entire region.

3RD CENTURY BC-5TH CENTURY AD Large-scale exploitation of the land on the part of the Romans leads to impoverishment and the abandonment of many pre-existing settlements.

6TH-10TH CENTURIES AD Following the collapse of the Western Holy Roman Empire, the entire area becomes a battleground involving Goths, Byzantines and Longobards; increasingly frequent incursions by Saracens lead to further impoverishment.

11TH-13TH CENTURIES Normans settle in Menfi and soon obtain papal recognition as rulers across much of southern Italy.

1194-1250 Reign of Frederick II of Hohenstaufen shines through as a period of great splendour in the region. Enlightened reforms bring wealth and prosperity.

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Apulia

13TH-15TH CENTURIES A bitter contest ensues the death of

Frederick II, leading to political and economic instability; this persists under the House of Anjou. With the Aragonese conquest, however, and the mass influx of refugees from the East, Basilicata enjoys a period of recovery.

16TH-19TH CENTURIES Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, replaces the old aristocracy of Lucania. The over-exploitation of local resources on the part of his new administration leads to extreme poverty.

1860-1900 The precarious situation in the South is exacerbated in the aftermath of the Unification of Italy. Lawlessness becomes rife and in places, especially Lucania, escalates to the limits of a civil war.

1904 Approval of special legislation for Basilicata, the first example of exceptional measures taken by the State to support the South.

1922-1943 Agrarian reforms and development projects under Fascist rule fail to bring prosperity. Neglected and in a state of decline, the region is used by the regime as a place for internal exile.

1943 Matera is the first Italian city to rise up to German occupation.

1980 The Irpinia Earthquake (6.9 on the Richter scale) brings widespread devastation.

BASILICATA ON THE INTERNET Further information on the Basilicata region can be found on the following websites.

WWW.APTBASILICATA.IT WWW.BASILICATAEVENTI.IT Official site of the Basilicata Region Tourist Up-to-date details about events Board (multilingual). throughout the region (Italian only).

WWW.BASILICATATURISTICA.COM Places to visit, activities, events and further information about Basilicata (multilingual).

WWW.DISCOVER-BASILIKATA.DE A host of information about Basilicata (German only).

WWW.BASILICATANET.COM A variety of news, tips and tricks (Italian only).

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Monuments and historical sites 1 Palombaro Lungo 2 San Giovanni Battista 3 Cathedral 4 Casa Noha 5 Church of Santa Lucia alla Malva and the Barbarian Cemetery 6 Piazza del Sedile 7 Santa Maria de Idris 8 Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario

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Museums 9 National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata 10 Musma 11 “Domenico Ridola” National Archeological Museum 12 Working Museum of Rural Civilisation

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Hotels 17 Locanda di San Martino 18 Palace Hotel 19 Hotel Sant’Angelo 20 Hotel Sassi 21 Hotel San Domenico al Piano

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Apulia

Matera Luck has a mind of its own – even the most superstitious citizens of Matera can tell you that. It was on a certain Friday the 17th, one of the unluckiest days in the calendar, that their city was voted European Capital of Culture 2019. Leaving the competition trailing by a good 13(!) votes to 7, Matera can add this latest recognition to the World Heritage badge bestowed upon it for the beauty and individuality of its historic centre.

Carved out of rock and clinging to the slopes of a gorge called “Gravina”, the Sassi (Stones) have been inhabited since prehistoric times; only after the Second World War did they become more widely known – and that, unfortunately, was due to the appalling living conditions of their dwellers.

THE PROVINCE IN NUMBERS AREA: 3,480 km2 POPULATION: 201,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Matera 60,500; Pisticci 17,200; Policoro 17,000; Bernalda 12,500; Montescaglioso 10,100; Ferrandina 8,800

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Years of concerted effort have led to Matera being rightly appreciated and its image reassessed: a “blot on the landscape” has finally been valued as a treasure, its centennial quarters restored to their ancient splendour.

New horizons are appearing for Matera and, to quote the slogan for its Capital of Culture candidacy, there is finally a chance to “Open up the Future”.

History of the City PREHISTORY

Matera’s roots date as far back as Palaeolithic times, its earliest human traces – of hunter gatherers adapted to their immediate natural surroundings – approximately 400,000 years old. In

TOURIST INFORMATION Although Matera does not have an ad hoc Tourist Board as we go to print, there are useful links on basilicataturistica.com.

In town, the following offer an official service to visitors: - Piazza Pistola (next to the Monastery of St Lucy and Agatha) - Kiosk in Via Domenico Ridola

M AT E R A

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Apulia

Neolithic times the community passed from a nomadic existence to one of settled subsistence, establishing the first permanent settlements: the dwellings were carved in the rock within deep trenches, some of which can still be seen a few kilometres from Matera, in the Parco delle Murge Materano.

Similar dwellings were subsequently created within the Gravina Gorge of Matera itself, involving the laborious task of terracing the rock face; this feature of the settlement would transform Matera into the city as we know it today. In time, the caves would be extended with their numerous branches, with waste material being used to block off the entrances as well as to create outbuildings.

HISTORY

Around these prehistoric villages grew the Greek polis that would transform Matera into a key transit hub for commercial traffic between the coast and the inland destinations. In Roman times, however, the city would decline in power and prestige, falling into oblivion until the Norman-Swabian dynasty in the Middle Ages: Matera was then elevated to the status of metropolis, its standing sealed by the construction of a cathedral

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high above Civita (1270). Tragically, with the fall of Frederick II and the establishment of the House of Anjou, the city regressed into darkness, there to languish until the arrival of the Aragonese. The new Spanish sovereign would turn it into a strategic centre for Christendom’s conflict with the Turks, and Matera was reborn with new buildings and a modern infrastructure. Between 1663 and the arrival of Napoleon’s troops, a new era of industriousness and wealth transformed the civic and urban landscape, with the gradual appearance of more imposing buildings and avenues catering for the emerging bourgeoisie. Palazzi, churches and monasteries rose above interred cellars, chapels hewn in the rock, caves and cisterns.

Matera ceased to be part of the Land of Otranto and became the regional capital of Basilicata.

INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

The fragile ecosystem of the Stones began to buckle towards the end of 18th century. The new, larger buildings on the slopes of the Gravina restricted the natural flow of water, while the increase in population saw many of the cisterns turn into dwellings – all to the detriment of the fresh water supply and drainage.

MATERA ON THE INTERNET WWW.MATERA-BASILICATA2019.IT All you need to know about Matera as the 2019 European Capital of Culture (Italian and English).

WWW.FERROVIEAPPULOLUCANE.IT The Appulo Lucane railways are an essential part of the Apulia and Basilicata transport infrastructure (Italian and English).

WWW.CEAMATERA.IT An environmental education centre organising walking excursions in the Parco delle Murge Materane (multilingual).

WWW.MICCOLIS-SPA.IT Miccolis is the company in charge of the city’s public transport system. Also runs coach services three times a day with Lecce, Brindisi, Naples and smaller towns (Italian only).

WWW.MATERACITTANARRATA.IT Useful digital platform allowing you to follow a number of itineraries and supplying information of the sites as you go (multilingual).

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With time, this state of degradation – compounded by an illconceived agrarian reform – turned Matera into an uninhabitable and malarial backwater. The decay deepened further until the late 1940s when Carlo Levi’s classic, Christ Stopped at Eboli (in which the author, an Italian Jew exiled to the area by the Fascist authorities, highlights the appalling conditions of this forgotten province) finally spurred the post-war political class into action. Emergency legislation was passed and the Stones dwellers were gradually rehoused into modern quarters higher up the hill – an ongoing process that lasted into the 1960s. The result, however, was far from ideal: Matera became a living city with a dead heart: an abandoned historic centre. From the 1980s onwards, further initiatives to reclaim and restore the Stones culminated, in 1993, in the priceless recognition of Matera as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

LA GRAVINA AND THE PARCO DELLE MURGE MATERANO La Gravina is a geological formation typical of Apulia and Basilicata.

These badlands – to give them their proper if rather unfortunate English name – have been carved through time immemorial by water eroding the chalky rocks it flows over. For millennia, the confluence of two torrents – Gravina and Jesce – has clawed away at the deep, evocative gully which divides the Stones from the rockscape on the opposite face: the Parco Archeologico Storico Naturale delle Chiese Rupestri (rock churches) del Materano, otherwise known as the Parco delle Murge Materano (Materan Murge Park).

The two facing slopes are quite distinct in their geology, the rock face on the town’s side being better preserved than the more aggressively eroded side opposite.

On the park’s slope, the energy of the water has designed a terrain of lunar beauty, making it one of the most fascinating rockscapes in Europe.

The park is easily reached by leaving through Porta Pistola and following the steps that lead down to the Gravina. We would recommend any keen walkers to hire a guide or to join one of the excursions organised by the Park Authority. Hiking with a knowledgeable guide makes it easier to understand the timeless relationship between man and nature here.

Ente Parco Delle Murge Materano 10 Via Sette Dolori (Rioni Sassi) Tel. 0835 336166 www.parcomurgia.it

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The best in brief 1 PALOMBARO LUNGO Beneath Piazza Veneto lies one of the most capacious cisterns ever built, the Palombaro Lungo. Its basin, completely carved out by hand and fully operational by the 19th century, measures 16 metres in depth and 50 in length and is fed water from several minor cisterns; it is one of the best examples of man-made aquifers supplying the Stones as recently as the last century. A system of hydraulic machinery and waterways, resembling the roots of an upturned tree, provided water to the dwellings above.

Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-1pm and 3-6pm, 3 € 2 SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA The complex of St John the Baptist was erected in 1233 outside the city walls to house the church and convent which at the time were dedicated to St Mary of the Annunciation. In 1480 the nuns were transferred near the cathedral and the buildings deserted. They were then reopened and reconsecrated in 1965 with their current dedication to St John the Baptist. In 1926 the church was stripped of its Baroque plasterwork, which clashed with the original design, and the medieval architecture can now be fully appreciated as one of the finest examples in southern Italy.

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The original façade looks out over the gardens of the old hospital and presents an elegant portal with an interlaced floral design. Inside, the mystical and serene atmosphere casts the visitor back to the Middle Ages. The Latin Cross design includes three naves that are richly embellished with both human and floral figures.

Via Biagio. Open during holy services – check locally for times

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3 CATHEDRAL This formidable cathedral was consecrated in 1270 on the highest and best protected site of the historic centre, which was once the Greek acropolis: la Civita. Regarded as a natural fortress since time immemorial by virtue of its strategic position and defensive walls, it was considered impregnable until the 16th century. The man-made rampart on which the cathedral is built conceals all the layers of dwellings that lie beneath the city. Overlooking the Sasso Barisano, the façade is designed in the Apulian Romanesque style; its main portal accommodates a statue of the Madonna della Bruna, the city’s patron saint. Little remains of the Romanesque style indoors, since it was blanketed in plasterwork and a range of gilded ornamentation in the course of the 18th century. The cathedral is currently under restoration.

4 CASA NOHA A cultural and arts centre bequeathed in 2004 by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (Italian Environmental Fund), Casa Noha is located in a compact aristocratic palazzo a short distance from the cathedral in Civita. Inside, visitors can follow an audio-visual tour through the nooks and crannies of this fascinating house. The Fondo Ambiente Italiano aims to provide an essential overview of the city, supported by an app: “Invisibile Matera”nv.

9 Recinto Cavone - Rione Civita - Tel. 0835 335452 Open daily (except Monday) 10am-6pm, entry by donation www.fondoambiente.it (Italian only)

5 CHURCH OF SANTA LUCIA ALLA MALVA AND THE BARBARIAN

CEMETERY This chapel in the heart of Sasso Caveoso is a classic

example of a rock-hewn church. It was part of a more extensive monastic complex which prospered until the 13th century. The frescoes inside are well preserved; outside, the steps overlooking the Gravina lead to the unique archaeological site of the Barbarian Cemetery. Its Longobard (hence “Barbarian”) tombs have withstood the ravages of time and a series of pits bear witness to a Bronze Age settlement of stilt houses.

Sasso Caveoso, Open daily 10am-7pm

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6 PIAZZA DEL SEDILE Leaving Piazza Vittorio Veneto and traversing the medieval Piazza di San Giovanni, you reach another wide expanse: Piazza del Sedile. Now home to a number of craft shops and hostelries, this square was the marketplace until the 16th century, when it was transformed with the addition of several buildings – among them the dungeons and the Governor’s offices. The most appealing and prominent of these is the socalled “Sedile” (Chair), created in 1540 as an assembly space for the university; it was rebuilt in Rococo style in the second half of the 18th century. It now houses the Music Conservatory and boasts a state-of-the-art auditorium below ground.

7 SANTA MARIA DE IDRIS The church of Santa Maria de Idris rises a short walk away from San Pietro Caveoso; it bears witness to the harsh reality of droughts in the area (Idris would loosely translate as “of water”) and is part of a rock-hewn complex which includes the Byzantine crypt dedicated to St John in Monterrone. The two churches are adjoined and built on a mass of tuff (consolidated volcanic ash) which towers over Sasso Caveoso, offering a spectacular view of the Gravina. In former times, the interior of both churches would have been completely decorated in frescoes dating from the 12th and 13th centuries; sadly these have not survived.

Rione Malve. Open daily 10am-1pm, 2.30-7pm 3 €

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Although he was born in Turin and spent most of his life near Rome, Carlo Levi owes his recognition to Basilicata – the region where he was exiled under the Fascist regime and which is the setting for his masterpiece, Christ Stopped at Eboli. Levi was also an established painter.

It came as no surprise that his wish was to be buried in the hamlet of Aliano, a backwater even by Matera standards, where he spent most of his two years in exile. Published in 1945, the work is an unforgiving indictment of social depravation. It retells his personal experience as an outcast, skilfully weaving it with his description of everyday life in the neighbourhood; more important still, it pushes into the spotlight the truth of an entire country emerging from the ravages of Fascism and war. In Christ Stopped at Eboli Levi decries the reality of a community living on the breadline, with humans sharing a cave with their livestock, plagued by malaria and so resigned to their fate as to question their very faith in religion (hence the title).

Salvation, for them, is perhaps more easily found in a more elemental form of redemption, governed by magic and superstition.

The book’s fame at national level – and beyond – would give rise to the so-called “Matera Case” and spur politicians to face the problem.

Special legislation was subsequently pushed through leading to the gradual rehousing of the people living in the Stones.

8 CASA GROTTA IN VICO SOLITARIO One of the many ancient dwellings among the Stones that have been restored for the benefit of visitors. What makes this casa grotta (cave dwelling) more interesting is its three distinct structures: a completely furnished home, an ice house (where snow was used for refrigerated storage) and a small troglodytic church.

Vico Solitario quarter, Tel. 0835 310118 Open daily 9am-8pm, 2 € www.casagrotta.it (multilingual)

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MUSEUMS 9 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN ART OF BASILICATA 1 Piazza Pascoli - Tel. 0835 310137 Open daily (except Wednesday) 9am-1pm and 4-7pm, 2 € www.artibasilicata.beniculturali.it (Italian and English) Housed within Palazzo Lanfranchi, the most eloquent example of 17th century architecture in Matera.

Exhibits are divided into three sections: the sacred art of Lucania; the Errico collection, one of the finest in southern Italy; paintings by Carlo Levi.

10 MUSMA Via San Giacomo (Sasso Caveoso) - Tel. 0835 330582 Open daily (except Monday) 10am-2pm and 4-8pm, 5 € www.musma.it (Italian and English) Matera’s museum of contemporary sculpture, housed in the elegant Palazzo Pomarici in the Civita quarter. A vast network of exhibition spaces, many of them underground, showcases a rich art collection offering a historical overview of Italian and international sculpture.

11 “DOMENICO RIDOLA” NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM 24 Via Domenico Ridola Tel. 0835 310058 Monday 2-8pm / Tuesday-Sunday 9am-8pm, 2.50 € The oldest museum in Basilicata, founded in 1911 to house the archaeological collection bequeathed by Senator Domenico Ridola to the State. Some of the most precious artefacts found in and around Matera.

12 WORKING MUSEUM OF RURAL CIVILISATION 60 Via San Giovanni Vecchio Open daily 9am-8pm www.museolaboratorio.it (Italian only) A vast collection in one of southern Italy’s richest ethnographic museums. Includes captions and information in English, covering a range of unusual artefacts.

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An Italian table devoid of bread is unthinkable and Matera does not disappoint. The unmistakably horn-shaped local bread is exported throughout Italy and particularly appreciated for its quality: the finely-balanced mixture of durum wheat flour from the neighbouring countryside makes it more than a recognised Made in Italy delicacy. In restaurants you can spot locals nibbling it as it comes or just slightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil;

many enjoy it with peperoni di Senise (sundried Senise peppers) – bearing in mind that peperoni here in their motherland are peppers, not spicy salame (which is an Americanism); simply ask for some with your mixed antipasto. Cialledda is another speciality not to be missed: a hard bread moistened with hot water and traditionally served with onion, salt, oil and egg, or in a salad. The wine must surely be a glass of the local Aglianico del Vulture.

SHOPPING MARTINO - CASA DEL PANE 4 Piazza Vittorio Veneto Tel. 0835 336161 Open Sundays as well from 7am The name speaks for itself: The Bread House. The place to stop and buy a last loaf of authentic Materan bread before pedalling on to Alberobello. The pane del pescatore (fisherman’s bread) is a must eat and comes in two varieties.

MERCATO CENTRALE Via Ascanio Persio Open Monday to Saturday.

The Central Market is as colourful as ever and very much the domain of the local community. Renowned for its succulent produce and the reserved kindness which is a typical trait of Matera’s people.

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EATING AND DRINKING

13 OSTERIA MALATESTA 45 Via San Biagio Tel. 380 6990426 - 331 2887242 Closed Wednesday Named after the famous local anarchist, Errico Malatesta. Informal ambience, homemade food. Serves free tapwater and vegetarian food.

14 IL MARE NEI SASSI 73 Via Rosario - Tel. 0835 334891 Closed Monday www.ristorantesassidimatera.com The Sea in the Stones would be its English name and fish is very much on the menu here, along with other local dishes. The terrace offers panoramic views over an attractive stretch of Stones. A well-stocked cellar.

15 NADÌ - RISTORANTE E BRACERIA 1/3 Via Fiorentini (Sasso Barisano) - Tel. 0835 332892 www.ristorantenadi.com Restaurant specialising in grilled meat (braceria means barbecue restaurant) located in the Sasso Barisano area, a short distance away from Piazza Vittorio Veneto.

Traditional cuisine and good value for its quality.

16 PIETRA VIVA - TISANERIA 48, Via Fiorentini - Tel. 0835 333150 Another word for your Italian vocabulary, the tisaneria specialises in herbal teas. Just the place to relax with a piping hot infusion as you ponder over the voyage ahead.

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If you wish to visit the Stones but do not have a map of the town or a good sense of direction, you may find yourselves going up and down the steep climbs of the Gravina half a dozen times before figuring your way back to your hotel or a restaurant. Not that this would be a waste of time: Matera is all about the joys of losing oneself, and many a nook and cranny or open vista will leave you as breathless as the clambering. Should you have little time to spare for the visit or prefer to get straight to the heart of the Stones, Piazza Vittorio Veneto is a good starting point. From the panoramic balcony on the square,

with your back to the theatre, you can savour the views across Civita and Sasso Barisano, two of the three districts that constitute the historic centre. Sasso Caveoso, the most picturesque, is located slightly further south and reached along the pedestrianised Via del Corso – very popular and crowded on balmy summer evenings and holidays.

Carry on past the attractive Piazza San Francesco into Via Domenico Ridola, as far as Palazzo Lanfranchi: to your left, the fabulous viewpoint over Sasso Caveoso.

EVENTS , May: popular festival in honour of the patron saint, Julian.

Held at Accettura, a hamlet within the Gallipoli Cognato Regional Park. www.ilmaggiodiaccettura.it (Italian only) , 2 July: for Materans the longest day of the year and one which coincides with their celebration of the Madonna della Bruna. www.festadellabruna.it (Italian and English) , August: La Luna e i Calanchi (The Moon and the Badlands) is an unusual event celebrating the area’s canyons and otherwordly terrain – also known as il Festival della Paesologia. At Aliano, where Carlo Levi (see above) was exiled. Tel. 328 3414577 www.lalunaeicalanchi.it (Italian only) , September: Matera’s acclaimed international bookfest of women writers.

Tel. 0835 310244 www.womensfictionfestival.com (Italian and English) , 20 September: Festa Popolare di Santo Eustachio, celebrating Matera’s patron saint, Eustache (1st century AD), venerated for his miraculous intervention when the town was besieged by Turks in 984. , October: the international Matera Balloon Festival – a photographer’s dream, whether you are air-borne or earth-bound. At the Parco delle Murge. www.materaballoonfestival.it (Italian and English) , August-November: Matera’s own jazzfest. With two editions: summer and autumn. www.onyxjazzclub.it (Italian only)

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MATERA AT A GLANCE

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MATERA

Altamura

Laterza

Santeramo in Colle

Cassano delle Murge

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Castellaneta

Acquaviva delle Fonti

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A1

3

Mottola Palagianello

Gioia del Colle

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Sammichele di Bari

Noci

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Castellana Grotte

0

N

Alberobello

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Putignano

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30 5 km

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From Matera to Alberobello An early start is recommended for this glorious, if full-on, first day of cycling. Leaving the City of Stones behind, you can enjoy a final look back across the Gravina in the morning light before immersing yourself in the broad folds of the Murgia – an easy, gently rolling overture to the day. The small town of Gioia del Colle is first up, famous for its Norman-Swabian castle and excellent fiordilatte mozzarella (see p 32). After lunch, following the lightly undulating country roads, you will skirt Putignano.

The village itself is perched on a fair hillock, so we would only recommend visiting it if the energy levels are still plentiful: you would be rewarded with a charming historic centre – tucked away and habitually sleepy – as well as a gelateria that probably ranks among the best along the route. Resuming your journey eastwards we come across the first of many trulli, the dry-stone iconic huts of Apulia: Alberobello cannot be very far.

LA PALOMBA SCULPTURE PARK 1 The brainchild of sculptor

Antonio Paradiso, this sizeable park is enclosed within a spent tuff quarry. The artist’s eccentric works bring man and nature in harmony in what has effectively become a permanent exhibition. The initiative has grown from a painstaking process of research and artistic output achieved over the course of many years.

Contrada Pedale della Palomba, SS7 National Road Open daily – Free entry www.parcosculturalapalomba.it

MOLINO EXCELSIOR 2 The molino (mill) is a remarkable site of

industrial archaeology. Originally a Swiss concern, the works were subsequently bought by the Pagano family, who turned them into one of the main millhouses in the province of Bari.

The molino also gained fame internationally and the machinery is ranked among the most cutting-edge at the time, its automatic cylinders powered by steam. The impressive building has been well preserved and still houses the original apparatus.

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F R O M M AT E R A T O A L B E R O B E L L O

GIOIA DEL COLLE CASTLE 3 Gioia del Colle Castle is inextricably

linked with the legend of Bianca Lancia and its associated stories. The most popular one recounts that the exquisitely beautiful princess was locked up in the castle dungeons by her possessive lover, Frederick II of Swabia (no less). Humiliated and heart-broken, Lancia cut off her breasts and sent them to the emperor along with their newborn son, Manfredi. Ever since and every night, a harrowing scream can be heard reverberating through the castle tower, now renamed “Empress’s Tower”.

THE FIOR DI LATTE MOZZARELLA OF GIOIA DEL COLLE Traditional cheese production in Gioia came into its own in the 16th century with the local fior di latte (milk flower, literally, also spelled fiordilatte as one word) type of mozzarella gracing the dinner tables of the well-to-do. Only in the early 20th century did it make the grade as a... big cheese, thanks to an enterprising young man who started selling it to transiting passengers at

the new railway station. Being produced with cow’s milk, fiordilatte is generally cheaper than buffalo milk mozzarella; but the quality of Gioia’s own has long been recognised beyond its boundaries.

The following cheese shop is open every day (with no lunch break): Fratelli Capurso 101 Via per Santeramo, Tel. 080 3482711

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Of Byzantine origin, the castle was extended and reinforced during Norman rule, and further converted under the Swabians into its present livery. Of the various forts in Apulia dating back to the age of Frederick, Gioia del Colle offers the most sound example of military architecture.

The ground floor houses the National Archaeological Museum with exhibits from the Mount Sannace area and beyond.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Gioia del Colle - Tel. 080 3481305, Open daily 8.30am-7.30pm, 2.5 €

PUER APULIE The emblematic figure of Frederick II of Swabia (1194-1250) has forever been at the centre of heated discussions among eminent historians. Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, Germany and (for good measure) of Jerusalem, his history is continually crossed by his conflicts with the papacy and the cities of the Lombard League. To this day, the myth of Frederick

survives in southern Italy especially, the lands to which he remained linked for most of his life – hence “Puer Apulie” (Child of Apulia). This is also where his most impressive castles stand, among them Gioia del Colle and and notably Castel del Monte (below).

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EATING AND DRINKING

PANIFICIO FIORE (BAKERY) 5/7 Via del Mercato, Gioia del Colle Open daily (except Thursday pm) 7am-1pm and 5-8pm Authentic focacceria (of the Bari variety), as well as an excellent bakery. Among the many types of focaccia, the classic is with cherry tomatoes and olives.

TRATTORIA PUGLIESE 9/11 Via Concezione, Gioia del Colle Tel. 080 3431728 Closed Sunday evening and Monday www.trattoriapugliese.it Age-old trattoria now under new ownership, a stone’s throw from the castle. Strictly local produce and a decent range of wines from the neighbouring vineyards.

4 MOUNT SANNACE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK

If you were impressed with the exhibits at the recently refurbished museum in Castello di Gioia, a few kilometres from the village lies the archaeological site where most of them were unearthed. The dig has brought to light the remains of a fortified village from the 10th century BC, founded by the Peucetii tribe, part of the Iapygian civilisation.

Originally descended from Illyria (on the Balkan Peninsula) before settling in Magna Grecia around the 9th century BC, the Iapygians branched out into the Daunii (in the province of Foggia), the Peucetii (Bari) and the Messapii (Salento). An acropolis rises above the hill along with public buildings and tombs adorned in eastern Greek style. On the flatland lies the area once occupied by dwellings tombs, enclosed by a mighty wall.

Nation Road 61, Gioia del Colle-Turi Wednesday-Sunday 8.30am-3pm, 2.5 € (tickets available at Gioia del Colle Castle ticket office)

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EATING AND DRINKING

CASEIFICIO NUOVO MURETTO Contrada Femminamorta, Putignano - Tel. 080 405 7996 Family-run establishment specialising in cheese. All produce is local and organic. Ten or 12 € should provide you with a decent fill consisting of canapés ranging from mozzarella to caciocavallo, seasonal vegetables and fruit – all locally

produced and grown. Unpretentious, simple and informal; the owners only speak Italian, although hunger, food and smiles all speak the same language. A great experience.

Booking recommended.

5 PUTIGNANO

Putignano rises on one of the many hills of the Murgia plateau in Apulia. It is the sort of village that draws you into its tangle of alleyways and courtyards – especially on a springtime afternoon when, with the place at rest, one can imagine it just as it once was. Although its foundations were originally lain by the Peucetii tribe, Putignano has seen many settlers come and go, from the Greeks and Romans to the Benedictine monks of

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Monopoli. The latter were responsible for the Chiesa Madre (Mother Church), home to the remains of the patron saint, Stephen. Putignano enjoyed its heyday under the tenure of the Knights of Malta during the Middle Ages, when the fiefdom was governed by a so-called “Balì”. The Palace of the Balì, the Chair and the Mother Church all bear witness to the golden age when the Knights were in power.

PUTIGNANO CARNIVAL The Putignano Carnival is considered the most ancient in Europe, its history spanning over 600 years. Celebrations normally kick off on St Stephen’s Day, 26 December, traditionally with the planting of the following year’s new grape shoots – suggesting a celebration of prosperity immediately after the birth of the Infant Jesus. Artists, musicians and poets express themselves through satire, and the sacred is very soon toppled by the profane right up until Lent.

The carnival processions proper start on the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday; Putignano’s

allegorical floats are renowned for their originality and colour, and there is fierce competition for top prize. Dummies and masks are created mainly out of papier-mâché, using traditional methods proudly handed down from generation to generation. www.carnevalediputignano.it (Italian only)

EATING AND DRINKING

SCINUA 18 Via Santa Lucia, Putignano Tel. 080 4058430 The food is displayed for patrons to see and order at this small and innovative restaurant, where specialities are given an experimental twist.

GELATERIA FRESCOLATTE 44 Via Umberto I, Putignano www.frescolatte.it Strictly adheres to traditional principles and methods (but not without embracing innovation).

Locally celebrated among the best, a gelateria not to be missed.

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Piazzale Anelli, Castellana Grotte, Tel. 080 4998221, Open daily, 10/15 € www.grottedicastellana.it (multilingual)

7 BARSENTUM - THE BARSENTO NATURE PARK

The Barsento Oasis is a nature reserve of woodland rich in evergreen holm oak and the deciduous and leathery downy oak (both native to southern Europe). It is also home to a range of wildlife typical of the Murge, including fox, hedgehog and the white-breasted stone marten. The park’s natural resources are complemented by the historic and artistic treasures of Santa Maria del Barsento Abbey and its surrounding buildings, now a listed site. The church has been renovated a number of times since its Romanesque beginnings; its more recent Baroque ornamentation nevertheless blends successfully with the original features. It is an enchanting site, with the abbey dominating the gently undulating woodland below.

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6 CAVES OF CASTELLANA

To reach the caves, take the Putignano-Castellana road (SP237) following the signs for “GROTTE”. Not to be confused with “Grotta del Trullo” (Trullo Cave) in Putignano.

The Caves of Castellana are a complex of karst cavities at a depth of 70 m, stretching for a good 3 km. Breathtaking perspectives created by canyons, monstrous stalagtites and abyssal chasms probably make these the most spectacular in Italy.

Visits are guided (with several languages available) and there are two types: a shorter visit (50 minutes) and the full one (two hours). Check website for timings.

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Le Murge Foggia La Murgia – or, in the plural, le Mare Bari Adriatico Murge – (from the Latin mures meaning sharp rock, and proMURGIA Brindisi Potenza Matera nounced respectively “Moorjah/ Lecce Taranto Moorjay”) account for the bulk Golfo di of Apulia’s hill country. An anTaranto cient karst plateau abundant in diverse natural habitats, its human settlements have benefited from the variety of altitudes and vegetation through the ages. Infinite expanses, green in winter and ochre in summer, give way to dense woodland fragrant with mint and wild thyme; secular vineyards alternate with long-established olive groves, and nature’s own creative work blends with the man-made designs of agriculture. A natural paradise to be explored with inquisitive eyes and best appreciated on two wheels.

THE REGION IN NUMBERS AREA: 7,000 km2 POPULATION: 1,192,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Andria 100,000; Altamura 70,000; Matera 60,500; Bitonto 56,000; Martina Franca 49,000; Monopoli 48,400

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A Potted Geography The Murge Plateau extends from east to west across a large part of the province of Bari. It also contains the easternmost fringes of Basilicata (including Matera’s Gravina Gorge); on a northsouth axis, it unfolds from the Ofanto River as far as the karst depression of the so-called “Messapic threshold”, a vast plain separating the Salento peninsula (the very heel of Italy) from the rest of the region.

The expansive territory of the Murge is divided into a number of subregions: Alta Murgia (High Murgia), the area of the National Park bearing the same name; Murgia dei Trulli (Murgia of the Trulli), its symbolic capital being Alberobello; Valle d’Itria (Itria Valley), the karst depression that marks its southern boundary and encompasses the territories of Locorotondo, Martina Franca e Cisternino.

Aspects of the Murge TRATTURI These ancient tracks were used by shepherds for the seasonal migration of livestock between the mountains of the Abbruzzo and the more temperate lowlands of Apulia and Basilicata. A translocation of this sort can take up to two weeks, hence the workshops, stone wall sheep enclosures, inns, churches and hamlets that have appeared over time, dotted along the tratturi. The tradition lives on, though with less frequency and different timings.

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DRY STONE WALLS These are architectural feats in their own

right and a feature of the Murge as well as elsewhere in southern Italy. Construction methods reach far back in time and vary from area to area; the dry stone method of construction is, however, a common denominator throughout, with human skill making up for a total absence of mortar. Such walls are normally used to mark boundaries and enclosures, but also serve in the construction of trulli – as seen in Alberobello.

THE WOODS The area’s woodland was once far more extensive,

offering both shelter to brigands and refuge to communities escaping from Saracen incursions. With time, many of the forests were cleared for grazing and agriculture; much of the indigenous woodland nevertheless survives, as found on the eastern slopes of the Murge between Fasano, Cisternino and Ostuni.

MASSERIE The masserie (manor farms), are a characteristic fea-

ture throughout Apulia. These holdings often contributed the lion’s share of the local rural economy: working as large, autonomous and well-organised concerns, they would commonly include a nucleus of dwellings; many were fortified for safety. Within the grounds of a masseria would be the massaro’s own house (the lord of the manor), the homes of the various farmworkers, barns and storage areas. At the higher end of the social scale there would also be a small chapel.

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zards and eagles grace the skies of the Murge (either as residents or as migratory visitors) and keen birdwatchers are rarely disappointed, especially in springtime and late autumn. The lesser kestrel (Naumanni Falcon) holds royal pride of place, with Frederick II admiring its qualities in his De arte venandi cum avibus (The Art of Falcon Hunting). Several centuries on, and in spite of environmental changes, the Murge are still considered Europe’s top spot for the lesser kestrel.

LE MURGE ON THE INTERNET WWW.PARCOALTAMURGIA.GOV.IT Official site of the Alta Murgia National Park, one of the largest reserves in Apulia (Italian and English).

WWW.GALTERREDIMURGIA.IT A local association committed to responsibly developing tourism in their lands, the Terre di Murgia (Italian only).

WWW.FASANOSELVA.COM This motor racing festival has been going for decades and enjoys a cult following (Italian only).

WWW.PUGLIAIMPERIALE.COM The site’s name translates as “Imperial Apulia” and its pages offer historical information on the Murge around Bari, the regional capital, as well as recommended discovery routes (in several languages).

WWW.VALLEDITRIA.IT Information on events and more food than you could possibly eat during your visit in the Itria Valley (Italian only).

DIE MURGIA

BIRDS OF PREY Among other diurnal birds of prey, falcons, buz-

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Alberobello “The Trulli of Alberobello present a type of architecture that is quite unique in the world, not least as evidence of a vanished civilisation [...] They bear witness to the vulnerability of human settlements anywhere, and to the fragility of their traditions, cultures and naturally settled territories, all of which can easily vanish through irreversible change.” With this food for thought, in 1996, Alberobello was inscribed into the list of World Heritage Sites. Alberobello certainly remains unique in the world by virtue of being the only settlement entirely made up of trulli,, and one can only hope that the recognition conferred by UNESCO to this village in the Itria Valley will preserve its ancient and original dwellings for posterity.

To this day, Alberobello displays to the world at large an image of Apulia that could not be more iconic.

THE TRULLI OF MURGIA IN NUMBERS AREA: 988 km2 THE EIGHT LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Martina Franca 49,000; Fasano 39,400; Ostuni 31,700; Ceglie Messapica 20,000; Castellana Grotte 19,000; Locorotondo 14,300; Cisternino 11,600; Alberobello 10,900

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History of the city

ALBEROBELLO

SYLVA ARBORIS BELLI The earliest reference to Alberobello can

be traced back to the 11th century in a document certifying the donation of the “Forest of the Tree of War” by the nobleman Roberto Decerano to the Bishop of Monopoli. The attestation probably refers to the local oak forest – its timber widely used in battle – or to a specific event surrounding a war, perhaps a gathering of soldiers under a tree. Either way, historians suggest that rather than an actual settlement, the land here originally consisted of oak woodland.

THE TENURE OF THE CONVERSANO COUNTS In the early 14th cen-

tury, Robert of Anjou bequeathed Alberobello to Martina Franca, a new commune.

Martina Franca exercised its rights over the forest until 1481, when Ferdinand of Aragon (King of Naples), wishing to reward the Acquaviva family for their losses in the war against the Turks, bestowed the fiefdom – including the forest – to Andrea Matteo Acquaviva, Count of Conversano.

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Under the regency of the Acquaviva Counts, the small fiefdom became more and more populated, with peasants gradually clearing the land and establishing themselves in the territory.

The new dwellers were granted the right to build homes for themselves, provided they were of dry stone: this way, should there be a royal inspection at any time, they could be quickly demolished and not be counted as taxable dwellings. As a result, farmers had no rights to their property nor civic privileges; in compensation for this precarious existence, however, they were awarded a number of other benefits – such as being required to pay no more than a tenth of the fruit they farmed, in duties.

In the 17th century, Giangirolamo “Il Guercio” (The Cross-eyed) ordered the development of a village around his hunting lodge (a small country house with an inn), the first consisting entirely of trulli.. A man renowned for his cruelty and malice, Giangirolamo would treat his subjects as little more than livestock, a culture of discrimination that would endure for well over a century beyond his death: living outside of the laws of the realm, the dwellers failed to benefit from any form of constitutional protection or right. Such was the reality of life in Selva until 1797.

LIBERATION By 1797, Alberobello’s numbers had grown to 3,500,

the church devoted to Cosmas and Damian – the two Greek saints who were brothers, doctors and martyrs – had expanded, and there are records of the first priests, doctors and a lawyer settling here. There was a widespread thirst for freedom, a will to live a life as a recognised citizen. The transformation came about when a group of Selva dwellers sought help from the King of Naples, Ferdinand IV of Aragon, behind the back of the ruling Count of Conversano: Alberobello was thus finally decreed a Royal City and freed from its feudal yoke. Immediately after the proclamation, the inaugural sitting of the City Council would take place in the Casa d’Amore (House of Love), the first building officially constructed with bricks and mortar.

TOURIST OFFICE Pro Loco 1 Via Monte Nero, 70011 Alberobello Tel. 080 4322822, www.prolocoalberobello.it

ALBEROBELLO

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ALBEROBELLO

TRULLI Trulli are compact, single-chamber and round buildings with a tiny door, and often windowless; they are white-washed on the outside and crowned by a grey coneshaped cupola. The name derives from the Greek trulos (cupola) and locals refer to them as casedde (little houses). They were the archetypal peasant dwellings and built exclusively in locally-sourced limestone, without the use of mortar or similar bonding materials.

Comparably primitive constructions in dry-stone can be found virtually throughout the Mediterranean basin, including France, Spain, Greece and Turkey; the Alberobello variety probably established itself in Apulia during the first Crusades, which involved all of these lands.

The building technique is every bit as simple and ingenious as the

tools are sophisticated and archaic.

Over time, the master craftsmen (trullari) adapted their skills to accommodate the dwellers’ needs, refining their classic dry-stone methods in order to introduce a fireplace, well, storage spaces and similar home comforts into a single living space.

The trullari will generally sign themselves off with a decorative white-stone pinnacle at the summit of the cone, designed to “plug” the roof. Some trulli also display mysterious magic symbols on the front of the cone; they are designed in white limestone and their origin and significance are unclear though possibly pagan.

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The best in brief 1 RIONE MONTI (MONTI QUARTER)

Already a National Monumental Heritage Site since the early 20th century, Monti is now – along with Aia Piccola – one of the quarters that make Alberobello a World Heritage Site. Almost one thousand cone-shaped roofs in Monti compose the largest gathering anywhere of residential trulli. trulli Many of them now serve as craft shops and provide accommodation for tourists, so visitors should be aware that this area is the most congested in town, particularly during the long holiday season. The name “Monti” (Mountains) dates back to 1923 when, to pay homage to the Alberobello soldiers who lost their lives during the Great War, each of the eight streets was given the name of a mountain where the brave locals had fallen.

2 RIONE AIA PICCOLA (AIA PICCOLA QUARTER)

Also within the area declared a World Heritage Site, Aia Piccola is the most authentic and unpretentious corner of Alberobello’s medieval district. Its name, “Little Farmyard”, derives from the open space once used for threshing. It was christened Piccola to distinguish it from a larger threshing area within Piazza Erbe (Market Square), now Piazza XXVII Maggio. The quarter comprises approximately 400 trulli, mostly residential. The city’s two museums are also housed here, and wending your way through the ancient alleyways of Aia Piccola will reward you with a voyage back in time.

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3 THE SANTA LUCIA BELVEDERE

The outlook from this Belvedere paints the most evocative view across the Monti Quarter you could possibly take home with you – either at dusk, when the trulli roofs turn vermilion in the fading sun; or at sunrise, when there is not a soul to be seen.

4 BASILICA DEI SANTI MEDICI

The Basilica of the Holy Doctors (Medici, here, should not be confused with the name of the Florentine family) rises above the high end of Via Vittorio Emanuele II – diametrically opposite the Church of St Anthony. The original building goes back to the 17th century and was dedicated to Our Lady of Grace. After a few short years, it was rededicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian, two Greek martyrs who were also doctors, under the auspices of the Count of Conversano. The building is now a basilica (i.e. a site of pilgrimage with special ceremonial rites), distinctly Renaissance in style and home to several treasures; these include two 18th century wooden statues of the two brothers, part of their relics and a priceless Madonna of Loreto.

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5 CHURCH OF SAINT ANTHONY

Erected above the highest point of the Monti Quarter, it is crowned by a dome in the shape of a trullo, blending perfectly with the surrounding habitat. A much more recent construction (1927), St Anthony’s was designed to provide a second place of worship for the increasing number of dwellers in Monti and the neighbouring countryside.

6 SIAMESE TRULLO

Two façades, two bizarrely conjoined roofs and a colourful legend make this one of the most intriguing structures in the Monti Quarter. The inscription above the doorway dates it back to 1400, making it the earliest among the original trulli here.

The walls are particularly robust, which is typical of the more ancient constructions, while the two cupolas – though fused in the middle – are supported by two independent chambers, each facing in opposite directions: one on Via Monte Nero, one on Via Monte Pasubio. The story goes that the trullo was split down the middle after a rather messy blood feud, when the lady of the house fell in love with the wrong brother.

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7 TRULLO SOVRANO

The only dry-stone trullo built on two floors and a UNESCO-listed building. Its imposing size and majestic cupola, 14 m high, make it stand out among the adjoining ones and have earned it the title of “Sovereign Trullo”. The main structure dates back to the early 17th century and was probably commissioned by a certain “Pope” Cataldo (the local priest). It was altered and converted in the course of time according to the various dwellers’ needs and is now a house-museum.

Open 10am-6.30pm, 1.5 €

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WWW.ALBEROBELLO.COM The site is regularly updated with the latest news and events (Italian and English).

WWW.ALBEROBELLOCULTURA.IT Official site of the town council’s Culture Department.

WWW.VISITALBEROBELLO.IT A portal promoting tourism in the area.

Well designed and intuitive (Italian and English).

WWW.ALBEROBELLOFOLKLORE.IT “Città dei Trulli” is a folk group with a passion for its local heritage, presenting costumes, dances and songs from the late 19th century.

ALBEROBELLO.INTOURCITY.IT A free app offering historical and cultural information about the town’s main sites (Italian, English and French).

MUSEUMS 9 MUSEO DEL TERRITORIO Piazza XXVII Maggio Tel. 380 4111273 Open daily (except Monday) 10am-1pm and 3.30-7pm, 4 € (including entry to Olive Oil Museum). www.alberobellocultura.it The Homeland Museum sits within a complex of 15 interconnected trulli known as “Casa Pezzolla”, which belonged to a doctor of the same name in the 19th century. Inside, an absorbing trail tells the story of Alberobello and its district. The trail is both thematic and chronological, as well as exhaustively supported by factsheets and audioguides.

10 MUSEO DELL’OLIO Via Giuseppe Verdi Tel. 380 4111273 Open daily (except Monday) 10am1pm and 3.30-7pm, 4 € (including entry to Homeland Museum). www.alberobellocultura.it A pint-sized museum dedicated to one Apulia’s key treasures: olive oil.

The artefacts bear witness to the community’s agricultural heritage, love for the land and its remarkable solidarity as Alberobello struggled through centuries of adversity.

ALBEROBELLO

ALBEROBELLO ON THE INTERNET

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8 LAMIONI

Ancient dry-stone buildings once used as granaries and built under the Conversano Counts. There are several in Piazza XXVIII Maggio, once the main market square, close to the paved area formerly used as the main threshing area.

Lamioni differ from trulli by virtue of their classic rectangular base; the roof is similar in design, though consisting of a doubleskinned layer of thin limestone tiles.

SHOPPING PASTECA LA MANDRAGORA 1 Vico M. Salamida Tel. 080 4322817 www.tessiturasalamida.com The art of textile weaving is still very much alive in Alberobello. Among the many workshops offering loom-crafted material, we would recommend this small family-run shop. They work with cotton, linen and hemp.

ARS CREANDI 14 Piazza Gabriele d’Annunzio Tel. 080 4322116 www.arscreandi.it The magic symbols sometimes found on the façades of trulli are transformed into finely crafted gold and silver jewellery by this goldsmith. A fun place to learn more about the pagan origins of the mysterious emblems and find an unusual present to take back.

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A classic southern Italian pastry.

Commonly referred to as pasta di mandorle (almond pastry), the local varieties are less sweet than, for instance, the famous Sicilian one.

The Apulian recipe probably bears some eastern and African influence, with the inclusion of honey and almond flour rather than sugar; anecdotal evidence suggests that the speciality’s roots may also stem from the west and the 17th century, when the region was under Spanish dominion. With the flourishing of new holy orders, religious communities could no longer rely on alms alone for survival and often made a living by baking in their kitchens. They would produce small pastries for the bishop’s banquets and, every year, scores of kilos of pasta di mandorle would also end up gracing the dinner tables of the

aristocracy and royalty. They come in a variety of designs – from fish and Easter Lambs to fruit and sea shells.

While pasta reale is quite ubiquitous in Apulia, we have no hesitation in recommending the almond-rich dolcetti (pastries) of Alberobello: almond trees thrive here and in springtime the countryside is awash with their pink blossom.

ALBEROBELLO

PASTA REALE

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EATING AND DRINKING 11 IL GUERCIO DI PUGLIA Largo Martellotta, Tel. 080 4321816 Pizzeria and restaurant set in the former cellars of the summer palace used by the Conversano dynasty. It is named after the bloodthirsty Count “Il Guercio” (The Cross-eyed) who ran the show in the 17th century, but the present owners are reassuringly gentle and warm, and their portions generous. The menu is based on seasonal and local produce.

12 CASA NOVA 13 Via Monte San Marco Tel. 080 4323292, Closed Tuesday www.casanovailristorante.it Atmospheric restaurant located within the walls of an 18th century underground olive press. Traditional fare and fine wines from Apulia.

13 DELIZIE 6 Monte Sabatino Tel. 080 4324364 Closed Tuesday Delizie (Delights) offers fabulous pastries, flavoursome gelato and chocolate to die for. Probably the place to enjoy authentic pasta reale (or pasta di mandorle,, as commonly known).

14 TRATTORIA AMATULLI 13 Via Garibaldi Tel. 080 4322979 Closed Monday Appearances deceive here: unpretentious in ambience but excellently run. Local cuisine with a warm welcome.

THE TOWN IN BRIEF Should you decide on the spur of the moment which way to explore Alberobello, we suggest you set off from Largo Martellotta: with the Monti Quarter on one side and L’Aia Piccola Quarter on the other, you can pick there and then. If you do not mind the hustle and bustle of the crowds as you root around ancient trulli and rummage through craft shops, then go for Monti: from designer pasta and serious wines to organic olive oil and terracotta whistles, Monti will spoil you for choice. For a more cultured and leisurely exploration, head east into L’Aia Piccola: within this quarter you

will also find Alberobello’s two civic museums, which are well worth a visit.

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EVENTS , 27 September: The feast of the two patron saints, Cosmas and Damian, with a spectacular procession. Celebrations kick off a few days early with a range of religious and civic events. www.santimedicialberobello.it (multilingual) , End of August: The Festa dell’Arte Popolare (Folk Arts Festival) is organised and brought to life by a local theatre and arts company. It showcases Alberobello’s arts heritage as well as traditional rural crafts.

Tel. 080 4323754, www.alberobellojazz.it (Italian only) , Good Friday: La Passione Vivente is a live recreation of the Passion of Christ. It is performed in costume along the “Holy Week in Apulia” itinerary, replicating the Stations of the Cross at various points in town. , July: Historical recreation of Alberobello’s emancipation from feudal slavery. Over 250 characters in late 18th century costume cavort through town, with much period singing and dancing. Culminates with a slap-up celebration of the humble but honest food of the time.

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Today focuses on our southernmost exploration: the Itria Valley, the iconic karst depression of the Murge. (The name, interestingly, probably derives from the Greek word Hodegetria – an iconographic depiction of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus – and bears witness to just how exposed Italy’s “Land’s End” has been to both Eastern influence and Moorish incursion.)

The valley extends into the districts of Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Cisternino; these colourful small towns atop the highest outcrops in the area will add a cultural splash to the warm cocktail of tones of the surrounding moorscape.

Cycling over the last few hills as you approach Ostuni, just as the ocean comes into view with its glittering hues of blue, so too another sea unfolds before you: the silver-clad olive groves of the Salento plains, stretching as far as the sandy coastline.

Ostuni rarely fails to impress.

FROM ALBEROBELLO TO OSTUNI

From Alberobello to Ostuni

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Martina Franca A whitewashed city of art adorned with Baroque embellishment greets the visitor here – a triumphant fusion of Ostuni’s milky-white façades and the 17th century architecture of Lecce.

Ambling through the narrow streets of Martina Franca’s historic centre, you will soon notice how seamlessly the Spanish heritage is conjoined with the local style of architecture: Baroque ornamentation marries lime plasterwork with bare stone, giving life to an artistic expression all of its own.

The town’s name derives from its patron saint, Martin, and from the root of the word frank, meaning free (of duty): in the 14th century, Philip of Anjou granted the town a perpetual exemption from any levy, a privilege which soon attracted many people from the surrounding hills and transformed Martina Franca into an imposingly fortified town.

Little remains of Martina’s medieval origins, partly on account of the Baroque and Rococo styles that boisterously asserted themselves in the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, and partly because of an earthquake in 1743, which led to substantial renovation and rebuilding.

The best in brief 1 PIAZZA XX SETTEMBRE The former market square, now Piazza

XX Settembre, was significantly altered in the 19th century. It runs from the Town Hall to the Arch of St Martin (also known as Porta Santo Stefano (St Stephen’s Gate). Today it offers a triumphal entrance into the old town and above the Gate stands the small statue of the patron saint.

2 PIAZZA PLEBISCITO Bearing witness to the town’s medieval origins, this piazza would have been its exact centre in the Middle Ages, fanning out into the various main streets. The square is dominated by the towering façade of the Basilica of St Martin, its Baroque ornamentation a tribute to the local

PUGLIA PROMOZIONE (TOURIST BOARD) 3 Piazza XX settembre, Martina Franca Tel. 080 4805702

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craftsmen who created it in the 18th century. Other buildings gracing the piazza include: the Town Hall, with its solemn tower; and, sitting next to the basilica, the Church of Mount Purgatory, built in the 17th century to house a holy order.

3 FROM THE PORTICOES TO VIA CAVOUR Progressing along the

porticoes of Piazza Plebiscito, we arrive at Piazza Immacolata, where they open out into an elliptical space – a geometrical feature that gives an unrestricted view of the basilica on the far side, while making best use of the public space. From the same side as the porticoes we can proceed into Via Cavour, one the most elegant streets in the historic centre, where some of the town’s finest Baroque buildings are located.

4 CHURCH OF SAINT DOMINIC AND ARCH OF THE CARMINE

Via Principe Umberto is where we find the remarkable façade of the Church of St Dominic: a geometric folly of Baroque and Rococo figures, celebrating both passion and spirituality in a maelstrom of styles.

Leaving the church to our left and proceeding along Via Principe Umberto, we arrive at the 16th century Porta Santa Maria (or

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Arch of the Carmine): the name refers to the nearby church dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Itria, protector of the Itria Valley which lies just beyond.

the corner of Santa Maria delle Grazie church, it will lead you to one of the most attractive spots in the historic centre: La Lama.

Over time this open space has been altered a number of times and now stands as an attractive urban amphitheatre. Nestled around it and at one time clinging to the city walls, sits Martina Franca’s less affluent and compact neighbourhood: the city walls were demolished to create new access routes into the historic centre, opening up a theatrical backdrop of tiny whitewashed houses, living cheek by jowl.

6 VIA MAZZINI AND PORTA SAN NICOLA Approaching the historic centre from the south-west, we pass through what was once the most ancient gate into the city, referred to in some early

CAPOCOLLO SALAME Wine-red to behold, soft and fragrant to taste, the Capocollo of Martina Franca is Apulia’s best loved salame and has been designated for its quality since 2007 by the Slow Food Society. Prime cuts of pork are first marinated in vincotto (“cooked wine” spiced with local herbs) then smoked with bark taken from local oak and almond trees as well as various herbs from the Murge. While the marinade saturates it with flavour, the intensity comes from the oak, the native fragno variety (Quercus Trojana): its acorns are fed to the pigs and its bark gives the meat a unique aroma.

If you wish to sample some Capocollo during your stopover in Martina Franca we would recom-

mend one of the following: Caroli, a small delicatessen in Piazza Plebiscito; the cheese shop under the porticoes which also produces the salame; or, on the way out of town, the popular Romanelli butchers.

MARTINA FRANCA

5 LA LAMA If from Piazza Plebiscito you turn into Via Cirillo at

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documents as Porta Maggiore (Main Gate). The arch has been modified through the centuries and now includes an upper level. Beyond the gate, proceeding along Via Mazzini, we come across the earliest examples of local Baroque architecture. The street ends in the Largo Ciaia opening, where the Church of St Vitus is located: this was commissioned by the Anjou, which is evident from their distinctive coat of arms on the main façade: a swan.

7 DUCAL PALACE AND PIANELLE MUSEUM Entering the historic centre through the 18th century Porta di Santo Stefano, on the right hand side of Piazza Roma stands the Ducal Palace, the present day town hall. Born with a Renaissance pedigree, the building later embraced all the hallmarks of Lecce’s ornamental style thanks to the skills of the local craftsmen. This makeover took well over a century of work, from 1668 (commissioned

by Count Petracone V Caracciolo) until the early 19th century, when the western wing was created.

The jewels in the palace crown are three frescoed rooms commissioned in the 18th century by Duke Francis III: the Arcadia Room, the Mythological Room and the Biblical Room.

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On a different note – but equally recommended to lovers of the Great Outdoors - the palace also houses the Pianelle Museum, which showcases the district’s natural treasures.

THE MURGE HORSE AND THE MARTINA FRANCA DONKEY Nature has more to offer here than dazzling landscapes, not least in the realms of flora and fauna. The Murge breed of horse is renowned for its stamina, evolved through time by adapting to rocky and uneven tracks. Its gait is proud and tough, its coat raven-black, shiny and uniform.

The Martinese (pictured) is is the largest breed of donkey in Italy.

Muscular and hearty, it was widely used by the Italian army during the Great War – often in extreme climatic conditions. This very nearly led to the extinction of the Martina Franca donkey, but it is now thriving and appreciated in many parts of the peninsula.

EATING AND DRINKING 8 CAFFÈ NUOVO TRIPOLI 35 Via Garibaldi, Tel. 080 4805260 This coffee house preserves many a flavour from a bygone era, from the furnishings to its pastries. The traditional bocconotto (little bite) of Martina Franca stands out, baked according to the millennial recipe:

very similar to the humble mince pie of the British Isles (whose own origins can be traced to Crusaders returning from the Holy Land through Apulia) its filling usually consists of cocoa, cinnamon and almonds. Find a table in the shade and your taste buds will do the rest.

MARTINA FRANCA

Piazza Roma - Tel. 080 4836279 Ducal Palace opening times: 9am-1pm and 4-7pm (closed Monday pm), free entry Museum: closed Saturday and Sunday, free entry, www.boscopianelle.it

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SHOPPING ALFIERI MAIOLICHE 21 and 28 Via Paisiello, Martina Franca - Tel. 080 4801998, closed Thursday pm www.alfierimaioliche.it This small shop, located at No.28, showcases the ceramic pottery handcrafted by signora Giuseppina in her laboratory at No.21 just up the road. The designs are her own, the result of a passion cultivated since childhood.

ACROPOLI DI PUGLIA 5 Via Votano, Martina Franca Tel. 080 4832118 www.lacropolidipuglia.it All things olive oil at this establishment the “Acropolis of Apulia”, and if you have not yet had a chance to experience the joys of the region’s olio d’oliva, this might be the place.

Vincenzo, the proprietor, is both friendly and knowledgeable and just the person to guide you through the whole process: from the selection of olives in the grove to the pressing and tasting – plus his own tips for getting the best out of a healthy extravirgin olive oil. Visits (in English and Spanish) take about an hour.

Booking recommended.

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rotundus (Round Locality) and refers to the circular shape of the historic centre – an obvious feature as you approach from Martina Franca. The narrow streets and alleys of the centre, concentric and radial, are of Messapian origin; they preserve much of their ancient character, and exploring their atmospheric nooks and crannies is a memory to be treasured. The magnificent Church of St George, patron saint of Locorotondo, towers above the whitewashed houses with their traditional steep roofs (known as cummerse). ). Another ancient place of worship, the Church of Santa Maria della Greca also stands out: despite its modifications through the centuries, it remains a prime example of Apulian Gothic style. Modern-day Locorotondo presents itself as exceptionally well looked after and orderly; its terraces and balconies are bright with blossom and flowers, adding the community’s warm and familiar welcome. Losing oneself in the tangled criss-cross of alleyways here, then suddenly emerging to a spectacular view across the Itria Valley, is an experience every visitor will savour.

Associazione Pro-loco Locorotondo (Tourist Information) 27 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Locorotondo Tel. 080 4313099 - www.prolocolocorotondo.it

FROM ALBEROBELLO TO OSTUNI

LOCOROTONDO 2 The town’s name derives from the Latin locus

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FROM ALBEROBELLO TO OSTUNI

EATING AND DRINKING U’CURDUNN 19 Via Dura, Tel. 080 4311433 Closed Tuesday www.ristoranteucurdunn.it Refined cuisine and ambience, with strictly local and seasonal produce.

The pièce de résistance is gnumeredde suffuchete, their classic lamb roulade (and a great ice-breaker when pronounced by any non-local: this is Apulian dialect at its tightest...).

RISTORANTE LA TAVERNA DEL DUCA 3 Via Papatodero, Tel. 080 4313007 A good family-run restaurant offering traditional local dishes at reasonable prices. Excellent value for money.

TRATTORIA CENTRO STORICO 6 Via Eroi di Dagoni, Tel. 080 4315473, Closed Wednesday Homemade menu and a familiar ambience. Simple and honest.

CANTINA SOCIALE LOCOROTONDO (WINERY) 99 Via Madonna della catena Tel. 080 4311644 – 080 4316353 Locorotondo’s Cantina Sociale was founded in 1939, Apulia’s first cooperative winery. By virtue of the toil and skill of its members, it was recognised with a DOC appellation in 1969: Denominazione di Origine Controllata Locorotondo. The province produces mainly whites – notably the Verdeca and Bianco di

Alessano labels – pressed from Bombino and Fiano grapes. The hard work put in by the 1,300 cooperative members is complemented by the best technology available in the industry, producing wines of excellent quality.

The guided tour of the winery covers its history and techniques and is very worthwhile.

Booking recommended.

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CISTERNINO 3 “A great masterpiece of architecture, achieved

without architects” is how the Japanese architect Jannai defined Cisternino. Homespun and spontaneously designed, it remains timeless and governed by a highly developed sense of Mediterranean community. Rather than out of a precise plan, this atmospheric town has developed in response to the spatial requirements of the inhabitants over time, even more so than its surrounding towns and villages.

BOMBETTE (AND FORNELLI) Even more than for its ancient neighbourhood, Cisternino is renowned in Apulia for its prime delicacy: bombette (little bombs). At first sight they may look like innocuous rolls of meat, but these little meat grenades – whether because of the special way in which they are grilled, or by virtue of some secret recipe – simply burst with flavour. Such is the demand for them that many local butchers are kitted out with fornelli (little ovens) and offer

their bombette to peckish passers by. The difference with this improvised form of trattoria is that you can choose the meat yourself at the counter.

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FROM ALBEROBELLO TO OSTUNI

Historically, the two most important buildings are located face to face: the Mother Church, dedicated to St Nicholas of Bari, and the Norman Tower. They were once joined by an arch which served as the main gate into town (Porta Grande), thus providing both a decorative and a practical function. The other gate (Porta Piccola), on the north eastern end, still stands and connects two of the town’s five historic quarters.

EATING AND DRINKING Two “little ovens” we would recommend for their excellent meat (and more besides) in the historic centre of Cisternino are: BERE VECCHIE 8 Via Regina Elena, Cisternino Tel. 080 4446638 Closed Tuesday

PORTA GRANDE DA MIMMO 3/5 Via Basiliani, Cisternino Tel. 080 4449814

SANCTUARY OF SAINT BLAISE 4 There is some truth in the saying

“What matters is the journey, not the destination”, but not always so. In the case of the Santuario di San Biagio, or at least of what remains of the ancient rock-church, it roosts in such a wild spot – perched on an uneven slope of the remotest precipice in the Murge – that it exudes mysticism. The façade of the church is humble and simple, while the adjacent buildings cling together to form with it a charming courtyard. Inside, the Baroque altar and the statue of this Armenian saint (patron of all wool workers) are the final destination for countless pilgrims who converge here in early February. The journey is no less remarkable than the destination, since the sanctuary can only be reached on foot along a trail through Mediterranean maquis and prairies. The track is actually fairly unchallenging and only towards the end does it become more tortuous – after a kilometre or so, when it forks off to the right to reach the sanctuary.

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SANCTUARY OF SAINT ORONTIUS 5 The Santuario di Sant’Oronzo

rests among the hills of the Itria Valley, a few kilometres from the town of Ostuni. Though not as entrancing a setting as the sanctuary dedicated to fellow martyr, Blaise, the one consecrated to Orontius is no poorer in history and legend.

The church, according to the myth, rises above a small natural cavity where Orountius, a patrician from Lecce, sought refuge from pagan persecution. Many other stories surrounding Orontius are set in the hills of neighbouring Ostuni, not least the miraculous springing of a source near the sanctuary to quench the pilgrims’ thirst in the sweltering heat of summer.

THE OSTUNI BELVEDERE 6 This overlook offers the most spec-

tacular of all views across Ostuni and the plains, their olive groves stretching as far as the sea. From here we can see why Ostuni is labelled the “White City”: it is particularly dazzling in the sunlight, its brightness almost befogging the outline of the buildings.

Breaking our journey here is a very good reason for not rushing the last stretch of our day’s cycling: however tempting this may be with its inviting descent towards the ocean, we would miss out on one of the most magical memories of the tour.

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Hotels 11 Hotel La Terra 12 Hotel Sant’Eligio 13 Hotel Incanto 14 Hotel La Sommità Culti 15 Hotel Ostuni Palace 16 Palazzo Altavilla

Restaurants and pubs 7 Forno 31 8 La Grotta degli Avi 9 Trattoria del Frantoio 10 Le Monacelle

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Museums 6 Museum of Southern Murge Pre-Classic Civilisations

Monuments and historical sites 1 Piazza Libertà 2 Piazzetta Cattedrale 3 The City Walls 4 Church of Saint James 5 Santa Maria della Stella

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As it comes into view in the distance, Ostuni dazzles and seduces. Drawing closer still, through millennial olive groves and vineyards, the imposing medieval walls gently rise on the horizon to eclipse the whitewashed houses below, so tiny and tightly packed by comparison. As we finally enter the town, we are soon sucked into a maze of pinched streets and alleyways, where dwelling sits upon shop, steps upon staircase, balcony upon terrace. Welcome to La Terra (The Land) as the citizens of Ostuni refer to the ancient burgh.

On the higher reaches of the hill the majestic cathedral and its seminary hold pride of place; jutting up to the borgo antico – the ancient quarter – the main piazza spreads itself out, guarded by the statue of the patron saint, Orontius, commanding upon his column; and beyond these, the far more “modern” 18th century quarter: less cheek by jowl but every bit as absorbing with its nooks and crannies.

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Going by the legend, the town was founded by Sturnoi, brotherin-arms of the Greek warrior Diomedes, hence the name Ostuni.

In reality, the original settlement was Messapian and established on an isolated hill a short distance from the sea and within reach of the Murge. In medieval times an urban plan came to fruition and the buildings were washed white with lime – a raw material abundantly available in the outlying countryside. This transformation was fundamental to Ostuni, not just on account of its appearance: besides adding brightness and cleanliness to its cloak, the whitewash also rescued the town from the plague by virtue of its disinfectant qualities. Ever since, Ostuni has been known as the ““Città Bianca” or “Città presepe”: welcome to the “White City” or the “City of the Holy Crib”, with its meandering alleyways and magical views across the Itria Valley.

THE PROVINCE OF BRINDISI IN NUMBERS AREA: 1,400 km2 POPULATION WITHIN PROVINCE: 400,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION) Brindisi 88,000; Fasano 39,000; Francavilla Fontana 37,000; Ostuni 31,700; Mesagne 28,000; Ceglie Messapica 20,000

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History of the City THE “WOMAN OF OSTUNI” The territories of Ostuni were popu-

THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE NORMANS With the fall of the Western

Roman Empire, Ostuni – like the rest of Italy – was overrun by marauding barbarian invaders. On account of its key position, however, the town was fiercely defended by the Byzantines and, during their period of rule, turned into an influential diocese.

It also became a favourite refuge for persecuted Basilian monks from Syria and Egypt. In the course of the 11th and 12th centuries the Normans conquered the Byzantine settlements in Apulia, annexing them into a single county. While the spread of olive farming in the area would bring a period of affluence under Norman rule, it was with the Swabians that Ostuni would

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lated as early as Paleolithic times by Neanderthalian hunters who would use the many caves in the area for shelter and to hide. The most outstanding discovery relating to this era is the skeleton of the “Woman of Ostuni”; the cast of this quite unique find is on display at the town’s Museo Comunale. It was in the 8th century BC that the Messapii people settled in the area, giving the town its earliest foundations and shape; their strategically chosen location was the steep hill of Ostuni, where they built their fortified city. Little remains of the Roman times here, other than some evidence of local manor farms being built on the foundations of ancient Roman villas.

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enjoy its Golden Age in history: Frederick II freed the city from its feudal yoke placing it under his own direct protection, and turned its castle – along with those of Oria, Taranto and Brindisi – into the main bastion of defence for Apulia. The dwellers of Ostuni were thus relieved of any tax obligation.

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SPANISH RULE The city expanded significantly during the

Renaissance, with a growth in population and the addition of new quarters to the original medieval ward. In the 17th century, however, Ostuni regressed into a state of decline: with the Zevallos dynasty came famine and then the plague. The city was fortunately spared the ravages of a full-blown epidemic thanks to the widespread use of lime – a natural disinfectant – in the whitewashing of buildings. After a relatively static period, Ostuni regained momentum under the Bourbons and expanded into the adjoining hills; during this period the city centre was moved from Piazza del Moro to today’s Piazza Libertà, where the town hall is located. Here too stands the column erected in 1771 by the local architect, Giuseppe Greco: it honours the city’s patron saint, Orontius, who had shielded its citizens from the plague.

OSTUNI TODAY Since World War II, as a result of agricultural

development and the food industry coming into its own, the city has become popular with visitors who appreciate its cuisine as much as its cultural, historical and architectural offerings.

2006 saw the foundation of the Regional Coastal Dunes Nature Park which stretches from Torre Canne to Torre San Leonardo, a protected reserve.

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The best in brief 1 PIAZZA LIBERTÀ The heart of Ostuni and the ideal place to

start exploring the White City. From its name, which celebrates the liberation from Bourbon rule, to its unusual triangular form – which symbolises, with the coming together of three sides, the Unification of Italy – Piazza Libertà is a quintessentially 19th century recasting of its predecessor. Thus, the façade of the former Franciscan convent was transformed in accordance with prevailing tastes into the town hall, while over the foundations of the original palazzi, on the left side of the square, a prospect of neoclassical buildings would rise from the ruins. Across from Piazza Libertà we find the much smaller Piazza Sant’Oronzo, dominated by the 18th century spire dedicated to the city’s patron saint.

TOURIST OFFICES PUGLIA PROMOZIONE 6 Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, Ostuni Tel. 0831 301268

INFOPOINT “IL BORGO ANTICO” 65 Piazza della Libertà, Ostuni Tel. 0831 1798833 - www.borgoostuni.it

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2 PIAZZETTA CATTEDRALE Piazzetta means “small square”, and this is where the 15th century cathedral, one of two in Ostuni, reaches for the sky atop the city’s highest hill. It offers an elegant Late Gothic façade, three lesenes (narrow, low-relief pillars) in the wall and one of the largest rose windows in Europe. Internally it bears a Latin Cross design with three naves divided by supporting columns. The prevailing styles of the 18th century characterise the adornments: airy and solemn, they include a flat decorated ceiling and some attractive Baroque side-chapels. Next to the basilica we find the Bishop’s Palace, erected on the ruins of the Norman castle, and the old seminary; they are linked by the Scoppa arch. A cosy bar opposite the buildings adds to the enjoyment of the piazza.

3 THE CITY WALLS The historical events surrounding Ostuni’s thickset belt of wall involve all the major settlers here, from the Messapii and Byzantines to the Normans and Aragonese. Under the Anjou, in the Late Middle Ages, it was rebuilt with a double skin and rubble masonry fill, and subsequently expanded on the southern side by the Aragonese. In the 18th century, the structure was largely demolished in the wake of some serious damage to its curtain walls and towers, and replaced by buildings, or the material simply reused elsewhere. From Porta San Demetrio (to the east) to Porta Nova (to the west), there is a wide and attractive walkway below the walls.

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5 SANTA MARIA DELLA STELLA The church of Saint Mary of the Star rises up against the walls of Ostuni. It was formerly known as Santa Maria della Porticella because of the porticella (small door) depicting the Virgin Mary which opened out into the street during the Anjou period.

The name was changed with the arrival of a 16th century painting showing Mary with the Star of Wonder, a symbol of her virginity in Byzantine belief. The façade is plain, with little more than a statue of the Virgin Mary above the door. The wooden altar inside, a remarkable 18th century work of art, is well worth a look.

MUSEUM 6 MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN MURGE PRE-CLASSIC CIVILISATIONS Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am1pm, Saturday and Sunday 4-7pm This museum is housed within the former Carmelite monastery of Saint Mary Magdalen of the Pazzi (a Florentine family), which adjoins the Church of St Vitus the Martyr.

Originally created to showcase the archaeological finds within the area

of Ostuni, over the years it has come to display exhibits from the wider area of the southern Murge.

Its showpiece is the plaster cast of the pregnant Woman of Ostuni (see p 73), now celebrating her 25,000th birthday.

OSTUNI

4 CHURCH OF SAINT JAMES Along via Bixio Continelli and partly concealed under an archway, we find the Chiesa di San Giacomo; commissioned by a well-heeled family from Brindisi, it was built in 1423. The moldings on the underside of the arch (or archivolt) are one of its most attractive features, with its floral and human figures. The church is relatively humble inside: the family coat of arms, the statues of Saints Cosmas and Damian, a finelyworked altar in Lecce limestone (which, as we shall see, lends itself to carving) and an 18th century canvas of Saint Irene are still well worth a look. On the outside of the apse visible along Viale Oronzo Quaranta there is a graceful narrow medieval window. The shell within the façade is typical of churches associated with the cult of Santiago (St James) de Compostela.

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EATING AND DRINKING

8 LA GROTTA DEGLI AVI 13 Via Galileo Galilei, Ostuni Tel. 333 1292341 www.lagrottadegliavi.it The bare stone of this former olive press, built underground in the 18th century, provides the most romantic of settings. Classic Apulian fare is served here at the Ancestral Cave, as well as pizza lightly drizzled with local extravirgin olive oil. The uncomplicated and good-value menu and the proprietor’s warmth will soon win you over.

7 FORNO 31 6 Via G. Ferrari, 72017 Ostuni BR tel. 0831 301021, www.forno31.com If you are lost in the18th century part of town but find yourself near the Chiesa dell’Annunziata, just follow your nostrils and the aroma of baking bread will lead you through the tangle of alleyways to Bakery 31. This is also a stroll back in time: the oven is fired by olive wood and the bread lies piping hot before you, as do focaccia with onion or cherry tomatoes and a selection of home-baked dolcetti. The coming and going of locals and the warmth of the Moro family (who have been lovingly baking for over thirty years) are just as enticing.

9 TRATTORIA DEL FRANTOIO 54/64 Via Bixio Continelli, Ostuni Tel. 0831 301402 www.trattoriadelfrantoio.com The setting for this trattoria is also an ancient olive press, retaining many of its original features.

Traditional Apulian dishes imbued in history and cooked with strictly local produce.

10 LE MONACELLE 4/6 Via Fratelli Vincenti, Ostuni Tel. 0831 334212 www.osteriamonacelle.com Family-run, compact and welcoming, with an open-plan kitchen. The place to discover the joys of orecchiette strascinate (pasta in the shape of little ears) made with toasted grain flour, a local discovery.

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EVENTS , February: The 3rd marks the Feast of Saint Blaise (Biagio) who, along with Orontius, shares the responsibility of looking after Ostuni. The locally popular procession wends its way through the outlying hills to reach the patron saint’s crypt, carved in the rock. , Late July: The SAFITER international filmfest ((Salento Terrae, or Salento Finibus Terrae Salento the Land’s End) has become a regular feature here since 2010 and attracts movie buffs from far and wide. Specialises in shorts and is big on human rights, notably children’s issues. The festival is supported

by UNESCO and UNICEF and takes place in Piazza della Libertà. , Late August: The celebrations to honour Saint Orontius last for four days (24 to 27 August) and bring out every colour of the folk palette.

The highlight is the Cavalcade of Saint Orontius (originally Cavalcade of the Devout), with a splash of knights garbed in richly embroidered scarlet costumes and steeds caped in caparisons. , August: Italians know how to party and the Ferragosto holiday, which falls on the 15th and celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is possibly the most sacrosanct besides Christmas. The feast, interestingly, has pagan roots (how wonderfully Italian is that?) and its name derives from the Emperor Augustus, who introduced it to keep the populace happy. , Ostuni does not shy away and holds the Sagra dei Vecchi Tempi (Old Times Festival): ancestral recipes and traditional arts and crafts are all duly honoured with food stalls, music, bangs and fizz. , July-August: Ostuni has played host to a popular literature festival since 2007: Un’emozione chiamata libro (A Thrill Named Book). This is a predominantly Italian affair with such names as Roberto Saviano, Serena Dandini and Margaret Mazantini gracing the billboards, but there are plenty of cultural side-shows, stalls and events to entertain foreign book buffs too.

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OSTUNI ONLINE WWW.PARCODUNECOSTIERE.ORG Official site of the Coastal Dunes National Park (Italian and English)

WWW.OSTUNIPOCKET.IT Efficient, to-the-point and full of interesting news (Italian only)

WWW.OSTUNI.TV Videos and images on the history and traditions of the White City (iItalian only)

SHOPPING L’ULIVO CHE CANTA 75 Via Gaspare Petrarolo, Ostuni Tel. 340 3633679 Tonino is an artist who will welcome any visitor who can discern the soul of the olive tree behind his creations (spoons, earrings, pipes and works of arts). Even though his laboratory (The Singing Olive Tree) is minuscule and dusty, it makes for a great visit – if nothing else to hear the wondrous stories that Ostuni’s “Lord of the Olive Tree” has to tell.

HANDMADE 9 Via Francesco Cavallo, Ostuni Tel. 0831 341543 A fascinating studio-shop in the historic centre offering exclusively hand-woven textiles. Innovation and Apulian tradition come together to produce quality and originality. Give it a go.

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FAVA BEANS AND CHICORY maidens – so do not try this at home.

This potent aphrodisiac is best cooked in an earthenware terrine or pot for a consistent result. The ideal ingredient to accompany the favas is the wild cicoriella (little chicory) of the Murge, which grows freely among the limestones. A medley of edible wild leaves (mesculanza) ((mesculanza mesculanza) also mesculanza) does the trick, or simply use farmed chicory: the principle is that the bitter leaf counterbalances the sweet bean.

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Do not pass through Apulia without trying this: as simple as that. A highly seductive purée of broad beans and bitter chicory, served in a terracotta terrine and drizzled with extravirgin olive oil. In case you are confused by the offerings on the menu: fave e cicorie (its usual name) is variously known as fav’efogghie, fav’ecicuere, fav’ecicuredde and Incapriata, depending on the local twist of Apulian dialect. What is certain is that the name derives from late Latin (with the recipe predating it perhaps as far back as Magna Grecia) and that the staple ingredient is a type of polenta flour, producing what is conceivably the very first vegetarian dish cooked by man. And we mean man: in his comedy The Frogs, Aristophanes narrates that Hercules, after dining on his favourite dish (fave fave e foglie) duly entertained over 10,000

OSTUNI AT A GLANCE To dive straight into the atmosphere of Ostuni’s culture the ideal starting point is Piazza Libertà, the very heart of town. With the steeple of Sant’Oronzo to your back, head into the uphill street on your right. If you ignore the lure of the boutiques and tiny shops along the way, you will soon come upon the small square of the cathedral and, tucked around the corner nearby, a

belvedere. From here onwards, getting lost in the up-and-down maze of the medieval quarter is all part of the fun, not least with a stop or three in a bar or gelateria. After wending your way back to Piazza Libertà, we suggest you turn left and into the other uphill street. This is the18th century part of town, which is equally authentic and perhaps less touristy.

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SALENTO

Salento Foggia An elemental domain of sun, Mare Bari Adriatico sea and wind, the Salento is the easternmost, tucked-away corBrindisi Matera Potenza ner Italy, a peninsula stretching Lecce Taranto out towards Greece and the SALENTO Golfo di Balkans, in the very heart of the Taranto Mediterranean. While it has been a crossroads between east, west, north and south ever since the arrival of the Messapian people in the 8th century BC, the Salento has kept its cultural identity remarkably intact. Today, it presents itself as a rich and evocative land, engaging the explorer with the warmth of its natural colours, its radiantly sunny character and the sheer beauty of the two coastlines.

The Salento peninsula includes the present-day provinces of Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce; historically it marks the territories settled by the Messapii, which encompasses the southern reaches of the Murge.

SALENTO IN NUMBERS AREA: 7,000 km2 POPULATION: 1,770,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Taranto 203,000; Lecce 90,000; Brindisi 89,000; Martina Franca 49,000; Fasano 40,000; Nardò 31,000.

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A Potted History 20,000-12,000 BC Archaeological finds point towards human presence in Paleolithic times. Grotta dei Cervi (Cave of Deer) near Porto Badisco is rated among the most interesting sites.

15TH-11TH CENTURIES During the Bonze Age, pre-classical (most probably indigenous) civilisations flourished. Roca Vecchia on the Adriatic coast has produced some of the best-preserved monumental architecture of the era.

10TH CENTURY BC While the Iapyges people, thought to have come from Illyria (the Balkans), settled relatively peacefully in Apulia, the Messapians (a sub-tribe) pushed further south into the Salento.

8TH-5TH CENTURIES BC Lured by the fertile lands of Apulia, the Greeks formed their first colonies here. The ensuing Messapic Wars would last over three centuries.

3RD BC-5TH AD With Taranto’s fall to Rome, the entire Salento was soon absorbed into its empire. Over this period of relative peace, the port of Brindisi acquired a key administrative role.

6TH-11TH CENTURIES AD Following a brief period of Longobard rule, the Byzantines resolved to reclaim the fallen Western Roman Empire; this included the Salento, part of Sicily and today’s Calabria. Otranto’s administrative standing grew and the port became Italy’s gateway to the Eastern Roman Empire.

11TH-15TH CENTURIES AD The Normans reconquered southern Italy with support from the Papacy. Their term of rule was followed by an ongoing state of enmity at the hands of the Swabians,

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the Anjou and, finally, the Aragonese. The latter put an end to the strife and ushered in a period of peace and prosperity.

15TH-19TH CENTURIES AD With Otranto’s slide into decline, the administrative reins were seized by the city of Lecce – its responsibility stretching across the considerable swathe of territory from Leuca to Matera. The Bourbons gained control after the Aragonese and would rule until the Unification of Italy in 1861.

EARLY 20TH CENTURY Construction of Apulia’s aqueduct.

1927 Taranto and Brindisi are declared provinces.

1943-1944 During the last two years of World War II, with Mussolini’s puppet state based in northern Italy and Rome still under German control, Brindisi became the provisional capital of Italy.

1965 Taranto develops into one of the major steel production centres in Europe.

SALENTO ON THE INTERNET WWW. FONDAZIONETERRADOTRANTO.IT

WWW.VIAGGIAREINPUGLIA.IT

Online magazine published by the Fondazione Terra d’Otranto (Land of Otranto Foundation). Culture, environment and history (Italian and English).

Apulia’s official tourism portal (multilingual).

WWW.FSEONLINE.IT

Main site for the Salento’s transport network (Italian and English).

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Today’s itinerary immerses us into the very heart of the Salento.

After a short train ride to Lecce station, we cycle through the Salento plains, gently descending towards the Ionian coastline.

As we traverse the lush Cupa Valley, its quiet country roads and tracks wend through secular olive groves and lead to the historic towns of Copertino and Nardò. On the closing stages of the journey we also enjoy the company of a new travelling pal: the deep blue sea, to our right, which will stay with us for the next few days.

Finally, we reach Gallipoli, the “Pearl of the Ionian” – an ancient city with Greek roots, now a pleasant summer resort.

RUSTICO LECCESE When locals fancy something to nibble on the way, it generally comes back to the rustico.. The origins of this delicacy are unclear, but any baker’s, bar or rosticceria in the area – and beyond too – will swear by it.

The essential ingredients for a decent rustico are the finest puff-pastry, the creamiest béchamel sauce and sweetest Apulian (where

else?) tomatoes. Salt and pepper see to the rest. If you happen to be reading this on your train to Lecce station, we warmly recommend that you try one at the nearby Bar Kennedy, 31 Via Don Bosco – a popular pastry shop with shop-front ovens that specialises in rustico and pasticciotto. And save some for us.

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From Lecce to Gallipoli

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RUDIAE 1 A Messapian and Roman town, ancient Rudiae was

SAN PIETRO IN LAMA 2 The name of this ancient suburb of Lecce

is rooted in local lore: on his mission to evangelise the pagan world, St Peter is said to have broken his journey here; Lama (blade) may refer to the karst landscape of sharp rock, typical of the Cupa Valley. The area enjoys a millennial tradition in terracotta production and associated crafts, including maiolica; the tiled floor of the small Madonna dei Fiori church (Our Lady of the Flowers) is a fine example of this tin-glazed pottery technique.

Among today’s maiolica craftsmen and women we would recommend Tonino Bisconti, Via Pisacane, Tel. 340 0882104.

FROM LECCE TO GALLIPOLI

home to one of the major (if unsung) masters of Latin literature: Quintus Ennius, an advocate of Greek literary models and widely considered the father of Latin poetry. One of Lecce’s town gates is in fact dedicated to Rudiae and leads out to the road that connects them. The grounds where the ruins of this once sumptuous town lie scattered are now overgrown with olive trees, and there have been repeated – and, sadly, vain – attempts to restore them to the light of day. All that remains are the vestiges of an amphitheatre, well off the beaten track (and not open to the public) compared to the ones you can view a few kilometres away – back in Lecce’s historic centre, in Piazza Sant’Oronzo.

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COPERTINO 3 With a local friar for a saint, an Anjou castle to

grace it and a flood of fine wine to bathe in, Copertino has done well. (That a certain Californian backwater – home to some obscure electronics brand – should be named after it frankly means little here.) The town is devoted to St Joseph of Cupertino (to use the English spelling); he is traditionally depicted in flight and, in September, celebrated in style with religious events of elevated pomp, sumptuously lit processions and spectacularly choreographed pyrotechnics. Strolling through town, the visitor will be impressed by the towering presence of the castle and the ornate chapels within.

Wine lovers should look no further in their quest for the Copertino DOC, which flies the flag for the full-blooded Negramaro Salentino wines (see p 92).

Castle open daily (except Sunday) 8am-1.30pm, 3 €

Nardò 4 An amble through Nardò (population:

31,000) soon immerses visitors in its fascinating heritage, drawing them into the thick of tiny alleyways, past innumerable churches and out into yet another small square with a noble palazzo to behold.

The Renaissance castle and rich arboretum of the botanical gardens, with their tapestry of flora, complete the picture.

Today Nardò is the most populous town within the province of Lecce and encompasses seven wards, including Santa Caterina and Santa Maria al Bagno (Our Lady at the Waters). Its territory also covers the Porto Selvaggio Nature Park.

The name is said to derive from the word nar (water), of Illyrian origin, and refers to the abundant aquifer in the area.

The best in brief 1 PIAZZA SALANDRA The heart and hub of Nardò ever since the

appearance of the first medieval houses, Piazza Salandra surrounds itself with the town’s main religious and administrative buildings. It has been coined “The most beautiful Baroque square in southern Italy” by virtue of its ornate portals, loggias and balconies. Sweeping around anticlockwise we see: the Palace of the Sedile (Chair, literally – once the University’s seat of power, now the local tourist office), which is Renaissance in style but with Baroque embellishments; the Church of St Tryphon, built by popular demand in gratitude to the Eastern Orthodox saint who saved the town from a locust plague; the Fountain of the

PUGLIA PROMOZIONE (TOURIST OFFICE) Piazza Salandra, Sedile Tel. 0833 836928

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Bull, symbol of Nardò; the City Palace, built in the finest Rococo style over the foundations of the original one, flattened by the devastating earthquake of 1743; and finally the Guglia dell’Immacolata (Spire of Our Immaculate Lady), a twisting column of local stone bearing a magnificent Neapolitan marble statue.

Assumption) has evolved over no less than 1,500 years. Its earliest incarnation dates back to Byzantine times: a chapel built by Basilian Fathers which was then transformed over time into a sumptuous Baroque cathedral – or basilica, to be precise: a site of pilgrimage and the highest designation for a church building. Its diverse features can be clearly seen from the central nave: to the right, the rounded (or semi-circular) arches from Norman times with capitals in Lecce softstone; to the left, lancet (or pointed) arches from Swabian times in carparo stone (also local); at the far end, finally, the uncommon frescoes by the Senese master Cesare Maccari (1840-1919). On closer inspection, among the holy maidens in celebration, we can spot one who is rejoicing with a tambourine – probably a tribute by the artist to Salento’s traditional music.

3 CHURCH OF SAINT DOMINIC San Domenico has belonged to the

Dominican Order since the late 16th century. Originally designed across three naves, it was rebuilt as a single nave in the aftermath of the 1743 earthquake, in accordance with the requirements of the Counter-reformation; the sacristy and the façade both survived the quake. The outside prospect, with its two distinctive levels, is possibly the most striking feature: the lower level is populated by enigmatic creatures which bring to mind the façade of the Convent of St Paul in Valladolid (Spain); the upper one, simpler and narrower, brings an element of sobriety and elegance, along with a more human dimension.

4 CHURCH OF SAINT CLAIRE If you have a chance to visit Santa Chiara inside, you are likely to be struck by the opulence of its Baroque ornamentation. Otherwise, it is well worth stopping outside just to take in the façade: curved and governed by classical lines, the external prospect makes Saint Claire’s quite unique in the area. Founded in 1256 (three years after the saint’s

NARDÒ

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death), the adjoining convent is still active and reputed to be the oldest monastic complex in southern Italy. The nuns here came mostly from the nobler and most powerful families in the Otranto region, which made the convent one of the most prosperous in the Kingdom of Naples. A visit to Saint Claire’s will immerse you in the very heart of medieval Nardò.

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NEGRAMARO PRIMITIVO WINES OF THE SALENTO Wine production in the Salento is steeped in legend, its development traceable as far back as 2000 BC and thus predating Greek colonisation. The ideal conditions on this strip of land have consistently yielded wines of character, and the Salento is now a favourite destination for wine lovers. The most popular are produced with the Negramaro and Primitivo grapes, the two local varieties par excellence.

Negramaro produces an intense

ruby-red wine with a pleasantly bitter tang – hence its name (Black-bitter), which is protected by official designation. Primitivo (also known as Zinfandel in California) is typically harvested early (giving it its own name) and produces a full-blooded, fruity red with a relatively high alcohol content. A visit to a winery will reveal all, and we would suggest Cantina Bonsegna (Punto 7), Via Volta 17, tel. 0833 561483.

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Open daily 9.30am-1pm, and 3.30-7.30pm, free entry

EATING AND DRINKING 7 TRATTORIA SALANDRA Via de Michele (Piazza Salandra), Nardò, Tel. 339 5200245 Humble trattoria in the heart of the historic centre offering excellent starters and bountiful salads at a reasonable price. (An insalatona is Italian for large salad, effectively a main course.) A good choice if you do not want a full meal but neither the usual sandwich.

8 CAFFÈ BAROCCO 36 Piazza Salandra, Nardò Tel. 320 4127591 Recently refurbished, this vintage style coffee house offers some of the best gelato in Nardò. A limited choice but of superb quality, and served in handmade wafer bowls.

9 RELAIS IL MIGNANO 29 Via Lata, Nardò, Tel. 0833 572506 Housed in a medieval palazzo in the historic centre, Il Mignano includes a tea room and a restaurant with traditional local cuisine. Free WiFi.

PORTO SELVAGGIO 5 “Porto Selvaggio must not be plundered.

Porto Selvaggio must not be destroyed.” Thus wrote a local journalist in the early Eighties, when this remarkable nature reserve was being threatened by unbridled building speculation.

If today the Parco Naturale di Porto Selvaggio still enjoys its “crystal blue waters and lies enveloped in the tranquillity of its

NARDÒ

5 CASTLE AND MUNICIPAL VILLA Erected in the 15th century as part of the town’s defensive system, Nardò castle once sported a formidable belt of wall embracing no less than eighteen towers, of which nine now remain. Originally the stronghold of the fearsome Acquaviva, Counts of Conversano, in the 19th century the castle passed into the hands of the Barons of Personè: they would convert the military structure into a stately palazzo, dispensing with the four corner towers, filling in the moat and softening the outside with classical lines and embellishments.

Today’s main façade distinguishes itself on account of its attractive balcony in Lecce stone, supported by eight anthropomorphic figures which are open to interpretation. The adjoining gardens, which now belong to the town Council, include a collection of rare local flora.

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serene sunsets and glistening sunrises,” we owe it to the Madre Natura organization and individuals who, like Renata Fonte, have fought for its conservation. Porto Selvaggio (Wild Port) and the adjacent Palude del Capitano (Captain’s Marsh) are now among the least polluted areas of the Ionian Sea. The landscape is atmospheric at any season of the year and offers a variety of nature trails as well as archaeological sites.

TORRE DELL’ALTO 6 The boundaries of Porto Selvaggio are

marked by Torre dell’Alto to the south and Torre Aluzzo to the north. The former is the earlier but better preserved of the two towers as well as the most important, and formed part of the network of square-based coastal towers put in place in the 16th century by the Spanish King Charles V (popularly known as Don Carlos). These innovative defensive structures were designed to protect the Lands of Otranto from the dreaded Saracen incursions, and equipped with pioneering war machines including sophisticated catapults and firearms.

A small seaside resort named after St Catherine of Alexandria, an eastern martyr whose cult found inroads here from the 14th century onwards. The basilica dedicated to her in Galatina, a few kilometres inland, is in fact one SANTA CATERINA 7

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of the most significant Romanesque-Gothic buildings in Italy, second only to the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi. Its construction was decreed by Raimondello Osini del Balzo (also known as Raimondello), a local nobleman who had fought in the Crusades, in order to promote the Latin rite of worship and phase out the more popular Greek rite.

The sea is nothing short of glorious, as is the hilly landscape of olive and pine groves; some attractive Moorish style and Art Nouveau villas complete the setting.

holiday resort for the local bourgeoisie in the early 19th century, when fine society was increasingly coming into its own. Further back in time, the locality had been linked to the nearby Abbey of Santa Maria de Balneo (Our Lady of the Waters), built by the Teutonic Knights. This ancient order, formed to protect Germanic pilgrims in the Holy Land, has been highly influential in this region, its heritage including a number of churches and abbeys.

The remains of the Abbey were absorbed by a manor farm, which in turn has now been transformed and swallowed up by more recent construction.

EATING AND DRINKING RISTORANTE ART NOUVEAU 6 Via Puccini, Santa Maria al Bagno Tel. 0833 573671, Open daily www.ristoranteartnouveau.com A 19th century residence on the water’s edge, ideal for freshly caught fish and an excellent wine list.

BAR PICCADILLY 25 Piazza Nardò, Santa Maria al Bagno Tel. 0833 573025, Open daily If the sun is melting you down, the Piccadilly’s parasols will soon give you shelter. An iced coffee with almond milk or a tangy aperitivo at this gelateria-pasticceria-rosticceria will see to the rest.

MARUZZELLA Lungomare C. Colombo Lido Conchiglie (Gallipoli) Tel. 0833 208900 The freshest of fish and the lapping of waves are what you can look forward to at this delightful little seafront restaurant. No-frills service, but the perfume of the sea and the smells from the kitchen set the senses alight.

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SANTA MARIA AL BAGNO 8 This small harbour was built as a

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MUSEO DELLA MEMORIA 9 The Museum of Remembrance keeps

alive Santa Maria al Bagno’s memories of the years spanning 1943 and 1947, when a camp at this tiny seaside resort became a safe haven for refugees. Approximately 100,000 Jews passed through here and were given sanctuary by the local community. The museum bears witness to stories of solidarity, warmth and courage, through photos taken at the camp and illustrated accounts of what the refugees had lived through before arriving here. There are also three large murals by Zvi Miller that speak of the fear, tragedy and hope of countless Holocaust victims.

Open daily – Check for times www.museomurales.it - Tel. 0833 838308 10 “The Four Columns” are all that remains of a mighty defensive structure, one of the largest towers built by the Saracens in Apulia. They rise out of the coastline to the south of Santa Maria al Bagno and are also known as “Torre del Fiume” (River Tower) on account of a canal that collected rainwater from the surrounding hills, feeding a nearby spring. This source of freshwater was precious to marauding Saracen pirates, who built the tower to defend it all costs; it still flows with a healthy stream.

TORRE DEL FIUME

SAN MAURO’S CLIFF 11 The Church of St Maur (or Maurus) lies at the end of a short path leading from the shore up into the craggy hills. It clings to a rock atop the Serra dell’Alto (Alto Range), within a magnificent natural setting which includes some rare species of orchid. The church was consecrated in the 8th century and would originally have formed part of a wider complex housing dozens of monks (St Maur is central to the Benedictine Order). The small cave nearby is associated with many a legend and mystery surrounding this 6th century saint, who came from Africa.

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Gallipoli, “The pearl of the Ionian”, is one of the most popular holiday hubs in the Salento. Countless young visitors of all ages are drawn not only to its crystalline waters but especially to the lively night life of its historic centre and beaches, where some respectably feverish parties are staged.

Once the lights go out on the summer season, Gallipoli returns to being its usual “Beautiful City” (as its Greek name possibly suggests), embracing with its belt of wall the everyday existence of the island dwellers within: a fortified islet is how the historic centre presents itself in our time; but in actual fact what we see on the earliest maps of Gallipoli is a burgh that is linked to terra firma by a narrow strip of land, which was then replaced by a long bridge in the 17th century.

The historic centre is a patchwork of narrow and tortuous alleyways criss-crossing all the way down to the fortified seafront, which is lapped by the Ionian Sea. The modern quarter is split down the middle by Corso Roma, with the Scirocco ward lying to the north and Levante to the south.

PUGLIA PROMOZIONE 8 Vai Antonietta De Pace, 73014 Gallipoli Tel. 0833 262529

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11 Museo Civico 12 Underground Olive Press

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Though the city thrives largely on tourism, seafaring remains key to Gallipoli’s economy: both its ports swarm with fishermen and their paranze – the small fishing vessels typical of these shores – early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when they return from their daily sorties.

History of the city tale, the legend recounts that this is where the Cretan king Idomeneus, on the run from his own people after his Trojan tribulations, decided to make landfall. He is then said to have moved further inland for added safety (his ill-conceived negotiations with the gods had, after all, brought a plague upon Crete), and founded the cities of Lecce and Alezio; over time Idomeneus’ original settlement of Kalipolis (or Beautiful City) became Gallipoli – hence the gallo (rooster) now gracing the town’s shield.

In reality the course of events was probably this: Gallipoli was originally founded by the Illyrian tribe of the Messapii under the name of Anxa, serving as the gateway to the sea for nearby Alezio. It became part of Magna Grecia and the natural outpost of Taranto (376-265 BC) until the arrival of the Romans.

FROM ROME TO THE KINGDOM OF ARAGON In order to punish

Gallipoli for its allegiance to Hannibal and Taranto, Rome deported its citizens into the wilds of the hinterland. The city was

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WHEN HISTORY BORDERS ON LEGEND Based on an ancient Homeric

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thus re-established under Roman rule and became a strategic centre, controlling all mercantile traffic with the East. Later ravaged by the Vandals and Goths, Gallipoli was grateful for the arrival onto its shores of the Byzantines, who rebuilt and fortified it in the course of the 7th century.

Gallipoli enjoyed a further flowering under the Aragonese, who granted it commercial autonomy, tax abatements and privileges in return for its loyalty (particularly in fighting the Infidel): “Fideliter excubat” (With loyalty it guards) are the words etched onto Gallipoli’s shield under the cockerel. It was during this period in its history that the town grew into a fortified island; it also increased its commercial traffic beyond the boundaries of the Mediterranean and became, from the 17th century onwards, the main European hub for the export of lampante olive oil (a variety used for burning in lamps).

RECENT CENTURIES In the wake of this blossoming economy, the

arts and letters also flowered afresh in the course of the 17th century. The Napoleonic era, however, with its curbs on maritime traffic, provoked a slow but steady decline in Gallipoli’s seaborne commerce. This predicament was aggravated with the advent of the industrial revolution and the improvements in overland transport, as well as by the fact that oil lamps across the Mediterranean were now burning petroleum rather than olive oil. The fishing industry, happily, has largely remained intact and today Gallipoli is the main provider of fish in the Salento.

With the development of tourism, the town has grown well

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beyond its walls, enabling it to keep partying guests at bay from its historic centre and offering its heritage to all visitors.

The best in brief by many to be the earliest Greek fountain in Italy, Fontana Antica is probably of Renaissance stock. Its original location was near the ancient spa area, to the north of the present-day railway station; it was relocated in 1560 to its current home on the edge of the main access bridge into town. Entirely carved out of local limestone, its façade is divided into three blocks of caryatids, representing the mythological metamorphoses of Dirce, Byblis and Salmacis. The north-facing prospect is clearly more recent (1765) and shows Gallipoli’s coat of arms surrounded by the insignia of the Bourbons.

2 PIAZZA ALDO MORO This vast and atmospheric piazza opens

out onto the southern harbour and its fishing boats, with the ancient castle beyond; it is named after the Apulian politician who was kidnapped and murdered by the Red Brigades terror group in the 1970s, at the height of the ”Years of Lead” unrest.

Two of Gallipoli’s most interesting places of worship are found here: the small Church of Santa Cristina and the Canneto Sanctuary.

St Christine’s was built in the early 17th century on the edge of the drawbridge that once linked the island to the mainland.

Despite being exposed to wind, rain and high seas, it remains well preserved.

The Canneto (Grove of Reeds) Sanctuary is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to the legend, it rises on the spot – once

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1 FONTANA ANTICA Also known as Fontana Greca and believed

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a wetland – where an image of Mary was found. The present building, erected in 1696, is a gem of Baroque design and houses a number of canvases and an unusual papier-mâché sculpture.

In early July the piazza becomes the stage for the Feast of Saint Mary of the Grove of Reeds; the celebrations include a stirring procession of fishing boats and other craft along the Canneto shoreline.

3 RIVELLINO AND BRIDGE The only access to the old part of town

is via the bridge which once led to its main gate. Sadly, little remains of the original structure and its twelve stone arches built in the 17th century, since its wings – including the attractively decorated balustrades – were covered with carparo stone bulkheads in the early 20th century to increase the width of the thoroughfare. The approach is nevertheless impressive, not least on account of the Rivellino: this ravelin, to use the English word (the detached outwork of a fortress), was added to the castle in the 16th century to defend the city from siege or attack from the land.

4 CASTLE The Castello towers above the access gate into old Gallipoli. It was built in the 11th century, probably over preexisting Roman and Byzantine fortifications, and radically restructured in the course of the 16th and 17th centuries.

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The Venetian Republic is credited with the construction of a surrounding moat, which was then filled in to create the market square in the late 19th century; the area has now been taken over by shops and food outlets. The castle was abandoned and left to languish for many years, before being restored and reopened to the public in 2014 as a venue for events and exhibitions; it also offers some of the best views across neighbouring bays.

Piazza Imbriani, Tel. 0833 262775 Open daily 10am-1pm and 3-7pm, 5 €

GALLIPOLI ON THE INTERNET WWW.GALLIPOLIVIRTUALE.COM History of the Beautiful City, events and people (Italian and English).

WWW.COMUNE.GALLIPOLI.LE.IT Gallipoli City Council’s official portal includes a section on tourism (Italian only).

WWW.PARCOGONDAR.COM Official site of the funky and fashionable complex a stone’s throw from the sea, including details of its music events (Italian only).

WWW.INFOGALLIPOLI.COM Up-to-the minute site aiming to present all there is to know for your stay in Gallipoli (Italian only).

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5 CATHEDRAL The Basilica Cathedral of St Agatha is located in the heart of the historic centre, where a Romanesque church dedicated to St John once stood.

The façade is quite unique in architecture: the first level was created in carparo stone in accordance with the local principles of Doric and Baroque styles; the second, designed by Giuseppe Zimbalo (one of the most prominent names in the so-called “Baroque of Lecce”), is in softer Lecce stone and even more of a Baroque feast. The inside of the basilica is of Latin Cross design, with three naves; it flaunts no less than 700 square metres of canvas painted by a legion of local and Neapolitan artists in course of the 17th and 18th centuries, among them Giovan Domenico Catalano and Giovanni Andrea Coppola.

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10 MUSEO DIOCESANO 51 Via Antonietta de Pace Tel. 0833 512690 Opening hours vary according to season, 1.50 € www.cattedralegallipoli.it/ IlMuseo20Diocesano.htm The Diocesan Museum is housed in the former seminary next to the cathedral and is particularly recommended to lovers of sacred art; ceremonial objects such as chalices, monstrances and reliquaries are included in this diverse collection. A visit here also offers the chance of some spectacular views across Gallipoli from the balcony.

11 MUSEO CIVICO 108 Via A. De Pace Tel. 0833 264224 Open daily 10am-12.30pm and 5-9pm (pm opening hours can be variable) 1 € / 3 € (inclusive of Foetus Room) The Municipal Museum is an ad hoc neoclassical building with a fascinating and diverse (if not always appetising) collection. It displays manuscripts, weapons, ceramics, clothes and folk costumes, along with natural history assemblages that range from endemic flora, fossils and minerals to deformed foetuses. The arrangement may be somewhat haphazard, but it is nonetheless a fascinating hodgepodge that includes, for good measure, the skeleton of a whale.

The celebrated Coppola collection of paintings once lived here, before moving across the new Pinacoteca in via Sant’Angelo (1€).

12 UNDERGROUND OLIVE PRESS 191 Via De Pace Antonietta Tel. 0833 264242 Open daily 10am-1pm and 4-7pm (October: 3-17.30pm), 1.5 € Entirely carved out of the carparo rock beneath Palazzo Granafei, this olive press bears witness to a vital part of Gallipoli’s heritage: the town’s longstanding role as a principal maritime gateway, when oil lamps across land and sea would burn olive oil rather than petroleum or animal fat. Multilingual audioguides are at hand to tell the fascinating story of olive oil production – particularly in relation to the lampante variety, also known as the “Gold of Gallipoli”, which lit the lamps of Europe’s main cities until the dawn of the 20th century.

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BAROQUE GALLIPOLI

GALLIPOLI

Gallipoli is molded in its own particular brand of Baroque, which differs significantly from the rest of the Salento. Since the local tuff stone, carparo, is not as suitable for intricate decoration as the softer Lecce stone, the exuberance of the style is expressed through other materials here: wood, veined marble, maiolica and even papier-mâché. As a result, the embellishments are often far more pictorial and rendered by painters as much as by sculptors.

The churches erected in Gallipoli during this period by the various religious orders offer conspicuously

plain and whitewashed façades, sometimes divided into two symmetrical portals and enriched with tin-glazed panels of maiolica.

By stark contrast, the internal decor can be quite feverish, blaring forth its marble surfaces and intricate wooden fittings, and adding opulence to generously proportioned canvases in a chorus of Baroque celebration.

Almost in contraposition to the churches, the palazzi of Gallipoli’s nobility speak with a more restrained delicacy through a generous use of local stone worked with intaglio carving.

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6 LIBRARY The Biblioteca Comunale and its historic archives are housed within the complex of St Agatha’s. Originally a 15th century building, it was redesigned in 1732 by the local architect Muro Manieri observing the governing 18th century style. The otherwise plain façade is enriched with a distinctive staircase in carparo stone, with a double flight of stairs. The library itself, one of the oldest in the Salento, is home to some rare manuscripts and volumes.

Open Monday-Friday 9am-12.30pm and 3-6pm

OLIVE OIL The ubiquitous olive groves are a quintessential ingredient of Apulia’s scenery. Their vast expanses were celebrated even in Roman times and famously nurtured by the region’s Basilian monks. A millennium or two down the road, Apulia still offers one of the most timeless landscapes along the Mediterranean and is home to more than 50 million olive trees, half of them secular.

Nicknamed the “Gold of Apulia” and appreciated for its nutritional qualities, it also served a very practical function: until the advent of petroleum at the turn of the last century, the region – with Gallipoli taking pride of place – was considered the main source of lampante oil, which was commonly burned in lamps throughout Europe.

A visit to one of the olive oil presses is recommended.

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7 CHURCH OF PURITY AND THE BREAST The Oratory of Santa Maria della Purità (Saint Mary of Purity, literally, or Mary Immaculate) is one of Gallipoli’s most interesting Baroque masterpieces and consistent with the precise criteria observed throughout Apulia at the time. A plain and whitewashed façade betrays the rich ornamentation within: a marble altar in the Roman style, gilded intaglio carving, statues in wood and papiermâché and magnificent frescoes. As for the Breast: this is the town’s celebrated beach, which looks across to the island of St Andrew with its lighthouse.

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8 FARMACIA PROVENZANO As you wander through the centre of Gallipoli, you cannot fail to notice this ancient pharmacy.

Opened as a spice shop in 1814, its location was probably once the main entrance into the Palazzo Pirelli. The structure inside is entirely of timber and the shop fittings are separated by pillars. The glass cabinets once contained the spices, powders and potions that would be mixed into medicaments.

EATING AND DRINKING 13 TRATTORIA L’ANGOLO BLU 45 Via Carlo Muzio Tel. 0833 261500 Closed Monday Trattorias may generally be uncomplicated affairs, but the Blue Corner takes its fish extremely seriously and fresh.

14 LA PENTOLA DEGLI GNOMI 8 Via Consalvo da Cordova Tel. 0833 264160 The Gnomes’ Pot conjures up traditional homemade fare at the right price – a combination not to be taken for granted in Gallipoli.

15 LA GIUDECCA Via Don Minzoni Tel. 0833 261967 www.lagiudeccagallipoli.com A feast for the eyes, with its modernist decor, as much as for the belly. Located on the terra firma side of Gallipoli, near Piazza Aldo Moro. The spacious terrace with its sea view will make your fish all the more appetising.

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9 TEATRO GARIBALDI The Garibaldi Theatre was renovated and redesigned in the late 19th century when it was acquired by the Balsamo family. The recent restoration project, by the architect who is now refurbishing the larger Teatro Paisiello in Lecce, has followed the same plan and faithfully retained its Art Deco character.

Open Saturday and Sunday, 1.30-6.00pm

The survival kit for a first visit here involves no more than a beach towel, bathers and a shawl – the latter a must when you explore Gallipoli’s intriguing religious buildings, which we urge you to do.

After a look around Piazza Aldo Moro, even if for a cursory photo, head over the 17th century bridge and onto the island. Leaving the castle to your left, have a wander down Via Antonietta De Pace, the historic centre’s main artery; the cathedral is very well worth a visit, as are the old pharmacy and the

underground olive press. We would then suggest that you follow your instinct and lose yourself in the tangle of alleyways of the old ward and wend your way to the Chiesa della Purità, a resplendent gem of Gallipoli Baroque. Even if the church is shut, you can always make for the white sands of the “Seno” (Breast), its views particularly memorable at sunset.

Gallipoli’s restaurants pride themselves on the freshness of the day’s catch, and this is the place to enjoy a slap-up seafood meal.

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GALLIPOLI AT A GLANCE

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EVENTS Being so profoundly influenced by the Eastern Roman Church of yore, so deeply involved in the Crusades and yet so exposed to the world of Islam, Gallipoli and its surrounding settlements have, over the centuries, evolved with the constant presence of religion on their doorstep. , March/April: the three choreographed processions staged in the course of the Easter weekend are remarkable spectacles. , June: the Feast of St Anthony of Padua announces itself with celebrations, stalls and live music. , 23-26 July: the Feast of St Christine is close to local hearts and one of the most colourful: folklore abounds with dance, music and all things traditional. , 8 October: the Feast of the Madonna of the Rosary kicks off at dawn and is both a religious and convivial affair lasting all day.

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SHOPPING THE FISH MARKET Gallipoli’s fish market is located below the 17th century bridge at the entrance to the old town, opposite the castle. Chances are you will buy little here, but it is a great place for local colour and, with its palette of seafood and blue fish, some fabulous photo

opportunities too. If the smells of the market are not intoxicating enough, why not head for the port for more people watching: the fishermen will be setting off (early in the morning) or coming back into port (late afternoon) and they love to show off their catch, including sea sponges.

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Professional cyclists might call this the warm-up stage: it is relaxing and scenic, and follows the Ionian Sea’s coastal roads as far as the foothills of the Salento’s range. The route is easy to follow, though we would warmly advise to make the best of the day by taking a diversion or two to what are some of the most attractive beaches in Apulia. The ones that are signposted are but a handful of the many stretches of white sand to be found along the 50km of shoreline between Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca. Just follow your instinct and keep your sense of direction switched on: many of the paths off to your right will plunge you into a pleasant adventure by the sea. Most of the beaches are well equipped and offer a cold bite along with drinks and ice cream.

Today’s route ends with a slight ascent for the last few kilometres, before taking you to Punta Ristola. The more energetic have the option of some interesting diversions leading up into the serra (range), where the character of the landscape is quite different from the scenery along the shoreline.

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The best in brief LIDO PUNTA DELLA SUINA 1 After a few short metres’ walk

through a pine grove fragrant with myrtle and juniper shrubs, we come upon a broad stretch of fine white sand which opens out onto a bay. Enclosed to the south by Punta Pizzo and to the north by Gallipoli and St Andrew’s Island, the beach reaches out to a low islet with a sandbank and a few scattered rocks.

The lido is equipped with a few unobtrusive sunbeds and parasols, but not to the detriment of its natural setting; a terrace bar makes for a refreshing break at the start of day’s cycling.

LIDO PIZZO 2 This beach lies sheltered within the Punta Pizzo

and St Andrew’s Island Regional Nature Park – a reserve offering a mosaic of Mediterranean wetlands, macchia scrubland (maquis in French) and low, soft-leaved garrigue.. As with Punta della Suina, a brief walk through pine woods leads to a long ribbon of sand, extending to the north. If you proceed on foot

The Salento coastline is dotted with ancient defensive towers, erected to repel attacks from pirates and Infidel invaders hailing from the Balkans, North Africa or the East.

Their name derives from Sarakene, a region in the northern Sinai peninsula, and was commonly used in former times (here as in other cultures) to describe Muslims in general – for the record, the same applies to the word “Turk”.

The earliest coastal towers probably go as far back as Byzantine and Swabian times, although there is no evidence to support this. The oldest documents pointing to the local determination to build defensive structures along the coast of the Salento date from the early 16th century. Charles V, the Spanish King, is credited with ordering the

systematic construction of these defences; in many cases they served as lookouts and beacons to raise the alarm within the local community, rather than as military fortresses. As well as differing in scope they often differ in design: the earlier ones have a similar base to trulli (basic and round); the more recent ones are quadrilateral and more complex.

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SARACEN TOWERS

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in the other direction, a short coastal path will take you to Torre Pizzo and, a little further on from this tower to the Punta (Point) with the same name which wraps the bay.

FELLINE 3 To reach Felline we head inland into the range and

up its slopes, immersing ourselves in a completely different habitat from the coastal one we leave behind. Here, we can embrace the tranquillity of a small medieval burgh. The historic centre holds two picturesque squares: Largo Santa Lucia, dominated by the Bonsecolo castle; and Piazza Caduti, an opening created in the early 20th century. Felline has a population of approximately one thousand and offers the visitor a dozen or so restaurants with decent local dishes.

TORRE SAN GIOVANNI 4 Torre San Giovanni is an attractive

seaside village named after its ancient coastal tower – now transformed into a modern functioning lighthouse within a complex that includes the Coast Guard base. The tower is painted in large black and white squares, like a chess-board, making it more visible from afar and at the same time giving it a con-

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To leave the Salento without trying some frisella verges on sacrilege, since its taste is no less than the region’s history, legends, pride, fears and daily life rolled into one.

Some cheat and call it frisa, but its authentic name is friseddhra – and if you struggle to pronounce that you may just be forgiven, for only those fortunate enough to hail from this southernmost outpost can do so. It is a ring-shaped biscuit bread made with corn or barley flour, baked twice: after the first baking it is broken into two and left to slowly harden in a wood-fired oven, for five or six hours. Friseddhra is not eaten dry but rather soaked in hot water, stirred into a bowl of chopped tomatoes and seasoned (with,

needless to say, extravirgin olive oil).

Purists will squirm at the thought of friseddhra being wasted on any old tomato: only a local da corda (strung up) will do – also known here as pomodoro d’inverno (Winter tomato).

Friseddhra is a timeless dish and every Apulian peasant’s favourite; and even though it is now so popular as to appear alongside the fancy whiskies at the Duty Free (is anything sacred?), friseddhra can only ever taste like proper friseddhra in the Apulian kitchen.

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temporary twist. Not far you will notice an archaeological dig where a team is working on the ruins of the Roman Port and the Messapian walls.

The village offers a range of amenities, from restaurants, rosticcerias and gelaterias, to long stretches of well-equipped beach.

LIDO FONTANELLE 5 As above, a short walk through the pines

will lead to this beach, which is also well equipped. Fontanelle’s waters are said to be calmer than the sea at neighbouring sands.

A favourite with families.

MALDIVE DEL SALENTO 6 Possibly the

best known beach of the Salento – whether on account of its broad sweep of fine white sand or its alluring name: the “Maldives of the Salento”. The beach once boasted a more generous expanse, but recent storms have taken their toll.

Nonetheless popular, especially in July and August. A kiosk offers refreshments and equipment.

CENTOPIETRE 7 This unusual monument in the village of Patù

bears witness to a noteworthy chapter in the province’s history.

Centopietre (Hundredrocks) is built of five score tuff stones

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which once formed part of the defensive walls of Vereto, the Messapian town that used to stand on this strategic spot, right on the tip of Italy’s heel. The legend recounts that these stones are a memorial to a knight, Geminiano, who in 877 was sent out of Vereto by the reigning French monarch to negotiate a settlement with the besieging Saracens; the envoy was slaughtered and the town razed to the ground. On the 24th June of the same year, however, the Saracens were overcome by the rallying Christian forces at the Battle of Campo Re; Geminiano’s remains were reclaimed and given a dignified burial where the village of Patù now rises out of Vereto’s ashes.

PUNTA RISTOLA 8 If we take Apulia as the heel of Italy’s boot,

EATING AND DRINKING BAR JONIO Corso Annibale, Tel. 0833 931187, Closed Monday A bright and airy establishment which also offers a decent choice of takeaway rosticceria food. Ideal for that beach picnic.

GELATERIA MARTINUCCI 59 Via Lungomare Terra D’Otranto Tel. 0836 805313 A bar/pasticceria renowned for its homemade gelato – and very good it is, too. Useful to know that Martinucci have a number of branches around the Salento.

TRATTORIA LU PESCATORE 1 Corso Annibale Tel. 0833 937018 The Fisherman is a trattoria that lives up to its name. The catch is as fresh as it gets and can be enjoyed on the little veranda right on the water’s edge.

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Ristola Point is its extreme Land’s End: the most southerly tip of the Salento. It wraps the Gulf of Taranto and acts as the point of reference for all shipping entering the Otranto Canal. Nearby we find the “Grotta del Diavolo” (Devil’s Cave), a marine hollow with a rockface of particularly demonic appearance. Archaeological evidence suggests that it was inhabited by humans from the late Neolithic period onwards. It can also be reached from land, although the continual rockfall have made it unsafe.

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GROTTA PORCINARA 9 Of the many caverns in the area, “The

Cave of Pigs” is one of the most atmospheric. It lies some 20 metres from sea level and, unusually, is man-made. A short path from the main road leads to its entrance. The complex is formed of three adjoining spaces, and its ample historical documentation suggests that it served as a pagan sanctuary in Messapian times. It is not currently open to visitors, while the authorities examine ways of preserving the delicate wall inscriptions.

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PASTICCIOTTO Wrongly labelled as “from Lecce”, this pastry is a quintessentially Salentino delicacy. It was probably created around 1740 by a pasticcere (pastry chef) in Galatina, a small village in the hinterland of the peninsula, even though documentary evidence in Nardò’s parish archives would suggest that there was a similarly named dessert as early as 1707; whatever the case, the pasticciotto’s ’s original recipe appears to have made it through the centuries unscathed. It is a

shortcrust cake baked in single portions and filled with crema pasticcera (Italian custard).

At first sight it looks similar to Martina Franca’s bocconotto (to which black cherry is traditionally added to the crema); crema); but the pasticciotto purist will point out that the authentic one is made with lard and not butter, as in other varieties.

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Leuca can boast an eclectic heritage alongside its enviable location and setting. Now a fishing harbour and favourite holiday destination, ancient Leukas was as commercially indispensable to the Greeks of Magna Grecia as it was strategically vital to the Romans, who coined it Finisterrae: the Land’s End of their Terra Italica.

The territory stretching between the two outcrops of Punta Ristola and Punta Meliso has been home to pagans, Jews, Muslims and Christians alike, in communities whose particular strands of faith would range from Greek polytheism and Roman idolatry to Eastern Christianity and early Judaism – sometimes in a cocktail of credes and a combination of sacred and profane. Thus, while the Virgin Mary is cherished as the patron saint of fishermen here (in the wake of a calamitous storm in 365 AD and many more since), the legend of Leuca is rooted in mythology.

TOURIST BOARD Pro Loco Santa Maria di Leuca - Villa Fuortes, Lungomare Colombo, Leuca Tel. 0833 758161 - www.prolocoleuca.it

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Leucasia, a mermaid, falls in love with the shepherd Melissus – the only man her song would not bewitch. Realising that his heart belongs to an earthly creature, Aristula, and that she cannot separate them, Leucasia drowns the two lovers in a storm and parts them in death by washing them ashore at opposite ends of the bay. The goddess Minerva, out of pity, bestows eternity upon the couple by petrifying them into the two headlands; Leucasia, out of remorse, asks to be petrified herself for her misdeed and is thus turned into whitewashed Leuca itself.

The village became a holiday destination for the local bourgeoisie at the end of the 19th century, thereafter to grow in popularity. Among other fashions, the gentrification of Leuca also brought with it architectural Eclecticism and today’s visitor can enjoy some fine examples of Art Nouveau design.

History of the city WHEN HISTORY BORDERS ON LEGEND The history of a land so

exposed to different cultures through the years will always be inextricably linked to a disparate range of civilisations and remain steeped in lore. Whether it be fact or fantasy, Leuca – of all the remote corners in southern Italy – can offer an intoxicating mix. And to appreciate just how exposed this outcrop is, we would do well to remember the name of the neighbouring reach of land: Capo di Leuca (Cape Leuca).

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BEFORE THE MIDDLE AGES According to the Greek historian

Herodotus, the seeds of Salento’s civilization came ashore from Crete. Making landfall near Leuca after a storm and unable to set sail again, the first Cretans settled here and founded Iria (later known as Vereto, or Veretum); from here they would move inland, colonising the Salento. Historical evidence suggests that Leuca was already a sanctuary of worship in pagan times, with pilgrims making their way to the various temples dedicated to Minerva, the Roman goddess of Wisdom and sponsor of the arts. The sanctuaries were located in and around Vereto and visible from the sea, making them a symbolic haven for thousands of seafarers at the end of their long voyages from the Orient to Europe.

This, according to legend, is also where St Peter made landfall on his evangelising mission to Rome in 43 AD: the main Temple of Minerva, it recounts, crumbled at his very appearance and those who witnessed the event converted to Christianity on the spot. The first Christian sanctuary was decreed, by authority of Pope Julius I, to grant plenary indulgence to pilgrims who made the journey here, thus perpetuating the local tradition of pilgrimage associated with this area since pre-Christian times.

In the Middle Ages the veneration of the Madonna di Leuca came into its own, with crusading knights coming to her Sanctuary

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to pray before embarking on their voyage to the Holy Land – a tradition that would reach its peak towards the end of the 16th century. The Sanctuary’s location right on the water’s edge made it quite vulnerable to Saracen incursions, which explains why it was rebuilt several times in the course of its history.

LEUCA, THE BATHING ESTABLISHMENT Until the dawn of the 18th century, the fear of marauding pirates that gripped local communities had condemned Leuca to a poverty-stricken and barely populated backwater of fishermen. Only after 1740, when a new sanctuary was built – an edifice more akin to a small fort than a church – would Leuca become a more secure place to live and work. But it was not until the end of the 19th century that this fishing village nestled between two headlands would became a holiday resort as such: the harbour was gradually modernised and, with summer holidays becoming a sacrosanct right for the Italian middle classes in the second half of the 20th century, Leuca came to be the resort it is now renowned as.

The village forms part of the Gagliano del Capo municipality, with a 5,000-strong community in total.

ECLETTISMO SALENTINO with a local twist of Baroque, Medieval, Neo-Classical and everything in between.

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Eclettismo is a word that crops up continually on the shores of Leuca: a backwater it may be, but the visitor with an interest in Eclectic architecture and all things Art Nouveau can look forward to some gems here. With Leuca coming into its own as a bathing establishment towards the end of the 1800s, a circle of forward-thinking architects boldly responded to demand – from the aristocracy and the new moneyed borghesia alike – by introducing the latest French fad: Stile Liberty, as it is known in Italy. A veritable flowering of styles ensued – very much in the plural – in the design of private abodes, which enriched traditional Art Nouveau

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The best in brief 1 TORRE DELL’OMOMORTO Built as a harbour defence, this Saracen

tower has become one of the symbols of Leuca’s seafront. The name, “Dead Man’s Tower”, refers to the human remains discovered in the nearby cave, which probably belonged to a band of Saracens killed during the historic battle for Vereto.

MUSEUM 7 VITO MELE MUSEUM Piazza Santuario, Leuca, 2 € www.museosalento.it Even though this museum is located within the basilica, religion remains low key here. The rooms are the result of the building’s latest restoration project and now house the private collection of Vito Mele, the internationally acclaimed Apulian sculptor. Works by Salentinian, Italian and international artists have supplemented Mele’s sculptures, creating a compelling corpus of

figures, soon to be enhanced by a picture gallery.

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fascinating in Leuca. Nicknamed “the upside down dressing table” on account of its turrets, it languished for years until the Mellacqua family stepped in. Restored to its former glory, the villa is now a shining example of Art Nouveau architecture in Leuca, and makes for a very pleasant and quirky bit of sightseeing. www.villamellacqua.com

LEUCA ON THE INTERNET LEUCA.INFO General information covering the whole area of Capo Leuca, from history to food and drink (multilingual).

WWW.BASILICALEUCA.IT Official site of the Basilica of the Madonna di Santa Maria di Leuca (Italian and English).

WWW.LEUCAWEB.IT/NOTIZIE.PHP Online magazine with events listings covering Leuca and the Finibus Terrae (Italian only).

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2 VILLA MELLACQUA This Neo-Gothic house is one of the most

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THE CAVES

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Leuca’s most distinctive natural aspect is best appreciated from afar, out at sea, and a guided tour by boat to admire the marine rockface rarely disappoints. Inaccessible by land, dozens of karst hollows dot a surprisingly lofty coastline.

Thousands of names, rhymes, thoughts and prayers are etched on the cave walls – the work of generations of fishermen through the ages; and if your Italian is up to

it, your own boatman may spin a compelling yarn or two about Finibus Terrae, his own Land’s End. Of the many excursion operators, we have no hesitation in recommending Colaci Nautica, Via Doppia Croce - Tel. 0833 758609.

3 BAGNAROLE These bathing huts (“batheries”, literally) on the water’s edge once served as an annex to their respective villas.

Not unlike Victorian bathing machines (but without wheels), their original purpose was to enable the upright ladies of the house to undress and bathe without being unduly embarrassed by indiscreet gazes. Though many were built in wood, only a handful of stone bagnarole now remain.

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4 LA CASCATA Mussolini liked things big, and this rather overbearing monument, which is visible from Punta Ristola, was commissioned by the Duce to mark the completion of the biggest water distribution project in Europe, after thirty years of labour: the Apulian Aqueduct. The imposing cascata (waterfall) is enriched by a monumental stairway of 284 steps and a Roman column. Beyond its decorative function, the cascade also discharged any overflow from the surrounding aquifers. These days it is only activated a few times a year.

5 THE LIGHTHOUSE As we climb up the steps of the waterfall monument, the first pinnacle we make out in the distance is the whitewashed lighthouse rising 102 metres above the highest point of Punta Meliso. On a clear day it offers a sharp view of the island of Corfu and, on the mainland across the water, the Ceraunian Mountains, which divide Greece from Albania.

Local fishermen will tell you that this lighthouse ((faro in Italian) also draws the boundary between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.

Fish and seafood take centre stage when it comes to Leucan cuisine, in a triumphant blend of spices from foreign shores, herbs from homeland soil and all manner of denizen of the deep. The infinite varieties of fish soup, grilled catch, seaweed fritter and crab claw salad all brighten the menus of Leuca’s best trattorias: sea bass, sardines and marinated whitebait (pupiddhri – dare

pronounce that) all play leading roles, as do seafood linguine (alla pescatora). Pulpo alla pignatta often steals the show: a slow-cooked octopus served in its terracotta pot.

And if you want to get local, scoop up the sauce with a “shoe” of your durum wheat bread (fare la scarpetta is the Italian for this technique): unapologetically messy and heavenly.

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6 DE FINIBUS TERRAE SANCTUARY This site has been a place of worship for over two thousand years – first pagan, then Christian.

Messapian, Greek and Roman mariners, Knights Templar, popes and saints have all passed through, either to adulate Minerva in her various incarnations, or pray to the Madonna De Finibus Terrae (Our Lady of Land’s End). Apulians of a venerable age will soon tell you that the man or woman who does not make their pilgrimage here at least once in their lifetime, will do so in death – but on their knees. Pilgrims still flock here to honour the tiny picture of the Mother and Child on the altar; the rest of the canvas, goes the legend, was destroyed by the fire which razed the building in 1624.

EVENTS , May: Held on a Sunday, Ville in Festa is an open doors initiative similar to Heritage Open Days in other countries. A great way to appreciate the Eclectic brand of Art Nouveau that is such a feature of the local architecture. www.leuca.info/leuca/nome-storia-leuca.asp , 15 August: With its own Madonna di Santa Maria di Leuca to honour and parade, the village celebrates the Feast of the Assumption (Ferragosto) with some panache. The fireworks accompanying the Madonna along the procession are spectacular enough; just as magnificent is the abundance of fish (mostly fried) and seafood on offer in restaurants and in the street.

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EATING AND DRINKING 9 LA FICA PACCIA Lungomare Colombo Tel. 3921342924 A new restaurant set within the gardens of a Leucan historic villa.

Tasteful decor and even tastier dishes. The fish starters are recommended and the meat dishes exceptionally succulent.

10 L’APPRODO HOTEL RESTAURANT 1 Via Panoramica Tel. 0833 758548 A veranda with a magnificent sea view and a wider than usual choice of fresh local specialities.

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8 HOSTARIA DEL PARDO 17 Via Doppia Croce Tel. 0833 758603 - 349 2862788 www.hosteriadelpardo.it In the heart of Leuca, a stone’s throw from the harbour and seafront promenade: authentic local fare (fish, meat and vegetarian) and the freshest of ingredients. Ample choice of local wines as well as the more familiar northern Italian labels. Peaceful ambience, family-run and well looked after.

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LEUCA AT A GLANCE

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Of all days this week, today is the one when it is worth giving our cycling lycras a rest and wrapping ourselves in the more modest rags of the wandering pilgrim: Leuca, with its aura of spirituality, deserves it. While our itinerary includes more profane attractions such as the turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau villas and the atmospheric harbour, our final destination is the summit of the headland and its beckoning sanctuary.

From the hotel, proceed along the Lungomare Colombo promenade, still graced by the grandeur of its Stile Liberty residences; at the Omomorto Tower, skirt around it and head back along the road that runs parallel to the promenade, for an even richer feast of late 19th century Eclectic architecture. Back on the Lungomare, carry on where you left off, keeping the white lighthouse as your point of reference. Where the pavement comes to an end, a pedestrian path will lead you to some boardwalks offering panoramic views across the harbour. Back on the main road, bear right (minding the traffic for a short stretch) and head for the monumental stairway. A healthy climb will take you to the large square that opens out before the basilica, the pilgrim’s final stop.

Within rests the small but miraculous image of the Madonna di Finibus Terrae: Our Lady of Land’s End.

SHOPPING TESSITURA GIAQUINTO 23 Via Fratelli Cairoli, Marina di Leuca www.tessituragiaquinto.com The Giaquinto textiles workshop is a shining example of female entrepreneurship in the area.

Top quality items are handcrafted on vintage looms.

DONNA BARBARA Via Doppia Croce, Marina di Leuca www.donnabarbara.it This tiny ceramics shop on the harbour provides some retail therapy as you stroll along the water’s edge.

The vases, entirely cast in ceramic-based materials, hold pride of place.

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From Leuca to Otranto The Leuca-Otranto litoranea (coastal road) is arguably one of the most scenic anywhere, as it wends its way above the crystalline waters of the southernmost Adriatic, a sheer drop below. Almost the entire stretch – from Santa Maria di Leuca as far as Punta Palascìa – traverses the Regional Nature Park of the Otranto Coast, embracing an area of outstanding environmental, cultural and architectural heritage. In the space of 50 kilometres you can marvel at its caves, hidden inlets, fishing hamlets, rock quarries and ancient towers, and immerse yourself in the largely unspoiled Mediterranean macchia (maquis) all around.

CIOLO 1 At the end of the first long downhill of the day comes

a dizzying bridge over a canyon. This natural gorge, carved by water flowing to the sea over the course of millennia, is named after the local word for magpies (ciole ciole in dialect), which live here in considerable numbers.

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Below the bridge, to the right as you look across the translucent expanse of water, you will see the Cave of Ciolo, accessible only by sea. The area is also popular with climbers – on the exposed sea-facing rockface in the summer, and on the more sheltered cliffs within the bay during the rest of the year.

Salento’s most popular brand of Quarta,, is renowned for its coffee, Quarta smoothness and its makers are largely credited with the recipe for this iced coffee recipe.

The ingredients are deceptively simple (espresso, ice cubes and almond milk) but the secret lies in the method, as any local barista will tell you. A refreshing and intense shot, and healthy to boot.

FROM LEUCA TO OTRANTO

CAFFÈ IN GHIACCIO WITH ALMOND MILK

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QUERCIA DEI CENTO CAVALIERI 2 Halfway betweenTricase and

its harbour we find the legendary Oak of the Hundred Knights.

It belongs to a relatively rare species (Vallonea, or Mount Thabor’s Oak) and is said to be 700-900 years old. A monumental affair with a broad head, the tree is said to have once sheltered Frederick II and his knights from a raging storm. The species is endemic to the Mediterranean basin and this particular tree was possibly brought in from the Balkans, across the water; as well as being the emblem of Tricase, the oak is also the WWF’s symbol of choice to represent the whole region of Apulia.

TRICASE 3 Known as Inter Casas in former days, Tricase has long been the halfway stage along the shortest route between Otranto and Leuca. The burgh grew from a hamlet of three farmsteads (hence the name, “Three Houses”) that joined forces in the 11th century to protect themselves from Saracen incursions. In spite of its efforts, Tricase was sacked first by the Turks in 1480, then the Venetians in 1530. In Piazza Pisanello we find

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its main sites: the churches of the Nativity and St Dominic, and the Town Hall – historic home of the Gallone family, which came to an heirless end in 1982 with the passing of Maria Bianca Gallone, the last Princess of Tricase.

TRICASE PORTO 4 This ward of Tricase nestles around a natural

inlet which over time has become its marina. It also has a small beach, enjoyed mainly by locals, behind the turreted palazzo of the Bar Bolina. To all intents and purposes a functional harbour, Tricase Porto still feels like a natural pool. A good place for the first stop of the day and an iced coffee.

GROTTA VERDE 5 The Green Grotto is reached from Andrano marina, where a path over the rocks leads to the mouth of the cave, one of the natural wonders of the Salento coast. Wading and swimming, you can go as far as the inner, larger hollow; here, filtering through an underwater opening, the sunlight breaks into the grotto creating a magical dance of light on the rockface.

CASTRO 7 The débacle concerning where exactly Aeneas is sup-

posed to have made landfall on Italian soil would appear to have been resolved here in Castro, after the archaeological dig of 2007.

Out of the ruins of a sea-facing temple came a bronze statuette of Athena Iliaca, firmly linking this site with Athens and Sparta and shedding light on the second part of its Roman name: Minervae (of Minerva).

In addition to this outdoor site adjacent to the Messapian walls, Castro also offers a Romanesque cathedral and an Aragonese castle; the latter houses the Civic Museum, with a permanent archaeological collection: Castello di Castro, Via Sant’Antonio, Castro Alta Open daily 9am-6pm, 2.5 €

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INSENATURA ACQUAVIVA 6 Carved out of the rock by wind and water, Acquaviva Cove is as picturesque as its name suggests: Living Water. The water is crystalline, the seabed a palette of blues and greens, the surrounding rockface white; and the scattering of whitewashed dwellings beyond the beach just about blends with the surrounding habitat without blotting Mother Nature.

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GROTTA ZINZULUSA 8 This marine cave is a perfect illustration

of the region’s karstic character. Officially discovered at the end of the 18th century by the Bishop of Castro, who believed he had found the very spot where Aeneas had made landfall, the grotto finally earned a more methodical examination in the 1900s. Over 60 marine and terrestrial species have since been identified here, revealing its exceptional biodiversity. The entrance lies a few metres from the shore and can be reached via a path carved out of the cliff.

Castro Marina - Tel. 0836 943812 Open daily (except at high tide) from 9.30am to 4.30pm, 5 €

EATING AND DRINKING RISTORANTE GROTTA ZINZULUSA Piazzale Zinzulusa, Castro, Tel. 0836 947326 Restaurant with an upper terrace offering local specialities and fresh fish at a reasonable price. At ground level there is a bar/gelateria.

BAR/CHIOSCO ZINZULUSA Piazzale Zinzulusa, Castro A decent selection of rosticceria food at the bar. In between a mini-pizza and a rustico, you can nip into the adjacent kiosk for that souvenir you never thought you needed.

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you will most probably be struck not only by its beauty but by the sulphurous odours emanating from its springs as well. These thermal spas were known as far back as Aristotle’s days, and although the philosopher and scientist wrote that seafarers would give the area a wide berth on account of the stench, the sulphurous nature of the springwater that flows into many caves along this stretch of shore has been recognised for its curative properties since the 15th century. The symbol of Santa Cesarea is Villa Sticchi: built at the end of the 18th century, it is a prime example of Salentino Moorish style.

CARMELO BENE Director, actor, writer, essayist, poet and costume designer, Carmelo Bene (1937-2002) was – to use that cliché – a Renaissance Man through and through. This avant-garde artist is possibly best known abroad for his film Our Lady of the Turks, which

won the Venice Film Festival Special Jury Prize in 1968. The film, drawn from his own novel, was largely shot at Santa Cesarea Terme, the parental homeland where Bene would often return to his small house, far from the madding crowd.

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THE SPAS OF SANTA CESAREA 9 As you arrive in Santa Cesarea

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PORTO BADISCO AND GROTTA DEI CERVI 10 Porto Badisco lies in

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an enchanting bay and was long considered the site – among many others – where Aeneas came ashore after his voyage. Its archaeological credentials remain nevertheless beyond dispute: a few metres away from the sea lies the Cave of the Deer: an underground complex almost 3 km in length which, by virtue of its prehistoric paintings – in red ochre and guano – has been dubbed the “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory”. The abstract depictions of natural figures suggest that the dwellers worshipped

SEA URCHINS With the exception of May and June (for conservation reasons), the Trattoria Le Taiate is probably the best place to sample one of the Salento’s most prized seafood delicacies. The sea urchin thrives on its rocky seabed and many a fisherman makes a living by catching it by hand from the earliest hours of the morning. The Salentino variety of

“sea hedgehog” (riccio di mare) is renowned for its delicately balanced taste – somewhere between the sugariness of a fruit and the saltiness of the sea – and is best eaten raw. The urchin is also appreciated in a bowl of linguine, although it loses some of its taste when cooked.

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some form of deity, which in turn is indicative of Paleolithic Man at an evolved stage. Unfortunately the paintings are extremely fragile and the site is therefore not open to the public.

TORRE SANT’EMILIANO 11 From a structural point of view there

is little to distinguish this Saracen tower from the many others guarding the Salento coast, but the setting makes it rather special: atop a sheer cliff with commanding views across the waters, and a backdrop of garrigue scrubland and Mediterranean macchia.

PALASCÌA 12 The point where the currents of the Adriatic and

Ionian Seas meet is also the most easterly point in Italy – where, by tradition, the dawn of the new year is seen in by romantic revellers. The scenery is dominated by the Palascìa lighthouse: strategically one of the most important along the Mediterranean, it was built in the late 19th century on the spot where an ancient coastal tower once rose. On a clear day, when the northerly tramontana wind sweeps the skies clean at sunrise, the mountains of Albania (only 60 km away) are clearly visible.

at Casole is where Greek and Latin culture are widely claimed to have come together and engaged between the 11th and 15th centuries. Within the walls of its library, reputed among the most important in Europe until 1480 – when it was razed to the ground by the Turks – thousands of students were educated in Oriental philosophy and the western arts by Basilian monks, as required by the ruling Normans. Sadly, there is little left but the ruins of what was once a glorious temple of learning and cultural exchange.

TORRE DEL SERPE 14 This tower is believed to have been erect-

ed originally by the Romans, and then restructured by Frederick II. By the legend, during the life of Mary of Enghien (Countess of Lecce and later Queen of Naples, and who died in 1446), a large serpent would slither up the walls at dusk and feed on the olive oil used for the lighthouse flame; deprived of their beacon, many a hapless seafarer would sail into the rocks. Only the ruins remain, but the commanding views are breathtaking.

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SAN NICOLA DI CASOLE 13 The Basilian monastery of St Nicholas

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The views we enjoy as we cycle our last few kilometres into Otranto are but an overture to what we can expect when we arrive: a treasure trove of art and architecture. If the spectacle of the coastal road is a feast to the eyes – with the Bay of Orte, the gentle blues of its waters, the dramatic severity of its rockface, the pastoral setting of the Serpent’s Tower – then the entrance into Otranto itself is pure culture shock.

Watching over the town stands the Spanish castle – a towering presence when viewed from the harbour – while the Norman cathedral takes charge of souls and treasures. Otranto is the most easterly city on Italian soil, its origins dating back to the Messapii and its name stemming from the river Otra (Messapian for water – now the River Idro), which flows through town and into the sea. The Roman name, Hydruntum, stays in theme possibly on account of the town’s function as a natural bridge

PUGLIAPROMOZIONE (LOCAL TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES) Via del Porto, 73028 Otranto - Tel. 0836 804954 or Castello di Otranto, Piazza Castello, 73028 Otranto - Tel. 0836 806101

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over water between East and West, a role that would increase in significance through the Middle Ages. This bridge has been as vital culturally as it has commercially, as we can glean from the remarkably rich mosaic within the cathedral, the work of a 12th century Basilian monk named Pantaleon.

The sack of Otranto at the hands of the Turks laid waste to much of its heritage, but the courage, vision and perseverance of the townsfolk who rebuilt it from the ashes – keeping alive its tradition of sea trade, cultural exchange and integration – are all qualities that still speak for Apulia’s spirit of enterprise.

History of the city MESSAPIAN AND ROMAN PERIODS Otranto’s neighbouring lands

were probably settled in Paleolithic times, with the village itself subsequently benefiting from its first urban infrastructure with the arrival of the Messapii tribe; the latter would also give it its first known name, after the local river. The town then fell to Rome, soon to become a municipium and one of Apulia’s vital seafaring centres. It flourished by trading in Tyrian Red (the much-prized purple dye extracted from sea snails) and textiles, its commercial success bolstered by the presence of an abundant Jewish community and the coining of its own money.

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The name of Otranto is indissolubly linked to the slaughter of 800 martyrs in 1480 at the hands of the Sultan’s troops. With Mehmet II (“The Conqueror”) fast expanding his Ottoman Empire across Europe, his general Ahmed Gedik Pasha had reached the Italian mainland and laid siege to Otranto. Virtually entirely defended by civilians, the town held the Pasha’s troops at bay as they waited for reinforcements from the Aragonese King in Naples.

After hoping in vain for almost two weeks, they finally fell on the 10th

of August: 800 Christians were duly butchered for refusing to convert, but the outrage would eventually lead to the liberation of Otranto in the following year. The story is recounted in Maria Corti’s best-selling novel L’ora di tutti (adapted in English with the title Otranto).

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FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TURKISH INVASION

A strategic bridge linking the Orient and the West, Otranto blossomed as a Byzantine centre before being ruled by Normans, Swabians, the Anjou and the Aragonese. Its Norman cathedral, erected between 1080 and 1088, would boast the largest floor mosaics in Europe – the work of a Basilian monk, Pantaleon, who lived in the nearby monastery of Casole. This institution also assembled the largest library of its time in the West, and its monks ran one of the earliest boarding schools in history, with pupils attending from many parts of Europe to study in Otranto. The monastery’s codices are now conserved in some of the top libraries on the continent, from Paris and London to Berlin and Moscow.

1480 was the year when Otranto, boldly defended by the outnumbered inhabitants, fell to the Turks. The town was razed to the ground and 800 Christian Martiri Idruntini martyred for their faith. The town would rise from the ashes, only to be stormed afresh by the Venetians and the Anjou.

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FROM THE 17TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT DAY From the second half of the 17th century onwards, Otranto would slide into a gradual decline: its commerce and cultural output ground to a halt, and much of its land was abandoned as a result of the continual incursions by the Turks. Large swathes of marshland emerged, increasing the risk of malaria, but the subsequent drainage of the area ushered in a reversal of fortune: under Napoleonic rule, the town became part of a Kingdom of Naples Duchy and experienced a palpable improvement in its living conditions and infrastructure.

After World War II – somewhat later than its neighbouring resorts – Otranto began to open its doors to tourism. Even though the town, with its population of just over 5600, would bear the brunt of a mass influx of Albanian refugees in the late 90s, it has come into its own as one of the most successful tourist destinations in Apulia.

THE PANTALEON MOSAIC This epic masterpiece dating back to 1163 is a veritable encyclopedia of the Middle Ages and assembles – piece by piece – Jewish and Christian accounts, Arab legends, tales of chivalry and countless other stories illustrated with mysterious allegories that may not always be obvious to the modern observer.

The monk Pantaleon, who was Head of the University of Casole, created this work with a specific mission in mind: to illustrate Otranto’s Moment in History. He wanted to represent a Golden Age when Christian, Jewish and Islamic cultures would co-exist in serenity – a message of peace and togetherness that would be tangible to all through the universal language

of imagery. The large tree is designed to embody the eternal drama of life: the conflict between Good and Evil.

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The best in brief 1 CATHEDRAL Otranto’s cathedral was built during the first years

of Norman rule, in the 11th century, on a stretch of high ground in the historic centre. Its medley of styles and elements brings together much of the town’s history: the structure is Romanesque and includes Byzantine, Norman and Moorish components – but not without its share of Baroque embellishment, even though this remains relatively discreet. Beneath its monumental mosaic paving, furthermore, lie the traces of a Messapian settlement, a Roman domus and a Paleochristian crypt. The nave to the right leads up to the Chapel of the Martyrs, which shelters part of the remains of the 800 Christian martyrs and saints who were decapitated by the Turks in 1480.

Open daily 7am-12pm and 3-5pm 2 ARAGONESE CASTLE Otranto Castle’s present-day structure shows little of the previous Norman-Swabian edifice, which was seriously damaged in the course of the Turkish invasion of 1480.

Along with the rest of the town’s defensive system, it was built from 1491 onwards and further reinforced during the reign of Charles V the following century with an innovative and robust diamond-headed bastion. Its vast halls now make an ideal venue for events and exhibitions year round.

Piazza Castello, open daily 9am-1pm - 4-9pm, 6 €

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MUSEUM 9 MUSEO DIOCESANO 3 Piazza Basilica Tel. 0832 801133 Open daily (except Monday) 10am-12pm and 4-6pm, 2.5 € The Diocesan Museum is housed in Palazzo Lopez, an ancient tower that has been restructured over the centuries. It is well laid out and exhibits items of considerable artistic and historical value, mainly

relating to the cathedral; these include part of a late Roman floor mosaic uncovered during restoration works at the cathedral and a 15th century baptismal font sculpted in the workshop of Gabriele Riccardi.

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3 BYZANTINE CHURCH OF SAINT PETER This small church is a rare example of authentic Byzantine architecture on Italian soil. The restoration carried out midway through the last century included the removal of some anachronistic embellishments, returning it to its original 9th century glory. It is dedicated to St Peter to honour the fact that he passed through Otranto on his evangelising voyage to Rome. The uncommon cycle of paintings was probably created by Paolo da Otranto, who also painted some of the frescoes in the majestic Hagia Sophia in Constantinople; the church also emulates the design of the basilica on a small scale.

Open by request from the cathedral’s sacristan

WWW.COMUNE.OTRANTO.LE.IT Official site of Otranto City Council. A range of information from hospitality to events (Italian and English).

WWW.PORTA-DORIENTE.COM One for culture vultures, particularly students of Italian – the language of the Belpaese itself (multilingual).

WWW.DESTINAZIONEOTRANTO.IT An exhaustive site covering cultural events, festivals, restaurants and bars. A good section on history (multilingual).

WWW.OTRANTOWEB.IT Another handy portal for visitors, covering local events (multilingual).

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4 PORTA ALFONSINA This Gate is named after the Duke Alfonso of Aragon and forms part of the revised defensive system designed by the military architect Ciro Ciri. The reinforced structure appears like two fortified towers that have been molded together. Under the arch you will notice an opening for pouring boiling oil and pitch onto attackers below.

5 RIVER IDRO Otranto is named after its own river, which in turn

is named after its very essence: water. The Idro’s source is high up among the limestones of Monte Sant’Angelo and it meets the sea between the historic centre and the beach. Although it is now reduced to a minor river wending its way through the Mediterranean macchia and olive groves, in former days the Idro would have been a far more powerful waterway – as we can see from the way it has eroded one of the most beautiful valleys in the Salento.

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CICIRI AND TRIA Restaurant menus may well refer to it by the more common Italian name of pasta e ceci (pasta and chickpeas); but spot the dish written in Apulian dialect (ciciri e tria), and you will know that the rigorous culinary canons required for its authenticity have been observed.

Similar in appearance to tagliatelle, true tria should consist of fresh pasta (but without eggs) fried in extravirgin olive oil from the Salento.

The chickpeas are slow-cooked with vegetables and herbs.

Here in Otranto the dish is traditionally eaten with mussels, which are commonly served peppered or sautéd.

10 IL BALCONCINO D’ORIENTE 71 via Francesco da Paola Tel. 0836 801529 Closed Monday www.balconicinodoriente.com Tucked away from the town’s hubbub, The Little Oriental Balcony is the ideal place for a peaceful bite.

Well looked after and strong on local specialities.

11 IL MAESTRALE Largo Cavour fb/ Il Maestrale club The place for people-watching and drinking in the local vibe – and the odd cocktail too. Right on the pier in the centre of town.

12 RISTORANTE LA CORTE DI NETTUNO Via Madonna del Passo, Tel. 0836 801832 www.cortedinettuno.it Besides offering an enviable menu of meat and fish dishes and fine regional wines, Neptune’s Court holds its own as a mini maritime museum: vintage portholes, Roman amphorae, a vast collection of pipes carved out of horn and some monstrously large shells.

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6 SPIAGGIA CITTADINA The municipal beach is located along a stretch of sandy seashelf and has recenty benefited from a makeover. There are no ad hoc facilities, but it still offers a pleasant haven for a swim after all the sightseeing. The water is crystal-clear and the setting quite attractive, just a short walk from the city centre.

7 COLLE DELLA MINERVA Minerva’s Hill was probably named after

a temple that once rose here, dedicated to the goddess who was widely venerated in the region. Sadly, its association is rather more grim: this is where the 800 Martyrs of Otranto met their death at the hands of the Turks. By the legend, the body of the first victim to be decapitated, Antonio Primaldo, stood on his feet until the

TARANTISM AND PIZZICA

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There has been a traditional belief among Apulian peasantry that the symptoms caused by the bite of the taranta spider can only be cured by a frenzied ritual dance.

(The creature in question is the Lycosa tarantula, tarantula not to be confused with its hairier and more dreaded cousin.) The origins of Tarantism are steeped in folklore and probably traceable to a pagan healing rite. Different variants of the dance have been documented across the Mediterranean Basin and Tarantism was first mentioned in medieval chronicles in the context of the Crusades. In Apulia, and especially in the Salento, Tarantism survived as recently as the late Sixties with an attempt to absorb it into Christianity. While it is now defunct as a belief, there has been a considerable revival of the music associated with it, particularly its dance: the tarantella.

The pizzica (“pinch”, literally, or bite) is the Salento’s own distinctive variant of the tarantella and very much the showpiece at any folk dance event here.

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very last of the citizens of Otranto had met the same fate; witnessing such a miraculous profession of faith, one of the infidel butchers converted to Christianity and, as a punishment for his blasphemy, was impaled alive. A Baroque sanctuary commemorates the event: Santa Maria dei Martiri.

8 CAPPELLA DELL’ALTO MARE From the town’s beach, a steep

stairway leads up to the Chapel of the High Seas; it is dedicated to the Madonna of the Holy Spirit, who is close to many a heart in Otranto, especially among the fishermen. The Chapel is designed in a single nave with a mosaic floor, and decorated with traditional maritime themes.

EVENTS

OTRANTO

, May: St Francis of Paola is celebrated on a Sunday in May, with the Mayor symbolically handing the keys of Otranto to the saint in recognition of the fact that he prophesied the Turkish invasion of 1480.

Stalls offer local food, arts and crafts. , July/August: the town’s main festival runs from late July to mid-August and honours the Martyrs of Otranto.

Otranto. A number of processions bathe the streets in colour; they are preceded by music and stalls the night before. , First Sunday in September: the Festa della Madonna dell’Altomare celebrates the shrine of the Virgin Mary at the Chapel of the High Seas with a long procession of craft on the waters of the port and a grand fireworks display. , New Year’s Eve: historically exposed to countless civilisations, the Salento peninsula has become a cult place for revellers seeing in the New Year. Alba dei popoli (Dawn of the People) marks the event in style with arts, environmental awarenes, music and sideshows all celebrating cultural integration.

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SHOPPING DAF DESIGN 26 Corso Garibaldi, Tel. 0832 633073, www.dafdesign.it Offering trunkfuls of bags and accessories, all handmade, and a lethal place for clutch bag lovers.

Visit this boutique at your own peril.

LIBRERIA ANIMA MUNDI–SUONI DAL MONDO 8 Vicolo Majorano, Tel. 0836 801914 www.suonidalmondo.com

A bookshop with a rich collection of books and music from the Salento.

If you like the ambience, the Libreria also runs its own coffee bar at the bottom of Corso Garibaldi.

ENOTECA DE VINIS 6 Via basilica, Otranto Wine shop showcasing the very best of the Salento.

OTRANTO

OTRANTO AT A GLANCE To best enjoy Otranto’s nooks, crannies, sites and vistas, we would suggest that you start your tour at the castle. The stairway up to the right offers one of the best panoramic views over the harbour.

For a closer look at the castle’s rather impressive bastion, proceed along the main thoroughfare bearing right as far as the small – and now delapidated – altar dedicated to the Madonna dei pescatori (fishermen).

Once your have retraced your steps, you have the option of either plunging into the crowds of the glitzy Corso Garbaldi, or taking the small street off to the right that leads to the Byzantine Church of St Peter. As long as you keep your radar tuned into the hustle and bustle of the Corso, you can stray into Otranto’s quieter backstreets to your heart’s

content without getting lost.

From the main Corso you will easily find the Norman cathedral with its celebrated mosaics. Largo Cavour and the Porta Alfonsina are also just a stone’s throw away. If a gelato or an aperitivo are not beckoning from the pier, a stroll along the Lungomare degli Eroi (Heroes’ Promenade) will show you to the public beach.

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On the last leg of our journey we discover the stretch of Adriatic shore that merges into Le Cesine, a WWF Nature Reserve. From Otranto we first head north to reach the Alimini Lakes oasis, before returning to the coast to skirt its sweeping bays, small inlets and long strips of sand.

Leaving Le Cesine and the seashore behind, our last few kilometres take us through olive groves and minor country roads to Acaya – the only fortified small town in the south of Italy – and, finally, to Lecce and its replendent Baroque. This has to be the day for one last swim, a hearty fish-based lunch and some sightseeing in Lecce.

FROM OTRANTO TO LECCE

From Otranto to Lecce

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Lequile San Pietro San Cesario in Lama di Lecce

Monteroni di Lecce

Arnesano

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FRUITS OF THE SALENTO Sun, sea and wind have forged the Salento’s character and formed the fibre of its people. Of the many fruits produced by its land some stand out for their outstanding richness in taste. Dubbed “the fruit of the rich”, the fig will have been fairly ubiquitous this week along your trails – always a great shot of sugar for the waning cyclist. But “the fruit of the poor” is even more abundant if somewhat trickier to pick: the “Indian fig”, as it is known here, or prickly pear. A pen-knife does the trick. No visitor should leave Apulia without first trying some minunceddhra: the suggestion of watermelon, the consistency and aftertaste of melon and the shape and colour of

cucumber – all rolled into one. Its juice could not be more thirstquenching and many stalls in Apulia serve it fresh in the street.

ALIMINI LAKES 1 Great Alimini (Grande) and Small Alimini

SANT’ANDREA 2 No more than a hamlet of a few dozen dwell-

ings, this bathing resort is quite distinctive on account of its rock: a sea stack resembling a Sphynx that graces the bay of St Andrew. Adjacent to the small carpet of beach lie the remains of a medieval settlement carved in the rock. The bay is embraced by high karstic cliffs of sharp white rock, eroded into dramatic forms.

FROM OTRANTO TO LECCE

(Piccolo) lie at the heart of the oasis of the same name – a nature reserve of remarkable biodiversity shaded by dense pinewoods and carpeted in Mediterranean macchia. The source of the Piccolo springs from the nearby hills of the Serra di Montevergine, on the broad coastal dunes, and grows into a canal (confusingly) called the Rio Grande. Although the two lakes lie in close proximity and were once linked by a manmade watercourse, they are quite distinct: the Piccolo is a freshwater pool, while the Grande is fed by the sea and rich in saltwater fish and shellfish.

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Sant’Andrea also knows how to party and in the summer buzzes from dawn (with sunlovers) well into the night (with clubbers) – its beach bars serving drink and decibels in equal measure.

TORRE DELL’ORSO 3 The best views across the long stretch of

sand are from the summit of the headland which supports the Tower of the Bear, a Saracen defence. It is one of the top rated resorts in the Salento and equally popular with tourists and environmentalists, all of whom value its Blue Flag status for the purity of its waters and sustainable facilities.

FROM OTRANTO TO LECCE

GROTTA DELLA POESIA 4 A natural pool (with a manmade diving

board), the Cave of Poetry is a place of mystery that has many a story to retell, from the Greeks to the Byzantines and many more millennial civilisations besides. The legend recounts that poets once gathered here to declaim the virtues of a fair princess who would come here to bathe, hence the name. The name Poesia could also be a distortion of the cave’s former title, Posia, which meant “source of fresh water”.

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ROCA VECCHIA 5 The archaeological dig at Roca Vecchia has

unearthed but a fraction of a large fortified town which some experts claim predates the arrival of the Messapians – making this an indigenous settlement. A wander through the site and its park is an exceptional experience, not least because the opening hours that are displayed are rarely observed. The outlying paths nevertheless make for a pleasant walk through the rockscape.

“It should be of a colour similar to ruby, have a jelly-like consistency, a slight aroma of lemon and a certain transparency,” in the words of Don Ciccio Cesano’s niece – Don Ciccio being the patriarch of the family that has introduced cotognata to the world. “When you cut a thin slither you should be able to see through it; its sweetness should not eclipse the taste of quince: then it is a good one.”

To try one of best, we would recommend Pasticceria Franchini

(Via San Lazzaro 36, Lecce - Tel. 0832-343882). As a youngster, the owner Maestro Franchini worked for the Cesanos and he is now proud to fly the flag with all the traditional commitment and passion.

Should your taste buds be in disagreement with cotognata, Lecce is always ready with its almond pastry (dolcetto alla pasta di mandorle) or a little fruttone, the Mediterranean mince pie.

FROM OTRANTO TO LECCE

LA COTOGNATA

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SAN FOCA 6 A small fishing hamlet that has grown into an

attractive tourist village, San Foca is – like many other localities here – named after its watchtower. The centre offers a choice of coffee bars, gelaterias and restaurants – plus the chance to swim near the “Grotta degli amanti” (the Lovers’ Cave)...

RISERVA LE CESINE 7 Part of a wetland that once stretched from

Otranto as far as Brindisi, Le Cesine Reserve is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Migratory birds from much of Europe transit here, es-

FROM OTRANTO TO LECCE

EATING AND DRINKING SFIZI DI MARE Lungomare Matteotti, Tel. 339 6462907 Excellent for seafood salads, sea urchins and fish in general. As a friggitoria this restaurant will also fry the day’s catch of your choice for you: simply pop nextdoor into the fish market and take your pick.

RISTORANTE IL VECCHIO MOLO 4 Piazza del Popolo, Tel. 348 2976572 The starters are the Vecchio Molo’s tour de force: always fresh and good value for money.

GOOD ICE Lungomare Matteotti Hard to cycle by without stopping here before your last few kilometres to Lecce. A very popular gelateria.

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pecially in the autumn, before resuming their flight to the warmer climes of Africa. The tower at the manor farm – which is now a hospitality centre and houses the offices of the WWF – dates back to the 16th century and was once a coastal watchtower.

Masseria Cesine – Vernole, Tel. 08321826132, Tel. 329 831571, www.riservalecesine.it The Reserve can be explored (by bike as well) with an authorised guide – bookable in advance.

Minimum number 15 people, 8 € per person.

in accordance with the Renaissance canons designed to create the archetypical city; it is in fact considered a precursor of the ideal purpose-made citadel since it came into being much earlier than the late Renaissance centres. Either way, ancient Segine is a gem of architecture and urban planning of its time. It was conceived by Giangiacomo dell’Acaya, Charles V’s military architect, who designed country houses throughout the Kingdom of Naples as well as Lecce Castle. Acaya slipped into a gradual decline in the aftermath of a Turkish incursion in the 18th century but has enjoyed a revival in recent years largely thanks to its archaeological museum, which is housed in the castle.

Largo Castello, Acaya - Tel. 347 2535235 Open daily (except Monday) 9.30am-12.30pm and 4-7pm, 5 € www.castelloacaya.it

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ACAYA 8 Acaya was built midway between Lecce and Otranto

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LECCE

Lecce Historians, writers and travellers have come up with a plethora of nicknames for Lecce over the years, in an enthusiastic effort to distinguish it from the other towns in the Kingdom of Naples: Florence of the South, Athens of Apulia, Church-City, City of Filigree Architecture...

Lecce was at once aristocratic and sensibly functional, and this quality in itself certainly set it apart and made it popular with the many personalities who have come to appreciate its customs and traditions: Napoleon Bonaparte loved its tobacco; Charles V (the legendary Don Carlos) granted Lecce the privilege of its defensive walls while enriching it culturally; the Irish philosopher George Berkeley admired it as did the 18th century traveller Baron von Riedesel and the art historian Martin Shaw Briggs, for its Baroque.

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THE PROVINCE IN NUMBERS AREA: 2,760 km2 POPULATION: 790,000 THE SIX LARGEST TOWNS (BY POPULATION): Lecce 90,000; Nardò 31,000; Galatina 27,000; Copertina 24,000; Gallipoli 21,000; Casarano 20,000

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Lecce is also renowned for the enterprising spirit of its citizens, along with their sense of order and respectful warmth, the elegance of its historic centre and the beauty of the surrounding countryside and shores – the list goes on. But reputations and clichés aside, present day Lecce and its province are enjoying a healthy flowering of culture and reformist politics which, however delicately poised, make them as attractive as ever to visitors.

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History of the city MESSAPIAN AND ROMAN PERIODS According to the legend, the

first king of ancient Lecce (or Sybar as it was known) was Malennius. The warrior Idomeneus, on his return from the Trojan wars, married Malennius’ beautiful daughter and then succeeded him to the throne, changing the city’s name. Lecce certainly ranked among the most resplendent Messapian towns – greater in stature than even Rudiae and Cavallino – and was robustly defended by its original walls.

During the Roman period, the town was once again given a new name, Luppiae, and a new urban structure; it was also enriched with a theatre, an amphitheatre and a temple dedicated to Apollo. Under the Emperor Trajan, the town would be empowered with a productive port and connected to Brindisi via the Traiana-Calabra road.

FROM THE BYZANTINES TO THE ARAGONESE With the spread of

Christianity and subsequent fall of the Western Holy Roman Empire, Lecce came under the influence of Byzantium. The town lost its former status and slid into gradual decline, becoming easy prey to Saracens, Longobards and Slavs.

After the Norman conquest Lecce was reborn and became a commercial centre and the capital of the Salento – its standing recognised by the fact that the last of the Norman line of counts bore the title of Tancredi of Lecce.

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His demise marked the arrival of the Swabians to the throne of Sicily with Frederick II, and the county of Lecce came under the control of the Brienne family, a dynasty of astute and judicious counts.

The Aragonese would grant Lecce considerable privileges and declare it the capital of a territory that now included Matera and the entire province of Otranto, a land that had once formed part of the Byzantine Empire. Under Charles V and his successors, Lecce was enriched with a number of new religious and civil institutions.

FROM THE BOURBONS TO THE PRESENT DAY The period of Bourbon

rule lasted from 1734 until the Unification of Italy in 1860 – with a brief Napoleonic interval in between – and brought about substantial changes in Lecce’s administrative structure along with continued economic growth. Lecce opted to join the Kingdom of Italy, gaining administrative autonomy with the creation of its own province; this re-established the borders of the ancient Land of Otranto (which included the present-day provinces of Lecce, Taranto and Brindisi).

During the Fascist years the territory of Lecce was divided into its current districts, although the town continued to serve as the capital for the whole area until the end of the Second World War on account of its university and courthouse.

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The best in brief 1 PORTA SAN BIAGIO The eastern gate of the historic centre is

a testimony to the widespread cult of St Blaise in the Land of Otranto over the centuries. (Blaise should not be confused with Basil, who was central to the Byzantine crede and also prominent in this area.) A martyr and Bishop of Sebasteia in Armenia, Blaise is said to have been born in Lecce, which he fled through persecution. A nearby church was also dedicated to him, although it no longer exists. Moving from one cult to another: the Gate of St Blaise leads into Via dei Perroni, the hub of Lecce’s nightlife, or movida as it known in Italian.

2 CHURCH OF SAINT MATTHEW The façade makes this church unique among the many Baroque places of worship in Lecce: the lower section is convex in its curves, while the upper is concave.

It was designed in the 18th century by Larducci, who was probably inspired by the work of his illustrious uncle, Francesco Borromini, master of the Roman Baroque. The unfinished decorations on one of the columns tell a colourful tale: the devil was so upset by the beauty of this masterpiece, that he whisked Borromini’s life away to stop him from completing it.

3 CHURCH OF SAINT CLAIRE The most original feature here is the

4 ROMAN THEATRE There is only one Roman theatre in Apulia and it was discovered here in Lecce in 1929 when the gardens of the two adjacent palazzi were being landscaped. It had an estimated capacity of over 5,000. After the restoration work carried out in 1999, a museum was created to house the artefacts that had come to light since its discovery; there is also a permanent exhibition about Roman theatre in general.

Via degli Ammirati - Tel. 0832.279196 - Open daily 9.30am-1pm, 2 €

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false ceiling, which is entirely in papier-mâché. The experiment was the brainchild of the architect Manieri and accomplished by the numerous maestri cartapestai (papier-mâché masters) who had their workshops in Via Arte della Cartapesta, alongside the church. The façade is the work of either Cino or Larducci and remains unfinished (Larducci having of course been despatched by the devil).

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5 PIAZZA SANT’ORONZO The features of interest in this square are as diverse as the history of Lecce itself. Now the town centre, in Roman times it marked the eastern boundary of the city and the start of the road that led to Hadrian’s port – today’s Lecce marina. The Piazza is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Orontius, whose statue stands guard atop a Roman column.

6 BASILICA SANTA CROCE Along with the adjoining Convent of

Celestine monks, the Basilica of the Holy Cross is the ultimate showpiece of Lecce Baroque. It was built between 1548 and 1695 by the top local architects, in succession, and carved by Lecce’s flourishing school of craftsmen. Santa Croce is a treasure trove of sculpture, largely crafted out of the famous local softstone.

LECCE ON THE INTERNET ILTACCODIBACCO.IT/LECCE A popular website listing Lecce’s best restaurants, bars, dives and dens (Italian and English).

WWW.COMUNE.LECCE.IT/VIVICITTA/ CULTURASPETTACOLI Lecce City Council’s official portal with upto-date listings of events in and around town (Italian only).

WWW.LECCEDAFARE.IT Events, tips, wellness and nightlife in the “Florence of the South” (Italian and English).

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7 CHURCH OF SAINT IRENE This church is dedicated to the virgin martyr Irene, who was Lecce’s patron saint until 1656. The veneration of Irene was deeply observed here, as suggested by the town’s former coat of arms, which traditionally pictured the tower in which the martyr was locked up by her pagan father as a child.

8 PIAZZA DUOMO The effects created by the architecture’s

shapes, shadows and lights in this piazza, whether by day or by night, are an absorbing spectacle in themselves – almost a permanent son et lumière.. The monumental gateway sets the scene for a grand entrance into the cathedral’s courtyard, a rare example of an enclosed piazza. The original façade was considerably altered by Giuseppe Zimbalo (also known as Zingarello),

FESTIVALS (SAGRE) best vinegar and spiced with saffron.

Catering for the sweet tooth, mustazzuli are small unleavened biscuits of Arab origin. Once a treat served at weddings, they are made of flour, dried fig syrup, almonds, honey and cinnamon, and glazed in chocolate. They were sometimes wrapped in laurel, which gave them a particularly delicate aroma.

Last but not least we have cupeta: an almond and sugar paste which the mastri cupetai specialists will cook fresh for you.

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Apulia’s balmy nights often come alive with spectacular pyrotechnics, processions, folklore and music.

These are also ideal occasions for sampling local culinary delights at their most authentic – whether the sagra is taking place in a tiny backwater or a sprawling piazza in town.

One such delicacy is the bright yellow scapece, scapece traditionally ladled out of a rustic wooden vat called a caletta: a favourite with mariners, this stew consists of layers of fish and soft bread dressed with the

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the principal master of Lecce Baroque, who was commissioned to redesign both the cathedral and the bell tower, one of the tallest in southern Italy.

9 PORTA RUDIAE This gate is the earliest of the four that now

remain in Lecce and faces Rudiae. Completely rebuilt in 1703 by the architect Giuseppe Cino, it is neoclassical in structure but palpably Baroque in design. The fact that the carvings honour the legendary founders of the city as well as its patron saints makes it particularly interesting. Any visitor arriving in town through this gate is given an early taste of Lecce’s love affair with the Baroque.

10 PALAZZO PALMIERI An exemplary Rococo palazzo with a particularly striking main door in the Catalan style and elaborate balcony frames. Within, the gardens conceal an underground space carved out of tuff. Napoleon’s elder brother (Joseph, who was King of Naples for a short time) and flamboyant brotherin-law (Joachim Murat, a cavalry officer) are both said to have sojourned here.

11 ARCO DI TRIONFO Commonly known as Porta Napoli, this

triumphal arch was erected in 1548 in gratitude to Charles V (also known as Charles I, the historic Don Carlos), who had

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LECCE STONE The Salento’s crust is formed of limestone covered in a thin layer of red clay. In among the olive groves, vineyards and pine forests lies buried a variety of rocks and boulders that peasants have gathered over the millennia and worked into menhirs, dolmens, dry stone walls and trulli, or carved into caves; of all this range of tuff, the finest and most sought after rock is Pietra Leccese (or Leccisu, in the local dialect): Lecce stone. The fact that it is notoriously yielding yet resistent to the elements is a quality that has long been appreciated by the local craftsmen, along with the

warmth of its amber colour. A skill that had been honed over centuries finally came into its own with the advent of the Baroque style in Lecce: here was a stone that could be very easily transformed into something beautiful and dramatic, not merely structural or practical.

Add to this theatricality the quality of the southern light, with the sun bouncing off the Pietra Leccese and creating a myriad shadows, and it comes as no wonder that the piazzas, courtyards and alleyways of Lecce are often described as a living stage set.

girdled the town in impregnable walls and embellished it with architectural masterpieces. On the opposite side of the small piazza rises the Obelisk (1822): adorned with friezes and bas reliefs, it flaunts the shield of the ancient Land of Otranto – a dolphin biting the Turkish crescent.

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MUSEUMS

LECCE

12 MUSEO FAGGIANO 56 Via Ascanio Grandi, Tel. 0832 300528, Daily 9.30am-1pm and 4-8pm, 3€ www.museofaggiano.it Over 2,000 years of history came to light when this building belonging to the Faggiano family was refurbished.

The finds include Messapian flooring from the 5th century BC, medieval cisterns, a 16th century convent and ancient tombs. Refreshments are available on the first floor, as well as local food and crafts.

13 CASTROMEDIANO MUSEUM 28 Viale Gallipoli, Tel. 0832 307415 Open daily (except Sunday pm) 9am-1.30pm and 3.30-7.30pm, free entry www.comune.lecce.it/vivicitta/ museigallerie/ sigismondocastromediano Founded in 1868 by Sigismondo Castromediano, Duke of Cavallino, the Museo Archeologico Provinciale is the oldest in Apulia. It includes numerous items from the Messapian and Roman periods, as well as prehistory: part of the sprawling Cave of the Deer (in Porto Badisco, with its ochre and guano murals – as mentioned above) has been recreated here. The picture gallery exhibits a number of works from the Middle Ages until the 17th century demonstrating the influence of the Byzantine and Venetian schools on local artists. Other artefacts at the Castromediano include ceramics, pottery, ivory, bronze and silverware.

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MUSEUMS

15 MUSEO FERROVIARIO 3 Via G.Codacci Pisanelli Tel. 0832 228821 Open daily (except Monday) 9.30am-12.30pm 4 € www.ferromuseopuglia.altervista.org A must for railway aficionados, this museum puts on show 31 sets of wheels – from steam locomotives and carriages to service engines.

Two large hangars add to the setting – one from the Twenties and the

other from the Sixties, which were both Golden Ages in Italian Railway history. Plus models, mementoes, signalling equipment and trunkfulls of nostalgia.

16 PAPIER-MÂCHÉ MUSEUM Near Charles V Castle Tel. 0832 246517 Monday to Friday 9am-1pm and 4-8pm; Saturday and Sunday 9.30am-1pm and 4-8pm www.comune.lecce.it/vivicitta/ museigallerie/cartapesta A multimedia trail leads through this unusual museum with videos, imagery and a recreated craftman’s workshop. Some 80 works by Lecce’s major papier-mâché specialists span the art form’s journey from the18th century to the present day.

LECCE

14 MUSEO STORICO DELLA CITTÀ DI LECCE Via degli Ammirati, 11 Tel. 0832 682988 Open daily 10am-8pm, 3 € www.mustlecce.it The History Museum of Lecce currently serves as an art gallery for the works of the Salento sculptor Carlucci and an American photographer. It is housed in the former Convent of Saint Claire, which has now been restored and will be exhibiting a range of local treasures.

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EATING AND DRINKING 17 LA SCARPETTA HOSTARIA 45 Via Principi di Savoia, Tel. 0832 309575 Housed in a 16th century palazzo and benefiting from a cleverly restored indoor garden, Scarpetta serves strictly homegrown produce with its meat, fish and pizza. The desserts are superb.

LECCE

18 DIVINA PROVVIDENZA

4/c Via Rubichi, Tel. 0832 1792078 Atmospheric setting in the historic centre and a refined menu of local specialitiies and wines.

19 OSTERIA DA ANGIULINO 24 Via Principi di Savoia, Tel. 0832 245146 With a hearty and rustic ambience, this authentic osteria (inn) is frequented mainly by locals, right in the heart of Lecce. Simple but wholesome fare.

20 OSTERIA DEGLI SPIRITI 4 Via Cesare Battisti, Tel. 0832 246274 Traditional Salento specialities a stone’s throw from the town centre.

An elegant little restaurant catering for refined palates.

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LECCE AT A GLANCE It is worth setting aside as much time as you can to visit this southern Italian town, especially on a bright day, when its gloriously ornate Baroque becomes a photographer’s dream. If time is at a premium, there are three sites you should not miss: the Basilica of the Holy Cross, Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazza Duomo – all so finely detailed in their ornamentation, that you could easily dedicate your enitre day just to visit these. They are also where the city’s

main historic and artistic treasures are located.

Amid such lavish helpings of culture, some retail therapy does not go amiss; or why not combine shopping with erudition by visiting some of the more unusual craft centres, such as the papier-mâché workshops. Ultimately, whether you choose boutiques, backstreets or a cultural binge, Lecce is a delight to lose yourself in, with camera at the ready.

VITTORIO BODINI poetry is a love/hate relationship with the Mezzogiorno – the South: Bodini’s southern Italy is a deeply complex if stricken land (“... my land / so deplored that I cannot but love you”), which he adores and abhores but ultimately makes his own through an intimate understanding of its people.

LECCE

A master of many trades, Vittorio Bodini is celebrated as the founder of literary Futurism in Italy and as a poet of exceptional sensitivity – as well as a playwright, ground-breaking literary critic and art critic. In Italy he is particularly renowned for his translations of Spanish classics, including Cervantes and Garcia Lorca, while the hallmark of his

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SHOPPING SIKALINDI 24 Via Libertini, Tel. 0832240655 www.sikalindi.it There is more to the “Indian fig” (prickly pear) than meets the pain, as the Rossetti family and their team of young designers will show: you will have seen many a cactus on your travels here, and besides the succulent fruit that they provide, their fibres can be used to create furniture and a range of other designer objects – all 100% sustainable.

ROSSO POMPEIANO c/o Palazzo Tamborino, 50 Via Guglielmo Paladini, Tel. 338 4662554 www.rossopompeiano.com One for bookworms and collectors of all things quirky: as well as boasting one of the most attractive 19th century gardens in the historic centre, Palazzo Tamborino has a little shop of wonders in its museum.

Eccentric is the word (ask Gérard Depardieu, who loves it) and it includes foreign language books.

LABORATORIO CREATIVO DI.VERGO 36 Via Vittorio Emanuele Tel. 338 3494274, www.animare.it A creative crafts laboratory run by a voluntary organisation, offering 15 disadvantaged young people vital work experience in the company of their peers.

LECCE

EVENTS , Last Sunday of each month month: antiques and bric-à-brac market in Via XX settembre, near the old hospital. , End of May May: the most attractive courtyards in the historic centre of Lecce open their gates to the public. , June: Lecce hosts the Festival of European Film and is transformed into a jamboree of avant-garde European films. Some great retrospectives of iconic figures as well. , August: from the 24th to the 26th of the month, Lecce’s patrons are remembered in style: Orontius, Justus and Fortunatus are celebrated with concerts, plays, processions and much more besides. , December: quintessentially southern Italian, the Festival of Cribs and Puppets is an age-old popular event. Inextricably linked with the ever-present shadow of the marauding Infidel, cribs (presepi) are elaborate affairs down in the Mezzogiorno of Italy – as are the puppet and marionette shows (pupi), which feature Moors, fair Christian maidens and fearless local knights coming to the rescue. Lecce softstone, papier-mâché and terracotta all come into their own.

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USEFUL INFORMATION

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

MONEY

112 Police National Police Force

Currency Euro

countrywide (Carabinieri) 113 Police (Alternative number for State Police in larger towns) 115 Fire

Cash Machines are ubiquitous in Italy.

Check with your local bank whether your card is compatible abroad and what the charges may be for using it.

118 Ambulance

Credit Cards are widely accepted.

When calling, ask if they speak English:

Cheques,, as elsewhere, are gradually

they can always put you through to

being phased out and rarely used.

someone who does.

INTERNET WI-FI INFORMATION

You can find Internet cafés easily in larger

ENIT Italian State Tourist Board

towns and in tourist centres. Middle and

- 1 Princes Street - London W1B 2AY

top-end hotels have Internet. In most

Tel.: +44 020 7408 1254

tourism offices and near universities WI-FI

(Information Office)

Internet access is free.

Fax: +44 020 7399 3567 E-mail: info.london@enit.it

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Website: www.enit.it

The railway network covering the areas

- 630 Fifth Avenue - Suite 1965

visited on this tour is run by three

New York, New York 10111

operators:

Tel: +1 212 245 5618

www.trenitalia.com (for Ostuni-Lecce)

E-mail: newyork@enit.it

www.ferrovieappulolucane.it (for Bari-

Website: www.enit.it

Matera) www.fseonline.it (for other small towns

CONSULATES

and villages)

Belgium

Almost all towns along the itinerary are

Bari: 53 Via Giovanni Gentile

served by trains, although as we go to

70126 Bari, Tel. 080 5583477

print fseonline does not yet guarantee

United Kingdom Bari: 127 Via Dalmazia 70121 Bari, Tel. 080 5543668 France Brindisi: 28 Via Achille Grandi

bike transport.

Coaches are used for replacement services when trains do not run, or to provide additional routes.

Taxis are quite expensive.

72100 Brindisi, Tel. 0831 517392 OPENING TIMES HEALTH

Pharmacies: Monday-Saturday 8.30am-

EU citizens have free access to the Italian

1pm; 4.30-8pm. Italian pharmacies

National Health Service. Check with your

generally display a notice stating which

own health authority for any exclusions

pharmacies are on duty locally outside

that may affect you.

of normal hours.

Non-EU citizens will generally be charged. Banks: Monday-Friday 8.20/9amYou should seek advice before traveling to ensure that you are adequately covered – whether through your travel insurance or private health insurance.

1/1.30pm; 2.30-3.30/4pm Post Offices: Monday-Friday 8.30am1.30pm

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Shops: Monday-Saturday 9am-1pm and

will still need to treat it as an international

4-8pm. Additionally, many shops have

call and precede it by the Italian dialing

a half-day closure midweek, which

code + 39. Local codes (e.g. 080 for Bari)

varies from place to place.

start with an 0, which usually needs to be

Holidays: On national holidays shops are generally shut. Additionally, many

included – and sometimes not, depending on your provider.

shops, offices and restaurants are shut for a week or two at some stage over

TIPPING

the summer months. Check locally.

Gratuities are always appreciated in return

Supermarkets: in larger towns are often

for good service, especially in restaurants.

open all day Monday-Saturday 9am-

5 to 15% or simply rounding up the bill

7pm. Check locally.

is the norm. Most restaurant and pizzeria

Shopping: Malls Mostly open daily,

menus will state whether there is a cover

Sundays included, 9.30am-9pm

charge: this generally amounts to one or

Sites and Museums: Please refer to

two euros.

individual entries listed throughout the guide. Many attractions have variable

SUMMER TIME AND HOURS

opening hours which we do not have

OF DAYLIGHT

the space to list in detail, so we would

In Italy, Summer Time (or Daylight Saving

advise you to check locally..

Time – DST) runs from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October,

ELECTRICITY

providing a longer period of daylight in the

You will need to take an adapter with

afternoon. It is worth bearing in mind that

you for three-point UK and Irish plugs; if

being the easternmost place in Italy, the

you come from another English-speaking

sun rises earlier here compared to else-

country, find out if your plugs are compat-

where in the country; by the same token

ible with Italian sockets before you leave

the sun sets 30/40 minutes earlier as well.

home.

BIKE SECURITY MOBILE/CELL PHONES

Although bike thefts are fortunately rare,

Roaming many phone providers world-

we recommend that you lock your bikes

wide offer upgrades for free or low-

securely at all times: the best method is to

cost usage abroad. Check with your

thread the chain through the front wheel,

provider before leaving home.

the frame and a post – or to a cycling

Pay-As-You-Go Alternatively, you can

partner’s bike.

buy an Italian Pay-As-You-Go Sim card from any phone shop, while top-ups

OFFICIAL TOURIST BOARDS

are available at any newspaper kiosk

Official information centres such as Puglia

or tobacconist from 5 €.

Promozione or the so-called Pro Loco offices in smaller towns (which offer a

INTERNATIONAL DIALING CODES

free service) should not be confused with

UK + 44

private tourist agencies which sometimes

Ireland + 353

deliberately lure visitors with signs such as

USA/Canada + 1

“Tourist Information” or “Info Point”:

Australia + 61

these are rarely free and do not necessar-

New Zealand+ 64

ily offer impartial advice.

If you are dialing an Italian number using

The official Apulian tourism website is

your foreign Sim card (even if you are

www.viaggiareinpuglia.it/hp/en

calling someone just down the road) you

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R E E N S

GR EE N S were born from the need to provide cyclists with information on the Girolibero tour in Italy and France.

GR EE N S consist of 3 books: • a tourist guide for cyclists • a complete set of maps for the tour • a roadbook Other G R E E NS are being prepared for: Provence–Camargue, Paris–London, ...

Further information at: greens@girolibero.com

This guide is designed as a companion to your travels through the regions of Basilicata and Apulia. It provides for your cycling tour: , scenically and culturally fascinating places , historical information , useful information , tips on good meals and snacks