Coastal towns, Salento hinterland, ancient villages and breathtaking landscapes. Are you ready to plan your ideal tour around Nardò?
After the articles on what to see in Nardò and on the 5 restaurants to eat, let's see which cities you can reach and which are certainly worth a visit.
1. Porto Cesareo
Let's start from Porto Cesareo, a former fishing village that over time has become a village clearly dedicated to tourism, while maintaining a good navy.
Its beaches with fine and white sand generate envy in those who see them on social media while in the office or in some distant city.
But even outside the summer period, Porto Cesareo manages to satisfy a good tourist demand, through restaurants and trattorias with typical cuisine and the numerous bars and artisan ice cream parlors.
2. Gallipoli
Even Gallipoli, like Porto Cesareo, suffers the summer tourist invasion for its white beaches, establishments and nationally known clubs and fish restaurants.
In winter the food and wine offer is always very valid, flanked by the beauty of the historic center of Gallipoli. The night life also remains active with the numerous clubs that offer evenings, not only on weekends.
3. Leuca is the southernmost point of Puglia
Before moving on to the Adriatic side, a passage to Leuca is obligatory. For look at the sea from Punta Ristola, the southernmost point of Puglia.
From Capo di Leuca, in particular conditions, it is possible to see the line where the Ionian Sea meets the Adriatic Sea, of different color due to the different salinity.
4. Otranto
Passing through Salento, whether the "base camp" is in Nardò or in any other village, without making a visit to Otranto, in my opinion, means losing the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful Italian villages.
The favorable climate allows you to dine outdoors, with typical dishes or haute cuisine in the tables strategically positioned in the alleys of the historic center, even in spring and autumn.
Il Cathedral dedicated to the Martyrs of Otranto definitely worth a visit, whether you are religious or not. The mosaic on the floor and the hall with all different columns cannot fail to be included in the list of "things to see".
5. Lecce
Visiting Salento without visiting Lecce is like going to Rome and not passing through the Colosseum.
Lecce knows no difference in seasonality. Even under the big snowfall of January 2017 the city had something magical.
Its historic center is more and more beautiful and lively, by day and by night.
The typical restaurants have been joined by the "fusion" ones, in which the classic Salento cuisine is updated and revisited. The pubs have differentiated both in terms of offering menus and with the music offered in live shows.
My passion for the sea led me to list the most beautiful coastal towns in Salento. I also want to talk about some villages of the Salento hinterland definitely worth seeing.
6. Specchia: 50 km from Nardò
About 50 km south of Nardò there is a small town, included in the list of "The most beautiful villages in Italy" and since 2013 it is recognized as "Jewel of Italy".
Specchia was born on the Salento greenhouses, small hills, providing its visitors with a panoramic view of the lower Salento valley.
The historic center, a tangle of narrow streets and typical houses, has been closed to traffic to protect it and make the atmosphere magical.
7. Acaya
Acaya has remained as it was built in 1500, a fortified citadel complete with a castle and moat and walls.
The town inside is characterized by a network of streets that intersect precisely, six parallels crossed with three perpendiculars.
About 500 inhabitants still live in the village inside the walls, accessible through the only passage, the Porta di Sant'Oronzo.
8. Calimera: capital of Salento Greece
I choose this country as the "capital" of Salento Greece, a union of 11 municipalities in which a neo-Greek dialect is spoken, known as griko.
The same name of Calimera has Greek origin, as in the Hellenic language Kalimera means "good morning".
In August in these municipalities, but also in other neighboring ones, a traveling festival takes place which ends in the concertone of the Taranta night which has been held in Melpignano since 1998.
To move between the various Salento towns, I recommend avoiding the highways.
Through the country roads it may take you a few more minutes to get to your destination, but the landscapes and panoramas you will cross will surely make you forget to look at the clock.
