Tourism
Exploring
Salento is considered roughly the heel of the boot (including the entire Province of Lecce, and stretching a bit to the north— a geographic and not a political border). There is a lot to see and do (or not), even if you’re staying just a couple of days. If you find a good guide book for Puglia in English, let us know. And please ask if you want to do something in particular (hike, bike, kite surf, sit on sandy beach or jump off ledges, visit pre-history, see baroque villages, go to a village’s patron saint festival, here ar traditional pizzica music...). We can make recommendations.
North of Salento, there are other cities in Puglia worth visiting: Alberobello, Bari, Brindisi, Ostuni, Polignano del Mare...
Fun facts: There are eight villages in Salento that still speak an indigenous Greek dialect. There is a stone Roman road that runs near Daniele’s house that is still the same pavement. The Bronze Age Messapian people aligned a series of menhirs along the Adriatic coast. No one knows what this means. Later the Venetians aligned a series of watch towers along both coasts (at the time, visible one to the other). Salento is the densest olive-producing region in Europe.
Holidayz is a full service tourism company focused only on the Gallipoli area of Salento. The site is only in Italian for now.
Activities
We will share some specific suggestions and options here, and the best people to organize activities with you. Among the possibilities:
- The olive trees are amazing and disappearing. There are some that are 1000+ years old, and dying quickly of an imported disease. They‘re worth a visit. If you stay at an agriturismo you can walk in any direction.
- There are thermal spas and derivative treatments in Santa Cesarea Terme. You can either swim in four hots spots (Gatulla, Solfurea, Fetida and Solfatara) along the coast, or have a treatment or pay entry to the outdoor sulphuric pool at the spa hotel.
- Salento Bici Tour organizes bike rentals and tours, as does Bike in Gallipoli. There are others!
- Sailboat or motorboat tour of either coast is a watery alternative to driving the coastal road. Escursioni La Torre is one that leaves from Torre Vado (south of Gallipoli) and sails to the cape at Leuca, in two or four hour sunset cruises. Price is by person or for the whole boat, depending on who’s interested.
- There are big and beautiful caves you can tour by walking, swimming, or boats. See “deer cave” if you’re interested in Neolithic drawings discovered in 1970.
- Porto Selvaggio nature reserve is as raw as it gets in Salento for a coastal hike.
- A few wine and olive oil makers organize tours. Cantele (around Lecce) is one we like that offers tours in English. Negroamaro and primitivo are the two main grapes grown in Salento. You can learn more through Salento Wine Tours.
General
Sustenance
- A very few of many good spots to eat. In Gallipoli, Osteria Briganti, Alla Putia, La Vinaigrette. Up the beach on Lido Conchiglie, you’ll find great fresh seafood at La Maruzzella and Scapricciatiello. Gusto in Castrignano. Trattoria La Bersagliera in Surano. The Friggitoria in Castro.
- Restaurants serve the main meal at mid-day, which in Salento is usually around 13:00. If you reserve a table, they will hold it for you for lunch/pranzo until about 14:30 when the kitchen will start to close.
- You find more casual categories (like pubs in Gallipoli, Otranto, Lecce) that will serve good food through the afternoon. This means you could have an 18:00 dinner.
- In smaller villages, everything will be closed for dinner until 20:00.
- A bar serves everything liquid: Mostly coffee, but also alcohol and fresh or natural juices.
- Order whatever coffee you want, whenever you want. It will be delicious. Experiment and enjoy.
- People do not eat pizza at mid-day. They only eat pizza after 21:00 and only in recommended places. We are not telling you this to make life difficult, we are telling you this to make life simple.
- Apperitivi are their own fun. Cocktails and finger foods starting from, say, 19:00. It’s nice, pre-pizza or on its own.
- People mostly drink bottled water. This is not necessary.
- Gelato can be habit-forming if you have a sweet tooth.
- You will definitely find some full service grocery stores outside of historic village centers. If you have time/inclination/need, you can also shop from the village’s cheese, bread, pastry, meat, fish, fruit shops.
Tips
- Italy is a kid-friendly place. Kids go everywhere adults go. This has major benefits if you’re traveling with your family. Drawbacks include that you don’t find very many kid-centric places. Forget about a children’s museum or playground. Tell us if you’re traveling with your kids, we will help.
- Telephone is useful, especially for navigation. Figure out how you want to do this with your provider. Or buy a SIM card on site, there are shops in Maglie for local phone providers like TIM, where you can buy a pre-paid card.
- Don’t forget a power or plug converter for 220 volts and round plug prongs. We like universal converters that can adapt for two or three prongs, and USB.
- Salento keeps traditional hours. Expect shops and services (not restaurants, they’re the opposite) to be closed in the afternoon from 13:00 to 17:00. Sunday and another day a week, closed all day. Ask them, if you’re counting on something, to be prepared.
- Maybe take a nap, that’s what the pause is for, in addition to eating; see “sustenance.”
- We’d love you to join us at the church where Don Giovanni (Daniele’s cousin) will bless us. The mass is Catholic, do what you feel, including everything.
- Sunrise over the Adriatic and sunset over the Ionian are going to be great.
- Weather should be easy, breezy summer. Might not be.
Transportation
Getting here
- The closest airports are Brindisi (BDS) and Bari (BRI).
- If you book an international flight (particularly from outside Europe) it might be hard to get a good itinerary to these airports. Another option is to book a separate ticket on Alitalia, RyanAir, or other for the domestic portion. This has obvious risks.
- You can rent a car from any of these entry points using Kayak.com or any of the international car rental companies (Hertz, Europcar, etc. are on site).
- Most lodging (even private rentals) will arrange an airport transfer.
- Bus Service Polimeno offers airport transfers 100 euro from Brindisi and 150 euro from Bari (120/200 for navettes).
- People are booking on some of the same flights to Brindisi, especially; we could link you with others for the transfer.
- If arriving by train (from Rome or Milan, for example), Lecce is the main city, and the provincial capital. TrenItalia is the main site for tickets, although the site could be better. The Train Line is an easier site to navitgate. Let us know if you have questions!
Getting around
- Rocco Polimeno (tel: +39.39493100) of Bus Service Polimeno (Cutrofiano) does not speak English (his son does) but he promises to help you with fast service! He has every size vehicle and can tailor the service to your needs. For example, he offers navettes (7 person) with driver for half-day (150 euros) or day-long (250 euro) excursions. They also have 3-person and 18-person options.
- There is unfortunately no Uber/Lyft/etc., and few 24 hour taxi services.
- Navetta Salento in Racale (near Gallipoli) offers airport transfers, tours, rentals, etc.
- Sergio Sano has similar options from Squinzano (tel: +39.0832785005).
- For drivers. Roads are relatively ample, even the smaller roads that you would usually drive around Salento. Crowded traffic is not an issue. Weave lanes are too short; you should anticipate having to stop before you merge into traffic on main roads. On main roads, exit signs are often immediately after the exit ramp. Have a human navigator help you if possible. Drivers sometimes use aggressive tailgating techniques.
- If you want mostly to walk, consider staying in Gallipoli or Otranto for the sea and services, or consider the historic center of Lecce (a wonderful Baroque city), or Galati
Salento
Surano
Lodging
Hotel
General lodging note: We have some recommendations clustered around the reception at Villa Vergine in Cutrofiano, and oriented toward Gallipoli, on the Ionian Sea. But you’ll enjoy staying anywhere. Every village has charm (and they are all different), and the coast changes all along. Almost all of these options in each category have a swimming pool and the sea is never more than a few minutes away. Availability of number of rooms is going to change. We have linked often to the original website, while you could usually find the listing in English on Booking.com or another consolidation site.
- Tenuta Doxi is a newly appointed hotel with eight rooms, run by the lovely Simonetta. She’s our friend, she’ll take good care of you. You have access to the pools at nearby La Masseria and of course the gorgeous Ionian coast. (Sannicola)
- Walkable in Gallipoli, with the full array of services are Atlas Hotel, Pallazzo del Corso with five rooms, Palazzo Presto, Hotel Bianco with nine rooms, and I Bastioni San Domenico with five rooms and Dimora Storica Brighanti (old town Gallipoli). The beach in old Gallipoli is small but sandy and public.
- Also central in Gallipoli (just before the bridge into the old town), a few larger hotels, with pools: Felicity Residence, Victoria Hotel, Joli Park Hotel.
- Across from Villa Vergine, San Giorgio Resort has 18 rooms and spa services (Cutrofiano), and Ravenna in Sannicola has 10 rooms.
- Galatina is a cool town about ten minutes from Gallipoli and from Villa Vergine. Hotel Palazzo Baldi has several rooms in the center and Hotel Hermitage has 48 rooms and pool about 1 km from the cute historic center.
- Critabianca. Several rooms. (Cutrofiano)
- Lecce is slightly farther from us, and by far the best-served for foreign tourists. You would definitely want to stay in the historic center, like Palazzo de Noha or Patria Palazzo, or any hotel in that area.
- Booking.com has these and a lot of other properties in Salento.
- The beach option. There is a whole category of hotel (on sandy beaches) that will provide full services if you just want to enjoy sun and sea for a few days.
Agriturismo
- This is a category of rural, historic structures that are working or converted farms, which offer bed and breakfast. You can usually also organize your lunch or dinner with typical foods.
- Go to the agriturismo site for 20+ more options. These will be nice:
- Masseria Faresalento. Four rooms and four apartments. (Castellan)
- Willaria. Eight rooms. (Cursi)
- Paradiso. Five rooms. (Parabita)
- Casina Bardoscia. Five rooms. (Collepasso)
- Masseria Carignani. Ten rooms, plus two bedroom separate structure. (Tuglie)
- Tenuta Yala. A few rooms left. (Parabita)
- Sant Eleuterio. Eight rooms. (Collepasso)
- Piccapane. Five rooms. Good for people (especially kids) who love animals, and vegetarians. (Cutrofiano)
Villa and private home
- Try VRBO that has more options than AirBnB.
- There is a large range of prices and services. Our experience is you can usually have the owner/manager arrange what you need (e.g., breakfast, daily cleaning, etc.).
- Villa Capozza. Nine bedrooms, bath en suite. (Casarano)
- Villavera. Five rooms, bath en suite. (Parabita)
- Villa Pierre. Five bed/bath. (Parabita)
- La Villa di Flo. Five bedrooms, three baths. (Alezio)
- Tenuta Gianfredi. Six bed, four bath. (Casarano)
2015
Thank you all for joining us.
Some people have asked about shipping to us: Please use Daniele’s address at Contrada Reali, s.n.c., Poggiardo (LE), Italy 73037 (and we recommend using a tracking number). We do not have a wedding registry.
