Salento - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Salento is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia

Apulia

Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...

region of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. It is a sub-peninsula

Peninsula

A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....

of the main Italian Peninsula

Italian Peninsula

The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...

, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot". It encompasses the entire administrative

Local government

Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...

area of the province of Lecce

Province of Lecce

The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy....

, a large part of the administrative area of Brindisi

Brindisi

Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...

and part of that of Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

.
The peninsula is also known as Terra d'Otranto

Terra d'Otranto

Terra d'Otranto was an ancient administrative division of the Kingdom of Naples, consisting of a giustizierato and then converted into a Province of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Now it belongs to Apulia region and is located in the Province of Lecce....

, and in ancient times was called variously Messapia

Messapia

Messapia may refer to:* The ancient region occupied by the extinct Messapii tribe* The modern region of Salento, roughly equivalent to the ancient region* Messapia, Greece...

, Calabria, and Salentina.

History

Messapia (from Greek

Greek language

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

Μεσσαπία) was the ancient name of a region of Italy largely corresponding to modern Salento. It was inhabited chiefly by the Messapii

Messapii

thumb|220px|Messapic ceramic, Archaeological Museum of [[Oria, Italy|Oria]], Apulia.The Messapii were an ancient tribe that inhabited, in historical times, the south-eastern peninsula or "heel" of Italy , known variously in ancient times as Calabria, Messapia and Iapygia...

in classical times. Pokorny

Julius Pokorny

Julius Pokorny was an Austrian linguist and scholar of the Celtic languages, particularly Irish, and a supporter of Irish nationalism. He held academic posts in Austrian and German universities.-Life:...

derives the toponym from PIE

Pie

A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients....

*medhyo-, "middle" and PIE *ap-, "water

Water

Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...

" (Mess-apia, "amid waters"; Note: the asterisk before a word indicates that it is a hypothetical construction, not an attested form). Pokorny compares the toponym Messapia to another ancient Italic toponym, Salapia, "salt water", a city in Apulia

Apulia

Geographic perspective

Salento peninsula is a rock of limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

dividing the Adriatic Sea

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...

from the Ionian Sea

Ionian Sea

The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...

.
Known also as "peninsula salentina", from a geo-morphologic point of view it encompasses the land borders between Ionian sea

Ionian Sea

and the Adriatic sea

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...

to the “Messapic threshold”, a depression that runs along the Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

-Ostuni

Ostuni

Ostuni is a city and comune in the province of Brindisi , with a population of about 32,000 located about 8 km from the coast. Its main economic activities include tourism, attracted by its nearby pristine beaches, as well as a vibrant olive and grape agribusiness.- History :The region around...

line and separates it from the Murge. Its borders are:

Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

, in the province of the same name
Province of Taranto
The Province of Taranto is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Taranto.It has an area of 2,437 km², and a total population of 580,588...

;
Pilone
Pilone
The Pilone is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border.-External links:*...

, in the territory of Ostuni
Ostuni
Ostuni is a city and comune in the province of Brindisi , with a population of about 32,000 located about 8 km from the coast. Its main economic activities include tourism, attracted by its nearby pristine beaches, as well as a vibrant olive and grape agribusiness.- History :The region around...

(province of Brindisi
Province of Brindisi
The Province of Brindisi is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Brindisi. Surrounded by vineyards and artichoke fields, Brindisi is a major sailing port for the southern part of Italy....

),
Santa Maria di Leuca
Santa Maria di Leuca
Santa Maria di Leuca, often spelled simply Leuca, is a frazione of the comune of Castrignano del Capo, in the province of Lecce , southern Italy.A part of the town once belonged to the comune of Gagliano del Capo.- Description :...

, in the province of Lecce
Province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy....

.

Language

Salento, from a cultural and linguistic point of view, does not include the city of Taranto (where the Tarantino dialect is spoken), nor the rest of Taranto province to the west of the city (where Pugliese-Apulian is the dialect generally spoken), nor the rest of the province of Brindisi to north of Ostuni (where the accent is influenced by the dialect of Bari). Beside these borders, the language can be defined generally as “pugliese” (Apulian), belonging to “the southern” tipology. To the south and east, the Griko and Salentino

Salentino

The Salentino dialect is the traditional vernacular of the southern Italian provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and part of that of Taranto, known more commonly as the Salento, the extreme southern part of the region of Puglia or the southern "heel" of the Italian peninsula.For socio-political reasons...

dialect are spoken, belonging to the “extreme” southern tipology and more similar to the Sicilian

Sicilian language

Sicilian is a Romance language. Its dialects make up the Extreme-Southern Italian language group, which are spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands; in southern and central Calabria ; in the southern parts of Apulia, the Salento ; and Campania, on the Italian mainland, where it is...

or Calabrian

Calabrian

Calabrian may refer to:* Calabrian languages, the languages and dialects spoken in Calabria* Calabrians, the people of Calabria, southern Italy...

languages.

Tourism

A number of places, the coasts above all, are remarkable landscapes and environments, among them the Alimini
Lakes, on the Adriatic coast, and Porto Selvaggio, on the Ionic coast.

The soil is very fertile: some of the finest olive trees and grapes grow here, and their products are exported worldwide.

Salento's coasts are varied, and can be sandy or rocky, but all boast pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters. Some of the most renowned locations in Salento for summer holidays (from May/June to September) are: Ostuni

Ostuni

, Oria

Oria, Italy

Oria is a town and comune in the Apulia region, in the province of Brindisi, in southern Italy. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oria.- History :...

, Ugento

Ugento

Ugento is a town and comune in Italy. It has a small harbour, and is situated in the province of Lecce, in Apulia, on the Gulf of Taranto . It includes the frazioni of Gemini and Torre San Giovanni.-History:...

, Manduria

Manduria

Manduria is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Taranto. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.-History:...

, Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Gallipoli, Torre dell'Orso, Otranto

Otranto

Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...

, Santa Maria di Leuca

Santa Maria di Leuca

Santa Maria di Leuca, often spelled simply Leuca, is a frazione of the comune of Castrignano del Capo, in the province of Lecce , southern Italy.A part of the town once belonged to the comune of Gagliano del Capo.- Description :...

, Lizzano, Pulsano

Pulsano

Pulsano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Santa Cesarea Terme

Santa Cesarea Terme

Santa Cesarea Terme is a town and comune of 3,100 inhabitants in province of Lecce, in Apulia, southern Italy.Situated on the coast at the beginning of the Otranto canal on a terrace of the coast which comes down to the sea, the town of Santa Cesarea is one of the most important centres of care of...

.

Salento is a peaceful land full of history and traditions whose strong points are its natural and architectural beauties, hospitality, atmosphere, and of course sea and its coast.

Transportation

The nearest international airports are those of Brindisi

Brindisi

and Bari

Bari

Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...

(the latter is out of Salento but not far).

A 2-lanes freeway connects Salento to Bari. The main railway line ends at Lecce

Lecce

Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...

. Other locations are served by regional railroads.

Leisure ports are those of: Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

, Brindisi

Brindisi

, Campomarino di Maruggio's tourist and leisure Marina, Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca

Santa Maria di Leuca

, Otranto

Otranto

Cities and towns in Salento

Province of Lecce
Province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy....

Acquarica del Capo

Acquarica del Capo

Acquarica del Capo is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, Apulia, south-eastern Italy.-Main sights:*Medieval castle, built in the 14th century by Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo.*Church of San Carlo Borromeo...

, Alessano

Alessano

Alessano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, part of Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Alezio

Alezio

Alezio is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History:Alezio was a centre of the Messapi, who would call it Alytia like their former capital in Acarnania. According to Pliny the Elder, the Aletines descended instead from the Iapyges, who descended...

, Alliste

Alliste

Alliste is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Andrano

Andrano

Andrano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Aradeo

Aradeo

Aradeo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Arnesano

Arnesano

Arnesano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Bagnolo del Salento

Bagnolo del Salento

Bagnolo del Salento is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Botrugno

Botrugno

Botrugno is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.The main sight is the marquisal palace, which was erected in 16th century and restored during the 17th century. It was Castriota Scanderbeg family in 1725 who built the baroque-style balcony....

, Calimera

Calimera

Calimera is a small town of 7,296 inhabitants in the Grecìa Salentina area of the Salento peninsula in Italy, located between Gallipoli and Otranto. It belongs to the province of Lecce....

, Campi Salentina

Campi Salentina

Campi Salentina is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-Bounding communes:*Cellino San Marco *Guagnano*Novoli*Salice Salentino*Squinzano*Trepuzzi*Veglie-Population History:...

, Cannole, Caprarica di Lecce

Caprarica di Lecce

Caprarica di Lecce is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce. It is located in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.Antonio Verri was a poet and writer who was born in the town....

, Carmiano

Carmiano

Carmiano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. Carmiano is in the heart of the province of Lecce and Salento...

, Carpignano Salentino, Casarano

Casarano

Casarano is a town and sixth most populous comune in the Italian province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of South-East Italy. The town's economy is mostly agriculture-based, with olive oil being the main product. The Church of Santa Maria Della Croce is one of the oldest Christian sites in the...

, Castri di Lecce

Castri di Lecce

Castri di Lecce, known as Castrì di Lecce , is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Castrignano de' Greci

Castrignano de' Greci

Castrignano de' Greci is a small town and comune of 4,107 inhabitants in the province of Lecce in Apulia, southern Italy. It is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina.- References :...

, Castrignano del Capo

Castrignano del Capo

Castrignano del Capo is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It has three frazioni: Santa Maria di Leuca, Giuliano, Salignano....

, Castro

Castro (LE)

Castro is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.-History:Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae , which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, c. 15 km south of Hydruntum...

, Cavallino

Cavallino

Cavallino is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Collepasso

Collepasso

Collepasso is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Copertino

Copertino

Copertino is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History:Following Charles of Anjou's successful campaign in 1266, the Hohenstaufen tower of Copertino was held first by the de Pratis family and then by Walter VI of Brienne, Duke of Athens, Duke of...

, Corigliano d'Otranto

Corigliano d'Otranto

Corigliano d'Otranto is a small town and comune of 5,632 inhabitants in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. It is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina.-Sister cities: Ilion, Greece...

, Corsano

Corsano

Corsano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-Geography:It is located on the last slopes of the Salentine Murge, facing the Adriatic Sea coast. The distance from Lecce is 60 km.-History:...

, Cursi, Cutrofiano

Cutrofiano

Cutrofiano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It is known for its shoes and ceramic production....

, Diso

Diso

Diso is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It is an ancient city, having existed since the early 11th century, and features several churches, buildings and squares....

, Gagliano del Capo

Gagliano del Capo

Gagliano del Capo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-Main sights:*Palazzo Ciardo *Mother Church, built in 1574*Church of St. Francis of Paola- External Links :...

, Galatina

Galatina

Galatina , known before the unification of Italy as San Pietro in Galatina, is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in Apulia.Among the most important cities in Salento, it is situated some 21 km south of the city of Lecce....

, Galatone

Galatone

Galatone is a town and comune located in Salento, in the province of Lecce , ancient seat of the Marquess of Galatone.-History:...

, Gallipoli, Giuggianello

Giuggianello

Giuggianello is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Giurdignano

Giurdignano

Giurdignano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History:The human presence in the area of Giurdignano dates to as early as the Bronze Age, as testified by the presence of numerous menhirs and dolmens...

, Guagnano

Guagnano

Guagnano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Lecce

Lecce

, Lequile

Lequile

Lequile is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Leverano

Leverano

Leverano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the southeastern part of the Apulia region of south-east Italy. Its 2001 population was 13,981.-Population History:-History:...

, Lizzanello, Maglie

Maglie

Maglie is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History:The Maglie area was settled as early as the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, and before, as testified by the presence of archaic dolmens and menhirs, and by the Cattìe site, discovered in 1980,...

, Martano

Martano

-Famous people:The list of famous people whom Martano gave birth includes Giuseppe Grassi, who signed the Constitution of Italy in 1948, Salvatore Trinchese, marine biologist of the 19th century and Cosimo Moschettini, agricultural scientist of the Enlightenment....

, Martignano

Martignano

Martignano is a small town and comune of 1,770 inhabitants in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. It is part of Salento and is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina, an area where an ancient Greek dialect is spoken.-Famous people:...

, Matino

Matino

Matino is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Melendugno, Melissano

Melissano

Melissano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, part of the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Melpignano

Melpignano

Melpignano is a small town and comune in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. It is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina. Melpignano has a population of 2,209 inhabitants and an area of thus showing a population density of 202,1 inhabitants per square kilometer...

, Miggiano

Miggiano

Miggiano is an Italian town of 3,702 inhabitants of the province of Lecce in Puglia . Located in the lower Salento, a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast, 50 km from the chieftown and 22 km from Santa Maria di Leuca...

, Minervino di Lecce

Minervino di Lecce

Minervino di Lecce is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, Apulia, south-eastern Italy. It is situated in the eastern part of the Salento peninsula about 43 km from Lecce, not far from Otranto.-Main sights:...

, Monteroni di Lecce, Montesano Salentino

Montesano Salentino

Montesano Salentino is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Morciano di Leuca

Morciano di Leuca

Morciano di Leuca is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History: The origins of Morciano di Leuca probably go back to the 9th century AD, with the destruction of the city by the Saracens. In 1190 King Tancredi of Sicily gave Sinibaldo Sambiasi...

, Muro Leccese

Muro Leccese

Muro Leccese is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Nardò

Nardò

Nardò is a town and comune of 31,185 inhabitants and comune in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce.-History:...

, Neviano

Neviano

Neviano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Nociglia

Nociglia

Nociglia is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Novoli

Novoli

Novoli is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-Bounding communes:*Arnesano*Campi Salentina*Carmiano*Lecce*Trepuzzi*Veglie-Population History:...

, Ortelle

Ortelle

Ortelle is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.But Vignacastrisi is bigger than Ortelle....

, Otranto

Otranto

, Palmariggi

Palmariggi

Palmariggi is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Parabita

Parabita

Parabita is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Patù

Patù

Patù is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Puglia region, south-east Italy.-Main sights:*Mother Church of St. Michael Archangel , with a late Renaissance façade and a single nave...

, Poggiardo

Poggiardo

Poggiardo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. An old messapian town, Vaste, is located in its territory as a frazione....

, Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Presicce

Presicce

Presicce is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Racale

Racale

Racale is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Ruffano

Ruffano

Ruffano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce. in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Main sights:*Mother church of Natività della Beata Maria Vergine...

, Salice Salentino

Salice Salentino

Salice Salentino is a small town and comune in the southern part of Apulia, Italy, in the Salento area. It is bounded with the province of Taranto to the northwest and the province of Brindisi to the north.-Coat of arms:...

, Salve, San Cassiano

San Cassiano

San Cassiano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, San Cesario di Lecce

San Cesario di Lecce

San Cesario di Lecce is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, San Donato di Lecce

San Donato di Lecce

San Donato di Lecce is a town and comune of 5,837 inhabitants in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It includes the frazione of Galugnano....

, San Pietro in Lama

San Pietro in Lama

San Pietro in Lama is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.Its Mother Church is a typical example of Leccese Baroque....

, Sanarica

Sanarica

Sanarica is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Sannicola

Sannicola

Sannicola is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-History:Sannicola the town contains an old Roman defensive tower to protect it against Saracene and Byzantine invaders....

, Santa Cesarea Terme

Santa Cesarea Terme

, Scorrano

Scorrano

Scorrano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.Italian singer Dolcenera is from here....

, Seclì

Seclì

Seclì is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Sogliano Cavour

Sogliano Cavour

Sogliano Cavour is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Soleto

Soleto

Soleto is a small Griko-speaking city located in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. The town has a total population of 5,537 and is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina.-History:...

, Specchia

Specchia

Specchia is a town and comune in the province of Lecce. in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Main sights:*Mother Church *Church of the Francescani Neri *Baroque church of Assunta...

, Spongano

Spongano

Spongano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Squinzano

Squinzano

Squinzano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.Squinzano is also a specific area within the Puglia wine region. Squinzano DOC is produced in red and rosé versions, and is obtained principally from the Negro Amaro grape, with a small addition of...

, Sternatia

Sternatia

Sternatia is a small town and comune in the province of Lecce, Apulia, southern Italy. It is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina....

, Supersano

Supersano

Supersano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Surano

Surano

Surano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Surbo

Surbo

Surbo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Taurisano

Taurisano

Taurisano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of south-east Italy., the population was 12,675. Nearby towns are Acquarica del Capo, Casarano, Ruffano and Ugento....

, Taviano

Taviano

Taviano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Tiggiano

Tiggiano

Tiggiano is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Trepuzzi

Trepuzzi

Trepuzzi is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Tricase

Tricase

Tricase is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, part of the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It is located in the Salento traditional region.-History:...

, Tuglie

Tuglie

Tuglie is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.- Culture :Hometown of the painting artist Giuseppe Miggiano, son of Italian immigrant worker in Belgium, his work can be see in the Charleroi neighborhood in Belgium....

, Ugento

Ugento

, Uggiano la Chiesa

Uggiano la Chiesa

Uggiano la Chiesa is a town and comune in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy.-Main sights:*Mother Church, finished in 1775.*Tower of the Angel*Crypt of St...

, Veglie

Veglie

-History:Veglie was founded around the 10th century. Veglie was a small village.The tomb founded in Via Novoli in 1957 dates back to the Messapic times it is displayed in a provincial museum...

, Vernole

Vernole

Vernole is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

, Zollino

Zollino

Zollino is a small town and comune of 2,194 inhabitants in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. It is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina, which still keeps Greek language and traditions.-History:...

.

Province of Brindisi
Province of Brindisi
The Province of Brindisi is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Brindisi. Surrounded by vineyards and artichoke fields, Brindisi is a major sailing port for the southern part of Italy....

Brindisi

Brindisi

, Carovigno

Carovigno

Carovigno is a town and comune in the province of Brindisi, Puglia, Italy. Its area, part of Upper Salento, is renowned for the production of high quality olive oil.-International relations:Carovigno is twinned with: Corfu, Greece- External links :*...

, Cellino San Marco

Cellino San Marco

Celino San Marco is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes. It is also the hometown of the famous Italian singer, Albano Carrisi....

, Ceglie Messapica

Ceglie Messapica

Ceglie Messapica is a town and comune located in the province of Brindisi in the Puglia region, southern Italy, in the Murge traditional area.- Geography :...

, Erchie

Erchie

Erchie is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes....

, Francavilla Fontana

Francavilla Fontana

Francavilla Fontana is a town and comune in the province of Brindisi . And it's also called "Imperiali Town" after the feudal lords that ruled the town from the end of 16th to 18th century.-Geography:...

, Latiano

Latiano

Latiano is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the southeast coast of Italy. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes.Bartolo Longo was a native of Latiano-Main sights:...

, Mesagne

Mesagne

Mesagne is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes...

, Oria

Oria, Italy

Oria is a town and comune in the Apulia region, in the province of Brindisi, in southern Italy. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oria.- History :...

, Ostuni

Ostuni

, San Donaci

San Donaci

San Donaci is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the southeast coast of Italy. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes....

, San Michele Salentino

San Michele Salentino

San Michele Salentino is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes.- External links :...

, San Pancrazio Salentino

San Pancrazio Salentino

San Pancrazio Salentino is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes....

, San Pietro Vernotico

San Pietro Vernotico

San Pietro Vernotico is a town and comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes...

, San Vito dei Normanni

San Vito dei Normanni

San Vito dei Normanni is an Italian town of 19,947 inhabitants of the province of Brindisi in Puglia. The inhabitants are called Sanvitesi and the town is sometimes referred to as San Vito....

, Torchiarolo

Torchiarolo

Torchiarolo is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes....

, Torre Santa Susanna

Torre Santa Susanna

Torre Santa Susanna is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia,on the south-east Italy coast in the Salento peninsula.Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes.-History:...

, Villa Castelli

Villa Castelli

Villa Castelli is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Puglia, on the south-east Italy coast. Its main economic activities are tourism and the growing of olives and grapes....

.

Province of Taranto
Province of Taranto
The Province of Taranto is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Taranto.It has an area of 2,437 km², and a total population of 580,588...

Avetrana

Avetrana

Avetrana is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, part of the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Main sights:*The Castle or Torrione*The Chiesa Madre *Palazzo Imperiali...

, Carosino

Carosino

Carosino is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, in the northern Salento, part of the Apulia region of southeast Italy.Economy is based on the production of wine, olive oil and grapes....

, Faggiano

Faggiano

Faggiano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Fragagnano

Fragagnano

Fragagnano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Grottaglie

Grottaglie

Grottaglie is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, Puglia, southern Italy.-Geography:Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, a whole rock of limestone dividing Adriatic sea from Ionian sea. The countryside around the city is scattered with vast and deep ravines that open the ground...

, Leporano

Leporano

Leporano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Overview:The municipality of Leporano is a little maritime town at the Adriatic sea and located southeast of Rome in the Province of Taranto...

, Lizzano

Lizzano (TA)

Lizzano is a comune of 11,437 inhabitants in the province of Taranto in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Lizzano DOC:The area around Lizzano produces red, white, rose and sparkling Italian DOC wines. Grapes destined for reds and roses are limited to a harvest yield of 14 tonnes/ha with...

, Manduria

Manduria

Manduria is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Taranto. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.-History:...

, Maruggio

Maruggio

Maruggio is a small town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. In the town there are 5,539 inhabitants.Near Maruggio there are Torricella , Sava , Manduria and Avetrana ....

, Monteiasi

Monteiasi

Monteiasi is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Montemesola

Montemesola

Montemesola is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Monteparano

Monteparano

Monteparano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Pulsano

Pulsano

Pulsano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....

, Roccaforzata

Roccaforzata

Roccaforzata is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-References:...

, San Giorgio Ionico

San Giorgio Ionico

San Giorgio Ionico is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, in the northern Salento, part of the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-History:...

, San Marzano di San Giuseppe

San Marzano di San Giuseppe

San Marzano di San Giuseppe is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, part of the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It is one of the Arbëreshë communities in southern Italy.Economy is based on the cultivation of olive trees and vine....

, Sava

Sava (TA)

Sava is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.Sava, with its 16.776 inhabitants, is one of the biggest town in the Taranto province....

, Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

, Torricella

Torricella (TA)

Torricella is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It is home to a large tuff castle from the 15th century, one of the best preserved in the region....

Coastal towers

Salento is dotted with coastal watchtowers, as the coast was long the subject of attacks. The first towers may have been Norman. The remaining towers are mostly from the 15th and 16th centuries, and many of these towers are now in a very poor condition.

Panoramas

External links

Discover Salento (in english)
Salento
Salento on Dmoz
Messapi (in Italian)

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Geographic perspective

Language

Tourism

Transportation

Cities and towns in Salento

Coastal towers

Panoramas

See also

External links