Puglia: things to do in Salento in 4 days

Check out all the great things to do in Salento, the southern tip of Puglia, in 4 days. Think sea, sunshine, fabulous food and amazing scenery!

Puglia’s Salento region is a gorgeous corner of Italy squeezed between the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas. Its beautiful beaches are the main draw, but the area is also famous for the splendid Baroque towns, the centuries-old traditions and a fascinating history that saw Salento as a thriving Greek colony.

Below is a summary of the 4 amazing days I spend there (make sure to reach the end of it, as I’ve included some useful tips to help you organize your trip to Salento). I landed in Brindisi late on a Wednesday night and used a super handy shared shuttle bus service to reach Salento’s main town, Lecce, which I chose as the base for exploring the region.

Day 1: Lecce

My first day in Salento started with a delicious breakfast with cappuccino and pasticciotti, the baked pastries filled with cream or chocolate typical of this area, enjoyed under a warm early morning sun. By the way, try those with cream and black cherries, they are super delicious.
Then I set off t0 explore Lecce’s historic center. No wonder that the travel guide defines this city as a Baroque jewel – everywhere I looked I saw cream-colored palazzi and churches with elaborately carved facades representing cherubs, gargoyles, and other fascinating creatures. I simply couldn’t stop taking pictures!

Highlights include Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the XII century cathedral and 68m‑high bell tower, and Piazza S. Oronzo, the heart of the city, with an amazing Roman amphitheater that remained buried under the city until its discovery in the XX century. Not to miss are also the stunning facade of Basilica di Santa Croce and the three gates of the city (Napoli, Rudie, San Biagio).

Besides being an artistic jewel, Lecce is also a creative hub with incredibly talented artisans who use cartapesta (papier-mâché), terracotta and the local stone pietra leccese to create unique artworks. Needless to say, browsing the many workshops dotting the streets of the historic center is a must-do!

Dinner turned out to be a hearty aperitivo with local delicacies at the lovely deli La Bottega del Corso, where I feasted on fava bean puree with chicory, cheeses, cured meats, and taralli, all washed down with an excellent Negroamaro wine.

My first day in Salento ended with a traditional Italian passeggiata through Lecce’s beautiful piazzas early in the evening. This is possibly the most fascinating time of the day, with locals filling the streets and all the beautiful buildings illuminated by a soft golden light, creating a festive and romantic atmosphere.

Day 2: the Adriatic coast

On Friday I rented a car and headed to San Cataldo, from where I started my descent into the heart of Salento. This stretch of Adriatic coast towards Otranto has an incredibly beautiful landscape and makes for a great road trip, driving with the windows down to breathe in the amazing scent of the sea and the Mediterranean vegetation! Beaches here are mainly rocky, with cliffs overlooking the infinite shades of blue in the sea.

My first stop is at Grotta della Poesia (Cave of Poetry), in the little town of Roca, between San Foca and Torre Dell’Orso. Visiting this enchanting natural pool with crystal-clear waters, caves, and grottos is definitely one of the top things to do in Salento. The site is not very well signposted and it took me a while to find it. Just ask locals for directions and enjoy the scenery!

After a refreshing swim, I went back to the car and drove to Otranto, Italy’s easternmost town and one of Puglia’s most charming spots. The old town is perched on a hill overlooking the Adriatic sea, surrounded by the fortified walls erected in the XV century to protect the town against the Saracens.

I started my exploration from the Aragonese castle that sits at the entrance of the old town, but to be honest, I wasn’t particularly impressed – nowadays the place is mainly used for events and exhibitions and there’s not much to see – or at least there wasn’t when I was there. I then spent a good couple of hours strolling around the maze of narrow streets and passages, browsing shops and simply enjoying the spectacular views offered by the scenic waterfront square – on a clear day you can even catch glimpses of the Albanian mountains from here!

Absolute highlights in Otranto are the lovely little Church of San Pietro with its stunning Byzantine frescos and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, boasting an amazing mosaic floor representing the tree of life and a chapel containing the relics of 800 locals beheaded in the XV century.

On the road from Otranto to Santa Cesarea (my next stop), I managed to find the old bauxite quarry I often heard about. This is a disused mining cave that has become a fascinating natural spot in the area, with its strong color contrast between the bright green water of the pond and the deep red of the rocks surrounding it – quite a change of landscape compared to what I’d been used to until now and definitely a must-see.

About 16 km south of Otranto lies the pretty resort town of Santa Cesarea, famous for its thermal springs and the unique Moorish architecture of its beautiful villas. I had a stroll along the main street but it felt rather quiet and there weren’t many people around, but then I guess they were all busy enjoying some spa treatments!

Continuing south, I visited Castro, another pretty coastal town washed by turquoise waters, and then I stopped at Maglie, the birthplace of Aldo Moro (the Italian politician murdered by the Red Brigade terrorists in 1978) for a stroll around its elegant historic center before returning to Lecce.

Day 3: the Ionian coast

On Saturday I continued my exploration of Salento focusing on the Ionian coast. I first drove to Porto Cesareo, a tiny seaside resort with beautiful sandy beaches and pristine waters, which was declared a protected marine area in 1997. There’s a small harbor overlooking a series of islets, the biggest being Rabbit Island (so-called because locals used to breed rabbits there in the past), which can be easily reached by swimming or with a short boat ride. I took a stroll around the town center and grabbed a gelato at bar “Il Principe” on the seafront, near the statue of the Italian actress Manuela Arcuri, erected in 2002 as a symbol of beauty and prosperity.

I continued driving southbound towards Gallipoli. The coast on this side of Salento is dotted with watchtowers built in ancient times to defend the territory against the Saracens and Turkish assaults and makes for another great road trip. My next stop was Torre Uluzzo and more specifically Fico d’India, a pub literally in the middle of nowhere where you can enjoy a cold beer surrounded by a spectacular natural landscape. Don’t expect fancy tables and sophisticated food here, but do expect some of the most fascinating views of Salento, especially at sunset. From Torre Uluzzo it is possible to walk through an enchanted forest of pine and eucalyptus till Porto Selvaggio bay, a protected area with crystal blue waters and a rocky seabed perfect for divers.

About 17 km further south there’s the beautiful town of Gallipoli. I parked the car at the port and walked to the old town which sits on an islet connected to the mainland through a bridge and, like Otranto, is surrounded by old fortified walls. I visited the Castle, with an interesting itinerary that retraces the town’s history, the Cathedral of Sant’Agata, and the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi, with the wooden statue of the ‘Malladrone’ the bad thief crucified next to Jesus, that the Italian poet D’Annunzio described as a masterpiece of “hideous beauty” in one of his poems. While browsing the many little streets of the historic center, I also stumbled upon the Frantoio Ipogeo, an old underground olive oil mill where you can see and learn how oil was produced in the past.

After a delicious lunch with orecchiette al sugo (handmade pasta in the shape of ‘little ears’ cooked with fresh tomatoes sauce) in one of the pretty trattorias lining the seafront, I spent the rest of the afternoon at Spiaggia della Purità, a stretch of crescent-shaped beach right next to the old town, where I laid on the soft sand and soaked up the warm sun…moments of sheer pleasure!

The drive back to Lecce is pretty quick and I arrived just in time for a drink at La Bambola di Kafka, a lovely second-hand bookshop on via Palmieri that serves also an excellent selection of local wines… my idea of paradise!

Day 4: time to go home

My flight was in the afternoon so I decided to spend the last few hours here simply strolling around Lecce’s historic center one last time. It’s Sunday morning, not many tourists are around yet and I have the town all to myself.

It’s been a packed few days but I feel so refreshed and relaxed. Salento is good for the soul and on the way to the airport, I can’t stop smiling at the thought of all the beautiful places I managed to see – an enchanted piece of Italy that has nothing to envy to the more exotic locations we often prefer to travel to.

Useful tips for your trip to Salento

• If you arrive late at night as I did, you can use this shared shuttle bus service that takes you right in front of your hotel in Lecce. Alternatively, here you can find the timetable of the standard bus service. Renting a car is the best way to explore the region but if you don’t feel comfortable driving then take a look at the Ferrovie del Sud train lines and the bus routes for the province of Lecce to see where you can go using public transports.
• I stayed at La Bella Lecce Apartments, which proved to be the perfect base for this trip: it’s only 100 mt from Porta Napoli, the main gate to the town center, rooms are super comfortable and clean, there’s free parking space in the area and the staff is 5-star! They also have a B&B inside Lecce’s historic center.
• I found some beautiful papier-mache jewelry at Tonda Design, and I also bought handmade terracotta bowls at Artego. Both shops are in Lecce’s historic center, on via Palmieri, the street in front of the Dome.
• Salento is an all-year-round destination, but I strongly recommend avoiding the summer months, when every single town and village fills up with crowds of holidaymakers. Late spring and early autumn are perhaps the best time to fully enjoy Salento and as I said, don’t worry about the weather – people here swim in the sea even in November!

I hope you enjoyed this little guide to all the things to do in Salento in 4 days. For more itinerary ideas around in Puglia, check out this article about a week in Puglia.

Until next time,