Festa di San Vincenzo in Miggiano – Lecce – January

Patronal feast in honor of Saint Vincent
Enjoy brass band concerts and music performances, as well as illuminations and fireworks.

Sagra di San Giuseppe in San Cassiano – Lecce – March

Patronal feast in honor of Saint Joseph
The feast of Saint Joseph in San Cassiano combines traditions, sharing, and local products, with communal meals, rituals such as the fòcara (a large bonfire marking the transition from winter to spring), and musical entertainment, all while supporting charitable causes.

Sagra del Pesce “a Sarsa” – Castro – april

Seafood folk festival
The festival offers the chance to taste traditional dishes, including marinated vopa prepared according to an ancestral recipe, while strolling through the Castro Marina district and enjoying fish and beer stalls. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks display celebrating the Madonna Annunziata.

Festa della Pummeta in Campi Salentina – Lecce – may

Kite folk festival
The Festa della Pummeta in Campi Salentina celebrates the local pastry and is accompanied by festivities around kites: free flights, acrobatic demonstrations, large kites made by the city’s districts, picnics, and kite-making workshops open to everyone.

Sagra dell’Insalata Grika e della Salsiccia in Martignano – Lecce – July

Gastronomic festival of Salentine Greece
The Griko Salad and Sausage Festival in Martignano celebrates local specialties, Insalata Grika and sausage, in a festive atmosphere filled with concerts, entertainment, and explorations of the village’s cultural heritage.

Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie – Lecce – August

Salento cuisine festival
The Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie is a place of renewal and exchange, combining gastronomy, music, art, and participatory culture. It fosters connections between cultures and ideas, and brings new life to craftsmanship, food, and local territories.

Sagra della Polpetta in Alliste – Lecce – August

Meatball folk festival
Organized with local producers, it celebrates Galatina’s new potatoes through tastings, promotion of craftsmanship, and sustainable initiatives, all accompanied by music.

Festa di San Rocco in Torrepaduli – Lecce – August

Patronal feast in honor of Saint Rocco
Each year, the hamlet of Torrepaduli celebrates Saint Roch with a festival combining religious traditions and popular entertainment: illuminations, stalls of local products, devotional items, and culinary specialties.

The cuisine of Salento reflects the colors and flavors of its land. Born from simple local products — vegetables, snails, horse meat, and blue fish — it highlights olive oil and alternative flours once used instead of wheat. Norman and Byzantine influences can be found in desserts made with almonds, honey, and cinnamon, enhanced with Mediterranean herbs such as sage or rosemary.

Our favorite dishes to try in Puglia

Starter: Orecchiette or Minchiareddhis, fresh pasta served with tomato sauce and grated ricotta.

Main course: Polpo alla Pignata, octopus slowly braised in a clay pot with potatoes and tomato sauce, tender and flavorful.

Dessert: Pasticciotto, a small cake filled with cream or chocolate, perfect with a Caffè Leccese made with almond milk.

The most beautiful beaches around the masserias

Crystal-clear waters, white sand, and paradise-like bays: Salento is full of stunning beaches. Among the most beautiful, Grotta della Poesia in Roca Vecchia invites adventurers to dive into its natural caves. Not far away, Torre dell’Orso charms families with its long crescent-shaped bay, fine sand, and the legendary cliffs of the “Due Sorelle.” Further south, the Maldives of Salento in Pescoluse offer four kilometers of white beach.
To the north, Punta Prosciutto enchants with its vast dunes and clear waters, perfect for diving. Wilder and more secluded, Porto Selvaggio can be reached after a walk through a natural park: its pebble beach and cliffs overlooking turquoise waters make it a preserved gem.
Close to Gallipoli, Punta della Suina, famous for its two coves and spectacular sunsets, delights nature lovers and cinema enthusiasts alike. Finally, Punta Pizzo, in the heart of the Sant’Andrea natural park, embodies the Mediterranean essence of Salento, combining sandy coves and golden cliffs.

Horseback riding in Puglia

From Lecce to Santa Maria di Leuca, Salento offers a multitude of natural routes between the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea. Horseback riding is accessible to everyone thanks to the experienced guides at the many local stables. Whether galloping along white sandy beaches or crossing the hills of Alessano and the Serra dei Cianci, each horseback ride in Salento becomes an unforgettable adventure in the heart of preserved nature.

Boat cruise in Salento

With nearly 800 km of coastline, Puglia offers Mediterranean landscapes to explore by boat, from Castro Marina to Pescoluse. Between beaches, typical villages, and seabeds rich in fish, corals, and archaeological remains, each excursion, by day or under the moonlight, reveals the beauty of Salento.

DIVING in Puglia

Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea meet, offers dives on wrecks and sites such as Punta Meliso and the Madonna dei Due Mari. Torre Lapillo, Porto Cesareo, and Taviano also reveal Roman columns, caves, and wrecks, for the delight of divers.

CANOEING & KAYAKING

Exploring Salento by kayak or canoe allows you to reach beaches, cliffs, and caves inaccessible from land. Sites such as Grotta della Poesia, Sant’Andrea, Isola dei Conigli, or Porto Selvaggio can be discovered with local guides, who share the history and natural richness of Salento.

QUAD TOUR

A quad tour allows you to explore Salento through olive groves, dry stone walls, and typical landscapes, visiting dolmens, the Alimini lakes, the Idro river, the Otranto coast, and Torre del Serpe, with natural parks and sanctuaries along the way.

Cycling tour in Salento

Cycling is an ideal way to discover Salento, between nature, traditions, and legends. Over 50 km, the route connects Otranto and its castle, the Punta Palascia lighthouse, Torre S. Emiliano, Santa Cesarea Terme, Castro Marina, and the Costa Otranto-Santa Maria di Leuca natural park with the thousand-year-old Quercia Vallonea oak, ending in Santa Maria di Leuca and its sanctuary overlooking the sea.

Salentine Greece

A cultural region located between Lecce, Otranto, Maglie, and Galatina, composed of nine villages where the Griko dialect is still spoken. Not to be missed: Martano and the famous Notte della Taranta festival in Melpignano, an event of traditional music and dance that attracts visitors from around the world.

Lecce

Baroque city nicknamed the “Florence of the South” for its refined architecture. Highlights: Piazza Sant’Oronzo, Roman amphitheater, Basilica of Santa Croce, and traditional papier-mâché workshops. The city is especially magical at sunset, when the golden façades light up.

Gallipoli

A lively city located between sea and culture, famous for its daily fish market, beaches, and Angevin castle by the water. Its historic center on the island is charming, with picturesque streets and seafood restaurants.

Castro

Historic city of Greek and Cretan origin, composed of Castro Alta and Castro Marina. To visit: the Aragonese castle, white seaside houses, and rocky coves with crystal-clear waters.