What to see in Salento, useful information regarding the suggestive Salento landscape, from the vegetation of the hinterland to the spectacular chromatic variations of the sea that can be seen moving along the coast.
Tourist information
Salento, also known as the Salento Peninsula, is located in the southern part of the region, between the Ionian Sea to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east and, occupying the space corresponding to the heel of the boot that outlines the geographical shape of Italy, it is nicknamed the heel of Italy.
This territory has developed, under the historical, architectural, cultural and linguistic aspect, particular characteristics, which make it different from the other lands of Puglia.
In fact, looking at its history, we discover that during the reign of Frederick II of Swabia, Puglia was divided, from an administrative point of view, into three executed, one of which corresponded to this band of territory called the land of Otranto and it was precisely with the Byzantine domination that Salento played an important role in relations between the West and the East, experiencing a great flowering of trade and the arts.
What see
The ideal area for holidays in Salento includes three provinces, Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto and constitutes the easternmost territory of Italy.
The Salento landscape is characterized above all by arboreal vegetation largely formed by centuries-old olive trees and by houses built often using the typical local light-colored stone with a visible finish that makes them stand out, compared to the reddish appearance of the soil very rich in iron, and gives them a typically Mediterranean look.
Along the coastal road you can observe the chromatic variations of the sea depending on the area where you are.
In fact, if you look at the sea from the sheer cliffs, typical of the coastal strip along the Adriatic Sea, you notice a dark blue color, while if you observe it from the sandy beaches along the coast on the Ionian Sea, the color is emerald green with shades of light blue.
Although, following the two coasts, there are not many inhabited centers, it is possible to admire the ancient coastal watchtowers with a square or circular shape, which in the past served as a defense against attacks from the sea.
