Cisternino

Anyone who finds themselves visiting the Itria Valley cannot miss what is considered one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Italy: Cisternino. A set of white houses, alleys and small squares that recall times gone by, but also architectural works and churches to admire during your walks around the town.

What to see in Cisternino

Walking around the beautiful Cisternino you come across Piazza Garibaldi and, in particular, the Villa Comunale and the Torre Grande, a quadrangular structure from the Norman and Frederick era, an ancient lookout point from which you can enjoy a beautiful panorama (the Belvedere). Near these buildings there is Porta Grande, a gate that leads to the historic center and the Mother Church, in honor of San Nicola, from the Romanesque era, inside which a Renaissance work is preserved, the Madonna with child, created by Stefano di Putignano in 1517.

The peculiarity of Cisternino is that every alley and street has something to tell: during your walk you will certainly come across Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli where it will be possible to admire the panel painting “Madonna of the carpenter” and a remainder of a fresco portraying the Virgin. The typical architecture of the houses is fascinating: small white buildings huddled together, particular for their balconies or stone masks. However, there is no shortage of more important palaces such as that of the Governor, Palazzo Cenci, Palazzo Lagravinese and Palazzo Pepe. Even the main street, Corso Umberto I, is characterized by a group of white houses, each beautiful in some small detail: all to be admired and photographed as they are enriched with decorations and flowers.

Cisternino is not only beautiful to visit during the day but also in the evening, especially in summer when, in the alleys of the historic center or in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, the clubs are full of people sipping cocktails or having fun with live music and DJs set.

The traditions of Cisternino

Just outside the town there is the Sanctuary of the Madonna d’Ibernia, where Easter Monday is celebrated: during this holiday, the people of the town go to the Sanctuary with a typical dessert called “u churruchele“, a symbol of prosperity , made in the shape of a bag with two boiled eggs for boys and in the shape of a doll with a boiled egg for girls.

Another very heartfelt festival is the one in honor of Sant’Antonio, whose celebrations begin on January 17th or, again, the patronal festival in honor of the patron saints Quirico and Giulitta, on the first Sunday of August when processions, concerts and fireworks. Finally, not far from Cisternino, in the Caranna area, the Orecchiette Festival is held which attracts the locals to get together with dancing, popular music and good food.

What to eat

Cisternino is a lovely little village where you can still breathe the familiar air of the past: you can in fact taste excellent typical products or traditional dishes in characteristic farms or welcoming taverns and restaurants. Among the typical products to taste, an undisputed protagonist is meat: beef sausages, bombette (pork meat rolls filled with canestrato cheese, salt and pepper) and gnummeredde (based on lamb offal). These products can be enjoyed in the typical butchers-restaurants of the historic center, the famous “ready-to-eat stoves” where you can choose the cut of meat you prefer and enjoy it directly at the tables in front of the butcher’s shop, accompanied by an excellent glass of wine. Another unmissable dish typical of the Apulian tradition is orecchiette with turnip greens or with sauce and pecorino or broad beans and chicory. Again, a typical snack is friselle, often seasoned with tomatoes, oil, salt and oregano.

Cisternino’s desserts are also an absolute must-try, especially if you are a lover of almonds, one of the fixed ingredients in these preparations: sugar almonds (menule atterrete), i.e. toasted almonds sprinkled with sugar; castagnelle, small loaves made with flour, eggs, sugar, almonds, cinnamon and cloves or, again, the variant with the addition of black cherry called castagnama. Another dessert is the Santantonio, a rectangular biscuit prepared with flour, eggs, sugar and almonds, excellent to accompany coffee or tea. Other typical dairy biscuits, Rombò, are those made with flour, eggs, sugar, hazelnuts and milk, also excellent at the end of a meal to accompany a glass of rum.

How to reach Cisternino

Cisternino is located in the Itria Valley and it is possible to get there:

• by plane, the closest airport is Brindisi (50 km) or Bari (80 km), from which it will then be necessary to take a rental car or a transfer to reach Cisternino.
• by train. Coming from the North the fastest solution is to take a Regional train from Bari. Alternatively there are other solutions from Brindisi, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare etc, we therefore recommend consulting the Trenitalia website.
• by car, for those coming from the North you need to exit at Bari Nord, then continue on the SS16 towards Brindisi and then follow the signs for Cisternino to get onto the SS379. For those coming from the South, however, the motorway exit is Brindisi-Lecce, so it will be necessary to follow the signs for SS16 towards Bari and then those for Cisternino.

Castellana Grotte is a city in the province of Bari which owes its name to the presence of the fascinating caves. They are visited by many tourists every year that are enchanted by their beauty and peculiarity. However, the city is full of many other places to visit, experiences to have and typical products to taste.

What to see in Castellana Grotte

The historic center of Castellana Grotte is characterized by small and cute streets full of important buildings. To mention a few: the Old Town Hall, the former Convent of San Francesco and the church of San Leone Magno. In this Church the statues of Leo the Great, John the Baptist and that of the Madonna Consolatrice are kept.

Another sanctuary not to be missed is that of Maria SS. della Vetrana, built in 1691 in honor of the Madonna who freed the town from the plague or, again, the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi, built in 1651, in a late Renaissance style where you can admire the seven altars in local stone. Finally, a short distance from the city, the Church of Caroseno, Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio and Church of San Nicola di Genna.

Not only history, art and culture but also fun for adults and children in the Indiana adventure park which offers safe acrobatic courses for all the adventurous or, again, the Dinosaur Park, an open-air museum in which dinosaurs have been reproduced at natural size. Another museum is the Franco Anelli Speleological Museum, dedicated to the man who discovered the city’s famous caves (together with the speleologist Vito Matarrese) and the Sirio Astronomical Observatory.

The famous caves of Castellana

The Castellana Grotte were discovered in 1938 and are one of the major representations of the karst phenomenon in Puglia. They are located about 2 kilometers from the town center and extend for about 3 kilometres. They can be visited by following two types of routes, one of which is shorter, about 1,5km and the other about 3km.

Once you enter the caves, you find a chasm of about sixty meters called the Grave from which you can access the numerous caves, canyons, stalactites, stalagmites, which you can admire during your tour. They are all called with fascinating names to recall a particular shape or a legend. Some of them are the Owl Cave, the Serpent Corridor, the Precipice Cave, the Black Cave and many others.

What to eat in Castellana Grotte

The charm of Castellana Grotte does not stop at the magic of the caves and the artistic and cultural heritage but also at a cuisine rich in typical products all to be enjoyed in refined dishes or in the Apulian culinary tradition. The imprint of the cuisine of Castellana Grotte is typical of the province of Bari in which mussels prevail, to be enjoyed marinara style or fried or meat such as braciole (a thin, seasoned and rolled meat).

Also worth trying are the simple and genuine dishes of the peasant tradition such as broad beans and chicory or baked lampascioni. Pettole are also typical, made with flour, yeast, water and salt, left to rise for at least two hours. They are stuffed with capers, cherry tomatoes, olives, chilli pepper and onion and fried in boiling oil in the form of balls.

How to get to Castellana Grotte

It is possible to reach Castellana Grotte by any means of transport:

• by plane, the closest airport is Bari (about 36 km away), from which it will be possible to either rent a car or, after arriving at Bari station, take a train or bus to reach the city or rent a car.

• By train, once you reach Bari station, simply take the train via Conversano-Castellana of the Ferrovie Sud-Est.

• By bus, again from Bari, it will be very simple to reach the city with the means of the South-East Railways.

• By car, for those coming from Bologna-Ancona, you will need to take the A14; from Florence-Rome the A1 and from Naples, the A16. Then, exit at Bari Nord and then continue along the SS16 until the Conversano-Cozze exit, finally take the SS634.

Torre Pali, a fraction of Salve, is a seaside resort in the province of Lecce not far from Gallipoli.

In ancient times it was called Marina di Sant’Antonio because of a small church dedicated to the saint. Subsequently the name Pali prevailed due to the many wooden poles found on the shoreline after the storms. The tower, one of many built in the 16th century with a lookout function, was initially built on land but is now completely in the sea following coastal erosion.

What to see

Being a seaside resort, Torre Pali beach is renowned for its crystal clear waters. Since 2009, it has received the Blue Flag recognition several times.

The scenery that opens up to the eyes of the observer is an alternation of sand and rocks like the one found a few meters from the beach, called Isola della Fanciulla, with a seabed rich in sea urchins and molluscs, to which numerous legends are linked.

What to do

Torre Pali in Salento is a small town truly recommended for those seeking peace and tranquility but also a wide choice of accommodation facilities. It is very characteristic to go to the small tourist port which hosts the mooring for small rental boats and take walk near this place. It’s impossible not to stop for lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants that offer traditional local dishes based on very fresh fish.

For all lovers of excursions, those by boat with a guided tour of the Leuca caves are highly recommended: the departure is from Torre Pali to admire the beauty of the coast up to Santa Maria di Leuca, between one dive and another in the clear and crystal clear, perhaps tasting local products right on board the boats that organize the tours.

Furthermore, from Torre Pali you can easily reach many other places in Salento such as Gallipoli, Porto Cesareo, Santa Maria di Leuca or Lecce, beautiful places to visit, rich in culture and history, but also famous for their summer nightlife.

Come arrivare

In aereo:

• Brindisi Airport 120 km
• Bari Airport 240 km

On the train:

Arrive by train to Lecce, and from there use the local railway networks until you reach Salve (10km from Torre Pali), another alternative, once you reach Lecce, can be the excellent Salento bus service present throughout the period summer.

By car:

• From Brindisi: SS613 direction Lecce. Before arriving in Lecce, take the SS694 Tangenziale Ovest junction, after a few km take the SS101 junction for Gallipoli. Continue on the SS274 and follow the signs for Santa Maria di Leuca and take the Salve – Torre Pali exit and continue to the Marina di Torre Pali following the signs.

• From Bari: SS16 towards Brindisi and continue until Lecce without ever changing direction once you reach the SS613 follow the directions above.

A few minutes from Santa Maria di Leuca, on the Ionian coast of Salento, Torre Vado takes its name from the watchtower of the same name.

Crystal clear waters, shallow waters and large spaces for walking; to access the sea, dry stone walls divide the beach from the red earth terrain via paths that lead to the sea through the vegetation.

A low and easily accessible coast runs along the seafront for about 1 km, until reaching cold pools of spring water, Le Sorgenti. The latter represent a “place of memory” as they were used in the past by local people to refresh themselves after a day of work.

Main attraction for residents and tourists where here they can take invigorating baths and the possibility of catching different species of fish. Furthermore, you can admire various species of water birds and even swans in the winter months.

A small marina hosts moorings for small boats that can be rented for those wishing to take boat trip, as well as a sports facility. The beautiful tourist port is the scene of numerous festivals and musical evenings.

How to get to Torre Vado

By plane:

• Brindisi airport 125km
• Bari airport 250km

On the train:

To get to Torre Vado by train there are various alternatives:

• From Lecce station, take a regional train to Salve-Ruggiano and from there continue with local connections.
• From Lecce station take the green line of the excellent Salento bus service
• From Lecce station or any other place, use the rental service with driver which will take you directly to your destination.

By car:

• From Brindisi: SS613 direction Lecce. Before arriving in Lecce, take the SS694 Tangenziale Ovest junction, after a few km take the SS101 junction for Gallipoli. Continue on this road which from Gallipoli onwards becomes SS274 towards Santa Maria di Leuca, take the exit for Torre Vado.

• From Bari: SS16 towards Brindisi and continue to Lecce without ever changing direction once you reach the SS613 follow the directions above.

Satisfying, nowadays, the most demanding tourist, advising in the choice of the various types of accommodation available in the heart of Salento, is a difficult task! Specific information, different needs and desires lead single people, couples or families with children to make choices based on their needs such as staying in facilities between the sea, nightlife and clubs or those looking for relaxation and tranquility, away from life chaotic but, at the same time, a short distance from the public transport necessary to reach artistic-cultural places! Our aim is to provide suitable and specific information for a pleasant stay here in Salento and this is why we are constantly talking to the owners of the various structures, trying to write detailed and in-depth reviews.

The Salento area boasts a very broad tourist offer that manages to satisfy all types of tourism (seaside, spa, food and wine, short weekends, youth, etc.). A well-known tourist destination in recent years it has become one of the most sought-after destinations in Europe, above all for the sea often compared to the Maldives, but also for the hospitality of the local people. Good food is also an attraction of Puglia, especially the excellent wine is renowned. Having said that, then, when is the best time to go to Salento? The answer is…it depends.

Summer

Summer is naturally the best time if we want to spend a holiday dedicated to the sea, the sun, the beaches, where the most famous Salento resorts are filled with tourists from all over the world, where it is difficult to get bored thanks also to the rich calendar of events and festivals present throughout the territory. In this period, if you love relaxing on the beach, it is recommended to come to Salento in the months of June or September, also saving on the price of hotels, flights and car rental, as the months of July and August are usually crowded with limited availability and related prices; It is always advisable to book these services well in advance.

Furthermore, in summer there are countless activities in the various seaside areas, such as boat rental and tours, kayaking, diving and snorkeling for enthusiasts. Even simply walking through the streets of Otranto, after spending a day on the beach, among the countless shops in the historic center, or enjoying an excellent dinner in the historic center of Gallipoli.

Furthermore, in summer, for some years now, Gallipoli has been one of the most popular destinations for young people from all over Europe looking for fun. In fact, there are numerous beaches that offer music and aperitifs during the day, but it is at night that this city begins to shine, with its discos and nightlife where there is no shortage of ways to spend time until the first light of the morning.

Winter

If, however, we are looking for a holiday or a week-end dedicated to relaxation, good food and tranquility, even in these months Salento can be an excellent destination, thanks above all to the winters which are never particularly cold and the mild climate even in autumn. It is possible, for example, to visit Lecce, the Baroque capital full of particular architectural treasures, taste the numerous typical dishes, or organize the increasingly popular tours of the various cellars to taste the renowned Apulian wines.

Taking advantage of the milder climate, you can visit the nearby Valle d’Itria, which with its fabulous farms, trulli and historic centres, boasts being among the favorite destinations of many Italian and non-Italian celebrities. Also worth mentioning is the nearby Zoo Safari di Fasano, which with its 140 hectares and 200 different species, boasts being the largest wildlife park in Italy and among the largest in the world.

During the Christmas period, Salento is enriched with events and festivals, almost like the summer period, thanks to the numerous living nativity scenes scattered throughout the territory, monumental nativity scenes, including the most famous one created inside the Roman amphitheater in Lecce and of the markets, full of local artistic artefacts in Lecce stone, papier-mâché or ceramic.

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Salento gastronomy represents a clear example of a Mediterranean diet and is the result of the natural selection and elaboration of the eating habits of the various colonizers who took turns. It is a peasant gastronomic tradition that uses poor ingredients such as legumes, vegetables, cheeses, very little meat and oily fish. Unique and genuine flavors that arise from simple products, the fruit of the crystalline seas and the fantastic red soil of Salento. Cultivated with passion for decades and combined with each other with the typically Salento imagination, capable of enhancing every characteristic without ever becoming too elaborate. In this section you will find the typical dishes of Puglia:

• first courses: typical of this region are the famous orecchiette, prepared in different ways and with different seasonings; among these the most famous are turnip tops.
• second courses: here you will find recipes based on meat and fish. Puglia feels a strong bond with the sea and this also emerges in the typical cuisine, in particular the use of mussels is often present in the preparation of first and second courses.
• desserts: here you will find the desserts most loved by people from Puglia and beyond, many of which are present in the village festivals of many municipalities in this region as well as prepared for the Christmas holidays.
• various dishes: this is a somewhat varied section which includes not only precious ingredients for the preparation of many recipes but also appetizers and starters to enjoy during an aperitif or lunch break.

With the growing influx of Italian and foreign tourists who every year choose Salento as a holiday destination and with the advent of low-cost flights which have changed the way of travelling, the Province of Lecce has created a excellent service. Salento by Bus, with its widespread network, reaches the most famous seaside and non-seaside locations, as well as small towns, making travel simple for those who decide not to use their own vehicle or taxi.

For more information, connect to the link on the official page.

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If you have arrived in Puglia at the Salento Airport in Brindisi, you basically have two choices for moving around the Region:

• rent a car at the airport or in the city center;
• opt for a private transfer service. In this way you can comfortably reach your final destination (b&b, private home, hotel), without having to rely on public transport or rent a car, driving on crowded streets (especially in summer) and that you do not know.

Advantages of a private transfer service from Brindisi Airport

The transfer with private driver service to/from Brindisi airport allows you to free yourself from the stress of taking means of transport, often too crowded and with “inconvenient” schedules, or of having to use your own car, deal with traffic and the journey before leaving.

In fact, there are many “cons” of traveling with a means other than the Transfer NCC to Brindisi airport:

• public transportation, such as buses, can be inconvenient if you are traveling with more luggage to carry or it can be a problem to comply with their timetables (for a few minutes of delay, you can run the risk of being left stranded or, even, if the vehicle misses a ride for any reason, not being able to arrive at the airport on time and possibly miss your flight);

• private car, once you arrive at the airport you will have to leave it in a paid parking lot that could have very high rates. If instead you decide to park it in structures close to the airport, you will have to wait for shuttles that take you from the parking lot to the airport (with the risk of losing more time and less comfort).

With the Transfer NCC service to and from Brindisi airport, however, you will have the certainty of being punctual and of not having to drive before and after your trip. In fact, you can decide the time and meeting point to be picked up before arriving at the airport and establish the place to be accompanied once you land at Brindisi airport, all based on your needs and timing.

It is the ideal solution for individuals, companies and organizations: in fact, being able to rent minivans or minibuses with drivers, the capacities are greater than those of a simple taxi. So the whole group can travel in company and extreme comfort.

Savelletri is a small village in the province of Fasano, a destination for numerous tourists looking for a quiet but extraordinarily beautiful place in which to spend their holidays. The town is home to the Marina, where around 300 boats are docked and around which many farms have been renovated and used as holiday homes, bed & breakfasts or hotels, a way for tourists to breathe in the traditions of the past of these places and these buildings but in a comfortable and elegant key given by the modern furnishings and the numerous five-star services offered by the innkeepers.

The Savelletri masserie (farms) are increasingly appreciated even by VIPs who choose them as wonderful locations for their wedding or as a comfortable and luxurious “refuge” to take a break from their hectic lives and professional commitments. This was the perfect setting for many celebrity weddings such as the one between the singer Justin Timberlake and the actress Jessica Biel; that of the daughter of the rich American real estate developer Jeff Sutton, Renee or of the rich Indians Ritika Agawarl and Rohan Metha.

Many sportsmen from our country also got married here: the football player Giandomenico Mesto with the showgirl Sara Facciolini; the AC Milan footballer Ignazio Abate with his partner Valentina Del Vecchio and the tennis players Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini. Internationally famous footballers, athletes, actors and musicians spend their holidays here: Marco Van Basten, Noel Gallagher, Maria Sharapova, Madonna (who always celebrates her birthday there), the Beckham family and even Barack Obama.

Beaches

The beaches of Savelletri are suitable for anyone looking for relaxation and entertainment for their summer: the sand allows you to enjoy the holiday with the little ones but even for the younger ones there will be no shortage of fun with the many happy hours organized at the beaches. Here, the sea is one of the many prides of this land, certified 4 sails by Lega Ambiente and Bandiera Blu (Blue Flag).

The beaches equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds are suitable for all those who want to relax and tan under the sun of this wonderful land, perhaps enjoying a cocktail, eating fresh fruit or tasting a typical octopus sandwich. Among the services offered by the managers there are boat tours (with the possibility of fishing) or dinghy rental, to explore the surrounding waters full of coves and deserted beaches.

There is also no shortage of water sports or experiences to do: parasailing (parachuting) which allows you to experience the incredible thrill of admiring the entire coast and the seabed from above, a sport suitable for the most daring and adrenaline-filled but, being able to do it even in as a couple, it can also become a romantic experience to live with your sweetheart; again, flyboarding, a water sport that allows those who practice it to perform extraordinary maneuvers on the water.

What to see in Savelletri

The small port is one of the most characteristic points of the town of Savelletri and from here you can admire the typical white houses, some of which have been used as fishmongers and others as charming restaurants where you can eat excellent traditional cuisine.

For all lovers of history and archaeology, not far from Savelletri, the Egnazia Archaeological Park is unmissable, where traces of human presence relating to the Middle Bronze Age and remains of the Roman Via Traiana have been found; then there is no shortage of necropolises, including the Tomba delle Melagrane (Tomb of the Pomegranates), so called because this fruit is found in frescoes in the upper part of the tomb.

For the entertainment of the little ones and to spend carefree hours in joy, you can reach the nearby Borgo Egnazia water park with its water slides.

Where to stay in Savelletri

For an unforgettable holiday experience, the ideal choice is to stay in one of the typical Savelletri farms, restored to best mix history and tradition with modernity and comfort.

These are five-star structures such as Masseria Torre Coccaro, equipped with rooms with a garden and all comforts as well as a splendid swimming pool with a beach effect (even if the sea is only 4 km away). There is also a wellness center and a restaurant that offers traditional and refined dishes (among other things, you can also take cooking courses with the chef).

Masseria Torre Maizza, located overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by an expanse of olive trees, is the right place to relax or practice sports such as tennis, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting but also golf due to its proximity to the San Domenico Golf Club 18 holes.

Again, Masseria Borgo Egnazia, a structure designed together with the architect and set designer Pino Brescia, entirely made of tuff, the local stone worked by master tufa workers, to combine rurality and simplicity with luxury and exclusivity. It is the ideal choice for staying with your families, being divided into apartments, villas and rooms, suitable for all needs. You can tan and have fun on the two private beaches or on board one of the four swimming pools (three outdoor and one heated indoor) or, again, dance in the ballroom, train on the tennis courts or go shopping in the mini shop . A plus will be being able to regenerate in what has been awarded as the “Best Wellness Spa in the World“, an elegant wellness center in which to rediscover your psychophysical well-being.