Otranto

Otranto is a fascinating Salento small town exposed on the Adriatic Sea, also known as Porta d’Oriente, as a location placed in the most oriental part of Italy.

The main monuments of Otranto

The rich artistic and architectural heritage of Otranto mirrors in different old monuments. The huge and impressive Aragonese Castle stands majestically at the entrance of the urban area. Otranto is a small town with many churches, like the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, the churches of Santa Maria dei Martiri and San Pietro, just to mention some of them. In the Cathedral the important relics of the 800 martyrs of Otranto, fallen under the Turkish siege in 1480, are saved.

The historical centre and the seafront

A stroll in the streets of Otranto is a really beautiful experience: Otranto glimpses are unique and full of small stores of local handicraft, very popular. The ancient hamlet of Otranto was emblematically recognised UNESCO World Heritage Centre and this place chosen as one of the most beautiful hamlets in Italy. The promenade called Lungomare degli Eroi is one of the symbols of the city, a strategic point from which people can admire the beautiful sea in front of the city of Otranto.

The seaside resorts in Otranto

In the surroundings of Otranto many spectacular seaside resorts, characterized by a luxuriant and unpolluted nature, are to be found. One of the most famous resorts is Località Alimini, which presents very particular morphological characteristics and takes its name from two lakes, Alimini Grande and Alimini Piccolo, placed very close to the sea and immersed in a verdant pine grove. Wide sandy beaches with seaside establishments or freely accessible are typical of this area. Torre dell’Orso is another famous locality, with an uncontaminated beach renowned as Due Sorelle, the two sisters, two grandiose and characteristic sea stacks which emerge from the crystal clear water.

Another natural jewel: bauxite quarries

Talking about natural beauties, Cave di Bauxite – bauxite quarries – must be mentioned. They are just a few kilometres far from the city centre and offer a really unique landscape. These mine pits were used to extract bauxite from the soil: once, this activity was the foundation of the local economy, but after having abandoned this spot, the digs were left to nature, which has created a unique landscape. Their walls have an unusual reddish shade, and inside them a little lake with emerald water has formed.