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Tour of Otranto and Lecce between beauty and history

Salento is a paradise of caves and crystal-clear seas, where the white sunlight fills every corner with poetry. It is also a veritable open-air museum, with Baroque churches and palaces sitting alongside the ancient cities of Magna Graecia. Alongside an expert guide, stroll through the historic centre of Otranto, Italy's easternmost town. Visit the Cathedral, which houses the relics of the 800 martyrs slaughtered by the Turks in the 15th century and Pantaleon's floor mosaic: one of the most important and best-preserved mediaeval creations in Europe. After checking out the small Byzantine Church of San Pietro and the Aragonese Castle, recharge your batteries with a lunch at a farm, enjoying typical meat products and vegetables freshly picked from the garden. Continue to Lecce, the capital of Salento. Immerse yourself in the typical white streets, enclosed by the three ancient city gates: Porta Rudiae, Porta San Biagio and Porta Napoli. Admire the Basilica of Santa Croce and Piazza Duomo, with its yellow limestone buildings, whose façades seems to be tinged with gold. Finally, visit the Castle of Charles V, the Roman amphitheatre and Piazza Sant'Oronzo. As you wander through a labyrinth of history, art and culture, wonders await around every corner.