Sailing charter Salento

Sailboat rental in Salento: the equipped marinas from which to base are Gallipoli, Santa Maria di Leuca and Otranto. Gallipoli is the medieval pearl, rich in history and charm and today the capital of nightlife, with its bars, restaurants, night clubs. A visit to the ancient helmet: the fortified old town on an islet in the middle of the sea reminds us of the trade with galleons and the battles against pirates. All around it is a paradise for boaters: in front of the islet of Sant'Andrea, with its lighthouse, to the south the extended bay of Gallipoli, to the north the modern area with 4 tourist marinas. If you want you can sail up to Porto Cesareo to see the lagoon and its beaches. Towards the south a rough coast, dotted with ancient watchtowers, with some landing places for boats, the main one being the tourist port of Torre San Giovanni.
Santa Maria di Leuca, well known not only for being the southernmost tip, but also for its beautiful beaches. It is set between two promontories, Punta Ristola and Punta Meliso: at the top of the second stands the lighthouse one hundred meters above sea level (with a visit to the panoramic point). Leuca has an excellent modern and safe harbor, protected by a solid embankment. From here we can base ourselves on a sailboat to navigate along the two coasts of Puglia. It is worth visiting the tiny town, with the Basilica Santuario de finibus terrae and the strip of suggestive nineteenth-century villas. The east coast is beautiful and the first part is quite wild: a sea between blue and turquoise and it is not uncommon to spot dolphins. The first mooring after Leuca is the small port of Tricase, then Castro, Porto Badisco and finally Otranto follow one another closer together. The mythical and romantic city of the castle deserves an extended stop to visit the historic center (Unesco heritage), the imposing fortress, the Norman cathedral. A lively town, full of bars, restaurants, local craft shops and many events in the summer.
Remember that sailing boat rental in Salento also allows you to book side activities organized by the various charter operators to make your holiday unforgettable: the aforementioned dolphin sighting, food and wine tours, trekking and mountain-bike excursions, participation in festivals and musical events, visits guided artists, to fully experience the spirit of Salento!

A land so rich in history, culture and traditions offers a lot to tourists who want to discover the local area, along the coasts of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas or in the lush interior. Originally the region was called Messapia (land between the two seas) and the population formed a Dodecapoli, among which twelve cities are the current Brindisi, Muro Leccese, Manduria and Otranto. Soon the Messapi came into conflict with the polis of Taranto (Taras), a Spartan colony, proud and powerful, often mentioned also by the historians Herodotus and Thucydides. The new Greek colonies that arose in the area determined a period of lively commercial exchanges and also of political instability and wars, resolved with the Roman conquest in the third century. B.C. One after another, the cities fell prey to the Capitoline: Taranto, Lecce (Lupiae) and above all Brindisi which became the most important port in the region, strategic for trade in the Adriatic and in the wars against the Illyrians and the Greeks. Today we can visit the vestiges of the Roman period: the amphitheater of Lecce and the columns that mark the end of the Appian Way in Brindisi, near the port and symbol of the city. Historically a borderland, in the early Middle Ages Salento was claimed by the Lombards and the Byzantines, while the coast was at the mercy of the raids of the Saracens who managed to settle in some areas. The city of Otranto will then emerge, as a bridge between West and East and a melting pot of ethnic groups (Muslims, a strong Jewish community), but above all a Christian stronghold: in the majestic Norman cathedral the blessing was given to the Crusaders who were leaving for the conquest of the Holy Sepulcher. After the Angevin period, modern history is written by the Spaniards: Salento was first part of the Kingdom of Naples and of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a sleepy outskirts of a decadent state, but found a revival in art. The Baroque makes its way into religious buildings and civil architecture, leaving us a suggestive heritage, where Lecce is the richest testimony, with the Basilica of Santa Croce and many other palaces and churches.

Southern Italy is rich in traditions and celebrations, especially dedicated to religious occasions. Each town, large or small, celebrates the patron saint on a specific day of the year, San Nicola in Maglia, San Pietro and Paolo in Galatina, Sant'Oronzo in Lecce in August. The parties are always lively and engaging and are not to be missed if you are on vacation at that time. Salento finds in music a popular expression that has now become a recognized art: above all taranta and pizzica. In summer festivals and concerts multiply, but the main event is the Notte della Taranta which takes place in August as a traveling festival in many squares. Born only in 1998, the festival focused on local music and beyond, has had a resounding success over the years, also promoted by the many Italian and international artists who participated (Joe Zawinul, Dalla, Battiato, Bregovic, Capossela and many others)

Walking through the villages and cities allows you to discover how creative the tradition of craftsmanship is. The materials with which we work are many and unusual: typical is papier-mâché, which dates back to the seventeenth century, with which decorative objects and souvenirs are made. Another characteristic workmanship is the Lecce stone, of limestone and honey-colored origin, which in the city center adorns buildings and streets with its warm colors. Today we find valuable items to furnish or small objects carved in Lecce stone throughout the Salento, thanks to the numerous quarries in the area. Terracotta dates back to prehistoric times, a handicraft that has found a long tradition and is now present in many workshops and shops: containers and pots are made of it (widely used given the excellent local gastronomy), nativity puppets and typical whistles. Other processes that are often encountered are objects in rush, copper crafts and embroidery as it was once done.

Salento is a fertile and luxuriant land, surrounded by the sea that over the centuries has seen peoples, cultures and trades alternate, therefore the quality of the typical products and the cuisine is extraordinary. The symbolic product is oil: the extension of the olive groves is vast and a visit to a local farm is very interesting (there are also some dating back to the eighteenth century that operate as a farmhouse). The wine is no exception, especially the full-bodied reds produced with Negroamaro (Salice Salentino DOC), Primitivo and Malvasia Nera. On the table vegetables and greens are omnipresent and very good and accompany pasta and fish, while less frequent is meat (although typical, for those who like it, is the horse). Among the first courses, pasta with aubergines, spaghetti with breadcrumbs and anchovies, spaghetti with sea urchins and finally rice, potatoes and mussels. Among the second courses, u purpu alla pignatta (stewed rock octopus), anchovies and sardines in scapece, the small pieces (horse stew in spicy sauce). If you want something lighter and faster, stop in a bar or a bakery, because you will find many street food specialties: the rustic Lecce (a kind of stuffed calzone), the frize, the pittule, and many types of bread. .. To finish the pastry: pasticciotto leccese (short pastry filled with cream), fruttone (with chocolate and jam), spumoni, almond paste, mustazzoli ... and to wet all this a good Apulian passito! .