25 April in Otranto

On 25 April, helped by a slightly milder climate than the whole month, though shaken by a cold and annoying wind, we set off for the classic day out. Destination: Otranto, 198 km from Bari. The trip starts badly because of the very long queue just outside the city, so long that it made us divert onto alternative routes inland that inevitably cost us time. So we rejoin the ring road only at Castellana Grotte, after passing Valenzano and Turi in that order. The correct road to get to Otranto is obviously the flowing SS16, but always heavily congested during holiday periods. At the roundabout near Lecce we make a mistake that sends us back, so we decide to take the coastal road instead of the road to Maglie that would have led to Otranto more directly.

The decision, however, was a happy one, allowing us to see the splendid Alimini lakes and the marina of Melendugno (San Foca, Roca and Torre dell'Orso). In San Foca we have lunch at modest prices and with taste at the restaurant La Lanterna; Torre dell'Orso is popular for strolling and its little shops. Finally we land in Otranto! Worth visiting: the magnificent cathedral (there was a wedding, with a certain Marco by the way) known for its mosaics and its carved ceiling but also for its voluptuous crypt and the Aragonese castle, home to a contemporary art exhibition. The alleys of the historic centre host pleasant little shops for tourists, although it's hard to walk among the 'hordes' of visitors. To repeat in summer, since the viewpoint is truly... a fine sight! Rating for the lower Salento: 10 Also to be recommended is Martano, a town in Grecìa, neat and unexpected