Otranto Travel Guide

My Otranto...
Situated on the most eastern point of Italy, in the 'heel', Otranto is the first Italian town to welcome the dawn every morning. Separated from Albania by a narrow stretch of sea, known as the Canal of Otranto, it is possible to see Albania's mountain ranges in the distance on a very clear day.

Its strategic position means Otranto has historically been prone to attacks, and you can still see the defensive walls built to stave off Turkish and Saracen pirates. One particularly bloody attack happened on 14th August 1480 when the Turkish Ottamans invaded and after a long siege, conquered the town.

Around 800 'Idrusi' or habitants of Otranto chose to be decapitated rather than renounce their Christianity and convert to Islam following this invasion. Their remains were later gathered together and buried in the Cathedral's magnificent Baroque chapel where today they are remembered as the 'Blessed Martyrs of Otranto.

Events
There is no shortage of events and festivals in the area. In summer one is held practically every week

August
The Sea Urchin Festival
13th-15th, Festival for the Blessed Martyrs which centres around both religious celebrations and entertainment.

September
1st Sunday, the Madonna of the High Sea Festival
24, the Grape Festival

Dicember
New Year's Eve: The Sun Rise Celebration.

Food and Drink
Fish and Seafood
Otranto's coastal location means that menus are based around the local fish and seafood. The many restaurants in the historic centre serve specialty soups and grilled selections of local freshly caught fish.
Try heading south towards the local coastal port of Porto Badisco. Here, surrounded by small fisherman's cottages, you can try the locally renowned sea urchins.

Giampaolo's Spotlight on …. The Cathedral of Otranto
The mosaic that covers the entire floor of the Cathedral is the largest of its kind in Europe. This work of art is so extraordinary that it never fails to fill visitors with admiration when they first set eyes upon it.

Created around 1163 by Pantaleone, it encapsulates the medieval period with elements of Arab and Byzantine art which reflect Otranto's position between east and west. The design is of a large tree which runs along the main aisle, with two smaller trees in the naves.

Said to symbolise the 'trees of life', the imagery evokes both Latin and Greek Christianity as well as Muslim symbolism. 12 circles represent the signs of the Zodiac and the months of the year. Visitors are surprised to also find references to the legendary King Arthur.

How to get there
By air: The nearest airports are Brindisi (88km) and Bari Palese, 200km away. Both airports offer some low cost budget airline services from across Europe, including Ryanair, Easyjet, TUIfly, as well as links to International Airports such as Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa
By car: Take the A14 to Bari and then the SS16 to Otranto.
By train: There is a train line that connects the main station in Lecce to Otranto but it is a local service and does not run very regularly. Better to take a bus from Lecce train station directly to Otranto.

Top Ten things to see and do
1. Admire the Mosaic Floor in the Cathedral
2. Visit the Chapel of Beati Martiri di Otranto
3. Tour the Byzantine Church of San Pietro
4. Wander around the Aragonese Castle
5. See the defence walls around the harbour
6. Go to the Sanctuary of Monte della Minerva
7. Drive to the Alimini Lakes
8. Visit the Zinzulusa cave on the coast at Castro Marina
9. Enjoy a seafood lunch to taste the fish and shellfish of Porto Badisco
10. Take a boat trip to see the marine caves and the little coves along the coast