South Along the Adriatic

My ever Faithful,

As the weather has begun to change, our eye has turned to traveling. If the sunshine continues to shine, we hope to get away each week for a long day trip. Wednesday, we rented our smart little “Smart” car


and headed south on the Adriatic side of the heel of the boot.

Getting out of Lecce by car is a bit of a challenge (not compared to getting back in – more on that later). However, after a couple of wrong turns we did head south on an inland road to the town of Maglie and then headed directly east to the coast and the town of Otranto.

Otranto was once Rome’s leading port and Italy’s main port for the Orient. St. Peter is said to have performed his first Western mass at the top of the hill in Otranto. It was also the scene of a bloody execution when the Turks murdered 800 who refused to convert to Islam. All these stories of the atrocities of the Turks makes me want to read their side of the story. No matter where we travel, I get the strictly Christian point of view!

Now Otranto is a summer resort town of about 5,500. In early May, it is a very sleepy resort town, save only for the scads of school kids on tour. Based on the number that pour through Lecce each day, and those I see in other cities, I seriously wonder if any Italian child is actually in school at this time of year!

Anyway, the day was bright and sunshiny.


In the photos you can’t appreciate the rather stiff sea breeze,


but believe me it was there all day. After stumbling into a great parking spot (something not to be taken lightly in Italy) which having a Smart car made even easier, Polley and I got a couple of shots of the main harbor

before retiring to a secluded (and relatively protected) sidewalk café. Following the requisite glass of wine and 3 different free snacks,


we walked about the town.

While Otranto sprawls a bit to the north and south with boring holiday apartments, the old town is a walled area on the highest point in the area. You enter through the castle gates


and work your way up the narrow streets (mostly lined with shops for tourists),

finally arriving at the top where sits the cathedral on Piazza Duomo.


This is a 11th century church that has enjoyed a couple of facelifts. While it is relatively simple in design, its primary feature is vast 12th century mosaic floor, done by a young monk, that occupies the whole of the nave.


While is not of the brightest of colors (mostly brown) and is quite worn in the places (authorities are struggling as to what steps to take to preseve it), it is quite impressive. It is a bizarre vision of Heaven and Hell, with a strange collection of classical, religious and superstitious characters, all done in a very flat, almost cartoon-like style.
I actually was more impressed with the magnificent ceiling.


It appeared to be something done by Wedgewood, so many upside down plates!

There are also a number of frescos on the walls. Many of them are quite worn, but this one was in very good condition.


We wandered a bit more, getting some nice views of the harbor,


but as siesta time began to close in, we gave up our parking spot and headed on down the coast, with our goal being Santa Maria di Leuca, the very end of the heel and the furthest point south in Italy.

As you can see, the coastline is quite undeveloped, with vast stretches of dramatic coastline.




With that teaser, I am going to stop here, and pick up our trip again tomorrow, resorting to the old showbiz slogan, “Leave them wanting more!”

Ed and Polley