Santa Maria di Leuca (1)

Archaeology and rural civilization in the Stone Landscape of Capo di Leuca

"Walking through history we meet our roots, trees of thought and fruits of knowledge."

Stone landscapes: an environment entirely built by adapting nature to the needs of life; stones steeped in humanity and sweat [...]. The stones are evidence of remote relationships between man and nature: menhirs, dolmens, specchie mounds, but above all stones superimposed with centuries of expertise to build a myriad of small buildings or low walls.

In this land-hungry region, stone is transformed from an obstacle into a building material, blending with nature (VINCENZO CAZZATO). The landscape that frames the Ciolo Canal is a succession of true monuments of peasant civilization: villages of lithic huts surrounded by mazes of dry stone walls, silhouetted in perfect balance on a promontory jutting out toward the sea, where the horizon on some clear days collimates with the Acrocerauni mountain range.

The stonework testifies to an ongoing struggle between man and nature, with the former engaged in clearing cultivable and arable space even where the latter seemed to clearly prevail. The ruggedness of these districts was described by Cosimo De Giorgi, who traveled along country roads to descend into valleys and ravines, climbing among the stones of the hills flanking the Adriatic and the typical vegetation of the Mediterranean scrub, which covers the entire plateau with greenery: one must attempt a squirrel-style gymnastics, wrote the scholar-traveler, to observe the deep and so picturesque ravines of Ciolo and Novaglie, which resemble the ravines of Castellaneta in Tarantino, and to visit the caves of Prazziche, greatly raised above the sea, facing the immense sea of Leuca.

The path, now perfectly usable, winds through a breathtaking landscape overlooking the sea, where the gaze sweeps from Punta Palascìa (near Otranto) to the rugged profile of the island of Othonoi (Fanò). The high cliffs of Canalone, suspended between Land and Sea, overlook a myriad of cavities that have always offered shelter and protection to men and animals.

The same locality was intensively investigated, in the 1960s, by a team of archaeologists from the Italian Institute of Human Paleontology, assisted by some local speleological groups, with excellent results from the point of view of knowledge of Salento Prehistory. The deposits found inside the caves have preserved important finds that attest to a frequentation since very remote times.

Between a pajara and a mantagnata, between a liama and a paralupi wall, we come to the sight of a natural cavity that opens 35 meters above sea level along the southwestern ridge of the Canale del Ciolo. This is the Cave of the Gnats, so called because of the horizontal burrow infested with gnats. In 1962 a small excavation essay was carried out that revealed traces of a hearth and numerous fragments of Bronze Age impasto vessels. Ten years later, in 1972, it was surveyed by the Gruppo Grotte Milano, led by Adriano Vanin, which reported the presence not only of the insects but also of pots used by local fishermen.

A few tens of meters away - at 60 meters above sea level - a cavity is identified, incorporated in a private property, whose wide entrance is closed by a dry stone wall. The interior is home to an old fig tree that seems to have found its ideal habitat, while holes in the earthen sediment indicate the presence of small mammals slumbering in their long winter hibernation. The cave consists of a wide entrance from which a corridor branches, the development of which one can follow with the eye for a few meters. Another tunnel, smaller in size, opens about three meters up the wall to the left. Fragments of protohistoric and achromatic impasto pottery of uncertain date are found scattered here and there, both on the inner surface of the cave and on the terrace in front of it.

On the opposite slope of the Ciolo Canal opens, at 62 meters above sea level, Prazziche di Sopra Cave, which has been the attraction of a well-known nightclub for some years. Forty-two meters long and 6 meters wide, it was the subject of two excavation campaigns carried out in 1964 and 1965, which revealed a stratigraphy with abundant fauna (deer, foxes, horses and bovids) in association with lithic industry on limestone possibly from the Upper Paleolithic.

Of extreme archaeological importance is the discovery of Neolithic industry related to Paleolithic processing techniques, which demonstrates the slow process of neolitization of the indigenous population, compared to other human groups on the peninsula already assimilated by the new Neolithic culture. The most important finds from Grotta Prazziche were made by archaeologist Borzatti Von Lowenstern. These are two movable art objects: a red-spotted painted fluitic bone and a graffitied pebble.

Another cavity that has preserved fragments of human history for millennia is the Grotta Prazziche (Keyhole Cave), in the locality of Fogge, north of the gully. Here, too, surface investigations revealed the presence of an archaeological deposit that consisted of pottery referable to different phases of the Protohistoric Age.

(Marco Cavalera)

GROTTA CIPOLLIANE (GAGLIANO DEL CAPO) The land and the sea, two elements with organoleptic characteristics at the antipodes, physically distant but at the same time ever so close: they chase each other, they bicker, they kiss. The waters from which the lands have emerged seem almost as if they want to slap those rocks that overhang their surface, only to rock them gently a few moments later, when the rage has faded. Along the cliffs of Salento those rocks constantly look at the sea and lean toward it with a veiled nostalgia, almost regretting the times that were. A boundary line, agreed upon after grueling battles, on which some of the first human settlements decided to march, probably enraptured by that riot of colors and scents that the gods wanted to bestow as a gift. We, too, walk on those crags today; there are no more Neanderthals, no more sea looking up at us, only a mixture of thyme, oregano and chives scent to lend the artist's touch to the Grotte Cipolliane (Cipollian Caves). Three shelters open on the east-facing high cliff halfway between the seaside towns of Novaglie and Ciolo, in the municipal territory of Gagliano del Capo. The sea, which now lies 30 meters below, once overwhelmingly invaded these environments. This is evidenced by the very rich documentation of shells, pecten and rudiste that completely covers the inner surface of the three caverns, naturally excavated in the friable and porous rock of the Terziario (Tertiary) (65 to 1.8 million years ago).

The fill of the cavity is characterized by the presence of minute limestone sands and debris, associated with lithic industry (back blades, small circular scrapers) of Romanellian type (9-12 thousand years ago) and abundant faunal remains (equids, bovids, cervids, wild donkeys, small mammals and birds). Wherever you put your foot down, you cannot help but step on minute chipped flints, fossil fragments of all kinds, and intact shells of bivalve mollusks, which have made it possible to advance the hypothesis of an economy predominantly based precisely on their collection, an activity that will characterize the European Mesolithic a few millennia later.

The fauna (typical of a cold climate) and the lithic industry found hint at a filling of the surface of the cavities that occurred at the end of the Würm glaciation, about 10,000 years ago, when the receding sea would have exposed a coastal strip, now underwater, on which sand dunes would have formed in front of the cave, whose windblown granules gradually settled down to the depths of the short cavern, mixing with limestone sediments from the disintegration of the walls and vault of the cavity. We walk again on that imaginary line of this magnificent cliff, an archaic Ariadne's thread, Theseus' way out of the labyrinth of Knossos that connects us indirectly and continuously to 30,000 years ago, at the end of the Mousterian, filling a centuries-old archaeological gap that stretched back to the Upper Paleolithic.

In the wider shelter, as a result of excavations carried out in the 1960s, an archaeological deposit has in fact been identified that covers a time span ranging from 29-20 thousand years ago (Gravettian) to 10 thousand years ago (Romanellian), a period, the latter, to which an engraved pebble with figures, of uncertain interpretation, should also refer, found during the cleaning of the surface deposit by archaeologist De Borsatti and which has some affinities with those found within Romanelli cave (Castro). We hold this thread, almost like modern Fates who want to play with the fate of men. We decide not to sever it so that it can continue to connect our present with the future to come. The gods have been watching us all along from behind a bush, they envy us, they would like this place for themselves. But their time is over, let us leave the space to men now, all this is ours! Let's make good use of it.

(Marco Cavalera, Marco Piccinni)

For information and guided tours with tour guide: 
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE ARCHÈS (ARCHÈS CULTURAL ASSOCIATION) 
Via G. Carmignani, 14 - 73039 Lucugnano (LE) 
associazionearches@libero.it - www.associazionearches.it 
mobile: 340.5897632 – Tax/Fiscal code: 90032070758

Between land and sea, walking in the Capo di Leuca is a unique experience. The paths, in any season of the year, invite reflection on the history of places and nature.

On the march to Finibusterrae: Between the Holy Land and Rome, between Jerusalem and the heart of Europe, Santa Maria di Leuca is an almost obligatory stop. At the apex of the Salento region jutting into the Mediterranean, the Leuca landing place has always been a crossroads of peoples, cultures and religions. The Via Francigena, in the Lower Salento, offers the opportunity to cross historic and fascinating places of worship and paths that cut through unspoiled wilderness. Several associations organize and promote guided hikes Associazione Archès and Trekking Salento, while particularly active in promoting the Via Francigena is the Ecclesial Park "Terre del Capo di Leuca - De Finibus Terrae," which reports to the Basilica of Leuca.

Among the most evocative destinations is undoubtedly Leuca Piccola, or the basilica of Santa Maria del Belvedere in Barbarano (a hamlet of Morciano di Leuca), a must-see stop for pilgrims to Finibusterrae that still brings to life the emotions of the journey to Leuca. Then there is the Sanctuary of Santa Marina, in Ruggiano (hamlet of Salve), with its regal facade and miraculous well in front that breathes history. Also, the remains of the church of San Pietro in Giuliano (a hamlet of Castrignano del Capo) dating back to the year 1000 with its faint traces of frescoes.

Finally, a little less than a kilometer from Leuca is the Erma Antica di Castrignano del Capo, a stone pillar with an effigy of the Angel and a prayer to the Virgin, made in 1753: destroyed after a road accident, it was restored a few years ago. From here departed the pilgrims' last, moving effort to reach Finibusterrae, a natural bridge between East and West.

Along the primitive fjord: To discover the wilderness of Capo di Leuca, a convenient and fascinating path is the one that leads from Gagliano del Capo to Ciolo, a small town on the eastern coast. Starting from Gagliano, take first via Novaglie and then via Ciolo. On the road is the Chapel of the Madonna di Leuca, the last sign of civilization before diving into a path that for almost four kilometers runs at the bottom of a real fjord.

You walk on a path equipped with a wooden fence, squeezed between the two rocky ridges, while the olive trees give way to Mediterranean scrub, between dry stone walls and small "pajare". The Ciolo sheep-track follows the bottom of the gully that over the millennia has incessantly carved the rock with water directed toward the sea. One step after another changes the landscape and the deep blue of the sea is outlined on the horizon, announced by a small beach, ideal for bathing in summer, topped by the bridge over which the coast road runs.

From the Ciolo (but you have to go up on the road surface) begins another spectacular trail, that of the Cipolliane, which winds through a breathtaking landscape overlooking the sea, where the gaze sweeps as far as the Greek island of Phanò. The equipped path, between a "pajara" and a "mantagnata," leads to the sight of an enormous natural cavity that opens up 30 meters above sea level: this is the Cipolliane complex, a cave known and frequented since the Paleolithic era and that has returned pebbles bearing indecipherable engraved figures, flint tools and protohistoric pottery.

The Ciolo and Cipolliane trails are just two of the network of paths designed by the Costa Otranto - Santa Maria di Leuca - Bosco di Tricase Regional Natural Park (to find out about the individual trekking and cycling routes go to www.parcootrantoleuca.it). The Ciolo is also the ideal hangout for lovers of extreme sports and free climbing: along the walls of the gully, in fact, it is possible to measure yourself in sport climbing, just a stone's throw from the sea, but as if you were in the mountains.

Pedaling on water: It ends here, in Santa Maria di Leuca, the Ciclovia dell’Acquedotto Pugliese (Apulian Aqueduct Cycleway), one of the four cycleways of national interest being built with government funds. While waiting for the project to come to fruition, it is already possible to ride the entire route by following the historical pipeline of the Pugliese Aqueduct, which, through the Main Canal (from Caposele to Villa Castelli) and the Grande Sifone Leccese, reaches Leuca. Here the arrival of the water, an event that wrenched an entire region of four million inhabitants from thirst, is celebrated with a large monumental waterfall, built in 1939, now lit only on special occasions.

Cycling on the waterway in Lower Salento offers the opportunity to cross an extraordinary landscape among olive trees and small roads marked by dry stone walls and "pajare." Info at www.aqp.bike, the website of the Coordinamento dal Basso per la Ciclovia dell'Acquedotto Pugliese.

Santa Maria di Leuca is the apex of Salento. Behind it is an area rich in treasures, between history and nature: small but elegant villages, farms surrounded by olive groves, narrow paths between dry stone walls, ancient "pajare". To get to know the hinterland of Leuca, you only need to travel a few kilometers, taking the dense network of roads that characterizes the Salento.

The two hearts of Castrignano

Castrignano del Capo has two hearts: the first one is beating in Piazza San Michele, dominated by the main church, rebuilt on the rubble of the one destroyed in the 1743 earthquake. Castrignano's other heart is on the other side of town, in Piazza delle Rimembranze. A doorless archway opens what, at first glance, is a small building like so many: a sign indicates Borgo Terra. The hallway is a viaduct to the Middle Ages, to the oldest settlement, a quadrilateral-like farmhouse, each side 60 meters long, to defend the inhabitants from the many raids of brigands and Saracens. Small adaptations have not affected the original structure, which fascinates with its small porticos, small windows, ortals or dabbling tunnels concealing underground oil mills.

Only a road and a grove separate Castrignano from Salignano, known for its 1550 milk-and-honey-colored carparo defense tower, circular in plan, 20 meters wide and 15 meters high. Also worth seeing is the late 18th-century mother church of Sant'Andrea, with Baroque altars and modest paintings.

To the north, past Patù, is the other hamlet of Castrignano

It has not even six hundred inhabitants, Giuliano di Lecce, and an ancient history, the first chapter of which was written by tal Julianus, a Roman centurion who founded it. The historic center is accessed through the gate in Piazza San Giuliano, along the defensive walls erected in the 17th century. The rosy stone statue of the saint gives his back to the 16th-century castle, shrouded in the mysterious charm of the original military architecture, two towers on either side, curtains and four high bastions.

A few steps away, via Regina Elena features the town's oldest monument, the 2.34-meter Mensi menhir in carparo, topped by the curious "hat." Singular grimaces stand out among the lanes: these are the ones that, since 1609, have been mocking passersby and chasing away evil influences from the lodge of sneers, 15 atropopaic figures with terrifying grins, carved in the stone of a private home on Via D'Azeglio.

The ancient face of the village

Gagliano del Capo has a fascinating ancient face, linked to the vicissitudes of its feudal lords, with fortified walls and castle. In Piazza Immacolata, the chapel of the ancient confraternity keeps company with the column of the Immaculate Conception erected in 1825, the second symbolic monument of the town, co-equal with the first, the column of San Rocco, placed opposite because of an urban planning choice that wanted them at opposite ends of Corso Umberto I. The historic center encases small habitations, imposing palaces and houses in typical late medieval architecture, well worth a slow and careful walk.

The beauty of Leuca Piccola

Barbarano del Capo is just a small hamlet of Morciano di Leuca, a village steeped in history also known as "Little Leuca." The Santa Maria di Leuca del Belvedere complex was an obligatory stop for pilgrims who arrived at the gates of Finibusterrae. Outside the sanctuary, a few of the arches that housed merchants and, in the center, a wide portal remain. The church is late 17th century, an exact reproduction of the basilica of Leuca as it was in 1685. In the forecourt, just to the left of the door, is set a singular plaque with the "10 P's," a wise acronym to warn that “Parole Poco Pensate Portano Pena Perciò Prima Pensate Poi Parlate” (Words Little Thought Bring Punishment Therefore First Think Then Speak).

In Barbarano there are also the "vore," the "small" and the "large," easily accessible, large chasms in the ground into which rainwater naturally flows, now fenced off, but with unchanged charm, true works of art of nature.

Between Centropietre and Messapi

In Patù, the attention of the "pilgrim" is captured by the church of San Michele Arcangelo, built in 1564 with its late Renaissance facade. From the renewed pavement of the square blossom like so many small wells, the small windows from whose panes one glimpses the hypogean granaries. A few hundred meters from the center, here are the Centopietre, the "archaeological marvel of the province of Lecce," according to the 19th-century definition of the Parisian archaeologist Françoise Lenormant. One hundred, to be exact, are the large blocks of Vereto that were used in the construction of this unique funeral monument for General Geminianus who, sent by the Christians to the camp of the Moors as a messenger of peace, was barbarously killed in 877. Opposite stands the church of St. John the Baptist, a typical example of Apulian Romanesque art. A short distance away is the ancient Messapian Vereto, which dominates the plain and the nearby sea from the top of a hill, from whose destruction and flight of survivors Patu was born.

The proposed excursion includes a magnificent journey through time, as well as space, to rediscover magical places that conceal enchanted sights, treasures of inestimable value from a historical-naturalistic point of view that only sailing under the coast can reveal.

The motorboat will take you on an unforgettable journey among the hidden wonders of the Leuca coast, starting from the characteristic marina of Torre Pali, one of the most popular seaside resorts in Salento that takes its name from a fascinating coastal tower, built in 1563 on an isolated rock about 20 meters from the shore. Its preeminent function was to defend the Salento hinterland from the raids of pirates, who infested our seas bringing misfortune and calamity to the poor locals.

The navigation proceeds along the coast along the golden sandy expanses of Marina di Pescoluse and Posto Vecchio, a long enchanting beach that frames a crystal-clear sea with Caribbean shades of color. Arriving in the waters of Torre Vado, the sailor's attention turns to one of the best-preserved coastal towers in Salento. The tower, dating from around the middle of the 16th century, stands majestically behind the small port of the town of the same name, completely devoid of its original defensive function.

The sweet waves of the sea lead us to the picturesque inlet of Torre San Gregorio, which for more than two and a half millennia has been home to a small landing place. A few vestiges of the ancient harbor are visible from the Messapian and Roman periods, both on land (alignments of cyclopean blocks close to the shoreline) and underwater (a breakwater that served to protect the inlet from southerly winds).

After waving goodbye to the ancient Messapian landing place of Vereto (Patù), our boat accompanies us to Santa Maria di Leuca, a place known to the ancients as situated "at the edge of the world," where the known gives way to the unknown and the collective imagination has set mythical and fantastic events, located dwellings of gods, heroes and terrifying monsters, as attested by the names given to some of the caves of Finibus Terrae.

The proposed excursion aims to introduce visitors to these hidden places, often inaccessible from the mainland, which precisely because of their mysteriousness have been the subject of superstitions and primordial cults.

Many of the caves we are going to visit have returned traces of anthropic habitation dating back tens of thousands of years, that is, to the Middle Paleolithic (130,000/35,000 years ago), when Neanderthal Man established his base camps in Salento, using these large natural cavities as shelters and devoting himself full-time to hunting in the vast forests alternating with scrub and grassland, where it was not difficult to come across elephants, rhinos, horses, deer, bears, wild boars, hyenas and hippos.

The Grotta del Drago (Dragon Cave) is the first of the caverns we encounter in our caboose navigation. The blue-green water inside creates spectacular plays of light on the walls and bottom of the cavity. The cave consists of a large chamber that has two immense openings, about 30 meters high, separated by a rock pillar. It is named after a rock that shows remarkable morphological affinities with a dragon. Inside, the cave has preserved a prehistoric deposit, which has faunal remains of pachyderms (elephants and rhinoceroses) that lived about 70,000 years ago, when climatic-environmental conditions (Riss-Würm interglacial period) were much better suited to the nature of these animals. Some local fishermen assert that the cave was home to a monk seal a few decades ago.

A few miles further southeast we come across one of the most palethnologically relevant karst cavities: this is the Grotta dei Giganti, which has been the subject of exploration since as early as the 1600s, when the Alexandrian canon Francesco Pirreca found numerous pachyderm bones that he classified as bones of giants. In the last century, further prospecting, carried out in the lower part of the cave, uncovered a rich deposit of industry on flint and limestone of the Mousterian phase (lithic complexes referable to Neanderthal man) together with ceramics attributable to the Bronze Age (4,300-3,000 years ago), while at a higher elevation a tomb of the early medieval age (9th century AD), coeval ceramics and five bronze coins of Constantine VII and Roman I were found.

Leaving the Cave of the Giants behind, we head for another cavity that opens among the vertiginous rocks of Punta Ristola, which is also full of fascination and suggestion: this is the Cave of the Three Doors, named for the immense three entrances through which the semi-submerged inner chamber communicates with the sea. Along the inner and outer walls can be seen patches of concreted detrital fill, which contain fragments of bones, sometimes burned, of prairie fauna and elephants and rhinos. On the northern wall of the cave's inner chamber can be seen a tunnel that extends 27 meters and ends in a large chamber rich in stalactites and stalagmites. This cavity is called Child's Cave because a tooth (a left upper molar) belonging to a Neanderthal child about 10 years old was found in it, associated with hearth remains, Mousterian industry on flint and limestone, and fossil bones of Pleistocene fauna.

Continuing the circumnavigation of Akra Iapigia, the southernmost strip of land in Apulia, you can observe hidden among the white Leucanian cliffs numerous other cavities, some of which unfortunately cannot be reached from the sea. One of these is the celebrated Grotta del Diavolo (Devil's Cave), a cavern that incites superstitious fears to such an extent that the French writer Francois Fenelon, in the fourteenth volume of his "Aventures de Telemaque," described it as "the entrance to the underworld through which the son of Ulysses went in search of his father." Explorations carried out in the cave during the 1800s and last century uncovered deposits containing mammalian fauna, human bone remains, mollusk shells, flint tools, and numerous ceramic artifacts datable to the Final Neolithic and Bronze Age (5,000-3,000 years ago).

From the Grotta del Diavolo (Devil's Cave) you can reach, via a path, the Grotta della Porcinara (Porcinara Cave), well known in Messapian times as rituals were held there in honor of Batas, a male deity wielding lightning. The cave opens on Punta Ristola, facing the ideal meeting point of the Ionian and Adriatic seas. It was the place where the Messapians exchanged products and knowledge with Greek merchants, who brought gifts - Attic vases, craters and amphorae with red and black figures - to the god of lightning and carved inscriptions to ask the deity worshipped in the cave for protection against the dangers of the sea, to thank the god for the successful crossing of the short stretch of sea separating the Salento and Illyrian coasts, and to fulfill some vows.

Having passed the Devil's Cave and the related mythical and historical events, we continue our circumnavigation eastward, where about two hundred meters away, in the "Sparascenti" Channel, we stand enraptured in front of the entrance to the Grotta del Fiume (River Cave), so called because of a depression above it, a product of the erosion of an ancient stream that flowed into the sea. The cave is about thirty meters deep, and by accessing it on foot it is possible to arrive from a passageway to the Grotta del Presepe (Nativity Cave).

Navigation, at this point, proceeds eastward, where it is possible to admire Punta Meliso, with the promontory that gently sinks into the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, with the limestone rocks that, dazzled by the warm Salento sun, turn white, like the imposing lighthouse (built in 1864) that from the height of its 47 meters emits a beam of light that at night is reflected in the waters in front of Akra Iapigia. If the lighthouse is a fundamental point of reference for sailors on this stretch of sea, the Sanctuary of S.M. de Finibus Terrae, recently visited also by Pope Benedict XVI, remains one of the most important destinations for pilgrims who come every year from all over the world, also because a legend says that at least once in one's life it is necessary to visit the Sanctuary of Leuca if one wishes to obtain peace and bliss in the Hereafter.

Having rounded the Japigio promontory, the motorboat heads north, to discover the numerous caves that open up, at the base of the wild cliff up to 60 meters high, on the deep blue sea, which in this stretch reaches a depth of 20-30 meters a few meters from the coast. We meet in an endless succession cavities shaped by the erosive action of the sea with glimpses and light effects of inimitable beauty: Grpotte di Terrarico (Terrarico Caves), Grotte di Verdusella (Verdusella Caves), Grotta la Cattedrale (The Cave Cathedral). One of the most striking caves on the Levante coast is Grotta della Vora (Vora Cave), a cavity more than 25 m high with the vault crossed by a swallowhole, which creates marvelous light effects.

The caves follow one after another countless times. Thus we come across the Grotta dell'Ortocupo (Ortocupo Cave) and the Grotta del Soffio. These are two cavities very close to each other, located in a small inlet. They are caves with a magical and surreal atmosphere, in which the purest fresh water mixes with sea water, creating spectacular coloristic effects. When air from inside is expelled outside, a peculiar spray, called "blowing," is created.

A short distance from Ortocupo and Soffio are the two Vora Caves, very close to each other. They are so called because of the circular hole (called "vora" in Salento dialect), formed on the vault of the cavity at a height of more than 60 meters. The beam of light that penetrates them, in contact with the sea water, creates suggestive lighting effects to such an extent that, when you are inside, you have the impression of being in a majestic cathedral.

Our excursion ends at the Mannute Caves, mid-coast cavities with domes that are characterized by stalagmites and stalactites reaching seven meters in height.

After casting a last glance at the Adriatic Sea, with its promontories sloping sheer into the Strait of Otranto, the motorboat will take you back to the small port of Torre Pali, from where we set out on this extraordinary journey among the marvelous caves of Akra Iapigia, following the path of the sun, which in this last part of the day sadly goes into hiding behind the jagged mountains of ancient Oenotria, to magically reappear the next dawn behind the Acrocerauni, the mountain range with rough, grayish profiles that crosses Epirus and northern Greece, visible on the horizon on days when the sky is clear.

Leuca from the sea is something else entirely. When the land seems to end, new scenery can open up if one is willing to leave the coast plowing through the whims of the waves. Caves, ravines and coves are hidden from view from land and often from the sea, set in the impervious cliffs at the junction of the two seas. To explore the caves of Leuca will not require a "sesame opener" of fairy tale tradition, but a worthy "sea wolf" to lead the imagination where it didn't count on getting, and home, here, there are many. Seafarers here have equipped themselves to accompany tourists and Salento residents, skilled not only at the helm of a boat, but also in storytelling. These masterpieces of nature, in fact, can only be admired from the sea, which over the millennia has sculpted and polished them with its creativity, depending on the mood. What from afar appear to be long, narrow shadows, stretching toward the sky like gothic spires on sun-pampered stone, suddenly gain depth in the dry land, opening up like marveling mouths, as man's flair loses fascination compared to the talent of the waves.

From Finibusterrae to Ciolo

Going eastward, nestled just behind the long arm of the harbor, is Grotta Cazzafri (Cazzafri Cave), which seems to have inherited its name from the Greek, conforming to a translation that would have it “casa di spuma” (house of froth), that which the waves release as they break on its walls. Accessing it by boat, one admires the melting vault full of stalactites and, reaching the bottom, lands at the knoll for a comfortable stop.

Sailing further to the Levant, one encounters the Grottella or "Ruttedda," a favorite destination for bare-knuckle climbing; located under the radar, it is known for the freshwater spring gushing from the sea. It is home, as in the others, to turret pigeons, owls, bats and barn owls.

There are many curious names given to caves by the people of Leuca, such as the Grotta di Terrarico (Terrarico Cave), also known as the "Bocche di Terrarico" or "of the Indians," because of its triangular shape resembling a tent. It is actually a complex of three cavities of varying sizes, opening at the tip of the Terrarico Promontory.The interior is characterized by an exceptional spectacle of light and color, from sea green to emerald and yellow. The wear and tear of the waves has created a stone monster at the entrance that will sink into the sea in a few centuries. Erosion changes the rocks every day, and year after year we notice the differences.

Upon reaching the Grotta de lu purraru, looking up through the portal as high as 25 meters, sharp stalactites loom from the only spot where the roar of the sea does not reach, while the Verdusella is off limits to navigation because of a hovering boulder ready for the plunge of no return.

The interior of the Dark Garden Cave is similar to a dark and quiet vegetable garden. The rock walls seem to be moved by the wind, and a play of light amuses sudden gazes that do not want to miss unique reflections of liquid crystal. Just from its bottom, but only for experts, one can enter a tunnel about 80 meters long, the Princess's Cave. Perhaps it is the noblewoman who, bored of the abyss, puffs next door, from the Cave of the Breath that generates a magical whirlwind of water and air, atomized outside. The opening is flush with water, and only by allowing oneself to be carried away by the suction completely submerged, can one re-emerge into the cavern, with the impression of flowing into a parallel universe because of the charm of the colors and the feeling of lightness.

The traverse continues to the Grotta della Vora (Vora Cave), called by some the "Cathedral," by others "of the Madonna," because of the sun that filters through a rose window sculpted by nature's master on the vault, 60 meters high: at noon the rays plummet into the hole like the lighthouse that is fixed on the stage on the protagonist, the endless seabed of the "mare spunnatu." In the Giuncacchia, on the other hand, the rays play with the green making it look like an expanse of rushes, hence the bizarre name.

Halfway up the coast are the Mannute Caves, accessible only from land but visible from the sea; they get their name, however, from the numerous stalactites with the appearance of small udders. It is worth going up to the Grotta del pozzo, or "Grande del Ciolo," near the inlet of the same name, which is said to have been home to the last monk seals, once the privileged inhabitants of the coastline that turns to the Levant. The interior follows two directions: one goes toward the saltwater pond; the other, penetrating the subsoil, reaches the "Dome Room" and then, again, the "Bat Room," which populates it by the thousands.

From the Porcinara to the Lovers' Cave

On the west coast, beyond Puna Ristola, Leuca's most famous cave only overlooks, without opening to the Ionian Sea: it is the Porcinara, whose access from land is forbidden by peremptory gates that protect millennia-old footprints from the eagerness for decay that characterizes the human being of young age. Here, the ancients took refuge in prayer to please the god of the sea.

Punta Ristola extends from the jaws of the Devil's Cave, already reported in the 1700s, in ancient times believed to be the "gate of hell" through which Telemachus passed in search of his father Ulysses. Since the earliest excavations, the "satanic" gorge has yielded interesting, unique finds such as bones, valves, weapons and tools, probable evidence of frequentation dating back to the Neolithic period.

Underworld behind, an angelic cove boasts turquoise hues that indicate bottoms no longer like chasms: it was the wide Grotta del Cerchio (Circle Cave), sunk centuries ago. Above can be seen a concrete chute, the platform from which liquid waste was thrown into the sea. The basin is called the "pig's mouth" for this reason.

Then the cliffs become less jagged, like shorelines of polished rock, and we slip into the Grotto of mesciu Scianni: master Gianni, officially, was an artisan and collected stones here to make splendid mosaics.

The River Cave, with freshwater springs gushing inside, is connected to the Grotta Titti (Titti Cave), also called "of the little girl," where the tooth of a prehistoric maiden was found. Three high entrances justify the entrance to the Grotta delle Tre Porte (Cave of the Three Doors), which is followed by the Grotta dei Giganti (Cave of the Giants), where human remains of enormous size are said to have been found, for legend has it that giants killed by Libyan Hercules were buried here, or perhaps more simply pachyderm bones, as rationality suggests instead.

Next is the Nativity Cave, which, although far from evocative Christmas atmosphere, is so called perhaps because of stalactites and stalagmites, characters of an almost sacred setting. Next to it, the Grotta della Stalla (Stable Cave), completes the "nativity" work, repeatedly sheltering fishermen in distress. It carries with it the mystery of a legend, the Grotta del Morigio (Morigio Cave): here, the story goes, the "Moors" made a reconnaissance stop, before the assault and destruction of Leuca. Semicelated, by land and sea, it is also well known as the Grotta degli Innamorati ("Lovers' Cave”). Just a dip in the fresh spring water allows one to enjoy the inventiveness of the Ionian Sea, which has formed an intimate and evocative environment here. A few strokes in the pungent water and the view gradually gets used to the darkness, accompanied by the reflections of the sun on the sandy seabed tinged with Caribbean colors.

Restored limbs resurface on two sheltered beaches, a favorite place for Leuco couples to escape the summer heatwave and prying eyes.

Finally, one encounters the Dragon Cave before the beaches gently slope down the shoreline: inside, to the left of the central pillar, the head of a moray eel perfectly imitated by the rock peeks out from the ceiling; at the bottom is a profile with human features that are anything but vague, to the right a crocodile emphasized by the green of the lichens, sculptures that the stone has commissioned from the sea to chase away the boredom of certain rainy afternoons.

From sand to reef, the sea of Capo di Leuca offers a thousand fascinating opportunities for a swim with flakes. Crystal-clear water, rich seabed, and reefs jutting into the Ionian and Adriatic seas are the setting for those who choose the coast of Finibus Terrae. Those looking for their own beach in Leuca can find it a few meters down the Cristoforo Colombo promenade, where the rocks soften to form two small sandy crescents, respectively at the Hotel Terminal and, a little further west, almost in the center of the bay. Here, where there are also a number of bathing establishments equipped with wooden platforms and steps, bathing is tinged with belle époque suggestions against the backdrop of the splendid eclectic villas built between the 19th and 20th centuries in Moorish, Art Nouveau and Pompeian styles, all surrounded by lush gardens.

Right on the shoreline in front of the seafront, the "bagnarole," graceful constructions, protagonists of baths of yesteryear, arouse no small curiosity. These unique hovels served to shelter from prying eyes the noble forms of the ladies on holiday in Leuca, while they found refreshment in the cool waters of Finibus Terrae. Each villa had its own "bagnarola," which, if made of stone, was often round or hexagonal, surmounted by a small dome, and recalled the style and colors of the residence to which it belonged. With wood, on the other hand, builders favored squarer shapes. Today only two "bagnarole," close to each other, are visible and still show off their belle époque charm right in the heart of the Leucan promenade. In the other parts of the shoreline, one enters the sea from the rocks. Impervious on Punta Meliso, toward Punta Ristola the rocky coast becomes gentler and smoother, so much so that it appears almost soft.

Leucan people also like to bathe near what remains of the Torre del Marchiello to the west or, coming in from the sea, to the east in the Grotta degli Innamorati with its fresh water springs and two small handkerchiefs of sand at the bottom of the cavern.

CIOLO - A small beach in the heart of a canyon in the cliffs overlooking the Strait of Otranto.

Just eight kilometers along the coast road to Tricase is enough to take a swim at Ciolo, a true dive into the wild and primordial nature of Salento. A scenic naturalistic gem in the territory of Gagliano del Capo, the locality takes its name from the term "ciole," which in Salento dialect indicates the crows that circle the gully. From the coastal road bridge that joins the arms of the fjord overlooking the cove, there is a breathtaking view that tickles the vertigo and right from here, at a height of 36 meters, the most daring challenge themselves in adrenaline-filled dives into the blue. Descending the long staircase, one can reach the small beach and take a swim in the blue sea, squeezed between the sheer cliffs.

FELLONICHE - Just three kilometers from Leuca, here is the small beach of Felloniche, nestled between the cliffs.

The bay falls within the countryside of Patù. This stretch of shoreline has a heart of fine sand that extends a few dozen meters and is framed by pebbles and boulders rounded by the workings of the waves. The waters of the Ionian Sea paint the inlet with blue reflections that allow a transparent glimpse of the seabed populated by a varied fauna and flora. The water is particularly cool and transparent partly by virtue of the Canale Volito (Volito Canal) spring.

SAN GREGORIO - The bay of San Gregorio is one of the most fascinating inlets on the Salento Ionian coast.

The marina is about eight kilometers from Leuca, and is part of the territory of the small municipality of Patù. The integrity of the sea and the cleanliness of the coast, which is never too crowded, but also the good preservation of the natural habitat, the particularly interesting sea bottoms are the trump cards of this location. The inlet is characterized by rather low and flat slabs of stone on which one can walk quite easily and lie down to sunbathe. From the traffic circle you can admire the inlet with the small pier and the wilder cove with the small beach characterized by large pebbles.

TORRE VADO - The beach of Torre Vado is about two kilometers long, in the territory of the municipality of Morciano di Leuca.

It is characterized by a low, rocky cliff that alternates with a short stretch of beach with very fine sand, both free and equipped, near the small port and immediately after the Sorgenti. Here, among the low, flat rocks, natural outlets of fresh water open up, which, in ancient times, were also used for quenching thirst. A bath in the pools of spring water, clear and very fresh, is a real panacea to tone up and improve blood circulation.

PESCOLUSE - Very fine beach and transparent sea are the treasures of the "Maldives of Salento": this is the well-deserved appellation by which the Salentini call Pescoluse, a marina in Salve, which for its dreamlike waters.

The resort beloved by bathers is located on the Ionian Riviera, about nine kilometers from Santa Maria di Leuca, between Posto Vecchio and Torre Pali, and owes its exotic name to a popular bathing establishment. An expanse of golden sand is mirrored in the intense hues of the Ionian Sea, with a very shallow seabed even several meters from the shore, perfect for children's amusements. Only in some parts of the shoreline do small rocks emerge. Framing it is a cordon of dunes dotted with wild lilies and ferns.

A safe harbor in the heart of the Mediterranean. The harbor of Santa Maria di Leuca has always been a bridge between Europe and the East, and it is not for nothing that legend has it that Aeneas passed through here with his fleet and that it was here that St. Peter landed to begin the evangelization of the West, and then ascended to Rome.

The face of the modern port dates back to the 1980s when the three-armed breakwater was built, making it safer in all weathers. In the early 2000s, however, more than 1,000 meters of floating docks were built, making it possible to transform the harbor into a convenient and functional tourist port with 760 berths, equipped with all services and capable of accommodating even large vessels up to 40 meters in length.

Managed by a publicly owned company, the Marina di Leuca Marina is an efficient and modern facility that provides 24-hour mooring assistance. There is also a boatyard in the area that provides boat storage.

The port of Leuca is also the base for excursions that in all seasons lead tourists to discover the caves, accessible only from the sea, on both the east and west coasts. An active fishing industry animates the small fishing fleet that sails the nearby seas from here, assuring valuable fresh fish to restaurants and fishmongers in the area.

info at: www.portodileuca.it

Santa Maria Di Leuca, called "Finibus terrae" or at the edge of the earth, stands on the Japigio promontory on the extreme tip of the spur of Italy that ends on the high cliff of Punta Meliso, just where the Ionian and Adriatic Sea embrace, allowing the viewer, to witness both the sunrise in the waters of the Adriatic and its setting in those of the Ionian.

Its historical origins are shrouded in numerous legends that have long given it the image of a wondrous, fantasy place. Some believe that it was founded by the Phoenicians in the 14th century B.C.; one legend says that the Salento peninsula slopes eastward because a god of ancient Greece to please himself wanted it all to himself; but one of the most beautiful legends told in Salento features the maiden Leucasia, siren of Leuca. It tells a story of pain and revenge where two lovers are forever parted.

Legend has it, "In the stretch of sea between Castro and the extreme tip of the peninsula, there lived a beautiful mermaid, all white and her name was Leucasìa. Her song was harmonious and never had anyone been able to resist her, until one day, a young shepherd, went down to the rocks to take his sheep to wash, his name was Melissus, he was so beautiful that Leucasìa fell in love with him. Immediately he began to sing his most beautiful song, but, Melissus, in love with the young and beautiful Aristula, had no trouble resisting the temptation, since his heart beat only for his beloved. The mermaid did not accept the rejection, and waited patiently for the moment of her revenge.

One fine day the two lovers went down on the rocks and immediately Leucasias unleashed a tremendous storm; the sudden waves caught the two young people and the wicked siren made sure that they drowned and ended up separated forever on the two opposite tips of a wide gulf. From the height of her temple, the goddess Minerva saw all this and took pity. She then decided to petrify the bodies of Melissus and Aristula, giving them eternity: those stones became from then on for all and sundry point Melissus and point Ristula, which, being unable to touch each other, embrace that stretch of sea there where the land ends. Leucasìa, too, ended up petrified by remorse and turned into the white city of Leuca."

Inspired by this legend, sculptor Mario Calcagnile created the “Trittico della Trascendenza” (Triptych of Transcendence) a sculptural group representing: La Nuotatrice dei due Mari (The Swimmer of the Two Seas), L’Angelo del Meliso (The Angel of Meliso) and Leucasìa. The triple sculptural group was placed right in front of the port of Leuca Marina, at the foot of the Scalinata Monumentale (Monumental Steps). Leuca has actually been a well-known location since antiquity: in fact, it was the obligatory port of call for maritime traffic between the East and the Western Mediterranean; the Cretans, Phoenicians and Greeks also stopped there to stock up on water and provisions.

Excavations on the top of the promontory have actually shown that this area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. In the mid-1600s, a tower, called the “Torre degli uomini morti” (Tower of the Dead Men), was built to ward off attacks by pirates and Turks. Sixteenth-century construction, armament consisting of an artillery piece, it was rebuilt in the mid-seventeenth century. Nevertheless, marauders often succeeded in terrorizing the populations as many places were not taken in. From 1873 interest in these places returned and the various restoration and rehabilitation works of the whole area began, as premises for a stable settlement grew.

Near the sea gradually, small houses and bathing establishments began to spring up, but it was not until 1874 that we can speak of the birth of a true township, as dwellings multiplied and industries, especially those for silk, were also created. Land cultivation soon bore fruit with the oil and wine market. The sea also had its importance, especially in the pre-war period, with the harbor providing shelter and opportunity for numerous fishing boats. During the 19th century there was a desire on the part of the nobility, to have dwellings by the sea, which is why numerous villas still stand in Leuca, the pride of the town even today.

In January 1944, the UNRRA center was established and the villas were occupied by refugees from World War II. These were former Jewish, Yugoslav, and Greek internees from various fascist internment camps scattered throughout southern Italy, and for Tito's followers, military and civilians, including many Jews fleeing to the other side from the violence of Hitler's men. In just a few days nearly 4,000 arrived, which unfortunately damaged the frescoes and furnishings. Only three years later did the villas return to their rightful owners when the occupants were transferred abroad and to some Italian refugee camps. Many of these villas unfortunately fell into disuse or were destroyed, but fortunately, some are still well preserved today, although many have lost their original appearance.

On the promontory of Méliso, the ancient Promontorium Japigium, a few meters from the spacious square of the Sanctuary, the eye cannot escape the majesty and grandeur of the Lighthouse.

Designed by Engineer Achille Rossi and commissioned to be built in 1864 and activated to constant oil in 1866 by the Civil Engineer. It was built on the site of an anti-Corsara tower of Philip II.

The tower is octagonal in shape and white in color, 48.60 m. high above the ground and 102 m. above sea level. It is equipped with a lantern with a diameter of 3 mt, with 16 lenses, projecting beams of white light visible about 50 km away and at intervals also a red light, was first operated on September 6, 1866.

It is possible to climb up to the lantern via a spiral staircase of 254 steps.

Inside the structure there are 4 lodgings, 3 of which are used by the beacon operators and one is used as an inspection chamber, engine room and beacon room. Lastly, a non-technical feature, is the stupendous view from the terrace that allows the viewer to enjoy a rare sight.

Leaving the Sanctuary behind, descending into the town, another stop, is the Monumental Waterfall, which is approached by two flights of stairs of 300 steps each, descending from the Japigio promontory to the harbor. The whole thing was commissioned by Mussolini, to celebrate the end of work on the construction of the Pugliese Aqueduct. The outbreak of World War I led to the suspension of work, and it was not until 1927 that the construction of the urban and peripheral branches led to the completion of the work.

Climbing the stairs we notice two inscriptions "REX" and "DUX," engraved in the stone of the stairs, thus linking the present to the past. At the end of the staircase we find the Monolithic Roman Column, brought by the Duce to celebrate the event. The waters of the Cascade once they reach the bottom flow into the sea in a festive effervescence of froth.

The villas are famous throughout the entire Capo and beyond, they were built during the second half of the 19th century and over time have become tourist attractions, they were built in different styles, ranging from classical to Moorish, neoclassical to oriental and northern feudal. Each unique in its own way, the villas testify to the choice of this town as a vacation spot for the wealthiest families of Salento who erected their summer residences here.

Wealthy families were attracted by the beauty of the Santa Maria di Leuca coast, thus transforming the then modest fishing village into a well-known tourist resort. In fact, the tourist takeoff of Leuca, began in 1874, when the engineer Ruggeri, built the beautiful and eponymous villa a few steps from the sea and started a real fashion of building villas in order to spend the summer vacation in the Marina of Leuca.

Toward the end of the 19th century there were 43 villas, many of which are now unfortunately in disuse or profoundly modified from the past. This is also because, during World War II, many villas were stripped of their decorative metal elements, such as balustrades, railings, etc., which were necessary for the production of weapons; moreover, in the same period almost all of the villas, were requisitioned from their owners and used to house evacuees. Some suffered severe damage and at the end of the war were totally renovated.

Despite the different features, each villa nevertheless has similar structure, in fact they could not lack: a park in the front part of the villa, a garden in the back part, used for cultivation, a private chapel with an image of the Madonna (Virgin Mary), a well for collecting drinking water, and a stable for horses and a coach house. As a result of various renovations, many of these elements have been transformed and to this day are barely recognizable. Characteristic of some of these dwellings, was, to have a cliff of "huts," some masonry and some wooden, called "bagnarole."

The Bagnarola, is a typical stone or wooden structure built on the cliffs near the sea. The owners of the villas, had these bagnarole built on the nearby cliffs, which were masonry dressing rooms that hid a tank dug into the rock and connected to the sea.

They served the ladies, not only to bathe away from prying eyes but, also to protect them from exposure to the sun's rays. During the Belle Epoque, no one would expose themselves to the sun, as people wanted to preserve their clear winter complexion even in summer, since tanning was considered inelegant. Each family, which owned villas, generally had its own stone or wooden bathhouse.

The stone one, could be circular or hexagonal in shape, reproduced the architectural style and colors of the villa it belonged to; the wooden one, on the other hand, was square or rectangular, closed at the sides with the possibility of side openings and with a small dome at the top.

Also, along the beach, natural and non-natural excavations could be found, which were used as "dressing rooms" for those who had no other option to have a private but, above all, safer bath.

There were four types of bagnarole: the conca, uncovered bagnarola, wooden bagnarola and stone bagnarola.

Conca, a pit among the rocks by the sea, used by those who could not swim and went in search of a safe place, we can say that the conca was the people's bathing place.

Bagnarola uncovered, a kind of bathtub for both children and adults who could not swim. At first they were reserved so hardly anyone could enter. Each one had the name of the owner, this type belonged to middle-class families.

Wooden bagnarola, dug near the shore, were quadrangular in shape, with catwalks for access to the sea and stone ladders. There was water at the base, and the side parts were wooden enclosing the structure. These no longer exist; they were active until the 1960s and belonged to upper middle-class families; the last one was that of the Arditi family.

Stone bathhouses, the structure is the same: that is, a part dug into the rock in a square shape with two catwalks for access to the sea, covered by a stone construction. They were accessed through a door, which led onto a landing from which one then descended to the water by a stone ladder. These constructions were a sign of "Ownership" and "Identification," today only three stone ones remain, two large ones, that of Villa Meridiana and Villa Fuortes, which are located in front of the Terminal hotel and a small one, built on the unexcavated cliff, in the vicinity of the pier.

The history of these villas in Leuca, begins with Villa Ruggeri in 1874, it stands on the Cristoforo Colombo waterfront, known as Villa Meridiana. So named because of a sundial placed on the facade overlooking the entrance balcony of the house; from the Ruggeri family the villa later passed to the Serafini-Sauli family and from them, a few years ago, to the owners of the Terminal hotel.

Soon other sumptuous mansions sprang up, with different and sophisticated styles. Villa Meridiana, was the first villa, in chronological order built on the waterfront; its structure has remained the same over time and even today those who look at it, are fascinated by it.

The exterior is clad in parallel red and yellow bands with Ionic pilasters, the interior decorated with beautiful mosaics. Inside a large hexagonal central space, from which individual rooms are accessed. The rear part presents instead, a loggia enriched with Ionic columns.

On the ground floor there are two hexagonal rooms: stable and stables, while others are square, rectangular and triangular in shape, a floor reserved for servants and storage. The floor reserved for the nobles, on the other hand, has a rectangular entrance, from which there is access to the bedrooms and a large circular hall.

The main entrance to the villa is on the east side, it has two Ionic columns and four pilasters, two windows, a string course a masonry parapet and a staircase body. The entrance is elevated above the garden and is reached by a staircase; below the stairwell is the entrance to the servants' rooms. The most special element of this villa is a small lantern-lookout, which allows once reached, to observe the entire marina.

HISTORICAL SOURCES AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA ON THE OLDEST PLACE OF WORSHIP OF CAPO IAPIGIO.

Most of the Salento tourist guides, the ones that punctually - at the beginning of each summer season - make their appearance on the shelves of newsstands, on market stalls and in the renowned, luxurious, cultured bookstores of the Terra D'Otranto, report the news that the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae - on the Promontory of Punta Meliso (east of Leuca) - was built on a pre-existing temple dedicated to Minerva.

This is a historical tradition that has its origins in the time of the poet Virgil who, in the Third Book of the Aeneid (vv. 835-842), localized the landing of Aeneas at a "[...] port that curves in an arc against the eastern sea, two promontories foaming under the crash of the waves and the harbor is hidden there; the rocks like towers project two arms that look like walls; the temple is up there on high, well away from the sea [...]," without, however, making any reference to the Promontory of Leuca.

A few centuries later the Greek geographer Strabo wrote: "[...] they say that the Salentini are colonists of the Cretans; near them is the Sanctuary of Athena, which was once known for its wealth, and the rocky promontory that they call Cape Iapigio, which stretches out for a long stretch over the sea in the direction of the winter East, turning then in the direction of Lacinius [...]" (Geography, VI 3, 5-6). Even from this source the actual location of the pagan temple on the promontory east of Leuca cannot be determined.

The tradition of Latin and Greek writers was taken up by a local historian who lived between the 15th and 16th centuries, Antonio De Ferrariis known as Galateo, who, in his work De situ Japygie-published posthumously in 1558-identifies Promontorio Iapigio with the site of an ancient pagan cult, practiced with great devotion.

A century and a half later Luigi Tasselli, in his book Antichità di Leuca (1693), wrote: "[...] In Leuca there was, as has been said many times, the Temple of the Goddess Minerva, who with the good qualities, and virtues, which the Gentiles pretended to her, was a shadow of the true preeminences of the Great Mother of God; now it being the custom of the Apostles practiced by their successors, having taken away those shadows of Gentileism (Paganism), to have Christian converts immediately worship truths, which could be shadowed by those ancient observances of theirs, so that being enticed more and more by the ease, of their ancient observances, they might employ those in good uses, clinging to reverence that in fact was to be worshipped according to God: therefore, for all the above reasons, the Disciples of St. Peter, having died the Blessed Virgin, and taken away the false simulacrum of Minerva, immediately erected her Church with the image of Mary to be adored by the Leuchese in that City, protesting, that all that the Gentiles pretended of Minerva was with truth in Mary, worthy to be honored by all [...]."

The image of the alleged temple of Minerva at Leuca is reproduced on a canvas by painter Pietro De Simone, which depicts the Apostle St. Peter in the act of raising the Cross of Christ on the site where the Sanctuary of Finibus Terrae now stands, considered his first landing in the West. On the occasion of that event, dated A.D. 43, the pagan temple was transformed into a place of Christian worship: the Apostle, in fact, would have placed an image of Christ and celebrated the first Mass. The temple, therefore, would have been dedicated initially to the Savior and, later, to Virgin Mary.

A fervent historical tradition then developed about the existence of the pagan temple and the legendary passage of the Apostle Peter, which is still passed on today in tourist-religious booklets.

Actually, as Andrea Chiuri writes in his book "Pilgrims in Leuca. 2000 Years of History," there are no archaeological documents attesting to the real presence of the sanctuary dedicated to Athena on Punta Meliso, the location of which "is therefore false news, which nevertheless made it possible to create a link between ancient and modern that was able to give Leuca a primary role as a base for evangelization, greatly increasing its prestige."

Archaeological excavations, which took place on Leuca's Punta Meliso in the 1970s, uncovered a fortified settlement, which developed from the Early Bronze Age to the Iron Age, but no evidence of cult sites.

In light of these archaeological investigations, therefore, the promontory of the Salento peninsula, called into question by ancient sources, on which the temple of Athena was located, must be identified.

Recent archaeological excavations, carried out on the top of the Castro promontory and conducted by Francesco D'Andria, brought to light interesting finds, including a metope decorated with a triglyph, attributable to a temple that stood, probably, on the acropolis of the Messapian citadel. In 2008, in the same excavation area, a bronze statuette depicting Athena Iliaca with a Phrygian helmet was accidentally found, which allowed the temple to be identified as one dedicated to Athena.

The temple attributable to the cult of Athena, in conclusion, stood on the promontory of Castro and not on that of Punta Meliso, near Leuca.

While - on the one hand - Archaeology has disproved the historical sources regarding the presence of a pagan cult site on Punta Meliso, the same discipline has made it possible to locate a coastal sanctuary near a natural cavity, locally known as Grotta Porcinara, which opens on the eastern slope of Punta Ristola, i.e., the promontory that encircles the bay of Leuca to the west. This is a cultic area that played a very important role in the context of Messapic cultic events and trade relations with the Hellenic world.

The deity worshipped was Zis, represented with the thunderbolt, to whom sailors sought protection for their activities: the god in fact, according to the natives, was able to dominate atmospheric forces and make navigation propitious.

The faithful arrived at the area in front of the cave-sanctuary directly from the sea, via steps and terraces cut into the rock.

In the early stages of attendance at the cult site (late 8th century B.C.) a votive deposit was implanted, in use until the mid-6th century B.C., which preserved within it the remains of sacrifices.

At the height of the Archaic period, cult activities seem to move inside the Porcinara Cave. As many as 27 tables have been identified on its walls, with inscriptions in Greek and Latin, in which dedications, thanksgivings, and requests for protection and good fortune addressed to the deity appear.

The sanctuary - thus - located along the important route from the East to Magna Graecia, was a point of reference for those who practiced sea-related activities, the good outcome of which was subject to the benevolence of the gods.

The coastal shrine was frequented until the end of the second century A.D., a period when Christian worship gradually began to replace pagan worship, while retaining the same religious significance: in the pagan conception, Jupiter (Iuppiter) saved sailors from shipwrecks and stormy seas; in Christian devotion, Jesus Christ-the Savior-saves men from sin.

Bibliography:

• AA.VV., Salento. Architetture antiche e siti archeologici, a cura di A. PRANZO, Lecce, 2008, pp. 222-224.
• AA.VV., Leuca, Galatina, 1978, pp. 177-221.
• AURIEMMA R., Salentum a salo. Forma maris antiqui, (Vol. I), Galatina, 2004, pp. 289-291.
• CAVALERA M., Antica Messapia. Popoli e luoghi del Salento meridionale nel I millennio a.C., Modugno (Ba), 2010, pp. 46-47.
• CHIURI A., Pellegrini a Leuca. 2000 anni di storia, Tricase, 2000.
• D'ANDRIA F., Cavallino. Un centro indigeno del Salento, 2002, pp. 1-10.
• D'ANDRIA F., LOMBARDO M., I Greci in Terra d'Otranto, Martina Franca (Ta), 1999, pp. 30-33.
• SARCINELLA E., La via dei Pellegrini. L’antico Cammino leucadense riproposto nel III millennio da Speleo Trekking Salento, Lecce, 2000, pp. 106-107.
• ZACCHINO V., Antonio Galateo De Ferrariis. Lecce and Terra D'Otranto. La più antica guida del Salento, Galatina, 2004, p. 66.

1 ZACCHINO 2004, p. 66.
2 CHIURI 2000, p. 17.
3 CHIURI 2000, p. 15
4 Zis is the Messapic theonym corresponding to the Greek Zeus. The name, in inscriptions, is associated with the adjective Batas (lightning).
5 CAVALERA 2010, pp. 46-47

The De Finibus Terrae Sanctuary is located on the Japigio promontory and was built on an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva. The original temple was destroyed several times and subsequent reconstructions suffered a similar fate due to Saracen raids in the medieval period and Turkish raids later. According to legend, this fell to pieces at the appearance of the apostle Peter, who first touched Italic soil and planted a cross there. Despite numerous looting and destruction, it has been rebuilt several times.

Devotion to Our Lady of Leuca has deep roots. Since the Middle Ages, the shrine has been a pilgrimage destination. Many crusader knights would come to the foot here to pray and rely on its protection. There is a widespread belief among the people of the Cape that at least once in a lifetime, everyone should go to Virgin Mary of Leuca.

Destroyed several times, but always rebuilt on the same site, the present shrine is the sixth and dates from the 1700s, rebuilt by Bishop Giannelli. The Basilica has a Latin cross plan, with a single nave and a high altar where the image of the Virgin is placed. There are also six altars, dedicated to St. Francis of Paola, St. John Labre, the Holy Family, the Annunciation, St. Peter, and St. John of Nepomuk.

At the end of the Nave is a stone pulpit with a panel, where Bishop Giannelli's coat of arms appears and a depiction of a scene of the collapse of the temple as St. Peter appeared. On the counterfaçade are: on the right, Giannelli's memorial plaque, and on the left, a framed bronze plaque commemorating the sinking in the waters of Leuca in 1915 of the French armor Leon Gambetta. At the front, a chapel with a statue of Our Lady has been placed in the right aisle.

In 1990, it was Pope John Paul II who elevated the shrine to the rank of "Minor Basilica."

It was built in 1880, designed by engineer Achille Rossi and owned by the Daniele family. The villa is in Moorish style and is reminiscent of some elements of Spanish architecture during Arab rule. Called "The Ship" because of its breadth and its characteristic shape, reminiscent of precisely, a large ship composed of a turret that rises centrally and three-mullioned windows with low reliefs that embellish the two different levels of the spacious building.

Built of tuff and Lecce stone, characterized by a curvilinear plan layout in the central body, the lower floor originally contained the stables and an upper noble floor, decorated with refined Art Nouveau-Islamic motifs on the walls and floors, the turret rising centrally, in symmetry with the central elevation, and two different levels of construction, evoking the deck of a ship.

The building has recently been restored and modified from the original, now in fact it has white banded plaster on pink backgrounds; the walls of the ground floor are of exposed tuff and the three doorways are closed. The surface of the upper floor in the center, has two elliptical compartments with wings, each side, housing the bedrooms. The interior ceilings were finely decorated, interesting for their fusion of Art Nouveau motifs and typically Islamic features. The floors were made of grit.

During the last war, like other villas in the area, it was occupied by American troops and groups of evacuees who did irreparable damage to the wall decorations. The inner garden is very scenic as it shows compact rocks on which grandiose trees and plants of all kinds vegetate.

Named after the original owner, Mr. Pasquale Episcopo, this villa was built to a design by engineer Rossi. Considered one of the most striking in Leuca for its typically oriental flavor. The style is indeed exotic and oriental-esque; the central turret, with its unique "pagoda" roofing and terracotta antefixes in the shape of a dragon, leads us to define the setting of the intervention as "Chinese," and for this reason, it is named "The Chinese Pagoda."

The distinctive Chinese caps of the exterior fence and the edges of the building are electric blue in color, contrasting the Mediterranean white. The color of the villa was used to differentiate the architectural elements and make the building gentler.

The villa was built by Giocchino Fuortes between 1880 and 1882 on a rectangular-shaped lot adjacent to the already existing "Villa Fuortes" commissioned by Tommaso Fuortes, from which it takes its Pompeian stylistic features. The design of the mansion was probably drawn up by Eng. Achille Rossi.

The villa has a floor plan, rectangular in shape, of the symmetrical type with respect to the porch and living rooms; in addition, the mansion is surrounded by a large garden. It is accessible from the Cristoforo Colombo Promenade after walking down an avenue.

The villa consists of only one elevated floor above ground level while the stables are underground. Access to the stables and garden was also once possible from two small roads located on the east and west sides of the villa. A wide staircase and a portico entirely decorated with mosaic floor stencils with floral and geometric motifs give access to the large reception hall; in addition, two service staircases are located on the west side: the first one that led to the stables and is currently walled up; the second one provides access to the terrace.

The interior of the villa is embellished by the presence of a mosaic floor mainly in geometric and floral patterns. The wide front is equally divided into three parts. Ten Ionic columns punctuate the elevation, 6 of which are half-columns on the sides and 4 full ones corresponding to the entrance vestibule. Currently, this villa is the headquarters of the Pro Loco of Leuca.

This villa is engineer Achille Rossi's second work in Leuca and was completed in 1881, located on the waterfront. In this construction, Rossi adopts an altogether simple, composed, linear style, classically Mediterranean in form with an elegant central balustrade at the top.

This villa, too, was designed by Ruggieri in 1881. It has two distinctly separate floors: poorly maintained and almost crude, the ground floor was intended for service rooms, while the upper floor is in a richly elaborate Moorish style with decorations carved in Lecce stone.

Maintenance work on the facade has obliterated the variegated and polychrome pictorial apparatus of the main elevation, characterized by the loggia motif reminiscent of the mirhab of the Cordoba mosque. Also known as Villa Licci, it is named after the current owners.

Named after the family that owns the property, this villa dates back to 1878 and was designed by engineer Giuseppe Ruggieri. It stands quite set back from the public road, and this space is entirely covered with greenery and typically Mediterranean plants.

The main facade, painted with a red-brown color in bands and geometric figures, is undoubtedly the most remarkable feature of the villa. It is inspired by a classical style also referred to as Egyptian.

It was built in 1876 to a design by engineer Giuseppe Ruggieri. It was named after its original owner Filippo Mellacqua; the style of this villa has always been called neo-Gothic because of the vertical thrust of the entire structure and, even more specifically, because of the four cylindrical towers that make the villa resemble a castle.

The ground floor plan features a covered entrance, living room, lounge, four bedrooms, kitchen, and in the circular towers are placed the toilets and a storage room while, on the northwest side is placed a two-flight staircase to the first floor.

This floor maintains the same distribution as the floor below; in fact, the rooms correspond in purpose to those on the ground floor. A service staircase with two straight flights is placed on the west side.

The four elevations of the villa are almost the same. The main elevation has a lowered pointed arch divided into two parts, inside the arch are placed an "F" and an "M" of Gothic character which correspond to the name of the owner of the villa, Mr. Filippo Mellacqua.

Capo di Leuca is also fascinating for its sea and coastline. Near this crystal clear sea are some thirty karst caves, each of which has a name due to their shape or color and carved out over time by the fury of the sea and the needs of man.

All along the coast, one can find high, jagged cliffs, towering rocks of the most varied colors, and narrow, deep inlets. To grasp their full beauty, it is best to visit the eastern caves in the morning light and the western caves in the afternoon, as the light effect is more striking.

The West Coast, washed by the Ionian Sea, has a low and rocky coastline we find:

Grotta delle Tre Porte, so called because it has three openings. In one environment of this cave, there is a tunnel that ends after 30 meters in a chamber with stalactites and stalagmites, called Grotta del Bambino (Child Cave). A Neanderthal infant tooth was found here in 1958; in the tunnel, on the other hand, the remains of an ancient elephant, rhinoceros and a deer were found.

Grotta del Presepe, so called because it presents a scene resembling a biblical one, formed by a series of low arches from which one can pass only when the sea is calm.

Grotta dei Giganti, a cave linked to the legend that the bodies of giants killed by Hercules were buried there. The name comes from the presence of pachyderm teeth and bones. It is accessed by sea to visit it you need to get off the boat. It is one of the most archaeologically and paleontologically interesting caves. From a small patch of reddish earth, fragments of Byzantine pottery, a glass jar and five bronze coins of Constantine VII and Roman I were found.

Grotta della Stalla, so called perhaps because it was once used by fishermen for shelter from gales, consisting of two caves where it is possible to bathe.

Grotta del Drago or degli Innamorati, 60 meters deep, so called because of its resemblance to the head of a dragon, this can be seen on the left wall once you enter.

Grotta Porcinara, is one of the best known caves in Leuca, located on the east side of Punta Ristola, 20 mt above sea level. It is a non-natural cave in which a wall structure was found, it is divided into three large rooms and on the walls there are Greek or Latin epigraphic testimonies addressing Jupiter or the goddess of Fortune, while one of these rooms was used as a place of Christian worship with the Byzantines and there are carved crosses. It was excavated by man and has two caves that provide access into the three communicating rooms. Also very important was the discovery of some Messapic inscriptions on some pottery fragments found in the cave during excavations carried out in the 1970s by the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Lecce. It can be accessed from land by a path from the coast road.

Leuca with this cave, in ancient times constituted one of the many places of worship, in which local deities were worshipped. For many centuries they fulfilled the function of Messapic, Greek and finally Latin sanctuary, together with punta Meliso, another large sacred area, made Leuca become a great area of worship, first pagan then Christian, known all over the world.

Grotta del Diavolo, also located on punta Ristola, about 50 meters from the Porcinara cave, is accessible both by sea and land. It was so named because rumblings could be heard that were attributed by popular imagination to devils. Recent research has unearthed a number of tools dating back to the Neolithic period.

On the East Coast, on the other hand, we have:

Grotta Le Cazzafre (Cazzafre Cave): its name comes from the Greek and means "house of froth," this possibly due to the foam that the waves create as they break against the rocks. It can only be accessed by boat to admire a vault full of stalactites. What is most striking is the hand of nature, which seems to have drawn these arches from both the land and the sea.

Grotta del Morigio (Morigio Cave): so called because according to tradition, the Moors stopped before attacking and destroying Leuca. It is a hidden cave that has difficult access from both sea and land.

Other caves present on the Leuca coast are: Le Mannute, Montelungo, Grotta del Brigante, Grotta della Vora, del Laghetto, del Ciolo, Punta Rossa, Canale del Rio, the cave of the Ossa, then again we find, the Titti cave, the cave of the Talato, of the Cerchio, of Terradico, the Grotta del Soffio, of Mesciu Scianni, the cave of the Fiume, of Porrano; where it is possible to witness unique testimonies left by time, by nature but also by man.

It was designed by Engineer Achille Rossi and arose in the late 19th century. It took more than 100 years to have the current waterfront. The owners of the villas at first had direct access to the sea, later the road was built dividing the villas from the cliff with a sidewalk.

Continuing toward Ristola Point, we will notice a small bridge over a gully from the rock walls. There are actually three gullies, called San Vincenzo, Leopardo and del Pozzo, the last one in the direction of the Sanctuary.

Built in the center of the Marina, the present church was constructed of local carparo stone. Its origins are not remote, in fact the beginning of its construction dates back to 1890, designed by engineer Pasquale Ruggeri; the same period when the charming villas were built. Due to a combination of circumstances, especially economic ones, the church was not completed until forty years after the foundation stone was laid. It should be remembered, the generous cooperation of the inhabitants and owners of the Villas, especially the noble women who, through Summer Lotteries, were able to raise sums of money to be used for the construction of the church.

The temple, in Apulian Gothic style, consists of three naves, of which the central one is 30 meters long and the side naves 20 meters long. The width of all three is about 18 meters. Next to the church is a slender bell tower with a cusped end, completed in 1978 after it collapsed on March 11, 1960, while Holy Mass was being celebrated. Fortunately, there were no victims, but people cried out for the protective intervention of Our Lady of Leuca. It was an authentic miracle.

The steps leading up to the Church, begun in May 1947 and inaugurated on September 14 of the same year, are also very beautiful.

On the coast of Capo di Santa Maria di Leuca, there are beautiful beaches; this explains, why Leuca with its mild climate, becomes a popular destination for tourists at all times of the year and not only in summer. Its variety of beaches, makes it possible to satisfy every kind of need on the part of tourists, from those who go on vacation with their families to young people who want to have fun late into the night, both for those who are looking for a lonely corner and those who are looking for a crowded beach.

Leuca has a small sandy lido close to the elegant seafront, and several equipped lidos that, via wooden piers make the entire stretch of rocky, low coastline accessible. Once past Punta Ristola, we find the high coast with truly unique scenery: this is the stretch of the famous caves. Some beaches around beautiful Leuca are: Località Ciolo, where the coastline is high and descends, through beautiful scenery, to the blue sea; Marina di Felloniche with a low, sandy coastline; Marina di San Gregorio with pebbles and rocks; Torre Vado, a tourist resort with more than a kilometer of waterfront; nearby we find the beautiful beaches of Posto Vecchio and Pescoluse, with a coastline of more than four kilometers of golden, very fine sandy beach suitable for families.

SUNDAY TREKKING, NATURALISTIC, CULTURAL and SPIRITUAL ITINERARIES.

DO YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW SALENTO IN DEPTH?

Would you like to get together with friends, meet lots of new people and together breathe clean air, socialize and at the same time and in the utmost simplicity, do that healthy and natural physical exercise proper to every living creature?

STS - SpeleoTrekkingSalento
Hiking-cultural association in Lecce - nonprofit, founded on Jan. 1, 1997 by Riccardo Rella, together with Antonio Perulli and Antonio Adamo, after two decades of underground exploration (1975/1995) and speleological activity in Salento karst environments in search of origins.

It was precisely the speleological experience and knowledge of the Territory that prompted Rella to start, first in Salento, the activity of trekking in order to bring to the knowledge of the Salentini, in the simplest and most natural way, that is, with slow movement, the landscape peculiarities that characterize the region.

Hence, all on the road, sharing that healthy movement, free of contraindications, in its simple, fluid, sportsmanship, for the purpose of mental and physical well-being, knowledge and socialization!

With the collaboration of Prof. Rita De Matteis, who joined in 1998, the Association has taken on a more purely cultural slant, with news and insights about the history of the testimonies, around which about 150 trekking circuits currently appear to have been built.

The result of research and hiking experience is the reconstruction of the "Path to Leuca," the historic route taken by pilgrims heading to Terrasanta, or precisely to the perdonanza at the Madonna Maris Stellae, whose Sanctuary, which rises on Punta Meliso, Italy's extreme southern promontory, in a spectacular landscape setting, is believed to have been built by St. Peter himself in 43 A.D., on the ruins of an earlier temple dedicated to Minerva.

SpeleoTrekkingSalento organizes two events each year:

"The Path to Leuca" (to be revived in 2016 for the thirteenth edition) is a 140-kilometer walk, in six days, from Brindisi to S. Maria de Finibus Terrae, the natural and spiritual convergence of the European Vie Francigene, on olive grove paths, in some parts scenic, with moments of pause and prayer in the evocative country chapels, entirely frescoed, dedicated to Our Lady; the last stage of this exciting "iter fidei" will be carried out on the first Sunday of May to coincide with the "National Day of the Network of the Paths."

"The Transalentine of the Sun," a 50-kilometer walk, in a single day from morning to sunset, following the path of the Sun, from Otranto, the easternmost city in Italy, to Gallipoli, once a favored oil embarkation port for all of northern Europe. This route is called the "Bridge of Brotherhood," as it unites in an embrace two port cities once united in the struggle against invaders.

The pride of the Association and of Rella, in particular, who is its president, is to have contributed with the word of mouth of thousands of members, who over the past twenty years have taken part in the hiking activity, to make known the most remote recesses of this magical Salento Land, at the time almost literally unknown, with positive implications on tourism and on the enhancement of our artistic preciousness.

Riccardo Rella and Rita De Matteis, in collaboration with the Association, published in 2015 the book-guide "Trekking in Salento," published by Botanica Ornamentale Publishing House in Maglie (www.mauriziocezzi.it - cell. 337/937841) containing twenty-one hiking routes, structured as a ring, accompanied by technical notes, images of satellite tracks with relevant points of interest, detailed descriptions, cultural explanations and a rich photographic apparatus compiled by Prof. Ezio Sarcinella, a well-deserving member of SpeleoTrekkingSalento, author also of the text "La Via dei Pellegrini," a valuable document of the first three editions of the "Path to Leuca" printed by Editrice Salentina. (For contact: Ezio Sarcinella cell. 328/6655489). The text includes photographic documentation produced by the author and valuable graphics, reproductions of original plates by Prof. Marisa Grande.

STS - SpeleoTrekkingSalento
With SpeleoTrekkingSalento itineraries outside the province, canyoning, caving, cultural evenings, interventions in schools, respect for everything and lots of good humor. We started Trekking in Salento to spend Sundays happily together, in complete relaxation, rurality, scent of bush, harmony and simplicity.

STS - SpeleoTrekkingSalento
An open gym in the magical admiration and beauty of the land, in total respect for creation; everything you need to forget, for a while, the daily problems, to live well with yourself and with others.

All info at: www.trekkingsalento.com

The cultural association Archès, established with the support of the Apulia Region's Principi Attivi program, is committed to the promotion and enhancement of Salento's archaeological heritage. Archès aims to combine the dissemination of archaeological heritage with the promotion of the territory's productive excellence in the field of handicrafts, gastronomy, and rural tourism.

ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE ARCHÈS
Via G. Carmignani, 18 - 73030 Lucugnano (LE) - associazionearches@libero.it - www.associazionearches.it
mobile: 327.8410214 – Tax/Fiscal Code: 90032070758

Light trekking to discover the Archaeology, Landscape and Nature of the Salve gullies.

The rural landscape of Salve offers the visitor a spectacle of unimaginable beauty. The Fano Canal, bordered by the gentle hill known as Serra di Spigolizzi, runs along two parallel branches that deepen about 20 meters from the surrounding area. Its western branch, known as Canale Fano, joins the eastern branch, called Tariano, near the mythical Grotta delle Fate (Fairies Cave). This is an idyllic foreshortening with multiple archaeological, naturalistic and scenic features. The route winds from the Tariano Canal - among prehistoric shelters, Roman-era furnaces, the ruins of an ancient oil mill, pajare, centuries-old olive trees and reeds - to the neighboring Fano Canal, with its perennial stream fed by spring water, its frescoed Italo-Greek cave, its remains of a fortified Messapian citadel and the 16th-century farm of the same name.

3 hours - Low difficulty - Every Friday from July to August (cost 3 euros per person)
For the rest of the year on request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

Hike in the Stone Landscape between Salve and Torre Vado

This is a trail dedicated to the barren countryside between Salve and Torre Vado, in the territory of the Porta d'Oriente SAC. It starts from the ancient chapel dedicated to San Lasi (St. Blaise), erected on the ruins of a Roman farm, with fragments of frescoes dating back to the 11th century. We proceed totally immersed in a vast expanse of unspoiled nature, covering the hillside gently sloping toward the sea; here we go to discover a real village of huts (pajare and liame) and mazes of dry-stone walls, which make unique a landscape dominated by the light gray of the limestone rock. Finally, we cross a natural gully to ascend to a rock plateau where the view sweeps over a wide coastal landscape. The trail ends at the "Sorgenti," the main attraction of Torre Vado. These are natural freshwater gushes used, in the past, to quench thirst and to cleanse linen fabrics of impurities.

4 hours - Medium-low difficulty - To be carried out from October to May
On request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

Light trekking in the Stone Landscape between Land and Sea: from Canalone del Ciolo to Novaglie (Gagliano del Capo)

From the small road that from the locality of Mucurune (Gagliano del Capo) slopes gently down to the sea, take an equipped path that branches off between high cliffs and vertical rock walls in which there are numerous cavities, frequented since prehistoric times as evidenced by the archaeological finds in them. From the Ciolo bridge, take a path that winds through a breathtaking landscape overlooking the sea, where the gaze sweeps from Punta Palacia (near Otranto) to the Acrocerauni mountain range and the steep profile of the island of Othonoi (Phanò). Between a pajara and a mantagnata, between a liama and a paralupi wall, we reach the sight of an enormous natural cavity that opens up 30 meters above sea level: this is the Cipolliane complex, known and frequented since the Paleolithic period and which has returned pebbles bearing indecipherable engraved figures, flint tools and protohistoric pottery. Another 500 meters along a narrow strip of coastline and you reach Marina di Novaglie, at the end of a path about 2.5 km long.

2 1/2 hours - Medium difficulty
On request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

Light trekking from Patú to Vereto among archaeology and peasant civilization

Ancient Messapian town that the Romans called Vereto. The church of St. John the Baptist and the monument la Centopietre are located at the foot of the hill of the same name; between a pajara and a liama, a threshing floor and a votive shrine, we reach its summit, where we admire the picturesque landscape of Vereto and a section of the mighty walls that encircled the settlement.

2 1/2 hours - Low difficulty
On request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

The contact person for the service is Dr. Marco Cavalera, a licensed guide of the Apulia Region (cell. 340.5897632).

Headquarters: Sac Porta d'Oriente "The History and the Myth," at Palazzo Ramirez, Piazza Concordia No. 7 - Salve (Lecce).

www.associazionearches.it
fb: Archès Cultural Association

The cultural association Archès, established with the support of the Apulia Region's Principi Attivi program, is committed to the promotion and enhancement of Salento's archaeological heritage. Archès aims to combine the dissemination of archaeological heritage with the promotion of the territory's productive excellence in the field of handicrafts, gastronomy, and rural tourism.

ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE ARCHÈS
Via G. Carmignani, 18 - 73030 Lucugnano (LE) - associazionearches@libero.it - www.associazionearches.it
mobile: 327.8410214 – Tax/Fiscal Code: 90032070758

In Salve, guided tour in the area to discover archaeology and rural civilization

An excursion that will allow us to discover the rich cultural heritage and landscape of Salve in search of the most remote origins of Man. Here the stones of the megalithic monuments will reveal the millenary history of one of the most remarkable archaeological areas of the Capo di Leuca. We will visit: a prehistoric cave frequented by Neanderthal man (70,000 years ago), a cavity that preserves a fossil beach strip and one with the presence of Neolithic-made paintings, a burial and cultic burial mound of more than 4,000 years ago, a dolmen, monuments of the peasant civilization and an 18th-century farmhouse built on an ancient Bronze Age settlement, set in a picturesque landscape.

3 hours - Transportation by own vehicle - Every Wednesday from July to August (cost 3 euros per person)
On request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

Santa Maria di Leuca del Belvedere (Leuca Piccola), Barbarano

On Punta Mèliso where the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Leuca stands. A flight of steps leads us to the harbor and the eclectic villas that line the sea to the opposite promontory, Punta Rìstola, where Grotta Porcinara, an ancient coastal sanctuary that was a place of exchange between Greeks and Messapians, opens.

Two and a half hours - Transportation by own vehicle
On request: 10 euros per person (min. 2 people)

The contact person for the service is Dr. Marco Cavalera, a licensed guide of the Apulia Region (cell. 340.5897632).

Headquarters: Sac Porta d'Oriente "The History and the Myth," at Palazzo Ramirez, Piazza Concordia No. 7 - Salve (Lecce).

www.associazionearches.it
fb: Archès Cultural Association