Day Three
Lecce to Marittima di Diso
135 kilometersFrom Torre Coccaro, drive south out of central Puglia and into the Salento region, known for its wines, the tarantella dance (which supposedly shook out spider bites), and pizzica (tambourine music). Follow signs to Lecce, 75 kilometers away. Referred to as the Florence of the South for its 17th- and 18th-century baroque architecture, this town is filled with enchanting streets and churches. Grab a quick lunch at La Rusticana (Via V. Emanuele 31, 39-083-230-0544). Try the rustico—a pastry filled with tomato sauce, béchamel, and mozzarella. Just don't call it a calzone.
Maglie, 25 kilometers south, is an elegant town with very little tourism. Make time for a coffee and a pastry at any of the cafés in the centro—also the best place to find a restroom—and pick up some of the beautifully packaged petit fruits (jelly candies with bits of almond), dark chocolate, and latte di mandorla (almond-milk syrup) at Maglio (Via Pietro Refulo 6), a chocolate shop that dates back to 1875.
Head east 15 kilometers to Otranto, a fishing village with a marina and an old town center. Stop at the cathedral, Santa Cesarea di Terme, and look at the 12th-century tree-of-life floor mosaic. Then drive south along the coast, taking in the views of the Ionian Sea as you pass the easternmost point of Italy. Visit the Grotta Zinzulusa (39-083-694-3812), a deep cavern filled with stalagmites and stalactites.
Stay at Il Convento di Santa Maria di Constantinopoli (39-077-363-62328), a 14th-century convent 20 kilometers away in Marittima di Diso that is now run as a hotel by an English couple. Breakfast, lunch, and laundry are included, and dinner is served nightly for about $40 a head, including beverages (the hotel will happily serve children early).
Next Page: Day Four: Castro Marina to San Gregorio
