Otranto: reception and hospitality
The inhabitants of Otranto are special people. Hospital and welcoming. Otrantini (the inhabitants of Otranto are called in this way) are always ready to give the right information and suggestions to visitors. This usually happens all over Salento but, in Otranto, you will never find an unsatisfied tourist. The locals are always ready to give suggestions on restaurants, hotels and places to visit. The Cathedral of St. Martyrs, the bauxite quarries, the Tower of the Serpe (symbol of the city of Otranto), the monastery of St. Nicholas of Casole, the lighthouse of tip Palacìa and the golden beaches of the Alimini are the destination places of the Otrantine tourist flow.
Otranto: respect for the naturalness of places
The land of Otranto attracts more and more national and international tourism because, over the years, the institutions have protected the environment and tourist centres, fighting the abuse and imposing restrictive laws and landscape constraints. In doing so, the beauty of the places has remained unaltered and nature has been protected from environmental damage. This way of operating on the territory has allowed the revival of tourism in Salento and Otranto has played a fundamental role in this. The points of historical and landscape interest have been preserved and enhanced by a new way of tourism and hospitality.
The cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata: how to reach Otranto and visit the cathedral
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata is a unique spectacle.
Much effort has been made to protect this historic asset and the historical-artistic heritage in it: the mosaic, for example, has been preserved through targeted restoration works over time.
To reach Otranto and visit the cathedral, you have several possibilities:
By plane to Brindisi Papola Casale airport, by train to Otranto with train change in Lecce
Papola Casale is the airport closest to the heart of Salento (for more information click here).
Once you have landed you can rent a car from the different car rental companies and head to Otranto, passing from Lecce.
Or you can easily opt for public transport by taking a convenient Brindisi-Lecce train, changing trains and heading to Otranto station with the South-East Railroads (for more information click here);
By car
After almost all of the A16 motorway, you have to take the exit Bari Nord and continue on Brindisi-Lecce (we talked about Lecce in this post about Baroque).
As soon as you arrive at the gates of the Salento capital, take the East ring road and follow for Maglie – Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca.
As soon as you arrive in Maglie, you can easily take the state road SS 16, direction Otranto with ease. Recently they have widened the carriageways of this state road and have installed a traffic partition so that the road is really comfortable and safe;
By bus
You can easily reach Otranto by taking a bus from Lecce. Check the site SALENTO IN BUS and check times, availability and tickets.
How to reach the Cathedral once arrived in Otranto
Reaching the cathedral is really very simple. Once inside the walls, from the entrance adjacent to the Heroes’ Monument (“Il monumento degli eroi”), you just have to follow the main road on foot and turn right at the first crossroads. Take a small climb and after about 100 meters you will find the SS. Maria Annunziata on the left. The show that will look to you in front of your eyes will be sensational.
The Cathedral of Otranto: centuries of history, spectacularly preserved
The cathedral is the symbol of Otrantine resistance to the Ottoman massacre. It was July 28th, 1480 when 800 Martyrs were beheaded on the Minerva Hill because they resisted Islam, following the example of their leader Antonio Pezzulla (the Primaldo). The relics can be found, well preserved in three cases, inside the basilica, in the right aisle.
