Southern Puglia

This journey explores the southern part of Puglia (Apulia), particularly the Salento peninsula, where coastal plains, limestone plateaus, and Adriatic and Ionian shorelines preserve the layered presence of Messapian culture, Greek foundations, Roman reorganization, and later developments.

Fortifications of Ostuni

In Lecce (Lupiae), classical foundations coexist with later architectural layers. Along the Adriatic coast, Otranto (Hydruntum) illustrates the strategic position of the region between Italy and the eastern Mediterranean.

Roman Theater in Lecce

Byzantine frescoes in Otranto depicting early Christian artwork

Otranto, Byzantine Frescoes

At Alberobello, trulli structures express vernacular building traditions rooted in the limestone environment. The collections of the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto (MARTA) in Taranto (Taras) provide essential context for understanding Magna Graecia and its maritime networks.

Alberobello

Accommodations will be based in or near the port city of Brindisi (Brundisium), whose long maritime history connected Southern Italy to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean and whose harbor setting reflects this continuity.

Brindisi Cathedral

Taken together, Southern Puglia reveals a cultural landscape in which Messapian heritage, Greek colonization, Roman infrastructure, and enduring coastal traditions remain inscribed within land and sea.