South Adriatic Coast

Otranto, Italy's easternmost city, and Palascia's lighthouse, the symbol of this fact, divide the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Historic Otranto, with the imposing Alfonsino Castle and city walls, has a Norman Cathedral with Europe's largest mosaic floor inside, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The massacre of 1480 occurred in Otranto when Turkish soldiers executed the inhabitants. The nearby coastal areas hold beautiful sites: the Lakes of Alimini and the Frassanito Forest, Baia dei Turchi, Torre Sant'Emiliano, and Porto Badisco. Otranto is accessible by train and by car along highway 16 or provincial road 366 San Cataldo - San Foca - Otranto.
In 2006 the Puglia region established the coastal park Otranto-Santa Maria di Leuca and Forest of Tricase to protect this part of the Salento peninsula. The main centres are Santa Cesarea, Castro and Tricase: the first famous for its hot springs flowing at the temperature of 30° in the caves, for splendid villas built in the late XIX centuries, and its watch towers, built by Carlo V. Castro is a medieval village that slopes gently toward the sea and combines the charm of the cliffs with its historical sites of absolute importance.