Pizzica express : Italians love Salento, in the unspoilt 'heel' of the country, for its great weather, beaches and party atmosphere. Sue Clayton lets us in on some of its secrets.
Most of us know Puglia only because of its trulli houses and Bari, port for the Greek island ferries. Few venture further south - yet Puglia's lower province, Salento, is pretty special, full of southern Italian ebullience and a heady mix of traditions.
The remains of Greek and Roman temples and pre- historic monuments are scattered all over the dry sierras, popping up amid cactuses, olive groves and tobacco farms.
The coast north of Gallipoli is heavily Arabic in architectural style. In villages around Castrignano dei Greci the dialect is still effectively ancient Greek. At Giurdignano, a prehistoric menhir towers over an underground Byzantine crypt, which is still used today for worship.
But go inland and there are some superb 'classical' Italian towns: Lecce, known as the Florence of the South.
Festivais: Every town and village has a yearly festa, so in summer there's a choice of several to attend every night. Check listings magazine QuiSalento or the local bar or tourist office for dates.
Many involve old religious rites, like the carrying of a Virgin Mary statue around Lecce (August 24-6) or into the sea at Otranto (September 6). Others, like Novoli have bonfires and spectacular fireworks (January 16-17).
Almost all will include the pizzica , a fast and compelling rhythmic dance done to the accompaniment of the tambourine, accordion and violin.
The atmosphere is pulsing, whether it's a modest village festa or the August event in Melpignano, which has international guest stars and attracts audiences of 15,000.
Thousands of lights and torches create a carnival atmosphere. The pizzica band will start playing at 11pm and when the whole shebang gets going, you'd be pushed to match the spacey atmosphere at any nightclub.
Towns: Salento's capital, Lecce, is a must. As well as the castle, the marvellous churches of Santa Croce and Chiesa del Rosario and the Palazzo Vescovile, there's a market on Mondays and Fridays around the central Piazza St Oronzo with local produce and ceramics and majolica from Grottaglie, the original home of terracotta.
Nearby is Oria, its steep winding streets leading to a massive Gothic castle and battlements. Below, next to a bizarre Renaissance-style gendarmeria, is Caffé Visconti (Piazza Mandfredi 26), a very superior enoteca - wine cellar - built into the old Roman walls. It serves simple food and over 50 local vintages - look out for Salice Salentino, much loved by the cognoscenti; ruby-red, slightly frizzante, but robust and full of fruit.
