Rich in history and fun to explore: Otranto is the easternmost city in Italy’s province Puglia.
Of all the cities I visited in Puglia, the laid-back southeastern province of Italy, I felt most ‘relaxed’ in Otranto. Even in June, before the real high season begins, many tourists find their way to this city, yet it still felt spacious because tourists spread out when exploring the streets. It is a small city, but there are just enough cultural sights, shops, restaurants and swimming spots to satisfy those that like to have a little bit of everything. The key word is little bit: the narrow streets with small shops selling local produce and handicrafts are fun to explore but not a place where you will linger all day. Perfect for me.
Things to see in Otranto
The must-see sights in Otranto are hard to miss as they are all located in the Old Town. The Old Town is small enough that you can choose left or right without much thought and retrace your steps later when you want to explore other streets nearby. Unless you go swimming in the sea, four hours is plenty of time for a visit to Otranto (including a meal).
Castle of Otranto
The Castle of Otranto lends its name to the first Gothic novel in history by Horace Walpole (1764). This massive 15th century Aragonese castle in the shape of a rectangular trapezoid has round towers and a drawbridge and is situated right by the sea. You can enter the castle for a small fee, but if you have visited many castles before, then it’s probably best appreciated from the outside in a view that also includes the sea or the buildings of the Old Town.
Old Town
The Old Town (Centro Storico) of Otranto is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The streets are lined with small shops and boutiques displaying their colorful products outside. And when there are no shops, there are restaurants or buildings with interesting architecture. In the middle of the Old Town is a small square with many restaurants.
If stairs are not an issue (I traveled with a baby in a stroller) then there are also some restaurants and churches to explore higher up. That being said: Otranto is very stroller-friendly. The number of bumpy streets is limited.
At the seaside you come upon the monument for the martyrs of Otranto; the inhabitants that were killed on 14 August 1480 when the city fell to an Ottoman force under Gedik Ahmed Pasha.
Also noteworthy is the 11th-century Cathedral of Otranto, a cathedral famous for its 12th-century mosaic floor.
Swimming
At the seaside, you will find many restaurants and a promenade with beautiful views of a sea full of boats. This is a good place for swimming.Â
How to get to Otranto?
Otranto is a half-hour drive south of Lecce and an hour’s drive south of Brindisi. If you are traveling by public transportation, you can catch a bus from the bus terminal in Lecce (which you can reach by train from Brindisi).
You can park your car at Parcheggio Via Orte. This parking is not the cheapest, but it is easy to reach and only a five minutes’ walk from the Old Town. Beware if this is your first time parking your car in Italy: every ticket machine is different. Most of them require you to fill in your license plate number and accept coins and cards (though some don’t work properly and don’t accept all cards). This one however did not accept coins in June 2022.
