Things to do in Casarano Italy – what to see attractions and activities

The “E. Giannelli” Quadreria is located within the rooms of Palazzo Ferrari. The museum exhibits forty-three paintings and ten sculptures. The works belong to various authors such as Vincenzo Caprile, Giuseppe Costa, Ennio Marzano, Camillo Miola etc. in this collection are located some beautiful canvases belonging to Giannelli, where they come represented the marinas of the Gulf of Naples and Salento.

The Wine Museum is located inside a millstone, built towards the end of the nineteenth century in the historic center of Parabita. The exhibition traces, through instruments and ancient objects, the cycle of wine production. You can then admire demijohns, barrels, furates, bascules and other numerous tools that are useful in winemaking.

The building was built at the end of 1500, by the will of Baron Pietro Barone Massa. Currently, the building is owned by the Municipality.

The “S. Mint” Civic Archaeological Museum is spread over two floors and welcomes rich testimonies and materials of Paleontology and Messapian civilization of the area. The most important work is represented by a faithful copy of the famous statue of Zeus, found in the 1960s in Ugento.

Torre Suda was built around the 16th century and its name comes from the fact that the tower, after having stopped military functions, was used as a water cistern for the inhabitants of Gallipoli. The Tower after the breathability seemed to sweat, hence the name. From this tower, the homonymous location was also named, which is a popular destination for many tourists during the summer.

This tower was built in the sixteenth century by the Spanish to defend Salento from the infamous Saracen pirates. The state of conservation is very bad as the top is completely destroyed and you can see only two windows that were used as louvers. The Salento seaside resort also took its name from the tower.

the Natural Park of Punta Pizzo Island of Sant'Andrea is located in the municipality of Gallipoli and covers an area of 685 Hectares, starting from the island of Sant'Andrea up to the suggestive coast of Punta Pizzo including the magnificent coastal stretch of Punta della Suina.

Torre San Giovanni la Pedata was built around the 16th century in Lido San Giovanni di Gallipoli. From the beginning he had the function of defending the coastal stretch by the Saracen raids. It is characterized by a truncated pyramidal base ending in a square plan. It is accessed inside by a small door and consists of two floors communicating through a staircase to the wall.

Sabea Tower or Old Tower was built between the 16th and 17th centuries with the function of defending the coast from the threats of the Saracen pirates. Located north of Gallipoli, it became a military garrison in 1570 with the task of signaling the arrival of foreign ships.

An important monument of the historic center of Gallipolino is the Clock Tower. Built around the early 1700s the clock was subsequently incorporated. The structure consists of a small sailing bell tower where two bronze bells were originally placed, all surmounted by two coats of arms, the Bourbon one and that of the city of Gallipoli.

The Roman Greek Fountain dates back to the 3rd century BC although many historians believe it was built in the Renaissance age. It is located near the Gallipoli Bridge that connects the old city with the new village. The main façade is five meters high and has four caryatids supporting the lintel. In the bas-reliefs carved with local stone are represented the metamorphoses of three Greek mythological figures: Biblide, Salmace and Dirce. The other façade was used as the support of the main one depicting the carved coat of arms of Gallipoli.

Already built on pre-existing Roman fortifications from the eleventh century, it was rebuilt in the thirteenth century in the Byzantine era. It was remodeled several times by the conquistadors who followed one another over the centuries.

The Tower of Alto Lido was built in 1565 by Viceroy Don Pietro da Toledo. Since it was about 71 meters above sea level, the tower had the function of controlling the coast. The building has a truncated conical structure, with a cylindrical plan. Inside there are two rooms and a wall staircase.

Dating back to the 17th century, it is a Baroque church named after Sant'Agata. It is located in the center of the island.

The “E. Barba” Civic Museum was founded in 1823 by Carmine Fontò who offered the first public donation of his books. Below also the Dominican and Franciscan convents of the city donated their collections. The Museum was subsequently entrusted to Emanuele Barba who also set up a zoological cabinet there.

The Mozza Tower is located in the town of Salento in the province of Lecce. The building was built in the 16th century on commission of King Charles V. During World War II, the tower was used by soldiers as a machine gun station. Over the years, this was restored.

The Franciscan Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, today a national monument: it was commissioned and made by Raimondello Orsini del Balzo and consecrated in 1391.

The Corigliano Castle is one of the most special architectural models found in the municipality of Corigliano d'Otranto. It was built in a quadrangular shape with four corner towers and surrounded by a deep moat. On the facade we can admire paintings by several famous people of the time. Between 1514 and 1519 the building was renovated by Giovan Battista de' Monti. In 1667 the structure passed to the Trani family who transformed it into a ducal palace.

The Castle of Tutino was built in 1580, by Don Luigi Trane. Originally, the castle had nine towers, of which today only five are left. Currently, the best preserved part is the back, the one facing east. The structure passed into the hands of several owners, the last were the Caputo, who allocated space for tobacco processing until the sixties of the last century.

It is completely flat and its maximum height does not exceed three meters. This feature brings the island to be swept up by the waves in case of strong wind and makes it less suitable to host a rich vegetation

The Spinola Castle dates back to the 13th century and over the years it was modified, according to the needs of the period. It is the typical example of military architecture, as it was fortified several times, but inside you can see many Baroque elements of the '700. Today it is owned by the Municipality of Andrano and headquarters of “Costa Otranto”, the Regional Natural Park.

The Porta San Vito was erected during the fourteenth century for reasons of defending the ancient city of Soleto. The structure is surmounted by a statue of the Madonna in stone. Today, the door is in excellent condition.