Things to do in Nardo' Italy – what to see attractions and activities

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.

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 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.

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.

The Frederick II Tower has a quadrangular structure and is 28.65 meters high. The tower consists of four floors, divided by three floors. Inside is the coat of arms with three shields and the weapon of the D'Anjou.

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 “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.

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

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.

The Regional Oriented Nature Reserve “Palude del Count and Coastal Dune of Porto Cesareo” extends entirely throughout the coastal territory of the homonymous municipality for 898.29 ha total.

The Casarea Tower is a coastal watchtower built from 1568 by Virgilio Pugliese, designed by the engineer Giovanni Tommaso Scala. The building was built with tuff blocks, has a quadrangular floor plan, and is 16 meters high. Today, the structure is the headquarters of the Guardia di Finanza.

The Thalassographic Museum contains a malacological collection, a herbarium and rare fish species.

The Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Natural Area is an area of the Puglia region established in 1997 by Decree 12 December 1997 of the Ministry of the Environment. It occupies an area of 16,654 ha and is the third largest extension in Italy. The area is divided into three zones with different protection regime.

The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is located in front of the Caesarea Tower and was erected in 1880. The building looks like a church with typical Mediterranean colors and is located on the seafront a few meters from the beautiful Ionian Sea. This is characterized by essential architectural lines and houses two papier-mache statues: the statue of Saint Caesarea and that of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the patroness of the country.

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.

The Museum of Marine Biology in Porto Cesareo is dedicated to fauna and marine flora and its habitat. This was founded in 1966 by naturalist Pietro Parenzan, who then donated the collections to the University of Lecce in 1977.

Very close to the coast of Porto Cesareo, the Rabbit Island is easily accessible by swimming or by small boats. The islet is 400 meters wide and 2.5 km long. The island, which was known as 'Isola Grande, 'was renamed by the local inhabitants 'Isle of Rabbits' because of the ancient habit of raising colonies of rabbits in the wild.

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 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 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 “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.

Torre Chianca is an ancient sixteenth-century tower built by the Spanish to defend Salento from attacks by Saracen pirates. Its construction began in 1569, and became one of the most impressive on the whole coast of Salento.

The Island of Malva, so called for the substantial presence of tree mallow, is characterized by a dry and brackish cliff, dark gray in color with numerous pools of sea water. This is within walking distance through a very low seabed, so it's worth a walk in the water to enjoy the lovely beach.

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 Menhir di Ussano, within the competence of the municipality of Cavallino, is 5 km from the town. The term menhir, of Breton origin, is obtained from the union of the words' men 'and' hir ', i.e. 'long stone'. This is 2.50 m tall and octagonal.

The Fountain of Poetry is recently built, in fact, dates back to 1993. It was built by the Pro Loco of Porto Cesareo and by the locals, who expressed the desire to have an easily accessible meeting place. At the center of the fountain is a bronze statue dedicated to a muse of poetry. It is enriched by a beautiful play of light present in the structure, and can be appreciated especially in the evening.