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

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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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 Porto Selvaggio e Palude del Capitano Regional Nature Park is a regional park in Puglia located in the province of Lecce, established in 2006. In 2007 it was included by the Italian Environment Fund (FAI) in the list of “100 places to save”. The coast is rocky and jagged and characterized by pine forests and Mediterranean scrub. Along the coast are the Torre dell'Alto, the Uluzzo Tower and the Inserraglio Tower.

The Bilge Mirror, is a megalithic monument present within the Messapian settlement. Among the many mirrors existing in the Cavallinese territory, this is the most important in size. Its function is that of defense and vigilance and takes its name from the Latin verb speculor which means “observing around”. The large pile has elliptical base and a height of 3 meters.

The Doge's Palace or Castromedian-Limburg Castle is a construction from the second half of the 15th century. The interior, characterized by an atrium in which there is a statue in Lecce stone depicting the founder of the Castromediano family, houses vast rooms decorated with architectural elements typical of the Baroque period. Of particular artistic value are the gallery, whose cross vault is enriched by the symbols of the zodiac, the arms room and the living room.

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 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.

The Castle of Amely was built on the edge of an ancient city wall by the architect Gian Giacomo dell'Acaya, at the behest of Pompeo Paladini, around the 16th century. Fortunately, it still retains its original shape and is in excellent condition. Today it is open to the public.

The Baronial Palace D'Amely, also called castle, looks like a large tower built in the second half of the 16th century on commission of Pompeo Paladini, seventh baron of Melendugno and Lizzanello. Access to the property was possible through a drawbridge. With the advent of the Barons D'Amely, the drawbridge was replaced with a masonry one surmounted by the noble emblem: two lions supporting a crenellated tower on their backs. Above the coat of arms stands the statue of the Immaculate Madonna.

The Abbey of San Niceta is located in Melendugno in the province of Lecce. It is dedicated to Saint Niceta a martyr, protector of Melendugno, who was burned for his Catholic faith on the orders of the Aryan king Athanaric.

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.