Santa Maria di Leuca
- Stately villas shape the place where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet.
- Punta Ristola is the southern most point of Apulia and a great place to snorkel.
Between Adriatic and Ionian Sea
The coastal town of Santa Maria di Leuca is located "finibus terrae", in English: at the back of beyond. That might not quite apply to our present-day view of the world, but nevertheless, Santa Maria di Leuca is the south-east end of Italy.
Here, at Capo Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet, the Italians choose their beach according to where the winds blow from – now on the one side, now on the other.
Between beach and stately villas
Bathing cabins made of brick and dating back to between the 19th and 20th centuries prove that a cultivated bathing holiday has a tradition here.
At the time, rich city dwellers had decorative houses built at the seaside for their summer retreat. Even today, the oriental-fanciful art nouveau villas are ornaments to the town, giving it its individual flair.
- The lighthouse has been a checkpoint for navigators since prehistoric times.
Aeneas and Saint Peter
Santa Maria di Leuca is a place truly steeped in history: according to legend, it was in this area that Aeneas, the founding father of the Roman people, set foot on land. And Saint Peter is said to have started on his missionary work in Italy from here.
Witness to the settlement of the place since the 13th century BC is borne by the remains of a fortified village of huts which has been excavated near the “Faro”, the lighthouse.
Santa Maria di Leuca owes its name to the late Baroque basilica of the same name, which was erected on the site of a former temple consecrated to Minerva.
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