fiogf49gjkf0d THE HOTEL COMPLEX IS CLOSE TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
AND FAMOUS SALENTO RESORTS
THE PPA AT SANTA CESAREA
THE WWF OASIS OF THE CESINE
ALIMINI LAKES NATIONAL PARK
THE HOTEL IS ABOUT 40 KM S FROM LECCE, THE
*FLORENCE OF THE SOUTH*.
GALLIPOLI ON THE FASCINATING WESTERN COAST OF
THE PROVINCE OF LECCE, AMID SCENTED FOOTPATHS
THROUGH THE MAQUIS, WINDING TRACKS THROUGH THE
ROCKS AND SOFT SUNNY BEACHES, LIES THE ENCHANTING
TOWN OF GALLIPOLI, KNOWN AS THE *PEARL OF THE
IONIAN*, STRETCHING LIKE A WHITE GEM INTO THE
UNBROKEN WATERS OF THE SEA.
THE MEDIEVAL CENTER IS, IN FACT, ORIENTAL AND
WHITE, HUDDLED ON AN ISLAND, SURROUNDED BY
ANCIENT WALLS AND PRESIDED OVER BY THE HUGE
CASTLE MIRRORED IN THE CANNETO, THE OLD PORT,
LINKED TO THE MODERN TOWN, LYING ALONG THE LOW
PROMONTORY OF THE COAST, BY A LONG STONE BRIDGE.
BOASTING A SAFE NATURAL HARBOR, THE LOVELY TOWN,
ITS NAME RECALLING ITS GREEK ORIGINS, FOR THIS IS
THE SENSE OF THE ANCIENT APPELLATIVE KAL POLIS,
WAS AN IMPORTANT ROMAN MUNICIPIUM AND, IN THE
BYZANTINE PERIOD, A STRONGHOLD OF THE EASTERN
EMPIRE IN RESISTANCE AGAINST THE NORMANS, INTO
WHOSE HANDS IT FELL IN 1071.
SANTA CESAREA LOCATED ON THE MOST ENCHANTING
STRETCH OF COAST IN THE PROVINCE OF LECCE, AMID
THE RUGGED SCENERY OF HAZARDOUS RIDGES AND ROCKY
GORGES, LIES SANTA CESAREA TERME, STRETCHING
GENTLY ALONG A TERRACE OPENING, UNEXPECTEDLY, ON
TO A CLIFF.
PRETTY AND SUN-SOAKED, SET AMID THE CHANGING
GREENERY OF OLIVE PLANTATIONS, PINEWOODS AND
MEDITERRANEAN MAQUIS, THE LOVELY TOWN THEREFORE
ENJOYS AN ENTHRALLING POSITION, MAGNIFICENT THE
VIEW FROM ABOVE THE TOWN, FRAMED IN WOODLAND,
RANGING AS FAR AS CAPO SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA, THE
EXTREME TIP OF THE PENINSULA, ALMOST A PANORAMIC
BALCONY OVER THE LIMPID, UNCONTAMINATED SEA, HERE
REALLY BENEFICIAL.
SANTA CESAREA TERME IS, IN FACT, ONE OF THE MOST
RENOWNED SPAS IN THE WHOLE REGION, THANKS TO THE
HYDROTHERAPEUTIC SPRINGS OF ITS MARINE GROTTOES
GATTULLA, FETIDA, SOLFUREA AND SOLFATARA, WELL
KNOWN SINCE ANCIENT TIMES, AND WRAPPED IN
IMPENETRABLE MYTH.
PAGAN MYTH RECALLS THE GENESIS FROM THE
DISMEMBERED BODIES OF THE GIANTS MASSACRED HERE
BY HERCULES, WHEREAS THE POPULAR CHRISTIAN
VERSION TRACES THE PURITY AND SALUBRITY OF THESE
WATERS TO THE VIRGIN CISARIA, VANISHED INTO THE
BOWELS OF THE MOUNTAIN HERE TO SUBTRACT HERSELF
FROM THE VIOLATIONS OF AN INCESTUOUS FATHER.
LECCE EXTREME TIP OF THE SALENTO PENINSULA, BUT
ALSO THE HEEL OF ITALY, PALASCIA POINT AT THE
CAPE OF OTRANTO, IN FACT, CONSTITUTES THE MOST
EASTERLY APPENDIX, THE TERRITORY OF THE PROVINCE
OF LECCE SPREADS OUT IN A LEVEL PLAIN, WITH JUST
THE LOW ROCKY HEIGHTS OF THE SALENTO MURGE AT THE
NORTHERN LIMITS TAKING THE NAME OF SERRE.
STRETCHING TOWARDS THE IONIAN AND THE ADRIATIC,
THEIR WATERS LAPPING IT ON THREE SIDES, THE
PROVINCE OF LECCE IS DISTINGUISHED FOR ITS
FASCINATING COASTLINE, ALTERNATING ON THE IONIAN
SIDE BETWEEN SANDY BAYS AND DANGEROUS, JAGGED
CLIFFS, WHEREAS, ON THE ADRIATIC SIDE, IT IS
PUNCTUATED EVERYWHERE WITH SPECTACULAR GROTTOES
OF MILLENARY HISTORY, THE ROMANELLI AND THE
ZINZULUSA AT CASTRO, AND THE ULUZZU IN THE
PORTOSELVAGGIO NATURE PARK, THAT ALL CONTAIN
IMPORTANT PREHISTORIC SITES.
THE LECCE AREA IS A VERY ANCIENT LAND AS IS
TESTIFIED BY THE INLAND PRESENCE OF NUMEROUS
MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS, DOLMENS AND MENHIRS,
STUDDED AMONG THE SECULAR GREEN AND SILVER OF
OLIVE PLANTATIONS.
THE NATURAL AREAS OF LE CESINE AND THE ALIMINI
LAKES HAVE A RARE FASCINATION AND CONTAIN, AMID
THEIR NATURAL BEAUTY VALUABLE ARTISTIC GEMS THAT
TESTIFY TO THE SUCCESSION OF PEOPLES AND
DYNASTIES THE CHURCH OF SANTA CROCE AND PIAZZA
DEL DUOMO IN LECCE, CELEBRATED BAROQUE SYMBOLS OF
THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, WITH ITS REMOTE MESSAPIC
ORIGINS, AND THE PRECIOUS MOSAIC FLOOR OF THE
ROMANESQUE CATHEDRAL OF OTRANTO, GATEWAY TO THE
ORIENT AND CAPITAL OF THE SALENTO IN THE
BYZANTINE PERIOD.
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