Discovering Salento: Ugento

discovering salento ugento museum

Discovering Salento: the hidden Ugento

Ugento (Lecce) is a small centre, 60 km from Lecce. Very famouse during the summer for wonderfull beacheas (spiagge) in Torre San Giovanni (2-3 km).

Ugento in a very past past, was a very important cultural and economic centre but it’s true that the real origins of Ugento can not be proved. There are some menhirs, dolmens and Messapian Walls and thanks that we can say that the village was founded during the prehistoric age.

Many the archaeological sites in the area: caves, crypts, beatiful frescos, tell us when Ugento (Aoxentum) was an important commercial port (Torrean Giovanni) for the 12 Messapian Town, or when during the 7th century it was part of Magna Graecia or also when during the Romans period, it became capital of vast area (Portus Salentinus).

What to see:

  • the Museo Civico of Archeological e Paleontologia “Salvatore Zecca”
  • At Serra delle Fontane, not far from the town, the 12th century church of Santa Maria del Casale, containing fine early medieval frescos
  • Odiscovering salento ugento museumn the Lido of Torre San Giovanni, the 16th century angevin towers, one used ad a lighthouse

Events:

  • First Sunday in February: Fair of San Biagio
  • 22 July, Sagra della Puccia, with music and food stands, the “puccia” being the typical bread of Salento
  • 26 and 27 September, Feast of Santissimi Medici

List of Comuni in the Lecce (Province)

Acquarica del Capo | Alessano | Alezio | Alliste | Andrano | Aradeo | Arnesano | Bagnolo del Salento | Botrugno | Calimera | Campi Salentina | Cannole | Caprarica di Lecce | Carmiano | Carpigniano Salentino | Casarano | Castri’ di Lecce | Castrignano Capo | Castrignano Greci | Castro | Cavallino | Collepasso Copertino|Corigliano d’Otranto | Corsano | Cursi | Cutrofiano | Diso | Gagliano del Capo | Galatina | Galatone | Gallipoli | Galugnano | Giuggianello | Giurdignano | Guagnano | Lecce | Lequile | Leverano | Lizzanello | Maglie | Martano | Martignano | Matino | Melendugno | Melissano | Melpignano | Miggiano | Minervino di Lecce | Monteroni di Lecce | Montesano Salentino | Morciano di Leuca | Muro Leccese | Nardo’ | Neviano | Nociglia | Novoli | Ortelle | Otranto | Palmariggi | Parabita | Patù | Poggiardo | Porto Cesareo | Presicce | Racale | Ruffano | Salice Salentino | Salve | San Cassiano | San Cesario di Lecce | San Donato di Lecce | San Pietro in Lama | Sanarica | Sannicola | Santa Cesarea Terme | Scorrano | Seclì | Sogliano Cavour | Soleto | Specchia | Spongano | Squinzano | Sternatia | Supersano | Surano | Surbo | Taurisano | Taviano | Tiggiano | Trepuzzi | Tricase | Tuglie | Ugento | Uggiano la Chiesa | Veglie | Vernole | Zollino

Info

Area: 2,759 km² – Population: about 800,000 inhabitants — Zip/postal codes: 73100, 73010-73059 — Phone Area Codes: 0832, 0833, 0836 —Car Plate: LE – Communes: 97 communes — According to an administrative reform from 1 Jan 2014, the Province will be enlarged to include some communes of the province of Brindisi – Cellino San Marco, Erchie, Mesagne, San Donaci, San Pancrazio Salentino, San Pietro Vernotico, Torchiarolo, Torre Santa Susanna and the commune of Avetrana presently in the province of Taranto.