Salento, right on your doorstep

Inside the nature park of the same name: reached on foot through a pine forest, a pebble cove with crystal-clear water, wilder and less crowded.

The "Maldives of Salento": fine white sand and shallow water that stays transparent for dozens of metres, great for families too.

On the Adriatic side, near Otranto: a bay sheltered by pine woods with crystal-clear water, among the most photographed spots in Salento.

One of the best-loved beaches on the Adriatic side: fine sand backed by a pine forest, overlooked by the famous "Le Due Sorelle" (Two Sisters) sea stacks just offshore.

Known as the "Florence of the Baroque": the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Roman amphitheatre and Piazza Duomo all sit within walking distance in the old town.

The easternmost point in Italy: the Aragonese Castle and a Romanesque cathedral home to a famous medieval mosaic floor running the length of the nave.

In Castro, one of the best-known sea caves on the Adriatic coast: visited by boat or on foot, with stalactites almost touching the water.

The southernmost tip of Salento, where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet: a lighthouse and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae crown the headland.

A Baroque old town often quieter than Lecce but just as rich: the Immaculate Conception spire in Piazza Salandra, 18th-century churches and noble palaces a short drive from Porto Selvaggio.

One of "Italy's most beautiful villages": pale stone lanes, Baroque doorways and a compact old town you can explore entirely on foot in a couple of hours.

Known for its seafront thermal caves and Art Nouveau villas such as Palazzo Sticchi, with its distinctive Moorish dome: a change of pace from the usual beaches, right on the Adriatic.

A village perched on the Adriatic coast, a stone's throw from the Zinzulusa Cave: whitewashed houses, a small harbour and some of the coast's most striking sea views.