Palaeolithic civilizations and Baroque

From the area of the University of Lecce we take the main road to Taranto and reach Campi Salentina (km 14.4), San Pancrazio Salentino (km 30.4) and Manduria (km 48,8). Here we leave the main road and, turning on the left, we drive along the straight stretch to Oria (km 60.1). From Oria, always on the right, we reach Latiano (km 69.9) and Mesagne (km 77.5) following the Taranto-Brindisi (Via Appia Antica). We continue along the same road and, after a beautiful straight stretch, we reach Brindisi (km 91,5).

A variation to our itinearary in the Salento starts from Mesagne, reaches the interesting small town of San Vito dei Normanni (km 13.8), heads towards the sea and finally leads down to Brindisi (km 53.5).

From Brindisi we join the main itinerary entering the Main Road N. 16 coming from Bari and we reach San Pietro Vernotico (km 109.2) and Squinzano (km 117.8). Here we leave the Adriatic road and, on the left, we reach the sea near Torre Rinalda (km 130.4); we carry on to the wonderful Lido of San Cataldo (km 148.8) and drive along the Adriatic sea passing through San Foca (km 163.9) and Otranto (km 184.1). From Otranto we take the wonderful scenic state road leading to Castro Marina (km 206.5) passing through Santa Cesarea Terme and over the renowned caves Romanelli and Zinzulusa (we will visit them). From Castro Marina, we head towards the small villages of Tricase Porto (km 216.5), whose nearby hill Serra di Tricase offers a beautiful panorama on the sea, and of Marina di Novaglie (km 225.1). After a straight stretch we reach cape Santa Maria di Leuca (km 234.1). From here it is possible to return to Lecce taking the state road to Maglie, a fluent but not monotonous road (km 67).

From Santa Maria di Leuca, passing through the inland localities of Presicce (km 250.3), Casarano (km 265.3) and Parabita, we head again towards the sea at Gallipoli (km 282.2), on the vast expanse of sea of the Gulf of Taranto. From Gallipoli we reach Santa Maria al Bagno, driving along a really wonderful scenic road. We leave once again the seaside and carry on towards Nardò (km 300.7). From Nardò we reach Copertino (km 311.7) and, passing through Monteroni di Lecce, we stop our itinerary in Lecce (km 326.6). We suggest two variants: a very short one, from Copertino to Lecce via San Pietro in Lama (km 14.5), and the other from Nardò to Lecce, via Galatina (km 14.3). From here, passing through Soleto, we reach the Main Road N. 16 at the crossroad of Zollino and we go on towards Lecce (km 41.8).

Our itinerary in the Salento, although very long, can be performed in six or seven hours at the most, thanks to the fluency of the roads.