Otranto Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Lecce which includes street scenes as well as a large group of people
Lecce showing heritage elements
Lecce showing street scenes and heritage elements as well as a small group of people
Lecce featuring heritage elements and interior views
Lecce featuring street scenes, a city and heritage architecture

A holiday in Otranto will take you to Italy's easternmost coast on a rocky spur with a sheer drop to the sea, about 30 kilometres from Lecce. Salento's cultural, political and economic centre for centuries, it's been considered a natural bridge between the Mediterranean and the East since ancient times. Otranto still preserves traces of the meeting and mixing of cultures. Besides meeting the demands of beach tourists, Otranto offers attractions for those who want to spend a few days of total relaxation, with history, culture and breath-taking scenery.

Strolling through the old town of Otranto, you'll be overcome by the venerable charm of this village enclosed by Aragonese walls. Its traditional white houses and stone-paved streets lead to the beautiful cathedral, the biggest in all of the Apulia Region, characterised by its impressive Renaissance rose window with Gothic-Arabic artistic influences. Built during the Norman period, the Cathedral of Otranto bears the name Santa Maria Annunziata. It has characteristic features of 12th-century Apulian architecture and sculpture, such as the double arched lintels which run down into the marble columns and finely-sculpted Corinthian capitals.

A visit to the castle is an absolute must. The Aragonese Castle was Otranto's defensive stronghold, today a site of learning and culture hosting events and exhibits, often with an international scope. Surrounded by a wide moat that was built to defend the old city, the blockhouse is the gateway to the historic centre. The castle's history is particularly linked to the sad events of the Turkish siege in 1480, after which the Aragonese decided to build an extension to the defensive building with large embrasured towers. You can admire various architectonic details of the Aragonese Castle, such as the towers named Alfonsina, Duchess and Hippolyta, and the ramparts, known as the Diamond Point and the Triangular Hall, built with innovative defence techniques that make them one of the most important examples of military architecture from the period.

A great way to discover Otranto begins with an excursion to the Alimini Lakes area, two pools of water near the sea surrounded by Mediterranean maquis. Freshwater lagoons connected to the sea, the two lakes stretch out in front of the Alimini beaches, some of the most popular in all of Apulia. Here the sand, fine and fair as talcum, has remained pristine despite the passage of time. The Bay of Alimini is one of Salento's most evocative, where the sea, almost always clean and transparent, is surrounded by picturesque sand dunes and wildlands. Heading south through a beautiful pine forest typical of the Mediterranean maquis, you'll reach the Bay of Turks, famous as a surfers' paradise. North of Otranto, the Beaches of Sant'Andrea are a series of small beaches at the foot of the unmistakeable calcareous cliffs that characterise the stretch of coast between Torre dell'Orso and Sant'Andrea. The sea in this area is beautiful, transparent, crystalline, ranging from emerald green to cobalt blue with a rocky bottom near the shore and with three majestic stacks known as Lu Pepe, making the scenery quite unique. The nearby Torre Sant'Andrea is a small village that seems wild and fascinating, which still today is home to greeting inscriptions from Greek, Roman and Spanish sailors in the Grotta di San Cristoforo (a cave).

Holidays in Otranto offer this and much more. With sports, outdoor activities and breathtaking scenery, you'll never run out of options. Leaving Otranto behind and heading south, you'll reach Torre del Serpe and Porto Badisco. Not far from there you will find Approdo di Enea Beach, a small evocative harbour described by Virgil in the Aeneid. It's an enchanting beach nestled inside a small narrow inlet bordered by cliffs that house the remains of prehistoric elephants in their caves. Instead, to the north, you can visit the Grotta dei Cervi cave. There the sea is turquoise, crystalline and transparent with a rather sandy bottom, perfect for safe swimming.

Last but not least, the Spiaggia dell'Orte beach, situated about 4 kilometres south of Otranto, is nestled in the splendid Orte Bay between the white strip of Punta Faci and the Capo d'Otranto promontory. The coastline is a succession of alternating sandy and rocky beaches and picturesque coves sheltered by pine forests. Take a look at the holiday packages to Otranto and get ready to spend a few days of complete relaxation amidst the wildest, most untouched nature.

Where to stay in Otranto

Otranto Castle featuring heritage architecture and a castle

Otranto Historic Centre

5/5(1 area review)

You'll enjoy the restaurants and monuments in Otranto Historic Centre. You might want to make time for a stop at Otranto Cathedral or Otranto Waterfront.

Otranto Historic Centre
Relais Valle dell'Idro

Relais Valle dell'Idro

4 out of 5
Via G.Grasso 4, Otranto, LE
The price is £154 per night from 26 Aug to 27 Aug
£154
26 Aug - 27 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Otranto. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a rooftop terrace and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (244 reviews)
"Excellent location, clean and staff very helpful"

Reviewed on 16 Jun 2025

Relais Valle dell'Idro
Baglioni Masseria Muzza

Baglioni Masseria Muzza

5 out of 5
Via Muzza 7, Otranto, LE
The price is £609 per night from 29 Aug to 30 Aug
£609
29 Aug - 30 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Otranto. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 2 outdoor pools. Popular attractions Baia Dei Turchi Beach and Alimini Lakes ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (17 reviews)
"The staff were so welcoming and very friendly. They were always on hand to help us plan our itinerary - superb service!"

Reviewed on 22 Jul 2025

Baglioni Masseria Muzza
CDSHotels Basiliani

CDSHotels Basiliani

4 out of 5
Via Renis, Otranto, LE
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Otranto. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Popular attractions Otranto Waterfront and Baia Dei Turchi Beach ...
8/10 Very Good! (137 reviews)
Plan Carefully
"My first impressions were that this is a well- appointed and sophisticated resort. The design is beautiful, but be aware that the entire resort is terraced off into multiple levels, so there is lots of stairs. However, there are some strategically located elevators for those that have trouble navigating ..."

Reviewed on 6 Oct 2024

CDSHotels Basiliani
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Family Village Pool And Sea

Family Village Pool And Sea

Otranto, LE
Stay at this apartment in Otranto. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Popular attractions Alimini Beach and Alimini Lakes are located ...
Family Village Pool And Sea
Residence - Blu Mare Alimini

Residence - Blu Mare Alimini

Via Frassanito, Otranto, LE
Stay at this residence in Otranto. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool and a garden. Popular attractions Alimini Beach and Alimini Lakes are located nearby.
5/10 (2 reviews)
"Villaggio nel complesso molto curato e bello , piscina stupenda, molto silenzioso , forse troppo , Ci vorrebbe un po’ di animazione."

Reviewed on 4 Jul 2025

Residence - Blu Mare Alimini
Vacation home in the immediate vicinity of Otranto

Vacation home in the immediate vicinity of Otranto

Otranto, Puglia
Stay at this family-friendly holiday home in Otranto. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a water park and a garden. Popular attractions Otranto Waterfront and Baia Dei Turchi ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (9 reviews)
He lies about the most important thing: the location
"The house is nice, it must be said. Not very clean, but not a disaster either.The internet is terrible; it doesn't work at all.There's only one very, very small and noisy air conditioner in a hallway, not in one bedroom, not in the other, not even in the living room or kitchen. As I said, it's in ..."

Reviewed on 25 Jun 2025

Vacation home in the immediate vicinity of Otranto
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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