Between churches and castles

Bbrrr, how cold! With these temperatures, you say, better stay at home! But you know what a bore! Three days of vacation to spend “wandering” from one room to another? No, it does not really seem to be the case. This is why SalentoVirtuale.com has something to offer you: what about a tour of churches and castles in Salento? Of course, there are so many in the territory, but in three days “a little bit” we can also find out. For example, in Nardò (at a distance of 26 km from Lecce) there is an imposing Cathedral which houses the valuable “Crocefisso nero”, a 12th century wooden work, to which the Neretini attribute numerous prodigies. Then, in the heart of the Historical Center, the Temple of S. Domenico, a typical example of the Baroque, although altered during the 18th century. Worthy of note is also the Castle, from the XV-XVI century, which at the corners presents four large towers, on which you can admire the noble arms of the time depicted there. And again: the Spire of the Immaculate Conception erected in 1769 as thanksgiving by the escaped danger of the plague; the Tempietto Osanna (seventeenth century), very characteristic for its appeal to an ancient oriental liturgy … It really looks like a nice ride, do not you find? But now let’s move to Copertino (it is just over 10 km from Nardò). Here, the Castle is one of the most interesting defensive structures of Salento, dating back to 1540. It is surrounded by a wide and deep moat and has a really remarkable sixteenth-century portal. During the year, it hosts cultural events, exhibitions and conferences that could “enrich” your holiday if they are scheduled on the days of your stay in Salento. But Copertino is also the birthplace of San Giuseppe Desa, the “Saint of the flights”. It is said that he was born in a miserable stall on the edge of the town, where his mother had taken refuge to escape her husband’s creditors. Well, that place is now the fulcrum of the church dedicated to him: the Sanctuary of S. Giuseppe da Copertino. Artistically, its Baroque façade is very suggestive: its “concavity” is in fact a unique feature of its kind. In Copertino there is also the Church of Santa Maria della Grottella, in the sixteenth century style, which tells of the mysterious find in a nearby bush of a Byzantine icon with the effigy of the Madonna … In short, this itinerary proposal is really exciting what are you saying? So, shake off that annoying feeling of cold and torpor that you try and reach us here, in the heart of this wonderful Salento.