The southernmost Municipality involved in the event of the Chants of Passion boasts an interesting artistic heritage. Among the monuments worth a visit there is the grand Collegiate Church dedicated to S. Salvatore, the refined Palazzo Legari and a very beautiful wooden altarpiece held inside the Convento dei Cappuccini.
Among its famous citizens the beloved Don Tonino Bello must be remembered.

Web: www.comune.alessano.lecce.it

The name of this town, “Good morning” in Greek, leaves us in no doubt as to its “grika” identity and origin. It is very active in the debate about the preservation of “grika” language and keeps an extraordinary cultural heritage. It houses the Casa Museo della civiltà Contadina and the Museo di Storia Naturale del Salento. An ancient propitiatory rite is perpetuated during Easter Monday with the passage through the holed stone of S. Vito.

Web: www.comune.calimera.le.it

It is located on the road running to Otranto, to the Adriatic sea and has ancient olive groves stretching away as far as the eye can see. In the Crypt of S. Cristina are the oldest Byzantine frescoes in the whole region. Important events such as l’Olio della Poesia take place in the hamlet of Serrano, or La Festa te lu Mieru, a typical food and wine feast in Carpignano. It is twinned with the Greek Municipality of Agios Georgios.

Web: www.carpignano-salentino.it

It is one of the most active Municipalities in the Grecìa Salentina in the preservation of linguistic heritage thanks to the work done in the schools. The Crypt of S. Onofrio testifies to the Byzantine origin of this town. The Church of Annunziata and the “Pozzelle” (typical wells used to collect water) are worth a visit.

Web: www.castrignanodeigreci.it

Its imposing castle is an increasing tourist and cultural attraction together with a city centre rich in monuments (the most important of which is the precious Arco Lucchetti). Its accommodation services are very efficient thanks to the cooperation among the Municipality, associations and catering enterprises. It houses the Multimedia Museum of the Grecìa Salentina.

Web: www.comune.corigliano.le.it

It entered into the Unione dei Comuni della Grecìa Salentina in January 2007 and boasts extraordinary historical, artistic and environmental beauties. Its handicraft vocation is already present in the name (from kutra=vase). In the Salento region it is famous for its pottery and the Museo Comunale della Ceramica. It is worth paying a visit to the Museo Malacologico delle Argille and to the Parco dei Fossili in Cava Lustrelle. The inside of the Chiesa Matrice is really beautiful.

Web: www.cutrofiano.it

It is a town with Greek culture and traditions, whose name comes from “Kali Athinà”, the beautiful town of Athens and testifies to its Greek foundation by some colonists; they dedicated it to Minerva, whose sacred animal, the owl is in the town crest. Here the worship of Ss. Peter and Paul and the traditional ritual of “tarantismo” is very strong. Worth a visit are the Mother Church dedicated to Ss. Peter and Paul and the basilica of S. Caterina d’Alessandria, whose interior, with five naves, is completely decorated (1416 – 1437) with scenes of the Old and New Testament, episodes from the Life and the Martyrdom of S. Caterina, the Evangelists and Doctors of the Church.

Web: www.comune.galatina.le.it

Martano has a strong bond with its own “grike” traditions which evolved thanks to an intense work of memory preservation and a revival of agricultural activities producing quality agricultural and food products exported all over the world. Its beautiful city centre and the archaeological site of Apigliano are worth a visit. Among the events the Agorà Fair and the fest of the Vulìa Cazzata must be remembered.

Web: www.comune.martano.le.it

The smallest municipality of the Grecìa Salentina propose itself as a cultural and service centre on an international level.
The International School of Physics, the Biblioteca del Mediterraneo, the Satellite Campus of the University of Lecce are housed here. In Palazzo Palmieri events take place all year round: the Carnival of the Grecìa Salentina and the feast of S. Pantaleone are among the most popular ones in the Salento region. Martignano is twinned with Kafar Matta in Lebanon and has international exchanges with the Municipalities of Corfù and Alessandria.

Web: www.comune.martignano.le.it

It is known as the capital of Salentine popular music and every year houses the final concert of the Notte della Taranta, a worldwide event which made this small town a reference point for policies of cultural promotion. It has a particularly rich city centre together with efficient accommodation services. The sixteenth century square of S. Giorgio and the Augustinian Monastery are really fascinating.

Web: www.comune.melpignano.le.it

In the Grecìa Salentina it is known as the town of the Spire which is the symbol of stone working technique. But Soleto is well known too for the “map” dating back to 500 B.C., probably the most ancient one of the West, found during archaeological excavations and kept in the National Museum of Taranto. The frescoes of the small church of Santo Stefano, located in the oldest part of the town, are gorgeous. The Summer festival “SoletoPerAlnero” is particularly interesting.

Web: www.comune.soleto.le.it

Sternatia is one of the most charming hamlets of the province of Lecce, with its underground oil-press, the parish church with its impressive bell-tower, the Baronial Palace.Here the feeling of being “griki” both in music and in language unites old and new generations. Among the events the living crib through the streets of the city centre, during Christmas time, must be remembered.

Web: www.comune.sternatia.le.it

This town has Messapian origin and keeps megalithic monuments such as dolmen and menhir (stunning for its dimensions is the menhir “Stazione”).
The pozzelle (typical wells), the underground oil-press and the Mother Church of SS. Peter and Paul are worth a visit.
Zollino is strongly engaged in the preservation of “grika” language tradition. Several events among which the chants linked to Easter rites, Fire rites and the Fair of “Sceblasti” (a typical flat bread) must be remembered. The Fair of S. Giovanni enhances the local production of legumes.
Web: www.comune.zollino.it