Caprarica di Lecce is located between Ionian and Adriatic Sea, in the middle of Southern Puglia, near to Grecìa Salentina. It is a symbol of Salento land, since it is the birthplace of green gold: extra virgin olive oil. In fact, oil production is the main agricultural activity, thanks to wide centuries-old olive trees expanses.
Another peculiarity in Caprarica di Lecce is represented by “pajare”, ancient structures realised with dry stone and used by peasants for a rest. A wonderful example is the one in the middle of Masseria Rifisa, perfectly preserved and nowadays used as reception.
Caprarica di Lecce has a little hill called “Serra” and from its top is possible to admire Grecia Salentina countryside.
What is Salento Greece
Grecìa Salentina is an area where people still speak “Griko”, a dialect derived from Greek. It includes nine municipalities belonging to Lecce district.
Since 2007, three municipalities joined Grecìa Salentina. There are twelve municipalities currently: Corigliano d’Otranto, Soleto, Sternatia, Zollino, Martignano, Melpignano, Martano, Carpignano salentino, Cutrofiano, Castrignano de’ Greci, Sogliano Cavour. They are linked thanks to cultural and linguistic similarities.
Caprarica di Lecce has a little hill called “Serra” and from its top is possible to admire Grecia Salentina countryside.
“La Notte della Taranta”: a symbolic event in Grecìa Salentina
An event joining all Grecìa Salentina municipalities is “la Notte della Taranta” (literally “tarantula night”, named after a particular spider in Salento). It is the greatest music festival promoting “pizzica”, a type of music spread in Salento, used during an ancient ritual made to take care of people suffering imaginary taranta bite, a dangerous poisonous spider.
