The Salento

The famed heel to Italy’s boot, the Salento region is an undiscovered gem thanks to its olive grove–laden landscape, preserved Baroque buildings and picturesque beaches dotted with lagoons, grottoes and dramatic white cliffs. The peninsula splits the Adriatic and Ionian seas, and first-time visitors should head to the towns of Gallipoli, Otranto, Lecce and Leuca. History buffs will appreciate a visit to the region’s Greek towns, where locals still speak a form of Greek indigenous to southern Italy.