Salento in October - Specchia and Presicce

There are many villages and towns in the Salento area which are enticing. Apart from Galatina with the Basilica di Santa Caterina di Alessandria, most don’t have something really striking to see in particular. It’s more a case of enjoying the ‘tessuto urbano’ – that is the simple and slightly decadent local architecture in weathered or cleaned sandstone, white painted houses and the occasional  soft pastel colours enlivened by elaborate carved Baroque portals with statues and decorations battered by the elements and time. Specchia is a good example. 

We park in totally empty car park just below the historical centre. Various routes take us upwards, steps mostly, and we are soon in the main square of Specchia which is also where there is Palazzo Risolo which hosts another Martinucci and  also the Pro loco of Specchia where a friendly girl tells us the main things to look out for. 

The other side of the square there is the Chiesa Matrice, plain outside and apparently disappointingly plain and baroque inside until we realize there’s a beautiful pale stone apse with  floral motifs. The lectern of the 4 evangelists is modern but also noteworthy.

Back outside in the sun which feels warm and soothing after the cold of the previous days, we go along Via Umberto 1° and past Palazzo Pisanelli. There’s also another church - Chiesa dell'Assunta, this time more interesting outside. We take the vicolo in front of it since the girl at the pro loco emphasized that the narrow streets are typical of the villages of the Salento and come out in another square. 

Just before that, we also notice the arched Vico della luce. We continue through the narrow streets and are soon back at the Chiesa Madre, so continue down in the other direction to the last church - Chiesa di Sant' Antonio. It’s getting on for eleven and we want to cook the fish we bought the previous evening, so we head back to the car instead of being tempted by a pasticiotto at Martinucci. On the way the door is open to the Byzantine church so we have a look.

We have lunch back at the apartment and rest a little until we get fed up of getting bitten by the mosquitos and drive to Presicce. I wasn’t expecting much but the column of Sant’Andrea in front and the main church of the same name behind it with its bright façade are exceptionally striking and pleasing to the eye. It’s mid-afternoon, early by Salento standards, so it’s easy to park and the town is very quiet. In front of the church there’s a fine palazzo with a striking painted fringe of pink and red flower tiles around the top but which I can’t find the name of. 

We go down Via Castello past Palazzo Ducale to the square – Piazza del Popolo and then wander a few back streets and go down Corso Italia as far as the town hall. After, we walk back to the church, where they are getting ready for a funeral, and turn left down Via Michele Ariditi, more fine palazzi. 

Back at the car we continue our journey to Marina di Pescoluse – the so-called ‘Maldive del Salento’. Hmm. Maybe I was expecting too much. Perhaps the windy day and not calm sea doesn’t show off the beach at its best. Whatever. There are lots of people. The first place I’ve seen lots of people so far in Salento in this coldish October. Many sunbathing, a very few in the sea. We walk north a little where the beach is narrower and less sandy and then go back to the car and drive a little further up. Here the beach is nicer. Wilder, with sand dunes and just nature behind and very few people. We walk nearly as far as Torre Pali but it is still early for the sunset so back to the car again. 

We finally settle on Torre Mozza which is nothing special and mostly shut up and an uncomfortable beach for walking but a great view of the sunset.