Surano

Called Suranu in local dialect, the town is deep in the Salento zone of Puglia's southern part of the heel. Located roughly halfway between lovely baroque Lecce and the intriguing Santa Maria di Leuca, at Puglia's very southern-most point, where two seas flow together, it is a great crossroads type of location for seeing the Salento. It is also roughly between pretty Santa Cesarea Terme on the Adriatic Sea, and exciting Gallipoli on the Ionian Sea, so you can enjoy the differences in coastline and beaches. The closer beaches are at Castro, Santa Cesarea which are only a short drive away. There is no lack of interesting towns in the area to explore: San Cassiano, Otranto, Castro, Minervino di Lecce, Castrignano dei Greci, to name only a few. You'll have lots to explore, and your pick of beaches, too.

There have been prehistoric finds in the area, including a dolmen (sadly deteriorated). The town itself is likely rooted in the Byzantine period based on the basilian crypt carved in the tufa near the Chaepel of San Rocco and its frescoes (which were also sadly deteriorated in the 1970s). There were traces of orthodox practices, and many of the local surnames are still Greek-derived, as is some of the local dialect.

The primary church is that of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1775 in a spare Puglia baroque style. There are some noble palaces, like Palazzo Galati with its accomanying fortification tower, otherwise Surano is neat and tidy with its many white-washed homes interrupted by some splashes of pastels. The main square -Piazza Martiri di Otranto,-is a central gather place and the site of many festivities throughout the year. There are many "case a corte" that were popular in this area - one-story homes with a facade that hides an interior courtyard. Around town are services you'll need and a few bars and eateries. Neighboring towns also offer services and more ranges of restaurants and are only minutes away. You can dine on land-based Puglia traditional dishes here, then sample the local seafood down at the coast, just 15 minutes or so away.

Outside of town are centuries-old olive trees, hulking and beautiful in their aged states (and still producing!). The area's olive oil is excellent, and the wines of the Salento are also noteworthy.

The main festas take place all together in August. There is the Festa of the Saints of the Martyrs of Otranto (when more than 800 men were killed because when confronted by invading rebels, would not renounce their faith. That was August 14, 1480. They are remembered still with what is called the festa patronale (patron saint remembrance). The next day is the Feast of the Assumption, and they celebrate here, along with the feast of San Rocco on August 16, so a lot of religious observations as well as civic parties will be taking place over those days.

Photo Credit: Lupiae via Wikimedia Commons By-Sa 3.0