Discover the Hidden Salento: Unique Holidays in 2025
Salento is one of Italy’s brightest gems, but its beauty is often overshadowed by the throngs of tourists that invade its beaches in the summer months. If you are looking for a unique and authentic holiday in 2025, far from the clichés and crowded destinations, this article is for you.
Because the real question is: but the Salentini who stay in the region for their holidays, where do they go to the beach? How do they avoid nauseating crowds and lines of tourists.
Well, in some places it is impossible. After all, it is a known fact that certain destinations in the Salento are now a cult in high season (July and August), but it is still possible during this period to find forgotten paradisiacal places along the 365 km of the Salento coast.
Discover with us four lesser-known but incredibly fascinating places where you can enjoy an exclusive experience while remaining close to the region’s coolest locations.
- Patù: The Heart of Salento Tradition
An Authentic Village
Patù is a small inland village in southern Salento with less than 2,000 inhabitants, located near the sea and a few kilometres from Santa Maria di Leuca. This locality, together with Castrignano del Capo and Morciano di Leuca, offers a picturesque and largely unspoilt stretch of coastline, attractive to few tourists and holidaymakers, as the coastline is rocky. Patù’s marinas include Marina di San Gregorio, historically frequented by locals, and the Bay of Felloniche, just two kilometres from Capo Leuca, both renowned for their natural beauty and beaches.
#Activities must
- Cookery Courses: Learn how to prepare typical dishes such as orecchiette.
- Oil mill visits: Discover the olive oil production process and participate in tastings.
Castro: Nature and History
A Sea View
Castro is known for its breathtaking cliffs and crystal-clear waters. Although close to popular resorts, here you can enjoy the tranquillity and enchantment of a natural landscape. The village is divided into two areas. Castro Marina, where the old port is located, and Castro Superiore, situated on a hill in a beautiful panoramic location. Here, too, the coast is rocky and this often discourages and drives away mass tourism, but what many people don’t know is that to access some heavenly coves there are steps carved into the rock, leading directly into the water: a kind of private overlook to the sea hidden by the rock and the Mediterranean maquis.
#Activities to try
- Boat Excursions: Explore the sea caves and hidden coves (Grotta Zinzulusa, Grotta Verde)
- Castle Visit: Discover the history of Castro by visiting its castle and ancient walls.
- Otranto: Tranquillity outside the Centre e Giurdignano
Jewels to Discover
If you want to avoid the crowds in Otranto, head for the outlying areas. Here you will find rural landscapes and less crowded beaches without straying too far from the centre. Otranto is also called the holocaust city for the eight hundred martyrs of the faith beheaded by the Turks in 1480, so don’t miss the 1080 cathedral, the crypt with its Hellenic columns and Byzantine mosaics. Giurdignano is defined as the Megalithic Garden of Italy because of its incredible concentration of dolmens and menhirs from the Neolithic period, a unique walk through nature and history.
Activities to Try
- Bicycle Tours: Pedal along the coast to discover enchanting views.
- Nature Park Visits: Explore the surrounding trails and nature reserves.
- Sternatia: The Soul of Grecìa Salentina
A dive into culture
Sternatia is an inland municipality rich in Greek traditions and offers an authentic atmosphere. You will feel like you are in another time as you explore its ancient buildings and historic churches.
Activities to try
- Local festivals: Attend traditional events and culinary festivals (patronal festival on 22 August and pizzica festival)
- Craft Workshops: Discover local pottery and weaving techniques.
Conclusion: A Unique Holiday in 2025
The Salento has much to offer beyond its crowded and uncrowded beaches. These four places will allow you to immerse yourself in the region’s culture, history and natural beauty. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience, far from the usual places, ask the locals for information. We Salento people are famous for our hospitality: we are a people born from the mingling of different cultures, a port of peoples and traditions.
Have you ever visited one of these places?
We recommend them to you following an experiment: for years our family has had a Masseria Urbana in the historic centre of Matino ‘A Locanda Tù Marchese’, with rooms and a trattoria, and a few years ago a new member joined our family: a Ligurian! Oh yes! telling a Ligurian about Salento is not easy: he knows plenty about natural and culinary beauties, he comes from the renowned 5 terre, but we have tried and these are the results: some tips for those who want to rediscover wonderful, uncontaminated and authentic places in southern Italy: different places that really make you feel the SOUTH.
If you want to return to Salento to relax and unwind, but fear running into the madding August crowds, contact us. Our Locanda del 1700 is located in the historic centre of Matino, a quiet village in the Salento hinterland; we will be able to advise you on the best itinerary for your needs.