Visiting Alliste and Felline in the Serre Salentine zone
The human presence in the area of Alliste dates back to the later Paleolithic age: in the “Grotticelle of Ninfeo” traces of human presence have been found, with a hundred of lithic blades, scrapers and drills for engravers. The “Ninfeo” site(area comprising the zone from Masseria Canne to the homonymous Masseria Ninfeo) was inhabited during the Mesolithic (indented tools) and the Neolithic (ceramic fragments).
The menhir of Terenzano and the “Sciuppano” and “dell’Alto” specchie are dated back to the II millennium BC. After the “specchia dell’Alto” demolition, during the 60s, many ceramic fragments were found dating back from the bronze age to the late roman Empire and probably related to the worship of some natural divinity. In te neighbouring of Alliste, around te year 1000 a little rock church was built by the Basilian monks, which is the proof of the continuity of worshipping, then it became the minor abbey of the “Madonna del’Alto”.
During the II century BC the territory passed under roman domination : the presence of man is proved by finds domestic pottery and coins spread around the fields: the area probably was marshy and uncultivated intended for breeding and hunting. In the fraction of Felline a furnace was aroused, used until the first century BC , around which a small town probably grew (the name of Felline derives from the Latin word figlinae, or workshops for the production of ceramic).
What you should visit Alliste:
- -Chiesa di S.Quintino
- -Chiesa della Beata Vergine Maria Immacolata
- -mura di Alliste e assetto ortogonale della città in Via Roma
- -Casa a torre
- -Chiesa di S.giuseppe
- -Geosito Campore
- -Le marine: Capilungo, Posto Rosso, Cisternelle
Alliste has a long rocky coast, where there are two sea cities: Capilungo, a small village with typical hauses “caseddhi”, has a very jagged coast but allows easy access to the sea by a path in the Macchia Mediterranea. Posto Rosso have this name for the colour of its rocks but is also called Cisternelle for its fresh water springs and a sort of cistern.
A Locanda Tù Marchese, historical building with b&b and typical restaurant is far from Alliste and Felline about 13km. We organize great bike and walking tour in these and other cities.
CURIOSITY:the inhabitants of Alliste are called Algerini, since, during the Saracen invasions, A group of Algerians arrived in Salento and settled in Alliste, leading to mixed marriages with the locals. For this reason, this particular nickname.
