While staying at the Masseria “La Macchiola Corti del Mito” situated in Spongano, in Salento, in Apulia, you will have the chance to visit the ancient hamlets and the gems offered by Apulia.
Castro
This small village, is located not too far from the province of Lecce and is a town counting about 2300 inhabitants. It also stands on a promontory about 98 meters high and is famous for the beauty of its landscape.
Tourists who reach this place, can not help but visit its fantastic castle and the magnificent cathedral. The castle dates back to the twelfth-thirteenth century and is located in the upper part of Castro, called “Castro Superiore”. The name of this area is due to the fact that the buildings in the area were built on a hill. From the latter, you can admire a wonderful view beneath.
Castle of Castro
The castle can also be seen from afar, given its extension and the height of its four towers. Over the centuries, it was inhabited by numerous families of landowners. After having undergone several renovations, even in the present day you can admire its remains and also those of the drawbridge and the moat.
Many tourists also stop by to see the famous cathedral of Castro, always located in the upper part of the city. This church was built in 1171 and today houses numerous representations of saints, which decorate its immense walls.
Cathedral of Castro
Poggiardo
Poggiardo is another small town a few km away from Lecce, in particular it is a fourteenth-century village, a small natural and cultural treasure, which has a lot to offer tourists. Very important is the crypt of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which dates back to the year one thousand. From the fifteenth century onwards, however, the place was neglected to such an extent that it no longer had any visitors and was even forgotten, despite the fact that inside there were wonderful Byzantine frescoes. Only in 1929 the crypt got rediscovered during some excavations. Since that year, several works were carried out to restore it and bring it back to its former glory as much as possible. Another place of historical and cultural interest, to visit at all costs at least once in the area, is certainly the Castello Guarini, which dates back to the fourteenth century. The building was owned by Marco Antonio Guarini, who lived in Lecce. For a while, visitors were able to admire the original furnishings, paintings, furniture and paintings of that time. Inside the castle there was an oratory, along with a private chapel where mass was celebrated on holidays but also on weekdays. In the surrounding areas there was a moat, now fenced in and transformed into a citrus grove.
