Appiedi! Sentieri e cammini del Salento - Il Capo di Leuca

There is a Salento far from the image of the mainstream holidaymaker, a territory that from the most hidden corners of the coast extends into the hinterland, giving rise to a surprising spectacle that can only capture the eyes and the heart of those who pass through it. But to have access to the secrets of this mysterious world, small and boundless at the same time, you need to rely on a special, slow and careful journey, which allows you to measure distances and collect the echoes of history. Aft! Paths and paths of Salentois the guide designed to accompany the steps of the adventurous explorers of Capo di Leuca by combining the suggestion of the story with the support of a timely photographic and cartographic apparatus. The publication, which inaugurates the "Paesaggi" series, is written by two young scholars, Melissa Calò and Marco Cavalera, who have been engaged for years in the valorization of the territory and created with the editorial coordination of Antonio Santoro. Marcello Fersini signs the graphic project, the photographs and the cartographic tables that indicate the paths, the difficulty and the travel time. By following the guide's instructions, where Europe seems to dissolve in a sip of water, you can be led to the discovery of a Finibus Terrae in which the world does not end at all but multiplies, dividing itself again and again in tiny villages, cut by a thousand paths that run through the land like small lymphatic vessels. Like the ancient Via Sallentina, dotted with "grotticelle" which were once at the same time shelters, houses, oil mills in which to store the oil like gold, guarded day and night among the smells of men, animals, lights and processing waste. And even today, those who venture along this road will seem to hear the creaking of the wheels of the loaded wagons heading to Gallipoli, mixed with the sound of their own steps on the stony earth. Or again, the orchids, cornflowers, crocuses, poppies, alysses, thistles scattered everywhere along the way, or the majestic surprise of a Walloon oak, increasingly rare among the olive trees, to stop under and hug. Flowers, trees, shrubs with often forgotten shapes and names that crown the extreme lands of Capo di Leuca. And what about the narrow line of tracks that crosses the countryside? When you lose sight of the road, a sure way to regain direction towards a town is to follow its route. And again: the marvelous Grotta delle Cipolliane, the echoes of the Messapians, those of the ancient cults practiced in this area... For the curious traveler, just set off: these pages will support his undertaking with stories, insights, links and "tricks" useful for the journey . Galliano, Cipolliane Cave, Specchia, Santa Maria di Leuca, Messapi, San Gregorio, Salve, Macurano, San Dana, Montesardo, Corsano.