Porto Cesareo lies on the Ionian Sea, 30 km to the north of Gallipoli.
The archaeological excavations have brought to light many fragments of pottery and a rudimentary axe that probably date back to nearly 7000 years ago:
today they are kept in the National Archaeological Museum in Taranto.
About the year 1000 AD, the Illyrian’s invasion and colonization changed deeply the usages and customs of Porto Cesareo’s inhabitants, as it was fully documented by many archaeological finds in Torre Lapillo and Sant’Isidoro.
Afterwards, with the occupation of the territory by the Romans, the town was enriched with many public works that gave it great prestige.
And then it underwent the occupation of the Byzantines, the Angevins, the Aragoneses.
Then it became the property of different lords till it underwent raids from the Turks.
Just to defend himself against the Turkish raids by the sea, Charles V had some imposing lookout towers built close to the coastline, that can be seen still today in Torre Lapillo.
Up to a few years ago Porto Cesareo was inhabited above all by fishermen and restaurateurs who placed their houses at tourists’disposal during summer, to supplement their scanty profits.
Recently this place has literally “exploded”, the houses along the coasts have trebled, very often causing damage to the landscape.
In summer hundreds of tourists pour out both into the historic centre and into the seaside resorts along the coast.
Porto Cesareo hasn’t wasted its time, in fact it has organized itself with many tourist attractions to live the sea:
the bathing establishments are numerous and very equipped and besides
camping grounds, turistic villages, Bed and Breakfast, hotels, villas and flats, cultural events and shows, restaurants, fish shops, discotheques, facilities for land and sea sports.
Nevertheless many fishermen still practise their old trade, so in the numerous fish shops you can find very fresh fishes that are very often still alive in the boxes.
In autumn, when the tourists have left, the inhabitants’life and activities come back to normality.
And the town goes back to doze until the next summer
In the heart of Salento (south Apulia), 4 Km away from Lecce, the Capital of Barocco, near the road Statale 101 LECCE - Porto Cesareo
