Things to do in Otranto Puglia

Otranto is a beautiful coastal town in Puglia, which is located in the the heel of Italy. It’s about 45km from the stunning historic city of Lecce, so is easy to do as a day trip if you’re staying in Lecce. In fact, we first visited Otranto when we were on holiday in Lecce. We loved it so much that we decided to visit again and stay for five nights.

We love a beach holiday, so staying five nights in Otranto was perfect for us as there are many lovely beaches in the town and close by. But there’s lots of other things to do in Otranto other than go to the beach. So whether you’re staying two nights or one week, here’s some things to do in Otranto.

Visit the castle of Otranto

The Aragonese Castle of Otranto was built in the 15th century at the request of King Ferdinand I of Aragon, however it has had improvements made to it over the years. It’s not the prettiest castle you’ve ever seen – more like a fort – but it holds historical significance. It has a moat, however it’s not filled with water anymore – which is a shame as it would be pretty cool!

The castle has also been made famous by the book The Castle of Otranto written by Horace Walpole in 1764, which is thought be the first ever Gothic novel.

It costs €12 per adult to visit the castle and takes about an hour, depending on how much you like to read about the history. When we visited there was a really good photographic exhibition on too, which is included in your ticket price.

Explore the nearby beaches

Otranto has a lovely sandy beach right in the town, which has a managed lido where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas as well as a free beach.

There is also a swimming spot along the promenade – which is where we like to swim. On our trip, the first couple of days were a bit windy so the promenade was a good choice as there’s no sand to blow around!

There are some amazing beaches just a short drive from Otranto. One of my favourites is Baia dei Turchi (Bay of Turks), which is about a 15 minute drive from Otranto. It got its name because apparently the Turks landed in this bay in the 15th century. From the parking lot you need to walk about 1.4km down a road and then through a little pine forest to get to the beach. Or you can take the little shuttle train (in season) from the parking lot that will take you to the start of the forest.

Another beach we love is Torre dell’Orso, which is about a 25 minute drive away from Otranto towards Lecce. It has two distinctive rocks in the water that are affectionately called the ‘two sisters’ by the locals. It’s quite a big beach that has a number of beach clubs as well as public areas that are free.

My absolute favourite place to swim near Otranto was Torre Sant’ Andrea. There are two parts where you can access the water (note, this is not a sandy beach). The part where the amazing arch is, is the most accessible. There’s a clear path to get down to the rocks and entry into and out of the water is fairly easy. Look how beautiful the water is too!

The less accessible part to swim, but also less crowded, is pretty tricky to get to. It had a very precarious part that was very narrow, with just a bit of rope to hold on to, to get to down to the rocks. It was also a bit harder to get out of the water here but an amazing place to swim nonetheless.

If you love a beach holiday and exploring different beaches and swimming spots, you will love Otranto.

Enjoy aperitivo by the sea

One of my greatest pleasures when visiting Italy is enjoying aperitivio. If you’re not familiar with aperitivo, it’s a pre-dinner drink which is usually accompanied by some snacks (such as olives, peanuts and crisps) or more substantial, usually regional, food which will vary depending where in Italy you are. For example, in Puglia you’ll probably be served focaccia Barese or friselle with tomatoes and burrata.

One of our favourite places in Otranto to enjoy aperitivo was at Il Maestrale, which was set along a pier overlooking the beach. It has a very cool vibe and on the weekends there’s a DJ. One of the things I liked about it was that they had a good range of wines from Puglia on their menu, including sparkling wine.

Another place we loved to have aperitivo – although there’s no view of the sea – was L’Ortale, near the castle. It’s a very cute little wine shop that has an amazing secret garden! It was very popular though so if you want to get a good table, you should book in advance. We hadn’t booked and had to sit right at the back of the garden.

As well as enjoying a drink in the garden, they also serve food such as bruschetta, cheese and meat boards. Inside their shop, they sell local products such as olive oil, wine, olives, cheese, salumi and taralli that you can buy to take away. And they’re open in the morning and during the day for coffee and fresh juices.

Take a trip to the Cava di Bauxite

One of my absolute highlights of our trip to Otranto was visiting the incredible natural wonder that is the Cava di Bauxite. It was a former quarry and is now a place to visit and explore nature at its finest.

It’s less than a 10 minute drive from Otranto and is fairly easy to find if you have Apple or Google maps. It’s free to visit, however there is a donation jar at the entrance. We didn’t have any cash on us but there was a little van selling drinks and the lady kindly let us pay on our card and then she gave us the cash to put into the jar. I must say, when we were there we were the only people who gave a donation.

A short walk from the dirt road leads you to this stunning lake! It’s not possible to swim here, by the way, so you just walk around to admire it from different angles.

Bauxite is the most common ore of aluminium and is very red in colour. Located on one side of the lake is the most breathtaking red dunes! Honestly, it felt like I was in Nevada or Arizona rather than in Puglia. The colours, especially against the blue sky, were just amazing.

We probably spent around 25 minutes exploring the Cava di Bauxite so even if you don’t have tons of time, it’s absolutely something worth seeing in Otranto as it’s just so striking and unusual!

Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata

Now, I’ve included visiting the cathedral even though we didn’t actually visit it… I’m absolutely kicking myself for it so please don’t make the same mistake we did! I know we’ll go back to Otranto though so it will be first on my list to see.

So why didn’t we go inside? I love a cathedral but, whilst beautiful, they can be very similar. I have since learned that there are two things that Otranto Cathedral has that make it well worth visiting!

Otranto Cathedral was built by the Normans and consecrated in 1088. As such it has different architectural styles, including Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine and Baroque. At one point, after an invasion in 1480 by the Turks, it served as a Mosque. The ossuary chapel (also known as a ‘bone chapel’) inside the cathedral displays the skulls and bones of over 800 martyrs who died for their faith during that 1480 invasion. Apparently it is a sight to behold.

But the main reason I’m kicking myself for not going inside is because it has an intricate mosaic floor (I love mosaics!) that runs the entire length of the cathedral and was created by a monk, between 1163 and 1165. It is one of the best preserved mosaics in Europe that dates back to Medieval times.

The cathedral is free to visit and is open every day, although check first for any religious holidays.

Have dinner at a Masseria

A masseria is typically an old, fortified farmhouse that dates back centuries. You can find quite a few of them just outside of the town centre. We actually stayed two nights at one, which used to be the former dormitory of the Abbey of San Nicola di Casole. It’s called Masseria dei Monaci, as ‘monaci’ is Italian for monks. It’s also less than a 10 minute drive from town.

You don’t need to be staying at a masseria to have dinner there but booking ahead is essential. We had dinner one night at our masseria and it was really good – plus it’s a gorgeous setting. Just note that they have a set menu of three courses for €40 per person (excluding drinks) and the menu is fish-based.

If you do decide to go for dinner at Masseria dei Monaci, make sure you arrive a bit early to enjoy aperitivo in their stunning garden by the pool. You won’t regret it!

Do some shopping

Otranto has loads of independent shops selling artisan products, such as handmade leather sandals, handbags made from local fabric, tableware, cushions, jewellery, ceramic items and more. I bought myself an absolutely stunning – and unique – textiled handbag which I adore. It’s made by a local artisan and you can’t find it anywhere else. So treat yourself to something special!

Visit the ruins of the former Church of the Immaculate Conception

Just a few steps away from the Castle of Otranto, you’ll find what remains of the former Church of the Immaculate Conception or Chiesa dell’Immacolata. It was built in the 18th century, close to the Porta a Mare, and you can see the Baroque influences in the stunning altars. It’s out in the open so is free to visit.

I hope you find my list of things to do in Otranto helpful and useful for your planning!

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