Its strategic geographical position, the long coasts, the natural ports like Otranto and the numerous landing places have made of Apulia and particularly Salento a bridge between East and West and have influenced its history, arts and culture.
The Salento territory has housed different cultures and peoples that have left evident archeological traces from the Prehistory to the Middle Ages. An important role was that of the Messapian people coming from the East, probably from Epirus and from Illyria, which settled in Salento in the XIII cent. b.C. They created a rich and unique civilization (it has no equal anywhere), which developed in the fortified towns (Lecce, Otranto, Vereto, Alezio, etc.) and was destroyed only by the Roman supremacy.
The Byzantine domination, that chose Otranto as its capital, the Arab and Longobard invasions, the Norman conquest, which organized the land into counties like the famous county of Lecce, came in succession. Then there was Federico II, the Angioin and Borbone domination up to the Unification of Italy . Throughout these centuries, various languages, worships and religions, uses and traditions mixed together and made the Terra d'Otranto an eclectic area rich of surprises for visitors.