Set between two promontories (Meliso and Ristola), Santa Maria di Leuca represents the extreme strip of Italy where, according to tradition, San Pietro landed. On the ancient Japigio Promontory that divides the Ionian and the Adriatic sea, stands the Basilica-Sanctuary De Finibus Terrae and stands majestically the lighthouse of Santa Maria di Leuca with its 48 meters of height, 102 meters from the sea level . From the square of the basilica there is an extraordinary blue panorama on which the port and the village of Leuca stand out. To reach them on foot, you can go down through the 270 steps of the Monumental Staircase of the Apulian Aqueduct. At the foot of the waterfall there is a small square on which stands the monolithic Roman column donated by Mussolini. The waterfall is activated on special occasions and, in summer, one evening a week. For visitors wishing to see this, we have a mini-bus to take you and bring you back. From here it is possible to reach the seaside along a wooden walkway. Reached the promenade you can admire the charm of the nineteenth-century villas. The Villas have different architectural styles, a respectable villa had to have the family church, the well, a large garden with centenary pines and palm trees, harmonised with the green of the Mediterranean. On the seashore each Villa had its own Bagnarola, a graceful hexagonal stone construction, there are still three examples, where the noblewomen took baths away from prying eyes and sheltered from the sun’s rays to protect their white complexion. The rocky coast of the Adriatic includes caves to explore, while the Ionian sea offers miles of sandy beaches. Here you really do have the best of both worlds!
