Living Casarano

In Santa Maria della Croce is the most important specimen of early Christian mosaics, like those of Rome, Ravenna and Venice.
Casarano has a strategic position, since it is in the middle of the peninsula of Salento. In a very short time you can get to the main historical, artistic and architectural beauties of the province of Lecce, and admire art treasures of various ages.
On the outskirts of Casarano you find Ugento, Alezio, and Vaste  with their messapic remains and to the North Cavallino di Lecce, where you can visit its Museo Diffuso ( litt. “widespread museum”, i.e. a museum structure based on two elements: a main reference place  provided with  services (info, brochure, dociments, etc.) and a net of itineraries connected  by historical, artistic, cultural and scientific aspects) and the archaelogical excavations.
From Casarano you can choose to spend your time close to nature or to go and visit some important places  where the basilian monks took shelter such as Sannicola, Gallipoli, Nardò, Felline, Ugento and Alessano with their beautiful frescoes. You can also see some very old castles in Casarano and in a series of near cities, like Alessano, Morciano di Leuca, Supersano, Nardò, Gallipoli, Otranto, Lecce and Acaya. If you are having a holiday in Casarno however, you must look for buildings, churches and cathedrals in the baroque style, which is the highest level of art we have in Salento. So you must go to Lecce, Gallipoli and Nardò above all, but you can also be surprised by some churches of some smaller towns in the province of Lecce.