Otranto – The Gateway to the East (With a View and a Legend or Two)

🏰 A Castle That Underplays Itself

The Aragonese Castle needs no introduction, but if it had one, it would include pirates, dungeons, secret passageways, and a few shadowy legends.
It’s so captivating it inspired The Castle of Otranto, considered the first Gothic novel ever written.
Spoiler: no one drinks almond milk coffee in it. Tragic.

🩸 The 800 Martyrs Who Stood Their Ground

If you want to understand what “standing firm” really means, visit the Cathedral of Otranto.
This is where the remains of the 800 Martyrs are kept—locals who were beheaded in 1480 for refusing to convert after a Turkish invasion.

And if that doesn’t give you goosebumps, look down: the floor is a massive medieval mosaic filled with biblical kings, mythical beasts… and yes, an elephant.
Who says the Middle Ages lacked imagination?

🌊 A Sea with More Moods Than You

The waters of Otranto aren’t just blue. They’re sapphire, emerald, turquoise, and “I’m never leaving”.
From Baia dei Turchi to Cape Palascia, the coastline is dotted with caves, secret coves, and rock formations that turn your Instagram feed into a tourism campaign.

🐍 The Legend of the Serpent Tower

Local lore speaks of a coastal watchtower wrapped in a mysterious curse: a giant serpent coils around it, waiting for someone to uncover its secret.
Myth? Probably. But just to be safe, local kids still whisper its name.

Otranto is the perfect blend of sea, story, and soul. Every stone, every wave seems to whisper something ancient. It’s the town that looks east, but holds a sunset in its heart.