The town of Otranto, situated on the Adriatic coast, is an internationally renowned tourist destination thanks to the presence of accommodation facilities and holiday resorts built from the late 1960s onwards and designed by leading architects. Otranto is situated at the very tip of the Salento peninsula and is Italy’s easternmost municipality: the headland of the same name, also known as Punta Palascia, to the south of the town, is the easternmost geographical point in Italy. In Roman times, Otranto was known as Hydruntum, named after the Hydrus stream in whose valley the town stands. During the Roman period, Otranto was one of the most important coastal towns in Apulia. The importance of its port enabled it to act as a bridge between East and West.
Otranto was a Byzantine and Gothic centre, then came under Norman, Swabian, Angevin and Aragonese rule. In 1480, the town was attacked by the Turks and, after a 15-day siege, they captured it, massacring the population (the Battle of Otranto), including some 800 male prisoners who were beheaded for refusing to renounce the Christian faith: these are the Holy Martyrs of Hydruntum. Otranto Castle, which gave its name to the first Gothic novel in history, is closely linked to the city walls, with which it forms a single defensive complex. The coastline of the municipality of Otranto is dotted with defensive towers built in the 16th century by Charles V to defend the territory against Saracen attacks. The former bauxite quarry is an emerald-green lake, contrasting with the red of the rock faces and the surrounding landscape; it is situated south of Otranto near the Bay of Orte. Otranto can be reached by air, landing at Brindisi, by train from Lecce station, and by road via the motorways and the SS16.