Part of a historic building

Maglie is one of the most important towns on the Salento peninsula, centrally located between the provincial capital, Lecce, and the southernmost point of Salento, Santa Maria di Leuca. Its proximity to Otranto, reachable in about 15 minutes, also makes the town a perfect destination.

A town of factories, cabinetmakers and woodcarvers, Maglie’s importance as an industrial centre of Salento is as evident today as it was in the past. Indeed, Maglie boasts a multitude of craft workshops and shops in which visitors can lose themselves and discover the culture of southern Salento. In honour of the area’s food, wine and artisan culture, the Mercatino del Gusto is held in Maglie every year, attracting thousands of visitors.

The town is characterised by numerous churches and historic monuments built with the famous stone of Lecce Baroque, attracting visitors from all over the world and thereby creating a cultural centre for intellectual activities. In the past, it was already one of the wealthiest towns on the peninsula, as is also evident from the beauty of the historic palaces belonging to ancient noble families, with courtyards, gardens and frescoed reception rooms.

Important monuments of its architectural heritage include Maglie Cathedral with its magnificent bell tower, Villa Tamborrino set in a fairytale park, Palazzo Arabesco Aprile and Palazzo Capece, now home to one of the province’s most renowned secondary schools.

Thanks to prehistoric discoveries, it is certain that Maglie has been inhabited since the Iron Age, while the Capece family in particular played an important role in the final years of Maglie’s history