Maglie is the beating heart and therefore one of the most important towns of 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, makes the town the 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 has a multitude of craft workshops and shops in which visitors can lose themselves while discovering the culture of southern Salento. In honour of the area’s food, wine and craft traditions, Maglie hosts the Mercatino del Gusto every year, an event that attracts thousands of visitors.
The town is characterised by numerous churches and historic monuments built with the famous stone of Lecce Baroque, attracting visitors from around the world and making it 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 the Cathedral of Maglie, 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 prestigious secondary schools.
Prehistoric discoveries confirm 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.