Ceglie Messapica is a little town in the Brindisi province, located in the hinterland of “La Valle dei Trulli”. The town boasts the name of “Città d’arte e terra di gastronomia” .
The area is characterized by trulli, masserie (farms), ancient olive trees and karst caves. Guests can taste specialities of the area and join events, cultural offerings to attract the young during the “Cegliese Summer”. The charcteristic traditions of our town are certainly in the flavour of its roots. Fundamental label of our cookery tradition is the produce of food grown in the area.
Gastronomy
Cegliese cookery is a section of tourist lure. Cookery has not undergone an essential change; the recipes have been handed down from generation to generation up to present day.
It is a home cooking whose features are far from fast food cooking and food globalisation. The town is the undisputed capital of Alto Salento gastronomy for its numerous recognitions.
Our cookery is linked to local produce and follows the rhythm of the sesasons. The local supreme dish is the home made pasta “ stacchiodd” and “strascinati (orecchiette and durum whole wheat flour maccheroni)” served with tomato sauce, basil and grated cheese “cacio ricotta”.
Surrounding areas
Not far away (12 km from Ceglie) you find Cisternino full of history. You’ll be conquered by the smallest square in the world and its several local butcher’s shops, where you can taste local meat barbecue. An interesting spot is a baroque style town, Martina Franca (16 km from Ceglie), full of art and several churches. Its luxury city center gets the most beautifull boutique-style shops in la Valle d’Itria. Not far from Ceglie you’ll find Ostuni ( 9 km), also known as Città Bianca. An ancient spot, where stone is fundamental to architecture with hill roads and small intersected vicoli (narrow street).
Seaside
Situated in the middle between Mar Adriatico and Mar Jonio you reach easy and in short time the spots of the penisola Salentina; on the adriatic side you find Torre Guaceto, a nature reserve with pink flamingoes.
Going southwards you reach Otranto with its amazing beaches and center of attraction for its history and entertainments.
On the Jonic side continuous beaches take milions of tourits, lured by a heavenly sea. Porto Cesareo is a place that boasts a most beautifull light-blue seawater.
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