Ancient Hydruntum, Byzantium of the Salento, with the Byzantine domination in the XI C. and later, its port was the destination of Venetian, Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Slavic.merchants.

In 1480 it was besieged by the turks who imposed the Otrantines to convert to the Moslem religion, unfortunately those people who did not want to renounce their own religion were beheaded on the hill of the Minerva.
In 1481 the Turks surrendered to Alphonso of Aragona who buildt the Alfonsina gate which became the main entrance of the city.

To visit:

The cathedral, founded by Bishop William and consecrated in 1088; with a portal in baroque style and the rose window placed the center of the façade in Gothic-Arabic style.
Of particular importance is its mosaic floor created by the Pantaleone monk in 1166 in the nave and part of the side aisles, that represents three allegorical compositions of trees of life in which are represented biblical episodes, greek themes, Byzantine, Norman, mythological scenes, signs of the zodiac and scenes of the Breton cycle. The history of the human race in accordance with the spirit of the Greek and Latin literature and the Christian tradition.
The underlying crypt with nine supported aisles made from 42 different marble columns.
The castle built in the time of Ferdinand of Aragona between 1485 and 1498, to pentagonal plans with three cylindrical towers and two ramparts.

The Chiesetta of St Peter which is very suggestive, can be reached along a stairway lined by houses whose walls are corroded from salt. One of the Byzantine monuments most representative of the Salento depicts mural frescoes inside among which. "Washing of the feet" and "The last supper" dating from the Xthcentury.

Achapel was built on the hills of Minerva to the south of Otranto in memory of where 800 Idruntine martyrs were beheaded so that in 1614 it was transformed into a church dedicated to S.Francesco of Paula. The "tower of the serpent" on the Cucurizzo promontory become a civic symbol of Otranto, from an ancient legend in accordance with which a serpent climbed the walls every night and arriving at the window of the tower drank all the oil contained in the lamp.
Otranto with its walls that give it a sense of magesty and antiquity is the most Oriental of the Italian cities, a compulsory place for the tourists to visit in the Salento. Local and typical fish restaurants are found here.