Ancient magic and religious rites belonging to all the cultures of the Mediterranean basin still exist during festivals from that of Greek to Arabic.

One of the more mysterious and fascinating phenomenona of the popular culture of the Salento is the TARANTISMO, a kind of popular exorcism connected to the bite of the tarantula that provokes an insane hysterical crisis and that can only be liberated through music and dances, praying and drinking the miraculous water of a well in the neighbourhood of the Galatina Square in the chapel of Saint Paul.

The 28th and 29th June are days dedicated to the festival of Saint Paul the protector of this area from the times of the Middle ages and is still present today in an unbridled dance connected to music, colors, and other dances. The music that accompanies them to solve the crisis is the "PIZZICA PIZZICA" which through dark and yearning sounds of guitar, mandolin, violin and drum sends a strong and extraordinary message.

About 18 km to the south of Lecce, there are nine villages (Calimera, Martano, Martignano, Melpignano, Castrignano dei Greci, Corigliano d' Otranto, Soleto, Sternatia, Zollino ) that constitute a linguistic-cultural island called Grecìa Salentina where the inhabitants ,besides the Salentino dialect, speak Greek or griko and where popular songs and the mythology of the grecanical carnival slill exists. We notice the Hellenic origins with a symbolism that alludes to the magic and orgiastic naturalism dominate by Dionisio, god of the resurrection.

On August bank holiday night, in Torre Paduli on the outskirts of Ruffano, the people go to the sanctuary of Saint Rocco where the fishermen dance beneath the stars miming ancient and cruel struggles to tambourine rhythm evoking the Dance of the swords diffused at a certain time in all the southern area.

Superstitions, rites, traditions cohabit in the Salento, as for example the said charms in laùru dialect, that consists in the belief that some individuals have a particular power to provoke problems, illnesses or death with a look or with an augural sentence whose victims are especially the children. in the Salento.
They say to the children: "How beautiful" then adding at once the exclamation: "God bless you..!!! ". Just in case! The laurù was a kind of elf that lived in the laurel groves and it often went into other people's houses provoking a disturbance and annoying pots and "tampagni" lids and other varied evil actions towards the victim.
The live cribs in characteristic places are beautiful during the Christmas period with actors that personify the characters of the Nativity, artisans , shepherds, the three kings (which deserves a greater interest on behalf of the mass media).
In all the Salento there are festivals, fairs, and characteristic markets throughout the year.