Hotel accommodation in Otranto, Puglia
Otranto is a quiet little town on Puglia’s Adriatic coast, surrounded by a countryside distinctly Greek in feel, with carob, tobacco and prickly pear, and white houses under a blazing southern sun. For hotel accommodation in Otranto, you could try the Hotel Palazzo Papaleo which is very comfortably modern while being in a lovely old building.
Ferries run from here across the Adriatic to Albania, around 100km away. Originally a Byzantine port, it fell to the Normans in 1070 before its days as a thriving port came to a bloody end in 1480. A Turkish fleet landed, invaded the town which (in the ensuing battles between the Turks and a defending army from Naples) was almost totally destroyed. 12,000 died, with 800 beheaded outside the city for refusing to convert to Islam. This site is today remembered as the Valley of the Martyrs. The Bishop of the town, meanwhile, was sawn in half.
Understandably perhaps, Otranto never really got back on its feet, but there are many historic sights to see in the town. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata dates from 1088, with a beautiful mosaic floor (depicting the tree of lfe) and rose window. There is the Castello Aragonese, rebuilt in 1485 by Alfonso I of Aragon. See the 16th century church of San Francesco di Paola, which has names of the victims of the great slaughter. Other sights include the Church of San Pietro, with its Byzantine frescoes, and the Catacombs of Torre Pinta.
Puglia hotels from ahotelinitaly.com
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