The most eastern city of Italy has a unique historic center: it is a maze of tiny roads, small squares, arches and gates enclosed by bulwarks. Its monuments are nearly one thousand years old… One of the oldest is the Byzantine church of Saint Peter. Then the Cathedral, in Apulian Romanesque style, which contains precious mosaic floors, achieved in 1163, reproducing a giant Tree of Life and the famous Martyrs’ Chapel with the relics of locals beheaded in 1480. The pentagonal plan Aragonese Castle soars majestically in front of the eyes of visitors with its three cylindrical towers and the dwarfing bastions that stretch up to the harbor. The castle has been recently turned into an important cultural center, where high-level exhibitions and events are held every year. Worthwhile exploring is the countryside near Otranto, for instance the Valley of Memories or the Valley of Hydro, which preserve evidence of ancient peasant civilizations: crypts and hypogeum tombs, like the one in Torre Pinta. In a ten minute drive, heading north, the marvelous beach of Alimini can be easily reached, where very soft sand and wind create a paradise for sea lovers and, especially, for surfers. The beach owes its name to the lakes that are divided from the sea by sandy dunes and a thick pine forest. Toward the south, the coast becomes wilder and more pristine. Close to Porto Badisco, we find a narrow, deep inlet surrounded by prickly pear and myrtle.