Territory

Torre Pali is a quiet and welcoming place, where stretches of fine sand are alternated with parts of rocky coastline.

Even if it is small, Torre Pali offers all the necessary services, such as:

• Fuel filling station;
• first-aid station;
• pharmacy;
• ATM;
• bike and car rental;
• boat, pedal boat and water scooter rental;
• supermarket, bars, restaurants, fishmongers, shops, sport facilities and clubs in close proximity;
• free beach and private lidos.

The Tower and Isola della Fanciulla

The true protagonist of Torre Pali is its stunning and fascinating watch tower, after which it is named. This tower is, indeed, one of the many coastal watch towers built by Charles V in the 16th century in order to defend the territory of Salento from the invasions of Saracen pirates.

The peculiarity of this tower is its position: it is with a circular base and is completely surrounded by the sea. It is, indeed, 20 meters from the coast.

Moreover, about 100 meters from the coast you can see a very small islet called Isola della Fanciulla. According to the legend, the pirate Dragut, during one of his raids in Salento, ordered the sacking of some masserias (large farms) in Salento, carrying off food and cattle; and to make matters worse he ordered a homesteader’s daughter to be captured and taken to Africa as his own slave. The young women resisted by any means, desperately trying to escape several times and refusing to betray her religion. For this reason, she was killed and thrown into the sea by Dragut. The body of the girl, covered with a thin layer of sand, was found by some fishermen on the islet a few days later. From that day on, the islet in the sea was named Isola della Fanciulla (isle of the girl).

The Church of Maris Stella and Sant’Antonio and Masseria Li Pali

Built in the ‘60s, the Church of Maris Stella and Sant’Antonio has a façade with a single portal with a bezel and topped with a mullioned window, whereas the crown consists of a pediment flanked by two small bell gables.

If you would like to attend a typical local religious ceremony, you should know that every year on 15^th August (Ferragosto) the statues of Sant’Antonio and Maris Stella are carried in procession over the sea aboard the boats of the local fishermen.

Inside the church, which has an irregular plant, there is a stunning altar made of local stone (the so-called “pietra leccese”). The territory of Salve, to which Torre Pali belongs, has many masserias, which have represented a very important economic, social and cultural phenomenon. Nowadays, some of these have been turned into summer residence, others are tourist accommodations and many others are still in a state of neglect.

Masseria Li Pali is the oldest one in the area. The ground floor, indeed, was built in 1532, whereas the tower and the upper floor were built starting from 1560.

Torre Pali and the surroundings

During a stay in Torre Pali, you can alternate totally relaxing days at the sea with days dedicated to the discovery of the surrounding territory.

Torre Pali, indeed, is halfway between Salve and Presicce-Acquarica.

The name of Salve expresses a greeting and, at the same time, an invitation to discover the beauties and the history of the place. Among its must-see monuments, we can mention the Church of San Nicola Magno, within which 16^th century paintings are preserved, as well as one of the most important monuments in Puglia, that is the Organ dating back to 1628 and realized by Giovanni Battista Olgiati from Como and Tommaso Mauro from Muro Leccese.

Other places that deserve to be visited are the former Capuchin monastery and the 14^th century Castle. Moreover, the old town is enhanced by the presence of the Torre dei Montano, dating back to 1563.

Whereas Salve expresses a greeting and an invitation, the city of Presicce-Acquarica is one of the most fascinating and typical in the area, so that it has been enlisted among the most beautiful hamlets in Italy.

Presicce – Acquarica is a new municipality that was born in May 2019 from the union of two municipalities, Presicce and Acquarica del Capo, and has become the City of the Hypogeum oil mills, olive oil and reed. In this hamlet you can visit the typical old town with the splendid underground oil mills and admire Piazza del Popolo, the stunning Medieval Castle, the fascinating Ducal Palace, the Pajarone (masterpiece of the rural architecture from Salento. famous for its size), the church of S.Andrea, Masseria Celsorizzo and its huge 25-meter high tower and much more.