San Vito dei Normanni

San Vito dei Normanni (BR) is located north of the Salento plain, 9km from the Adriatic coast. The central Piazza Leonardo Leo is dominated by the medieval Castle Dentice di Frasso where the ancient nucleus of the village rises around the square tower, with a labyrinth of narrow alleys called “stratodde”. On the square and the corso stand the Municipal building, the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà (known as “dell’Ospedale”) and the Church di Santa Maria degli Angeli (known as the Old Church) whose facade dates to the 1400s. The Basilica di Santa Maria della Vittoria (known as the “Chiesa Madre”) was built to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 and was later given an 18^th century facade. The surrounding countryside is dotted with ancient olive groves, masserie (farm houses) and drystone walls. Near Masseria Jannuzzo is the Crypt of St. Blaise, a frescoed Byzantine sanctuary dug out of a cave.