Traveling to Salento? Let's discover fascinating Melpignano, an iconic southern village famous for its baroque beauty and Notte della Taranta.
A trip to South Italy is one of those experiences so enriching and engaging that every traveler should try at least once in a lifetime. And if you have never experienced it (yet), well, maybe it's time to think about your next adventure. Today we want to bring you discovering an extraordinary place, where to touch by hand the authentic essence of the south, its roots and its culture: we’re in Melpignano, one of the most iconic villages in Salento.
Get ready for an incredible journey in the spectacular landscape and cultural setting of Apulia, among white towns pampered by the sea and immersed in a bucolic panorama, where the golden wheat and the green olive groves stand out. Melpignano is located right here, in the heart of Salento, a brilliant hidden gem famous for its baroque beauty and above all for the passionate magic of Notte della Taranta. What you’re waiting for, let's go right away!
(original cover picture: Melpignano - Chiesa di San Giorgio Martire)
What to see in Melpignano, a baroque jewel in pietra leccese
Here we are finally traveling through the beauties of Salento, destination Melpignano, an authentic baroque jewel to discover on your next holiday in Apulia. However, before venturing with your camera in hand through the alleys, the streets and the squares of Melpignano, it is right to speak a few words about pietra leccese (literally Lecce stone), the material with which the most beautiful attractions of the village and of the entire region were built (including the wonders of Lecce).
Pietra leccese is a variety of limestone typical of Salento, characterized by a fine grain and a color that ranges from white to straw yellow. This stone is particularly appreciated for its easy workability, which makes it ideal for sculpture and architecture, boasting in fact a long history of use in the local area. Its easy availability and malleability (Melpignano is one of the major extraction centers) have made it a popular and widely used material, especially in the Baroque, when the landscape of the city of Lecce and its surrounding villages were enriched by many works made in this stone, giving region a distinctive signature appearance.
So, what to see in Melpignano? Let's start our walk from the central Piazza San Giorgio, the beating heart of this splendid baroque village, a beautiful urban lounge where to fully admire the refined aesthetics of 1600’s and pietra leccese. The perimeter of this square is also characterized by suggestive renaissance porticoes (there’s a similar example in Apulia in Martina Franca), built specifically to push commercial activity and make Melpignano an interesting exchange point for merchants from all over the south.
Then there’s the Church of San Giorgio, the main church of Melpignano located in the most outstanding position in Piazza San Giorgio, a beautiful example of artistic fusion between renaissance and baroque. In fact, the original building dating back to 1500’s was later renovated and expanded at the end of 1700’s in the signature style of barocco leccese (Lecce Baroque), while maintaining the renaissance facade quite intact with its portal topped by a relief depicting the mythical clash between San Giorgio (St. George) and the dragon. Inside the church you can admire interesting local sacred art works, in particular some original 1500’s frescoes and rich baroque altars dedicated to the main figures of Christianity.
After the visit to the church, from Piazza San Giorgio let’s proceed on the long Via Roma, one of the most important central streets of Melpignano. Here is the elegant Palazzo Marchesale Castriota, inaugurated in 1636 and deliberately built in renaissance style, a suggestive hybrid residence including both typical elements of the noble palace, such as the loggias and the large internal garden, and characteristic elements of the military fortress, such as the defensive walls with watchtowers. Today Palazzo Marchesale hosts events and shows of social and cultural interest and can be visited, freely or on a guided tour, depending on the availability of days and times of monthly calendars; for further information, please follow the official Instagram page.
Continuing along Via Roma up to its end, we finally come to the most iconic and representative place in all of Melpignano, as well as one of the most famous in Salento: we’re in front of the former Augustinian Convent-Church of the Madonna del Carmine, one of the most beautiful, authentic and acclaimed jewels of barocco leccese that every summer makes the setting for the magical final big concert of Notte della Taranta. Completed in 1662, the facade of the church is characterized by its elaborate baroque portal full of aesthetic elements of great visual impact, such as the double pair of columns that support the trabeation, as well as the presence of fascinating votive niches and architectural frames. A true marvel for the eyes!
Melpignano and the passionate magic of Notte della Taranta
Notte della Taranta is one of the most important folk music festivals in Italy and in the world, which takes place every year in Salento (also counting numerous participations and contaminations at international festivals) culminating in its main event, that is the big final concert right here in Melpignano in the large square of Ex Convento-Chiesa del Carmelo.
Celebrating the traditional pizzica salentina, a passionate local folk dance and symbol of the culture of the territory, Notte della Taranta of Melpignano unites internationally renowned artists and local musicians creating a vibrant mix of ancient and modern sounds. Born in 1998, the event aims to preserve and enhance the cultural heritage of Salento, attracting every year thousands of spectators (the concert of Melpignano even exceeded the threshold of 200,000 participants).
Anyway, Notte della Taranta is not just a musical and artistic event, but a real immersive cultural experience where music, dance and tradition blend together in a festive, peaceful, engaging and cosmopolitan atmosphere, thus transforming Melpignano into a large open-air stage where the only rule is the melting pot.
The 2024 edition of Notte della Taranta includes the classic itinerant festival across the municipalities of Salento (in particular those of the historic sub-region of Grecia Salentina) from August 3 to 22, while the grand final concert in Melpignano will be held on August 24. An unmissable opportunity to visit this splendid baroque gem!
Where is Melpignano?
Melpignano is a village counting about 2000 inhabitants in the province of Lecce (approximately 30km south of the provincial capital), located in the heart of Salento, the apulian peninsula known as the tip of the heel of Italy, as well as one of the most popular seaside destinations worldwide.
To get to Melpignano starting from Lecce you can choose different methods of travel, depending on your preferences and means available:
- by car: about 25-30 minutes via SS16, or SP362 and SP367;
- by bus: about 1-1:30 hours, depending on whether you take a direct line or not;
- by train: about 1 hour, with a stop at the single-track train station of Melpignano (particularly active on the occasion of Notte della Taranta and other summer events);
- by bike: about 1:30 hours, a ride along provincial country roads suitable for sporty travelers, ideal for fully immersing in the bucolic atmosphere of this southern land.
Melpignano and surroundings, discovering Salento
Salento, a peninsular region located in the southernmost area of Apulia, is a land boasting a rich heritage of history, art, culture and natural beauty. Among the most fascinating cities, you cannot miss Lecce, the capital, which stands out for its elegant baroque and its surprising monuments such as Basilica di Santa Croce and the Roman Amphitheater, as well as the precious gem of Melpignano (and all the villages of Grecia Salentina) with its magical Notte della Taranta.
Also not to be missed are important places such as Gallipoli, with its historic centre standing right over the sea, its enchanting beaches and its lively nightlife; Otranto, the easternmost city in Italy, which enchants with the Gothic magic of its Aragonese Castle and its evocative Cathedral enriched by a mysterious floor mosaic; and in the extreme south of the region Santa Maria di Leuca, famous for the Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae and the wonderful sea caves.
But Salento also holds other splendid treasures, such as the Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate, a jewel of romanesque architecture located in the countryside north of Lecce. Built and completed between 1100’s and 1200’s, this monastic complex is known for its beautiful medieval frescoes and the peaceful atmosphere that pervades its ancient cloisters, an unmissable stop for those who want to immerse deeply in the spirituality, history and art of Salento.
Book now your visit to Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate in Lecce❯
