Hotels Poggiardo, Guesthouses Poggiardo and Residences Poggiardo

Poggiardo is a small municipality situated in the province of Lecce, just in the heart of the south-eastern part of the Salentine Peninsula. About one kilometre far from its city centre is the lovely hamlet of Vaste, an ancient Messapian city which was founded in 600 B.C. The precious finds which were unearthed here during extensive excavation works are currently cherished by the Museum of Porta Terra (hosted inside Vaste's Palazzo Baronale) and contribute to make Poggiardo one of the most appreciated cultural destinations in Apulia.

Those interested in visiting Vaste and the outstanding monuments of its old town will have the opportunity to stay at comfortable accommodation facilities which are able to suit even their most demanding requirements. Most hotels and guesthouses are situated just in the heart of the old town, while intimate bed and breakfasts and budget hotels line the city's major avenues. Poggiardo also gives those interested in spending their holidays in close touch with the surrounding glorious countryside the possibility to stay at charming holiday farms situated a short distance from the so-called Selva di Poggiardo.

The tour of the old town could start from the Castle of Poggiardo, also known as Palazzo Guarini, which was built in 1300 to suit defensive purposes and was subsequently remodelled in the following centuries. One of the most important sacred buildings of the whole territory is the sumptuous Chiesa Matrice, which was built in a Baroque style over the remains of a pre-existing XVI-century building. Dedicated to the Transfiguration of our Lord, it is largerly built of local stone from Lecce and embellished by extravagant patterns, such as leaves and angels' heads. Its interior is enriched by precious stuccos, altars and a sumptuous baldachin. A short distance from it is the seventeenth-century Church of Madonna Immacolata, while the main square is dominated by the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, whose original sixteenth-century facade was subsequently remodelled according to Neoclassical canons. Not to be missed are the glorious frescos cherished by the Crypt of St. Maria degli Angeli.
Apart from interesting archaeological sites, the lovely hamlet of Vaste also gathers outstanding monuments and works of art. The local castle, also known as Palazzo Baronale, was realized in the fifteenth century and is surrounded by a small courtyard. Its interior cherishes the rich collection of Vaste's Archaeological Museum. The gentle hills of the so-called Serre Salentine lurk the Crypt of Santi Stefani, whose name derives from the fact it gathers three pictures of the saint dating back to the XII century.