Martano, Italian comune
Martano is a small town in the province of Lecce located in the Salento region, also called Grecìa Salentina. It spreads across winding narrow streets lined with simple houses surrounded by fields, showing traces of a long history at every turn.
Martano was settled by Greeks and later controlled by Byzantines, influences still visible today in local language and way of life. The Palazzo Baronale fortress was built in the 1400s to protect the town, and two towers and wall sections remain as reminders of its defensive past.
The name Martano traces back to Greek heritage, and the Griko language spoken by some residents today connects this place to its ancient past. Walking through the streets, you see traditional homes built around small courtyards where stone wells and basins reveal how closely people once lived with their natural surroundings.
The town is easy to reach by car and sits just a few minutes from the coast near Otranto on quiet roads. The old town is small enough to explore on foot, and several accommodation options like apartments, bed and breakfasts, and villas are available throughout the area.
The countryside around the area contains Menhirs, tall standing stones from prehistoric times, with the tallest reaching about 5 meters and known as 'de lu chiofilu' or 'the column'. These stones reveal that humans inhabited the region before the Bronze Age, giving the area a history far older than most visitors expect.
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