Salve

Salve is a town of 4,500 inhabitants in the Apulia region in Italy. Its territory comprises 7 km (4.5 mi) of sandy coastline on the Ionian Sea. The village has traces of an old Castle (now transformed into houses) which resisted several Turkish sieges.

Understand
"Salve" literally means "hello" in Italian and according to a local legend the name derives from the centurion Salvius, that in 267 BC received this land as a reward during the Roman conquest of Salento. Actually the town was founded in the 5th century AD by refugees from nearby villages that were abandoned following Ostrogothic raids and epidemics. During the 16th century several fortified towers and farmhouses, the typical masserie, were built in the countryside and in town as a result of the frequent Ottoman and Barbary corsairs' raids. Most of these buildings are still standing, usually converted into B&B or agritourism accommodations.

Nowadays the municipality comprises the coastal villages of Pescoluse, Torre Pali and part of Lido Marini, renowned tourist localities, as well as the small inland village of Ruggiano of just 500 inhabitants.

By plane
The closest airport is in Brindisi (), 120 km away. From here you can reach Salve by renting a car or through the various bus shuttle services.

By car

 * From the airport of Brindisi: take the Strada Statale 16 Italia.svg to bypass the city, merge onto Strada Statale 613 Italia.svg towards Lecce, here take Tangenziale Ovest and Strada Statale 101 Italia.svg to Gallipoli and finally Strada Statale 274 Italia.svg until the exit of Salve/Torre Pali. Once you get here turn right to arrive in the proper town, or turn left on the provincial road 339 to reach Pescoluse and Torre Pali in 5 minutes. The whole route will require about 1½ hr.
 * From Santa Maria di Leuca: take the freeway Strada Statale 274 Italia.svg and then the provincial road 190 to arrive in Salve in 15 min. As an alternative you can drive along the coastal road enjoying the beautiful view.

By train
The municipality is served by the, which is located in the small village of Ruggiano, 1km north of the town of Salve. The station is managed by Ferrovie del Sud Est network, but the service is usually inadequate and people will strongly discourage you to take a regional train, since it takes a bit more than 2 hours to reach Salve from Lecce with a cost of €6.40.

By car
A car is necessary to move from the inland town of Salve and the village of Ruggiano to the coast, as well as exploring the enchanting countryside rich of traces from past centuries, considering the lack of a public transit system. Main roads are in acceptable conditions considering the standards of southern Italy villages but they are scarcely lit, so you will have to drive with high beam headlights on for most of the time if you drive at night. Several internal countryside roads are really narrow so watch out for eventual vehicles incoming from the opposite direction and moderate the speed. The modern centre of Salve is built in a grid pattern with one-way streets while part of the old town is precluded to vehicular transit.

On foot
Most of the streets in Salve have little traffic and the small size of the centre allows you to walk relaxed between the baroque architectures and the white houses in Mediterranean style, probably catching the eye of the curious and talkative inhabitants. Parco dei Gigli (lilies park) in marina di Pescoluse is a nice zone to stroll and to access the beach, while the port of Torre Pali can reveal a truly suggestive place during a walk at twilight.

Buy
A is held every Tuesday morning in a large square along Via Vittorio Veneto at the back of the statue of the airplane, close to the roundabout of Piazza Dante along the road to Ruggiano. Here it's possible to find clothing and accessories, as well as grocery including daily fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, deli and other various local products. Otherwise there are differents supermarkets in the municipality, of which the two main are located in the inhabited centre of Salve.

Other stores
As regards to shopping the town offers few clothes shops, most of which are concentrated along Via Roma.

Stay safe
Crime is extremely rare and even cases as petty theft are unheard of, to the point that many house owners, especially in the old town, leave front doors completely open during daylight hours, since no menaces are expected due to the relaxed attitude of local inhabitants. There is definitely not much to worry about in Salve.
 * Italian traffic signs - icona carabinieri.svg
 * Italian traffic signs - icona pronto soccorso (figura II 103).svg

Cope

 * Italian traffic signs - icona farmacia.svg
 * Italian traffic signs - simbolo posta (figura II 101).svg

Go next

 * Torre Vado - Adjoining coastal village, rich of activities linked to the sea. (5 min by car)
 * Santa Maria di Leuca – Popular tourist destination with a relevant sanctuary and several sea caves to explore. (15 min)
 * Gallipoli – Enchanting old town, miles of beaches and buzzing nightlife. (½ hr)
 * Otranto – Colorful historic centre with its majestic castle, many beaches and coves to take a bath. (1 hr)
 * Lecce – The famous "capital of the Baroque" with its numerous churches and palaces, all of them richly decorated. (1 hr)