{"id":41980,"date":"2023-09-26T15:02:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T15:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/parabita-where-it-is-how-to-get-there-what-to-see-2024\/"},"modified":"2025-03-08T12:40:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T12:40:54","slug":"parabita-where-it-is-how-to-get-there-what-to-see-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/parabita-where-it-is-how-to-get-there-what-to-see-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Parabita: where it is, how to get there, what to see"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Parabita <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a gem set <\/span><b>in the heart of Salento<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, authentic, genuine and guardian of an important history. Located in the province of Lecce, this charming town is known for its historical-cultural heritage and its extraordinary beauty. With its charm and intimacy, Parabita immediately captures the hearts of anyone who sets foot there. In this article<\/span><b>you will discover its history, how to get there, what to see and where to eat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JOY77q2Nm20\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where is Parabita located?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><b>Parabita Lecce is located in the Salento hinterland<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, just east of Gallipoli. The city rises on the northern hills of the Salento greenhouses, at an altitude of 83 meters above sea level. The inhabited center develops in the south-western part of the Serra di Sant&#8217;Eleuterio, an important morphological formation in the area, thanks to its maximum altitude of 193 meters above sea level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> village of Parabita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> borders the municipalities of Tuglie and Neviano in north, Collepasso to the east, Matino to the south and Alezio to the west. This geographical position makes Parabita an interesting destination for those who wish to explore the <\/span><b>natural and cultural beauties of Salento<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to reach Parabita?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To<\/span><b> reach Parabita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we recommend that you rent a car so you will have the to move as best as possible and fully discover Salento. However, if you have no way to get around by car, here&#8217;s <\/span><b>how to get to Parabita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>By plane<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: you can take a<\/span><b>flight to Brindisi Airport or to Bari Airport.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From there you can use the bus or train to get to Lecce and from here take a bus to reach Parabita.&lt;\/span &gt;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>By train<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: you can<\/span><b>get to Lecce by train<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and from here take the local buses that connect the city to Parabita.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>By car<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the main roads to reach Parabita are the SS101 and the SP 371 or the SS16 Adriatica.&lt; \/span&gt;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>By bus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There are no direct buses connecting the big cities to Parabita, but once you arrive in Lecce you can reach Gallipoli and from here take Salento line 102 by bus from Gallipoli<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What does Parabita mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><b>The name \u201cparabita\u201d has uncertain origins and several theories about its meaning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some hypotheses suggest a Greek origin with the meaning of &#8220;around the walls&#8221; or &#8220;soldier supporting the cavalry&#8221;. Another theory links the name to a mysterious Messapian city of Bavota, but this idea has been rejected by scholars. Over the centuries, the name of Parabita has undergone several variations, until reaching its current form. These evolutions reflect the history and language of the region.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35629\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35629\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35629\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads \/2023\/07\/centro-storico-parabita.jpg\" alt=\"centro storico parabita\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35629\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>The Story of Parabita<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The territory of Parabita, like all the territories of lower Salento, has been <strong>inhabited since ancient times<\/strong>. It is believed that humans of the <strong>Homo Neanderthalensis<\/strong> species were present in this area around 80,000 years ago, as demonstrated by the discovery of stones in the surrounding caves. During the twentieth century, fragments of bones and two small sculptures dating back to 12,000-14,000 years ago were also found, depicting pregnant women, belonging to the <strong>Homo Sapiens Sapiens<\/strong> species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea that Parabita descends from an ancient city called Bavota is disputed by scholars and has no historical basis. The most reliable source,<strong>Claudio Tolomeo<\/strong>, never mentions Bavota in his Geographia. It is possible that the legend of the city was born from a transcription error of the name of Vaste (Poggiardo), or that there was a Roman villa-storage room called Bavota near Parabita. There is no historical evidence, documents or archaeological finds to suggest the existence of an ancient city or major settlement near Parabita. A descent from Alezio is much more likely, also supported by linguistic similarities in the local dialect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city of Parabita was built during the Norman period, following the typical urban layout of the time and <strong>equipped with defensive walls and four access gates<\/strong>. During feudalism, several families held control of the fiefdom, including the Gentile da Nard\u00f2, the De Tillio, the Aldimari, the Sanseverino and the D&#8217;Aspert families. In the 15th century, the farmhouse passed to the Orsini del Balzo family from Ugento, who held it for over a century. In 1484, Parabita was invaded by the Venetians during the occupation of Gallipoli. In the 16th century, due to the war between the French and the Spanish, the Del Balzos lost their rights to the farmhouse, which passed to the Royal Tax Authority and was subsequently purchased by Pirro Branai Castriota. The Granai family managed the fiefdom until it was seized by the tax authorities for debts in 1678 and sold at auction in 1689 to Duke Domenico Ferrari. After the death of the duke, the fief passed to his nephew Giuseppe and his descendants, who were the last feudal lords of Parabita before the abolition of feudalism in 1806-1808.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What to see in Parabita?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to <\/span><b>visit Parabita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> know that there are things to see, despite the Its modest dimensions, there are many. Here are the main points of interest:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Church of San Giovanni Battista<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A historic church that dates back to the 13th century and has undergone several expansions over the years centuries, with a three-nave plan and altars dating from the 15th to the 18th century. It preserves the remains of St. Vincent the Martyr from the catacombs of Commodilla in Rome.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35631\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35631\" style=\"width: 1185px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35631\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Chiesa-di-San-Giovanni-Battista.jpg\" alt=\"Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista\" width=\"1185\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35631\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Basilica sanctuary of the Madonna della Coltura<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A basilica built between 1913 and 1942, it stands on a previous church from the 17th century and contains a Byzantine fresco from the 11th-12th century depicting the Virgin and Child.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35627\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35627\" style=\"width: 1185px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35627\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Basilica-Madonna-della-Coltura.jpg\" alt=\"Basilica Madonna della Coltura parabita\" width=\"1185\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35627\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35626\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35626\" style=\"width: 534px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35626\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Basilica-Madonna-della-Coltura-interno.jpg\" alt=\"Basilica-Madonna-della-Coltura-interno parabita\" width=\"534\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35626\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Church of the Immaculate Conception<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A sixteenth-century church, rebuilt in the seventeenth century, with a sober and linear fa\u00e7ade. Inside it features sumptuous baroque stuccoes and frescoes depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Church of Souls<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Built in the first decades of the eighteenth century, it has a simple facade and a single nave interior with frescoes and a main altar in Baroque style.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Church of the Crucifix and Convent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A convent complex founded in 1731, with a church characterized by a sober fa\u00e7ade and a single nave interior with a main altar in Lecce stone.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35630\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35630\" style=\"width: 1066px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Chiesa-del-Crocefisso-e-Convento.jpg\" alt=\"Chiesa del Crocefisso e Convento\" width=\"1066\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35630\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Convent of Santa Maria dell&#8217;Umilt\u00e0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Founded in 1405, it was expropriated and underwent modifications over the years centuries, still retains some decorative elements, including a sixteenth-century fresco.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Crypts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Parabita hosts two Byzantine crypts, the<\/span><b>urban crypt of Santa Marina&lt; \/b&gt;<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>rock crypt of Cirlic\u00ec<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&lt;\/span &gt;<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monumental cemetery of Parabita<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Designed in 1967, it is a cemetery with a plant symbolizing the explosion of a capital Corinthian.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Historic buildings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Palazzo d&#8217;Alfonso or Castriota, Palazzo dei Veneziani, Palazzo Ferrari, Palazzo Vinci, Palazzo Lopez Y Royo, Ramis Palace.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35632\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35632\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35632\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Palazzo-Branai-Granai-Castriota-1.jpg\" alt=\"Palazzo Branai (Granai) Castriota (1)\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35632\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Angevin Parabita Castle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A fortress dating back to the 14th century with characteristic architecture and an important renovation in 15th century.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35628\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35628\" style=\"width: 533px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35628\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/castello-di-parabita.jpg\" alt=\"castello di parabita\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35628\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Foto di Ilaria Rizzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Archaeological sites<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Underground crushers<\/b><span style=\"font -weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Grotta delle Veneri<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a cave that takes its name from two female horse bone figurines , the Venuses, dating back to about 20,000 years ago.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Venuses of Parabita<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Venuses of Parabita, <\/b>kept in the <a href=\"https:\/\/museotaranto.beniculturali.it\/it\/reperto\/ veneri-di-parabita\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>National Archaeological Museum<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Taranto <\/strong>, are an important point of interest of Parabita. These are two bone sculptures that depict female images in an upright position. The largest, measuring approximately 9 cm high and 2.1 cm wide, is carved from the bone material of a large herbivore, perhaps a Bos primigenius or an Equus caballus. The face is covered by a veil or mask, while the arms are placed under the belly, suggesting that it represents a pregnant woman.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The smaller sculpture, approximately 6.1 cm high and 1.5 cm wide, has a simpler appearance and appears to have been used as an object with carved decoration. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both sculptures, thanks to their stylistic traits and characteristics, provide important clues about the culture and artistic techniques of the ancient populations who created them, and are objects of great interest for scholars scholars of archeology and prehistoric art.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7bX6x64PuZ8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where to eat in Parabita?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are looking for delicious<\/span><b> restaurants in Parabita <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we have some recommendations for you. Here&#8217;s where to eat:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cotto &amp; Mangiato<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Antiche Tradizioni Ristorante Braceria<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">La Madre<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Le Veneri<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LI Rrusti<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parabita is a gem set in the heart of Salento, authentic, genuine and guardian of an important history. Located in the province of Lecce, this charming town is known for its historical-cultural heritage and its extraordinary beauty. With its charm and intimacy, Parabita immediately captures the hearts of anyone who sets foot there. In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":41685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_glsr_average":0,"_glsr_ranking":0,"_glsr_reviews":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[100],"class_list":["post-41980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-location-guides","tag-localita-en"],"acf":[],"acfml_non_translatable_locations":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdsalento.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}