Historic Center Festival – Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Otranto celebrates its patron saints

At the end of June, the historic center of Otranto, a jewel of lower Salento in the province of Lecce, transforms into a large open-air stage for the Historic Center Festival, the event accompanying the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29th. For three days, the lime-washed alleys, squares, and open spaces of the medieval village — from the shadow of the Aragonese Castle to the Lungomare degli Eroi — are filled with music, crafts, stories, and the aromas of Salento cuisine.

A project by the Hydro association

The festival is conceived and curated by the Hydro «a river of ideas» association, which for over twenty years has worked to recover and reinvent the local patronal feast, with the patronage and collaboration of the Municipality of Otranto. The result is an identity-driven event that combines traditional folk music concerts with numerous cultural, artistic, and recreational activities designed for both residents and the many visitors who reach the Adriatic coast of Puglia during those days.

Folk music and Salento pizzica

The heart of the festival is the folk music of Salento: on stages set up in Piazza San Pietro, Largo Porta Alfonsina, and the village squares, pizzica groups, folk orchestras, musical circles, and experimental sound projects take turns. There are also incursions into ska, reggae, and electronic music, in a continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation that has become the hallmark of the event.

Crafts, gastronomy, and culture

Along the festival route, you will find:

• the craft market on the Lungomare degli Eroi and Largo Monumento;
• the HydroFood&Drink station at Largo Porta Alfonsina, featuring pittule, rustic pizza, and local products;
• the gastronomic trail winding through the alleys with Salento specialties;
• storytelling, theatrical walks, and guided tours to discover the history of Otranto;
• shows and games for children and families.

In the easternmost village of Italy

Experiencing the Historic Center Festival means discovering Otranto in its most authentic form: the Cathedral with its famous floor mosaic, the Aragonese Castle, the walls, and the alleys overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The event, with free admission, is one of the best opportunities to get to know the soul of Salento through music, traditions, and flavors, in the Municipality of Otranto and the territory of the Province of Lecce.