Today we journey to the very tip of the Italian boot—the slender stiletto of the Salento peninsula. Our destination: Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas converge in a shimmering blue embrace. This seaside town has long been a place of crossing—for sailors, saints, and dreamers alike. Elegant 19th-century villas dot the shoreline, their Moorish and Art Nouveau flourishes hinting at a golden age of travel. We stroll the promenade, visit the hilltop Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae, and take in sweeping views from the lighthouse—the second tallest in Italy.  Guests are free to explore Santa Maria di Leuca at leisure and enjoy lunch on their own. 

In the afternoon, we head north along the coast to Tricase, pausing at a hidden swimming cove where turquoise waters lap against limestone cliffs. It’s a place locals treasure—wild, elemental, and achingly beautiful.

We end the day in celebratory style at Castel di Salve, a 5th generation family-run estate producing exceptional Salento wines. Our evening begins with a private tour of the historic 19th-century cellar and vineyard, followed by a stroll through the family’s garden and courtyards in bloom—fragrant and glowing in the golden hour. As the sun begins to dip behind vineyard rows, we take our seats for a private wine tasting of Castel di Salve’s wines, perhaps a bold Primitivo and elegant rosato. The evening continues with a live performance of traditional pizzica—a fiery folk dance from nearby Taranto—before we gather for a seated dinner hosted by the family. Each course is prepared with local, seasonal ingredients and paired with their finest wines. We raise our glasses to the south—its flavors, its rhythms, and the beauty of coming all this way.