We had heard about the charm of Martina Franca from Ajijic friends, but experiencing it today was even better. This small town couldn’t have been more charming. As soon as you drive in, you see the amazing sculpture that leads you through the typical arch to the center of the town. Across from the sculpture, locals gather in the park and shoot the breeze.
The sculpture of hands clasping in various ways is the focal point of the town. Each set of hands has a different meaning, all promoting peace and love. I wish they had offered a table-sized version of this to sell. Of course, it wouldn’t fit into my carry-on bag, anyway.
The main arch as you enter is reminiscent of most of Italy’s towns. Inside, there are lovely streets, the main plaza with their church ( one of many), fountains, and charm galore.
One thing that seems to be common in most of the places we visited, were heavily tatooed people. Usually, it is a sleeve (arm tatoos), or a few here and there. There was one woman who was pierced and tatooed everywhere that I had to capture.
Now, on to Otranto. Our hotel/spa had a huge pool and facilities to have massages or other services. We wanted to spend our time either by the pool or seeing as much of the area as possible. It was lovely, though.
We took a walk into Otranto, where we were greeted by booths selling candy, many restaurants, a boardwalk and beach, ancient walls around the town, an arched entry, shops and so much more.
One of the shops had a dress that really caught my eye. The handwork on the dress was especially unique.
Once the sun went down, Otranto took on a totally different look. It became a bustling town, with families enjoying the sights and sounds, filling the restaurants, and generally changing the energy of Otranto.
We had a nice dinner and adjourned to our hotel to get ready for another day of touring…