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Porto Cesareo is one of
the most important and famous tourist centres of the Salento: its coast is
wonderful and
the
sea is clear and crystalline. It has got two small islands too called "dei
conigli" (that means "of the rabbits") and "della scogliera" (that means "of
the rock"). On the coast you can see the ancient towers built in the XVI century
to defend the territory from the attacks of the enemies. In the historical
centre there is the first small church of Porto Cesareo, built in 1880. In the
past, on the high altar, there was a very beautiful canvass representing the
Holy Virgin Mary with the Child. The Mother Church, dedicated to the Madonna of
the Perpetual Help, was built in 1950. The main façade is very linear; inside
you can admire three altars, and a wooden crucifix on the high altar, probably
made in the XIV century. Outside the urban centre you can visit some
interesting and ancient masserie as Console Masseria and Trappeto
Masseria, both dating back to the XVI century. he most ancient is Zanzara
Masseria built in 1470. At Porto Cesareo there is a station of sea biology of
the University of Lecce, in which a lot of types of flora and fauna are observed
and studied. The protectress of this small centre is the Madonna of the
Perpetual Help, that r is celebrated on the last Saturday of June.
The nickname of the
inhabitants of Porto Cesareo is "piscaturi" that is, "fishermen." This is a
dialect word that
makes reference to the fact that the inhabitants of this place have always been
above all fishermen. What is more there is no embarrassing nickname about their
reputation.
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