We spent our first day ashore exploring the colorful region of Apulia, traveling first to the city of Lecce, famed for its Baroque architecture. The over-the-top decoration of the buildings of Lecce is made possible by the region’s easy-to-carve, honey-colored limestone. After an introductory walking tour, we spent our free time exploring the city’s sights, shopping, or sampling what is perhaps Italy’s best gelato. We then returned to the port for a pleasant lunch on Sea Cloud’s lido deck.
Venturing back ashore in the afternoon, we explored the picturesque city of Otranto and its rich history. Our tour included a visit to the Otranto Cathedral, a fascinating church financed by Count Roger of Sicily. The interior of the church features a spectacular mosaic floor dating to the 1100s depicting Biblical, historical, and legendary figures, from Adam and Eve to King Arthur of England. A corner of the church also holds the skeletal remains of some of the recently canonized 800 martyrs of Otranto killed during an Ottoman assault on the city in 1480.
Back aboard Sea Cloud, we swapped stories from our eventful day while enjoying a buffet dinner with grilled prawns, local sausages, and a succulent roast pig.
