San Martino is one of the most heartfelt celebrations in Southern Italy, a tradition that symbolically marks the transition from autumn to winter through the taste of new wine, traditional dishes, and moments of deep conviviality. In Salento, this celebration takes on a particularly intense meaning: it is not merely a wine festival, but a true collective ritual that brings together families, wineries, villages, and travelers in search of authenticity.
In this land of olive groves, vineyards, and dry-stone walls, November 11th is illuminated by warm and welcoming atmospheres. Historic wineries open their doors for ritual toasts and tasting itineraries featuring local labels and seasonal specialties, while charming masserie rediscover ancient flavors through a contemporary lens, accompanied by storytelling, music, and folkloric reenactments. Villages steeped in memory come alive with markets, torchlight processions, and sacred rites, creating an intimate and participatory dimension that invites both reflection and celebration.
We have designed a refined itinerary to help you discover where and how to celebrate San Martino in Salento, starting from Lecce. This guide is intended for those who wish to immerse themselves in a sensory and cultural experience capable of elegantly narrating the deep bond between wine, land, and tradition.
The Allure of New Wine: Aromas and Tastings in the Wineries
In the heart of Salento, November coincides with the opening of the barrels and the celebration of Lecce’s new wine—fresh, young, and distinctive in flavor. Local wineries, from Leverano to Guagnano, from Salice Salentino to Copertino, host elegant guided tastings in evocative settings among centuries-old barrels, star-vaulted ceilings, and soft lighting.
Alongside glasses of new wine, small gourmet dishes inspired by peasant tradition are served, skillfully reinterpreted by local chefs: friselle with turnip-top cream and anchovies, pumpkin fritters with ricotta forte, sagne ’ncannulate with wild boar ragù.
Taking part in a winery evening during the San Martino celebrations offers a unique opportunity to connect with the soul of the territory, in an atmosphere that blends rural simplicity with contemporary refinement.
San Martino Dinners: Tradition Reimagined in Signature Locations
In many Salento villages, November 11th is celebrated with convivial dinners hosted in fortified masserie, historic residences, or Michelin-starred restaurants. Menus revolve around typical autumn recipes: turcinieddhri, lampascioni, grilled meats, roasted chestnuts, and desserts made with grape must.
In Lecce and the surrounding area, restaurateurs and chefs offer creative reinterpretations of traditional dishes paired with local new wines. Evenings are often enhanced by live folk music, storytelling, and theatrical performances that evoke tales of harvests, saints, and rural life.
An experience that merges food and wine culture with attention to detail and refined hospitality, making San Martino in Salento an unmissable event for those seeking authenticity with style.
Ancient Rites and Atmosphere in Salento’s Villages
Beyond the laid tables, San Martino in Salento is also a time to rediscover ancient rites and popular traditions: wine blessings, symbolic bonfires, processions, and storytelling around the fire. In Martano, Melendugno, and Galatina, devotion to the saint is expressed through religious ceremonies and historical reenactments.
Town squares come alive with torchlight walks and autumn markets featuring local crafts and regional flavors. Some masserie host traditional cooking workshops, olive grove visits, and sensory journeys dedicated to new olive oil, in perfect harmony with Lecce’s new wine.
These experiences, often set in signature locations immersed in the countryside, offer a deep immersion into the slow, sincere rhythm of Salento life.
Where to Experience San Martino in Salento Starting from Lecce
Lecce is the ideal starting point for reaching the locations that host the main November events dedicated to San Martino. Within a half-hour drive, visitors can reach Leverano, known for its full-bodied red wines and winery celebrations; Guagnano, home to some of the oldest wineries in Salento, guardians of centuries-old winemaking traditions; and Novoli, where popular devotion and wine have been intertwined for centuries in an authentic and evocative atmosphere.
For those staying in Lecce, many countryside masserie and wine resorts offer themed packages designed to fully embrace the season: guided vineyard walks, themed dinners with reinterpreted traditional dishes, sensory tastings of new wine, cultural visits, and artisanal workshops. The central railway station and proximity to the airports of Brindisi and Bari ensure easy access even for visitors arriving from other regions or abroad.
An additional opportunity is offered by organized tours departing from Lecce, guiding small groups through the territory’s finest wine and cultural highlights. These itineraries combine art, nature, and flavors, allowing guests to visit prestigious wineries, attend exclusive events, and experience San Martino in Salento in a refined way, following the slow rhythm of autumn among golden vineyards and evocative landscapes.
A Journey Through Taste, History, and Identity
San Martino in Salento is far more than a simple celebration: it is an authentic journey into the heart of Mediterranean culture, where every gesture, aroma, and flavor tells a fragment of history. At this time of year, Salento becomes a natural stage where ancient flavors, rural landscapes, and popular traditions intertwine to offer an intimate and engaging experience.
Between a sip of young, fragrant Lecce new wine and a dish prepared according to ancient local recipes—such as warm pittule, oven-roasted chestnuts, or meats grilled by the fireplace—the pleasure of slowness, listening, and sharing is rediscovered. Evenings come alive with folk songs, traditional dances, oral storytelling, and moments of conviviality that keep the sense of community and belonging alive.
November, with its warm colors and golden light enveloping the Salento countryside, is the ideal time to rediscover the territory through food and wine itineraries, cultural excursions, and stays in elegant masserie or historic residences. The lands surrounding Lecce welcome visitors with authentic hospitality and carefully curated settings, offering the very best of Salento tradition in a form that blends refinement with rural roots.
Taking part in the San Martino celebrations in Salento means allowing oneself to be guided by the senses and emotions, along an itinerary that speaks of identity, memory, and beauty. It is an opportunity to experience the land in a deep, respectful, and engaging way—taking home not only memories of intense flavors, but also of a generous and welcoming humanity.
