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Squinzano
Photo: Lupaie

Squinzano

Squinzano is a small town in Puglia with a rich history. It is the 12th most populated city in Lecce. Squinzano is very new, only being officially established in 1976, at the same time as its neighbor Salice Salentino.

Squinzano is famous throughout Puglia for its wine, with grapes having been cultivated in this area since the 6th century BC. The most notable Squinzano wine is Squinzano DOC, produced in both red and rose versions and made mainly from the Negro Amaro and the Malvasia Nera di Brindisi grape.

The Squinzano DOC is one of the 15 DOCs in Italy’s heel, roughly halfway between Matino in the south and Martina in the north. It has a hot, dry climate and its landscape consists of coastal plains that lead down to the picturesque Adriatic Sea south of Brindisi.

The Negro Amaro grape dominates the region, ranging in shade from ruby to garnet with a sturdy, soft flavor and pleasantly bitter aftertaste. There are also some green varieties of the Negro Amero grape and these belong to the Malvasia family, who arrived in Puglia from Greece many years ago.

As well as wine, Squinzano is also full of olives groves. In fact, Puglia is responsible for almost half of Italy’s annual olive production!

Despite being a small town, Squinazo still has plenty to discover. One popular tourist spot is the Museo dell’Olio e del Vino nel Parco del Negro Amaro. This is a small museum that details the rich history of wine production in the area and is perfect for any visiting wine lovers. After seeing the museum, you can also visit the Il Forno di Pietra, which is a local gastronomic, specializing in olive bread and authentic Italian pizza.

However, the main attraction of Squinzano is its local wine school. With a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, it is classed as one of the best things to do in Puglia. This wine school will teach guests to cook delightful and traditional Italian meals, accommodating for vegetarians, and will explain how to pair Squinzano wines with a meal. After taking a class here, you can expect to know how to make beautiful pizzas or pasta and choose the perfect drink to go with them! So if you want to bring home some new culinary skills, try taking a class or two.

Finally, to finish up your visit to Squinzano, you can visit the local shops, including Lo Stile della Tua Casa, which is known for having a lovely Christmas display. After picking up some baubles here, continue to Pasticceria Delizie Liaci Rossana for some authentic, creamy Italian ice cream, and maybe a cake!

Once you’ve explored Squinzano, it’s easy to get to the next city on your list. Trepuzzi is just a few minutes’ travel south of the city and leads into the centre of Lecce. Or, if you’re heading north, a great next stop would be the town of San Pietro Vernotico.
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