Holiday apartment in Acaia: Discover the fortress, coast and nature

Acaia showcases a striking combination of a fortified town, historic architecture, nearby beaches and protected nature. If you are planning a holiday apartment in Acaia, you can tailor the character of your stay to different interests: architecture and history, staged traditions, days on the coast or observing the landscape can each provide a different focus.

Holiday apartment in Acaia: fortress and culture

The fortified town of Acaya stands in the historic centre. It was built within high bastioned walls on a square ground plan, while a deep moat completely surrounds the town. The monumental gate of Acaya was built in 1535 by Gian Giacomo and restored in 1792 by the Vernazza family. These architectural features alone show how strongly the townscape is shaped by defence and representative architecture.

The Castello di Acaya, a castle, is located in the immediate surroundings of Acaja. The Castello di Acaya was built between 1506 and 1535 by the military architect Gian Giacomo dell’Acaja; older defensive structures of the former village of Segine were converted in the process. The castle is surrounded by bastioned walls with curtain walls, bastions and moats. This creates a clear focus on fortifications and architectural history for travellers interested in culture.

Outside the fortified walls of Acaya stands the Cappella di San Paolo. The chapel dates from the mid-18th century. The bell tower of the parish church, now dedicated to Madonna della Neve, retains its 16th-century form and consists of two L-shaped structures. Architectural features from these different periods stand directly alongside one another in the townscape, without the individual buildings losing their own history.

Historical scenes and destinations in the surrounding area

The Corteo storico Acaya includes staged scenes in the historic centre of Acaya and in the castle in the afternoon, including the appointment of knights, medieval music and sword fights. The historical setting is experienced not only through walls and gates, but also through performances, music and sword fights as cultural themes.

The historic site of Masseria Le Cesine is also located in the immediate surroundings of Acaja. The surroundings of Acaja are also home to Castello Carlo V, a castle, and the Museo di Storia Naturale del Salento, a museum. Several nearby beaches are also available for days with a varied programme: Lido Mancarella, Lido Le Cesine, Spiaggia di San Foca and Spiaggia di Torre dell’Orso. The different destinations make it possible to give culture and the coast separate weight when planning your holiday.

The Le Cesine natural area

Within the municipality of Vernole lies the 348-hectare Le Cesine nature reserve and WWF oasis, with temporary ponds, Aleppo pine forests, holm oak forests, garrigue and coastal marshes. Alongside the fortress architecture, this adds a landscape whose changing habitats provide their own reason for observing nature. For families with different interests, this thematic range can help determine the desired holiday focus between culture, the beach and nature.

For the Castello di Acaya, the opening hours are Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30–12:30 and 18:00–21:00; opening days and times may vary. If you are weighing up a holiday apartment and a holiday house, the initial question is therefore whether the fortress and architectural history, the nearby beaches or the Le Cesine natural landscape should shape your stay. Acaia offers several clearly distinguishable themes to help with this decision.

More places to discover

Casalabate, Taviano, Borgagne, Felline, Scorrano, Sant'isidoro, Villaggio Resta, Conca Specchiulla

For the overarching travel overview: Lecce.