
Guided Tours in Galatina
City of Art, Pasticciotto, and Tarantism
Private Tour or Organized Group Tours
Tour Description
An itinerary dedicated to discovering the historic center of Galatina, a refined treasure trove of art and popular traditions that tell the story of the passage of Saints Peter and Paul through the city.
A journey through the town, which until 1861 was known as San Pietro in Galatina, begins in the main square, overlooked by the Castle and the Mother Church with its grand Baroque façade. Not far from here, within a palace, lies the small Chapel of Saint Paul with its miraculous well. According to legend, the water from the well had the power to heal women who had been bitten by the tarantula, known locally as the taranta.
Eighteenth-century palaces adorned with ornate portals and flower-filled balconies lead to the magnificent Franciscan Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a true masterpiece of medieval architecture and art. The basilica was built between 1383 and 1391 by Raimondello Orsini del Balzo to house a precious relic of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. After Raimondello's death in 1406, the work was completed by his wife, Maria d’Enghien, who commissioned the extraordinary fresco decorations of the interior (early 15th century). These frescoes are of exceptional artistic value, making the basilica second only to the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi.
The recent recognition of Galatina as the City of the Pasticciotto offers the perfect opportunity for a stop at the historic Pasticceria Ascalone to taste the famous traditional dessert, made of shortcrust pastry and custard.
WHAT WE WILL VISIT
Mother Church (Chiesa Matrice)
Chapel and Well of Saint Paul (Cappella e Pozzo di San Paolo)
Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria)
Cloister of the Convent of the Friars Minor (Chiostro del Convento dei Frati Minori)
MEETING POINT WITH THE GUIDE
Via Raimondello Orsini, 6, 73013 Galatina LE
DURATION
2 hours
INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS
Call: +39 3207610467
Email: info@bestguidedtours.com
Send a WhatsApp message to: +39 3207610467