Living in Puglia
Salento: where sun, sea and tradition meet
The sun of the Mediterranean
Salento enjoys one of the mildest and sunniest climates in Europe: over 2,500 hours of sunshine a year, almost double that of cities like Berlin, London or Amsterdam. Winters are gentle and summers are warm but cooled by the sea breeze. The sea is swimmable from May to October — six months of outdoor life.
Two coasts, one extraordinary sea
Salento is a peninsula bathed by two seas: the Ionian to the west, with stretches of fine sand and turquoise waters, and the Adriatic to the east, with spectacular cliffs and hidden coves. The province of Lecce boasts 9 Blue Flag resorts and from Taurisano the most beautiful beaches are less than 30 minutes away.
Flavours of Mediterranean tradition
Puglia is the cradle of the Mediterranean diet in its most authentic form. Fresh vegetables, legumes, fish and, above all, extra virgin olive oil — the region is Italy's leading producer, with four PDO designations.
Salento has an incredibly rich culinary tradition: orecchiette, friselle, Galatina pasticciotto, fresh fish straight from the sea. Local wines — Primitivo, Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera — are appreciated worldwide.
Taurisano: the heart of Lower Salento
Taurisano is a town of about 11,500 inhabitants in the heart of Lower Salento, in the province of Lecce. An authentic village with a medieval historic centre, where life flows to the calm rhythm typical of Southern Italy. All essential services are within walking distance: shops, pharmacies, medical practices, cafes and restaurants.
Distances
- Gallipoli25 min — Ionian coast
- Pescoluse25 min — Maldives of Salento
- Santa Maria di Leuca30 min — Southern tip of Italy
- Otranto50 min — Adriatic coast
- Lecce45 min — Florence of the South
- Brindisi Airport1h 15 min — Direct European flights
A land rich in history
Lecce, the “Florence of the South”, enchants with its baroque architecture in golden Lecce stone.
Galatina holds in the Basilica of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria one of the most important 14th-century fresco cycles in Southern Italy.
Otranto, with its cathedral and 12th-century floor mosaic, is a UNESCO heritage site.
Specchia, voted Borgo dei Borghi, Nardò with its baroque square, Castro and the Zinzulusa Cave, the art nouveau villas of Santa Maria di Leuca: Salento is an open-air museum.
Traditions are very much alive: the pizzica and the Notte della Taranta draw thousands of visitors from all over Europe every summer.
Connected with Europe
The Salento airport in Brindisi offers direct flights to the main European cities with carriers including Ryanair, easyJet, Lufthansa, British Airways, Transavia and Volotea.
From Brindisi you can reach London, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Zurich, Brussels and many other destinations directly. Bari airport, about two hours away, further expands connection options. Staying close to family and friends in Europe has never been easier.
Quality of life at affordable cost
Puglia offers a high quality of life at affordable cost.
Compared to the big cities of Northern Europe, the cost of living in Salento is on average 30-40% lower: from daily shopping to dining, from utilities to personal services.
Living well here does not require big budgets.
Italy offers a preferential tax regime for pensioners who transfer their residence from abroad to Southern Italian municipalities with fewer than 30,000 inhabitants (art. 24-ter TUIR).
A flat rate of 7% on all foreign pension income, valid for 10 years.
Taurisano fully meets the requirements.
For detailed information on the tax regime, we recommend consulting a qualified professional.
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