Acaia: Fortified Town, History and Nature

The fortified town of Acaya was built within high bastioned walls on a square ground plan. A deep moat completely surrounds the fortified town. This gives you a townscape in which the urban layout and defensive architecture are closely interconnected.

Fortress and Architectural History

The monumental gate of Acaya was built in 1535 by Gian Giacomo and restored in 1792 by the Vernazza family. 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 Castello is surrounded by bastioned walls with curtain walls, bastions and moats.

In the immediate surroundings of Acaja is the Castello di Acaya, a castle. The historic site of Masseria Le Cesine is also located nearby. The Museo di Storia Naturale del Salento, a museum, is likewise situated in the area around Acaja. Castello Carlo V is also a castle in the vicinity of Acaja.

Sacred Buildings and Staged History

Outside the fortified walls of Acaya stands the Cappella di San Paolo. It 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.

The Corteo storico Acaya features staged scenes in the historic center of Acaya and in the castle in the afternoon. These include the appointment of knights, medieval music and sword fights. This gives the historic buildings an additional cultural perspective, without limiting the town to a single experience.

Beaches and Landscape

The beaches of Lido Mancarella, Lido Le Cesine, Spiaggia di San Foca and Spiaggia di Torre dell’Orso are located in the area around Acaja. These beach destinations complement the view of the historic town with a natural perspective and give your trip planning room for different interests.

Within the municipality of Vernole, Le Cesine extends across a 348-hectare nature reserve and WWF oasis with temporary ponds, Aleppo pine forests, holm oak forests, garigue and coastal marshes. The variety of landscapes makes Le Cesine an independent nature theme within broader trip planning.

Plan with Time and Priorities

The Castello di Acaya has visiting hours from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:30–12:30 and 18:00–21:00. Opening days and hours may vary. If you plan this visit, you can arrange the fortress, the Cappella di San Paolo, the bell tower and the natural landscapes according to your preferred travel rhythm.

When choosing your accommodation in Acaia, you can decide in advance what to focus on during your days: Would you mainly like to explore the fortified town and its architectural history, or would you also like to include beaches and nature in your plans? This keeps the decision aligned with your own interests and combines culture, landscape and exploration in a clear travel plan.

More Destinations

For further trip planning, you can also include Palmariggi, Marina Di Novaglie, Torre Chianca, Melpignano, Torre Suda, Galatina, Salice Salentino and Caprarica di Lecce .

For the higher-level travel overview: Lecce.