Come and discover one of Puglia’s most beautiful castles with our original and entertaining guided tours!
Here is the programme of all the tours and experiences organised for you throughout the season by the Corigliano d’Otranto InfoPoint:
- TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE
From Castello De’ Monti to the ‘Flying Castle’, two millennia of a history still in the making.
Come and discover the original medieval castle embraced by the impregnable modern fortress, the
lavish court life of the 16th century, and the stunning façade of a monument that is also considered one of the
jewels of Lecce Baroque.
Embarking on a journey through the society and economy of Salento in the modern era, thanks to
the remains of the steam mill, the oil mill and the tobacco factory, you will finally board the “Castello
Volante’, the centre for visual and performing arts that today brings the history of this place to life.
DURATION: 1 hour
DATES: Tuesday mornings in July, August and September / 10.30 am
4 and 18 July
1 and 15 August
5, 12 and 26 September
DATES: Tuesday afternoons in July, August and September / 6.30 pm
11 and 25 July
8 and 29 August
19 September
PRICE: €10 / concessions €5
- WEDNESDAYS AT THE CASTLE
Du Château De’ Monti “Château Volant”, two millennia of a history still in the making.
Come and discover the original medieval castle embraced by the impregnable modern fortress, the
rich court life of the 16th century, and the stunning façade of a monument that is also considered
one of the gems of Lecce’s Baroque architecture.
As you explore the society and economy of Salento in modern times, through the remains of the steam mill,
the oil mill and the tobacco factory, you will finally board the “Château
Volant’, the visual and performing arts project that today brings the history of this place to life.
DURATION: 1 hour
WHEN: Wednesday mornings in July, August and September at 10.30 am
5 and 19 July
2 and 16 August
6, 13 and 27 September
WHEN: Wednesday afternoons at 6.30 pm
12 and 26 July
9 and 30 August
20 September
TICKET: €10 / concessions €5
- THURSDAY IN THE CASTLE
From the De’ Monti Castle to the ‘Flying Castle’, two millennia of a story still unfolding.
Come and discover the original medieval castle embraced by the impregnable modern fortress, the
rich court life of the 16th century, and the astonishing façade of a monument that is also considered
one of the pearls of Lecce Baroque.
Embark on a journey through the society and economy of Salento in the modern era, thanks to the
traces of the steam mill, the oil mill and the tobacco factory, before finally boarding the
“Castello Volante”, the visual and performing arts project that brings the history of this place to life today.
place.
DURATION: 1 hour
WHEN: Thursday mornings in July, August and September at 10.30 am
6 and 20 July
3 and 17 August
7, 14 and 28 September
WHEN: Thursday afternoons in July, August and September at 6.30 pm
13 and 27 July
10, 24 and 31 August
21 September
TICKET: €10 / concessions €5
- FRIDAYS IN THE VILLAGE
Corigliano street food
A tasty tour between the Castle’s gift shop and the village, bustling with the weekly market.
Combining history and local life, this itinerary is enriched with small tastings to discover typical local produce,
meet the new generation of producers and discover the places where you can eat and drink ‘like a local’.
DURATION: approx. 2 hours
WHEN: Friday mornings in July, August and September / 10.30 am (booking essential)
7 and 21 July
4 and 18 August
15 and 29 September
PRICE: €20 / concessions €15 (including tasting)
- FRIDAY AT SUNSET ON THE CASTLE TERRACES
A flying aperitif
The best way to start an evening between the Castle and the ‘Nuvole’.
Sunset: the ‘golden hour’ to admire the friezes and inscriptions on the Lecce stone of the castle,
stroll through the history of its halls and round off your visit on the terraces, ‘among the Clouds’
(in-house bar/bistro). Here, the history of the peoples who have passed through the castle and the Salento region becomes
a gastronomic experience, through a tasting of wines, craft beers and local Salento specialities.
DURATION: 1 hour
WHEN: Friday afternoons in July, August and September / 6.30 pm
14 and 28 July
11 and 25 August
1 and 22 September
PRICE: €20 / concessions €15
- SATURDAY AT THE CASTLE
Mini Castello Volante. A family-friendly tour that appeals to young and old alike.
A journey into the fascinating world of the Middle Ages and castles, featuring tales of knights and noble courts,
Turkish sieges and defensive stratagems, secret passages and ghost stories. Thanks to the use of
costumes and a narrative style designed to engage the little ones, the tour of the Castle
will be a delightful experience for the whole family.
DURATION: 1 hour
WHEN: Saturday mornings in July and August / 10.30 am
1, 8 and 22 July
5 and 19 August
WHEN: Saturday afternoons in July, August and September / 6.30 pm
15 and 29 July
12 and 26 August
2 and 23 September
PRICE: €10 / concessions €5
- SUNDAYS AT THE CASTLE
Choriana, the Griko village with a heart. A tour of Corigliano d’Otranto in search of its Griko heritage.
Starting from the castle’s museum galleries, a tour of the historic centre of one of the most fascinating villages
in Grecìa Salentina offers an opportunity to explore this Greek-speaking linguistic enclave at the
heart of Salento.
Tracing the village’s origins back to the Byzantine era, admiring the monumental remains of the
Greek Orthodox monastery, visiting the courtyard houses with their surviving Greek inscriptions, following the
traces of the old Orthodox churches and finally seeking shelter beneath the canopy of the centuries-old Quercia
Vallonea oak, you will rediscover the distinctive character of the Griki villages and their inhabitants, who today are proud to be “gente
cu doi lingue” (people with two languages).
DURATION: 2 hours
WHEN: Sunday mornings in July, August and September / 10.30 am
2, 9 and 23 July
6 and 20 August
17 September
WHEN: Sunday afternoons in July, August and September / 6.30 pm
16 and 30 July
13 and 27 August
3 and 24 September
PRICE: €15 / concessions €7.50
- THE INVISIBLE CASTLE
St Nicholas’ Day Special
An exclusive tour in search of fresh insights and unique perspectives.
Not your usual guided tour, for those who think they’ve seen enough of Castello De Monti and know
enough about it. A unique journey through spaces that are generally inaccessible and amongst stories
that are not usually told, where your gaze will be drawn much higher and much lower than usual. The invisible castle is also the castle of the imagination, of legends and evanescent presence,
the one of the stories of ordinary people who have found no place in the history books, the one
of archaeological remains brought to light after centuries of invisibility. Contrary to the norm, a
castle for the few.
DURATION: 1 hour
WHEN: 22 and 23 August at 6.30 pm
Apart from these two days, it is also possible to take part in the tour BY BOOKING
PRICE: €10 / concessions €5
By booking only, maximum 15 people
Guided tours by booking only
Escape Castle Volante (for families with children aged 7 and over and teenagers)
Is a guided tour boring?! Not at Castello Volante. Because only those who have paid close attention to the guide’s words
will be knighted, complete with capes and noble coats of arms, and will be able to solve the quizzes and puzzles
in the team challenge held throughout the castle’s halls. A game for the whole family where you learn about history
whilst having fun. (In collaboration with Alessio and all the little inhabitants of the Castle)
DURATION: approx. 2 hours
DATES: by booking for groups of at least 15 people
PRICE: €15
‘The Water Trail’ and ‘The Earth Trail’. A stroll through the rural landscape of Corigliano.
A mini-trek to explore the surrounding countryside and uncover the historical traces of the interaction
between people and the environment, just as a landscape archaeologist would.
“The Water Trail” explores how, over time, people have solved water supply issues in a
region such as Puglia and Grecía Salentina, which has historically been water-scarce. From the
castle cisterns to the wells outside the walls, from the karst lakes to the “Vasca”
of the Apulian Aqueduct, one of the largest above-ground water reservoirs in Europe.
“La via della pietra” is a route through the stone quarries that have shaped the
local architectural heritage: from the limestone of the dolmens at Plao, to the tuff of the imposing walls
of the castle, right through to the Lecce stone used on its façade and on the courtyarded houses and noble palaces
in the historic centre.
DURATION: approx. 3 hours
DATES: in September and October, by booking for groups of at least 15 people
PRICE: €20 / concessions €10
For information and bookings, please contact us on WhatsApp on +39 351 913 7972
or send an email to info@ilcastellovolante.it
