Santa Maria di Leuca - Punta Meliso

The Punta Meliso promontory is, where the heel of the Italian boot ends. To the right is the "Faro di Leuca". Since 1866 the lighthouse (48,60 m high) emits beams of light, which, in good weather conditions, are visible for over 40 km. To the left the "Basilica di Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae", erected where once a Roman temple stood and where St. Peter on his way to Rome made a stop. So the place developed into a place of worship and pilgrimage in the ancient and medieval age.

The current fortified structure of the church was built between 1720 and 1755 to resist the numerous and repeated attacks by Turkish and Saracen invaders.