Starting with the ceramics of Grottaglie, in the province of Taranto, whose old town is dedicated to the workshops of artisans who pass down their craft from father to son.
To buy, besides unglazed terracotta oil jars, the ciarle (pots with lid and handles typical of Apulia); the albarelli (beautiful pharmacy jars with deep blue decorations); the holy water fonts which in the past were placed next to the bridal bed on the bride’s side; the soup tureens with beautiful eighteenth-century shapes, and much more. Among the best-known workshops are those of Gaetano Fasano, on Via Caravaggio, and Domenico Caretta, on Via Crispi.
Lecce is instead the land of master papier-mâché artisans who, with this very humble material, whose processing dates back to the seventeenth century, create wonderful things: masks, nativity figurines, sacred and profane subjects. On Via Vittorio Emanuele, there is, among many, the Claudio Riso workshop where you can follow the various stages of processing.
And next to the beautiful Church of the Gesù, the Permanent Exhibition Market of Typical Salento Crafts. Also, Salento is home to fantastic artisanal weaving, such as that of the Giaquinto family, in Otranto, near the castle, and in Santa Maria di Leuca, where this family has been passing down for three generations the ancient weaving technique with wooden “shuttle” looms, using top-quality threads such as linen, silk, wool, hemp, and perlé cotton. The result are exquisite tablecloths, sheets, and towels, adorned with hand-knotted fringes and crochet edges.
