Nardò

Nardò is a town and comune in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the Province of Lecce.

Lies on a lowland area placed at south-west of its Province, its border includes part of the Ionian coast of Salento.

For centuries, it had been one of the central cities of the Byzantine Empire, until 1497, when the ducal House of Acquaviva acquired it under their domain. During those years it became the main cultural hotspot of Salento, seat of many Universities, Academies, literary and philosophical studies: it was given the name of Nuoua Atene litterarum.