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Galatina, renowned for its historic Church of Saint Peter and Paul, is situated in the heart of Salento, in the province of Lecce.
The town holds a special significance as the centerpiece of tarantismo rituals closely tied to the pulsating rhythms of pizzica, for instance indicated in the highly diffused verse:
"Santu Paulu meu de Galatina
faciti 'nde la grazia stamatina."
My Saint Paul of Galatina,
give us grace this morning.
Tarantismo is a ritual with origins across Southern Italy, where the bite or sting of an insect or animal was said to have induced a psychological crisis, which also served as a cure: musicians sought the beat -- with tamburello, violin, and accordion -- that would rouse the victim, who would then dance for hours. In Galatina, there is a chapel with a well behind it, both dedicated to Saint Paul. Here, tarantati, bitten by the taranta spider, would drink the water, purge themselves, dance, and pray erratically to Saint Paul in the chapel.
In the residency, we will come into close contact with this land, in deep respect for the layers of emotions and perspectives on this powerful lineage of suffering, music, and cure.
We will meet with and learn from researchers, historians, musicians, and community members to appreciate a holistic and experiential story of pizzica and its tarantismo -- as well as the related music, songs, and social dance.
With its rich cultural heritage, the town eagerly collaborates with us to host this gathering, fostering a shared passion for and deep interest in preserving the cherished pizzica traditions of the region.
Galatina also offers relatively easy access for travelers: the historic center of Galatina is highly walkable, and the town is accessible by bus/train from Lecce which is on a major train line. From the station to historic center is a comfortable 20 minute walk.
Arriving to Galatina
Galatina is accessible by car, bus, or train. The train station is located on the north end of town.
Flying Into Italy
Bari and Brindisi are the two airports in Puglia, but you could also fly into a larger airport (Rome, Venice, Naples) take a train or another flight to Puglia.
Cars
Renting a car is an options, but since the residency is so centrally located it could be inefficient depending on what the rest of your visit to Italy looks like. If you want to stay outside of town, you'll need it for sure. (Just make sure to research international driver's license requirements.)
Train/Bus From Lecce to Galatina
Lecce is the major train hub closest to Galatina.
From Lecce, Galatina is on the train line to Gallipoli, which is a Ferrovie del Sud Est line.
You can purchase tickets on the super easy TrenItalia app or website, or on the FSE site here: https://www.fseonline.it
As of early 2025 there is currently construction on the train line, so trains from Lecce have been converted to buses between the stations, with the same timing.
Our Locations
Our residency activities will be centered in the historical center or centro storico of Galatina, specifically in Piazzetta Galluccio and the Museo Civico Pietro Cavoti.
Anywhere in the centro storico is within a maximum 10minute walk of these locations.
We recommend staying in this central part of town, where everything should be easily walkable.
If you stay still in town but outside of the center, everything is still walkable in a maximum of 30mins. You can also get a car, and park just outside of the centro storico each day. The historic center is a limited traffic area (ZTL - zona a traffico limitato), meaning only residents are able to drive there at certain times of day.
Accommodations
You will find a range of accommodation options for a variety of budgets, as well as the option to share accommodation costs in groups. We can't handle this for you since we are not travel agents, but we can help! In our Facebook group, which will be set up in late spring, you can connect with other attendees, or if you aren't on social media we can connect you with folks via email.
You can find a variety of great options on Booking and AirBnb.
A few highlights:
For a B&B with simple rooms, check out Bed & Breakfast Alex.
Cementine 2.0 is the apartment of a good friend of ours in Galatina. With a lovely terrace, it offers a master bedroom as well as an open loft bedroom.
CanUdis offers colorful apartments.
Corte Taddeo is something inbetween apartments and more simple rooms, with a basic kitchen offered in some rooms but breakfast offered each the morning in a main room.
For a hotel, check out Palazzo Arco Cadura Hotel & SPA.
If you'll have a car and prefer the countryside, you could also consider staying just outside of town, for example Lo Vita.
Food
From fine (but relatively affordable!) regional dining, to focaccia and panini, to grocery shopping and cooking yourself, you can budget anywhere from 5 to 20 euros per meal depending how you want to eat. We will provide guidance and recommendations to participants, as well the option to purchase nourishing lunches from a nearby beloved family-owned "Tavola Calda" Focacceria.
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