In the heart of Cavallino, a quiet town where olive groves meet the Adriatic coast, Casina Vernazza opens its doors for an evening that celebrates one of Puglia's most overlooked treasures: its ancient water infrastructure. Authors Alessandro Costanti and Silvia Margiotta present their meticulously researched work on the monumenti dell'acqua, the wells, fountains, cisterns, and aqueducts that have sustained life in this sun-scorched peninsula for millennia.
An Archaeology of Thirst
The book unveils a hidden landscape of hydraulic ingenuity scattered across the region. From Byzantine cisterns carved into limestone to Baroque fountains adorning village squares, these structures tell the story of communities that mastered survival in a land where water was more precious than gold. The authors have spent years documenting these monuments, many of which are crumbling in fields or tucked into forgotten corners of historic centers.
The presentation itself becomes a form of storytelling, blending historical slides, archival photographs, and the authors' own field experiences. Expect to see never-before-published images of subterranean water chambers and restoration secrets that breathe life back into dry stone.
Why Casina Vernazza Sets the Stage
The choice of venue is no accident. Casina Vernazza, a restored rural estate, embodies the same philosophy of preservation and cultural memory that animates the book. Its thick stone walls stay cool even in August, a testament to the bioclimatic wisdom of traditional Puglian architecture.
The intimate setting encourages conversation. After the formal presentation, attendees often linger, exchanging questions with the authors about specific sites or sharing family stories of old wells on their own land. It's the kind of unhurried cultural exchange that feels increasingly rare.
What to Carry Away
Beyond the book itself, the evening offers a new lens for exploring Puglia. Once you learn to see these water monuments, you'll spot them everywhere: in the courtyards of masserie, along coastal paths, in the shadows of Romanesque churches.
- Signed copies available directly from the authors, often personalized with a sketch or a favorite site recommendation
- Detailed maps identifying lesser-known water monuments across the province, perfect for planning back-road explorations
- Local wine and taralli offered during the post-presentation mingling, sourced from producers near Cavallino
- Direct access to the authors, who are generous with tips on visiting fragile or privately owned sites
- A fresh itinerary idea: combine the evening with a morning visit to the coastal Torre di Roca Vecchia, just minutes away, where ancient rock-cut cisterns meet the sea
Timing Your Visit to Cavallino
The town itself rewards a slow afternoon before the evening event. Stroll the compact centro storico, where elderly residents still gather in doorways to shell almonds and gossip. The nearby coast offers crystalline swimming spots, and the drive from Lecce takes barely twenty minutes through a patchwork of vineyards and dry-stone walls.
Spring and autumn are the sweetest seasons here, when the light turns golden and the air smells of wild fennel. But this presentation transcends seasonality—it's an invitation to see the land differently, to recognize that every fountain, every well, is a monument to human resourcefulness and the eternal dance with water in the Mediterranean south.