In Squinzano, a town of vineyards and olive groves just north of Lecce, the wine calendar for 2026 gets its official unveiling. The presentation of the Città del Vino 2026 brings a conference and a market to the Museo dell'Olio e del Vino. Puglia's two great liquid traditions, wine and olive oil, share one roof.
A museum that tells the story of oil and wine
The setting is half the experience. Few places in this part of Puglia suit a wine-themed event better than a museum devoted to the two products that shaped the surrounding countryside.
Città del Vino is a national network of towns committed to promoting wine culture and their own territory. Squinzano, whose name is tied to a well-known red wine denomination, is a natural stage for that conversation. Listening to talks about wine inside a museum gives every word a sense of roots.
Conference and markets: two moods in one visit
The day moves between two rhythms. The conference is the more reflective part, where you hear how the town and its producers see the year ahead.
The markets bring a looser, more sociable energy. Expect the easy wandering and chatting that make a Puglian festa feel like a gathering of neighbours rather than a formal event.
- Talks on the territory from people who live and work with its vines and olive trees
- Market stalls to browse at your own pace between sessions
- A museum setting that connects the conversation to local rural history
- A relaxed, free-flowing atmosphere that works as well for a couple or a solo traveller as for a group of friends
Turning it into a day around Squinzano
Squinzano sits in a very convenient spot. The Baroque streets of Lecce are a short drive away, so a morning here and an afternoon among limestone facades fits together easily.
The Romanesque abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate, set among olive trees in the countryside, is another worthwhile stop. If you want sea air afterwards, the Adriatic coast lies only a few minutes beyond the town.
Small tips for enjoying it
- Arrive early enough to hear the conference before the market gets busy
- Bring a bag, since local products tend to find their way home with you
- Check the latest programme before leaving, as timings can be adjusted
- Plan a late lunch in town and ask for negroamaro or a local red by the glass
It is a modest, authentic occasion rather than a spectacle. That is exactly its charm: a chance to meet a corner of Puglia while it talks about its own future.