Cutrofiano is situated at 85 metres above sea level, at only 32 km from Lecce. It hosts approximate 9000 inhabitants and is part of the consortium "Greek Salentina" even though its locals do not speak, for more than a century, "Griko", which is a dialect with Hellenic origins.
The first settlement was manor of the Middle Ages that, in the '600, was surrounded by small houses and started to assume the size of small town. The last feudal Family to govern Cutrofiano were the Filomarini, famous for their horse stud farming that became well-known outside the Naples Kingdom, even in England.
Another craft with antique traditions, since the Middle Ages to be precise, is the manufacturing of pottery and ceramics. The presence of basic elements such as clay pits and woods, made of this craft one of the most important activities of the town. Every year, in August, there is a Ceramic exhibition which attracts a large number of tourists. Agriculture is another basic activity with a rich selection of vineyards and olive cultivations.
Worth a visit is the Palazzo Ducale or Filomarini, entitled to the family that built this historical complex on the ruins of a pre-existing castle. Not to miss: The Mother Church, entitled to the Madonna della Neve and the Ceramic Museum where a vast number of antique ceramic articles are on exhibition.