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New! Italiano

Un’Oasi Verde nel Salento: La Cutura

VIA Magazine Editorial Team
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October 13, 2021
3 Mins read
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Mare cristallino e lunghi litorali di sabbia bianca e fine. Questo è l’aspetto del Salento noto ai più. Ma questa terra antica nasconde al suo interno tesori di altrettanta bellezza destinati a essere scoperti solo dai viaggiatori più attenti e curiosi.

La storia di un inno alla biodiversità

A pochi passi da Otranto, nell’entroterra più selvaggio, c’è un luogo quasi magico dove il blu intenso del mare lascia la scena alle mille sfumature verdi di una natura lussureggiante e inattesa.

Nelle zone rurali tra Palmariggi e Giuggianello si trova La Cutura, il giardino botanico più grande del Salento: trentacinque ettari di piante, terra rossa e rocce. Il nome proviene da Li Cuti, che nel dialetto locale, stanno ad indicare le pietre originarie della campagna salentina. Quest’oasi verde, inno alla biodiversità, è stata fortemente voluta e curata da un ex bancario di nome Salvatore Cezzi.

È stato proprio lui che negli anni Ottanta, nella tenuta ereditata dalla nonna, ha raccolto i suoi insoliti ricordi di viaggio – piante e specie vegetali provenienti da ogni parte del mondo. Ciò che originariamente era la sua collezione personale, è stata successivamente trasformata in un vero e proprio “museo green”. Infatti, solo nel 2000 questo giardino privato è stato aperto al pubblico per condividere tanta bellezza.

Un “museo della vita” tutto da scoprire

Oggi La Cutura è suddivisa in diverse aree tematiche.  Spicca su tutte la maestosa serra di 1.000 metri quadri in policarbonato, alta quasi 16 metri e che ospita più di 3.000 specie vegetali. Tra di esse, cactacee dalle più svariate forme e grandezze, succulente tropicali e subtropicali rare e insolite che qui hanno trovato il microclima perfetto per crescere e moltiplicarsi.

Degni di nota sono anche cactus, agavi e gigantesche opuntia che dimorano nel Giardino Roccioso esterno. Siepi e piante officinali geometricamente allineati sono invece protagonisti del Giardino all’italiana. Da non perdere sono inoltre il bosco di lecci secolari, il roseto che raccoglie oltre cento varietà di rose e Il giardino dei semplici, con le piante della tradizione alchemica locale, le officinali e le aromatiche.

Infine, lascia a bocca aperta il Giardino segreto che introduce il visitatore in quelle che una volta erano cave di tufo, oggi trasformate in speciali serre che accolgono rigogliose piante subtropicali e agrumi rari, attorniate da un laghetto naturale popolato di papiri e ninfee. Attorno a questa zona è situata anche un’area zoologica popolata di fauna curiosa. Oltre a galline delle specie più rare, è possibile ammirare animali che fanno la gioia dei più piccini: daini, maialini, lama, asinelli e caprette.

Un’esperienza sensoriale da non perdere

Salvatore Cezzi amava accompagnare i visitatori nella sua tenuta narrando le storie e le curiosità su ogni pianta. Oggi sono i suoi eredi Saia, Benedetta e Costantino a portare avanti la tradizione con visite guidate per gruppi di turisti (anche in inglese e francese, su prenotazione) e laboratori didattici per i bimbi.

“Il lockdown è stato un momento di pausa forzata – racconta Costantino Cezzi – ma i mancati guadagni sono stati compensati da nuove idee: per il futuro puntiamo sulla creazione di nuovi percorsi sensoriali alla scoperta di profumi e sapori perduti, laboratori di giardinaggio e di gastronomia, organizzazioni di eventi mostre e concerti“.

Una visita in questo giardino diventa dunque un viaggio esperienziale che stuzzica vista e olfatto, ma senza dimenticare il gusto. È possibile, infatti, concludere la visita a La Cutura assaporando prodotti a km zero, sapientemente cucinati secondo la più antica tradizione salentina nel Borgo Antico, l’area del casolare ottocentesco restaurata e adibita a ristorante.

La Cutura: Contatti e Orari

www.lacutura.it

Instagram: @lacutura

Orari: Nel periodo invernale il giardino è aperto tutti i giorni dalle 10 alle 13 e il pomeriggio solo su prenotazione. La domenica e i giorni festivi con orario continuato dalle 10 alle 19.Nel periodo estivo sono ammessi visitatori dalle 10 alle 13.30 e dalle 16 alle 20.

Inoltre, in concomitanza con l’apertura del ristorante, è possibile visitare il giardino anche dopo cena, godendo delle favolose fioriture notturne delle svariate specie di piante grasse sia nella serra che nel giardino roccioso.

 

 

 

 

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