The Salento, also known as the Salento Peninsular and commonly known as the Heel of Italy, is a sub-region of Italy that covers the southern part of Puglia between the Ionian Sea to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east. The inhabitants of this area, that comprises the whole province of Lecce, almost all that of Brindisi and part of Taranto, distinguish themselves for their linguistic and cultural characteristics that differ greatly from the rest of the region. From an historic point of view the Salento was for many centuries part of the ancient district named Terra d‘Otranto.