Santa Maria di Léuca (or, in ancient times, simply Léuca) is a small village at the southern end of the Salento. The city is called after the white rocks that surround it: The name is derived from Greek leukos, bianco.

Capo di Léuca to the east of the city was considered to be the southernmost point of the country: The Greeks built a temple to the goddess Minerva there, which in Christian times was turned into a sanctuary called Finis Terrae, the End of the World. (But as is clearly visible on the map, Punta Ristola to the left lies a bit more southernly)