Beaches and sun, small villages and nature, Salento is sea but also fun A way of life that has also become a saying. "Salento, lu sule lu mare e lu jentu," then, was also included as a refrain in a summer catchphrase by Boomdabash and Alessandra Amoroso, to the tune of "karaoke and guantanamera." Because Salento also rhymes with fun, as well as with wind.
Those who come on vacation learn this right from the start. Salento is sea, but it is also sunshine that gives a special and unique light to this land, and then it is wind, because depending on the wind you also choose which sea in Salento you can swim in: if sirocco sullAdriatico, if tramontana then the Ionian Sea.
Sometimes, even on the same coast, when a strong wind blows, it is enough to move a few kilometers to have a flawless and accessible sea. This happens mainly in the coves, set like small jewels along long and regular coastlines, which offer the surprise of an enchanting oasis where you can safely swim, enjoy exceptional views, shelter from the wind.
Along the coastline, the sea of Salento has etched with its centuries-long smoothing work, of the most sheltered coves from the wind that allow swimming in almost any windy circumstance, as well as being among the most striking and beautiful destinations of Salento by sea. Among these are the coves of Santa Caterina and Santa Maria al Bagno, two small handkerchiefs with fine white sands, below street level, with shallow waters, where even in winter it is often possible to admire bathers plunging into beautiful still waters.
They are among the most beautiful beaches on the coast of Nardò, which offers yes a few sandy beaches, but all of them very pretty, including also the pebble cove in the natural park of Portoselvaggio. Other dreamy coves are Acquaviva in Marittima di Diso, immersed in the green of spontaneous vegetation, with the mini beach that opens at the end of a small fjord, just like the one at the foot of Ponte Ciolo, or the cove of Porto Miggiano on the coast of Santa Cesarea Terme.
Two other bathing destinations, well sheltered from the wind, are the swimming pool carved directly out of the cliff at Marina Serra, a real enchantment, and the port of Tricase Porto, much loved by bathers even in winter. And again the legendary Porto Badisco, on the Otranto coast, where the sea is so crystal clear that the boats seem almost suspended: here, according to one version of the legend, the landing of Aeneas took place.
When the wind does not affect travel, the Salento sea offers itself in all its wildest and most natural beauty. The beautiful beaches on the Adriatic side have warmer and less salty waters than the Ionian. Among the most famous are Baia dei Turchi,Torre dell'Orso. For lovers of unspoiled nature, the WWF-protected Cesine reserve is also worth an excursion with a final swim. You can visit the area with organized excursions, or walk along the beach that unwinds and runs alongside the reserve for several kilometers.
On the Ionian side, the Salento sea is no less impressive, with splendid and unmissable beaches such as Torre Lapillo, Punta Prosciutto and Porto Cesareo, with its high dunes framed by Mediterranean scrub. Moving down to the Lower Salento, there are other beautiful seaside destinations such as Gallipoli's Baia Verde, with Punta della Suina and Pizzo: oases of rare beauty. So too are Torre Pali or Pescoluse, where the lido that made them the Maldives of Salento is very well known.
After traveling along the two coasts and reaching the extreme tip of the Heel of Italy, there is our Finibus Terrae, where the Salento and the sea offer an unmissable spectacle. If the wind is clement and the sun is agreeable, the caves of Santa Maria di Leuca are worth a boat trip: enchanting, numerous, all different, each with a story to tell.
The sea of Salento is not only that of the Lecce coastline. Very beautiful are the beaches that run along the coast of the Ionian arch, in the province of Taranto. Among them are the beaches of San Pietro in Bevagna. In this locality, on the border with Torre Colimena, there is also the Salina dei Monaci nature reserve, perfect for birdwatchers who can admire herons and pink flamingos there.
Also in San Pietro in Bevagna is the mouth of the Chidro River, also a protected nature area, where people often gather to get some regenerating seawater mud on their legs and to walk in the icy water, a real panacea for the blood circulation.And again the beaches of Campomarino di Maruggio, long, with soft white sands and smooth, low stones outcropping that make the coast very special. Here the beaches are free for long stretches.
Even on the coast of theAlto Salento, going up to the province of Brindisi, there are beautiful beaches that are worth going to discover. Before reaching beyond the province, still on the Lecce coast, the beach of Torre Chianca is worth a swim, where the fresh and regenerating waters of the dellIdume basin flow, whose bed is characterized by wonderful shells.
Still further north, past the city of Brindisi with its charming old town lying in the historic port, whose entrance is watched over by the Forte a Mare, we finally arrive at one of the most beautiful naturalistic oases of the entire Apulia region: the nature reserve and marine protected area of Torre Guaceto. The area is protected by the state. In addition to the various excursions and services organized to visit the reserve, you can immerse yourself in the most pristine sea of the Upper Salento, where sea turtles are often released and where you can dive for snorkeling trips, to admire all the beauty of the seabed completely regenerated, as fishing has been banned here for several years now.
