“Salento: the sun, the sea, the wind” so goes the local saying; a perfect synthesis to describe this strip of land between two seas: on one side, the Ionian of the Gulf of Taranto, which overlooks the North-African coast, on the other side the Adriatic, creating a bridge between east and west.
For most of the year the sun warms and colours the earth deep red, rich in iron and calcareous rock, while the wind, coming inland from the coast brings with it the fragrance of the sea, refreshing the summer evenings.
The territory is a result of the perfect harmony of the heat of the sun, the generosity of the sea and the steadfastness of the wind.
Have you ever seen so many sea scenes in a single land?
The 250 km Salento coastline is a marvellous Italian peninsula characterized by long sandy beaches and rocks.
To visit Salento it is necessary to go along two itineraries starting from Brindisi coast line: the first along the Adriatic coast, towards Otranto that goes on after the Cape where the Adriatic sea ends and joins the Ionian sea up to Leuca; the second one, along the Ionian coast, from Santa Maria di Leuca to Gallipoli, Nardò and Porto Selvaggio.
Starting from San Cataldo you can find lots of sandy becheas. Here you will enjoy all the comforts of a holiday resort: bars, restaurants and live music. You can also find sandy beaches in San Foca and Torre dell’Orso, which are crowded especially in summer. From here you reach Otranto where the sand finishes and your journey goes ahead along the rocky coastline.
Further to the south is the town of Santa Cesarea Terme, famous for its baths and characterized by deep rocks and natural grottos.
Then there are Castro, Tricase and Gagliano del Capo, until you will find the Cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, with its pretty sandy inlets and its magical atmosphere.
The pearls of the Ionian coast are Ugento (with sandy beaches) and Gallipoli, but Porto Cesareo too is worthy to be visit.