A self-respecting holiday in Salento necessarily passes by the sea, between high and rocky coasts and beaches of very fine golden sand, straddling the Ionian and Adriatic seas. What can I say, there really is something for all tastes. Let’s discover together this collection of the most beautiful beaches of Salento to discover, visit and photograph to experience a fantastic summer in the wonderful heel of Italy.

1. Punta Prosciutto – Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo is characterized by its very fine white sand and crystal clear waters that literally make visitors from all over the world fall in love with it.

Punta Prosciutto, its flagship, is one of the most requested beaches by tourists also for the splendid rocky seabeds which are among the favorite destinations for excursionists to make suggestive dives worthy of the Caribbean sea.

2. Porto Selvaggio – Nardò

Famous above all for the natural park that surrounds it, the beach of Porto Selvaggio is a stop that each of us should mark on the agenda and visit at least once during the three most beautiful months of the year for those who are in Salento. It can be reached on foot by crossing the pine forest of the park with a walk of about twenty minutes immersed in the vegetation, among unique scents and sensations, typical of the Mediterranean scrub.

Arrived at the sea, you will immediately notice a beautiful cliff with a pebble and pebble beach, from which you can admire a wonderful panorama and dive into the fresh and regenerating turquoise waters, a spectacle also for the eyes.

If you wish, you can take a footpath from the beach to reach the Torre dell’Alto, an old Aragonese fort that now houses the museum of marine biology.

3. Lapillo Tower – Porto Cesareo

Once again in our list of the most beautiful beaches in Salento, Porto Cesareo and in particular Torre Lapillo, is characterized by a vast beach, among the longest in the region, capable of offering breathtaking views and a fantastic coral reef to be admired equipped with mask and snorkel.

4. The Two Sisters – Bear Tower

Torre dell’Orso, a town on the Adriatic side near Melendugno, offers almost a kilometer of fine white beach behind which stretches a large pine forest, perfect for picnics by the sea or for resting in the shade a few steps from the beach. during the hottest summer hours.

The particularity of the place, in addition to the sixteenth-century Torre dell’Orso which gives its name to the place, are the Two Sisters, the famous stacks so called from an ancient legend. Those who visit Salento certainly cannot pass without stopping at least one day.

5. Poetry – Roca Vecchia – Lecce

It is known by all as La Grotta della Poesia, due to the now famous legend that tells of a beautiful princess who came to bathe right here, under the eyes of poets and storytellers who flocked from everywhere to admire her and compose verses in her honor.

Actually the name of the cave, located about 20 kilometers from Otranto, in Greek means “fresh water source”.

Today, however, it is filled with sea water and can be reached either by car, by swimming or by boat. It is among the most characteristic places of Salento, which due to its proximity is often included in longer tours that also include a stop at Torre dell’Orso.

6. Punta della Suina – Gallipoli

Punta della Suina, officially called “the Caribbean of the Ionian”, enters the top ten of the most beautiful beaches of Salento by right. To reach it you must first cross a thick pine forest, one of the largest in the whole area, to enjoy the wonder of two beaches with shallow waters of clear sand, close together.

The beach is among the most appreciated and photographed especially in the late afternoon, because from the rock that juts out towards the sea you can admire beautiful sunsets.

7. Porto Badisco – Otranto

It is not only a wonderful terrace overlooking the sea, but the cradle of our civilization, because it represents the place where, according to Virgil, Aeneas landed during his escape from the city of Troy. Located between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, it consists of a beautiful cliff and a crystalline sea that extends embracing caves, inlets and the typical spontaneous vegetation of the area.

8. Cala dell’Acquaviva di Marittima – Lecce

Still on the Adriatic side, Acquaviva can be reached by taking the coast road and descending along the Canale del Bosco.

It is characterized by its high cliffs covered with vegetation and by the ease with which you can access the water, despite being in an area that is certainly not sandy.

If you reach the top of the rocks after a short climb, you will be able to admire an incredible panorama from a unique perspective, a favorite place for the brave who love to dive from several meters high

9. Castro Marina – Lecce

If you prefer long cliffs and natural caves, you cannot fail to pass by Castro, the white Adriatic town which in its lower part, the Marina, gives us the Grotta della Zinzulusa, probably the most famous in Salento, so called for the many stalactites and stalagmites inside that look like many hanging rags, the zinzuli, to be precise.

Diving into the blue sea of Castro is a regenerating experience for body and soul that can be enriched with a suggestive boat trip inside the cave.

10. Torre Mozza – Ugento – Lecce

Among the most beautiful beaches of Salento we also wanted to include the beautiful Torre Mozza, marina di Ugento, this time on the Ionian side.

It is one of the most pleasant places on the very long coastline that develops along the western coast of the peninsula and is famous for the Mediterranean maquis that surrounds the entire area and for its shallow and sandy seabed, a peculiarity that makes it a favorite destination for families with children who can play peacefully even in the water. A few steps from the water’s edge you find yourself in front of equipped lidos and bathing establishments, while lovers of peace and relaxation can opt for other nearby uncontaminated beaches completely immersed in nature and sheltered from the chaos.

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