A Guide to Puglia pt.2
visiting the beautiful beaches of Salento
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed the first part of a Guide to Puglia. In this week’s Merenda we will continue from where we left and I will share with you where to find the best local beaches of the region Salento, Puglia. For my paid subscribers I share one of the most special memories of my Summer travels in Italy. I hope you enjoy it!
Cari Saluti,
Emilia in Bologna
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Beaches of locals worth visiting
I was staying at a friend’s place in Lecce and on the first full day, we decided to drive to a small local spot for a bagno - a swim and/or dip in the sea. The beauty of Salento is that depending on the weather and winds one can choose to either head to the east or west coast, choosing between the Adriatic or Ionian Sea. On the first day my friend wanted to take me to the beach of Santa Caterina, approximately a 30 minute drive from Lecce. The rocky beach was popular among locals and in contrast to Poglinano a Mare there were only Italians enjoying the views, water and sun.
After swimming and before lunch we decided to check the views at Torre dell’Alto, a tower overlooking spectacular views which was a 15 minute hike from the beach. We were too hungry to continue further, however there is a beautiful hiking route at the Parco Naturale Regionale Porto Salvaggio continuing from the tower with spectacular views worth taking in between the swimming, tanning and eating.
Tip! Continue your drive further down the coast towards Gallipoli and enjoy a seafood lunch at La Maruzzella or next door at Scappriactiello.
The next day we headed to the other coast towards Novaglie and chose a rocky spot for relaxing and swimming. A 40 minute drive from Lecce, we found a spot next to the Rovine Torre di Novaglie optimal for swimming and relaxing. As the rocks can be sharp, I’d recommend to have some kind of shoes for entering the water. Many locals then left them by the rocks for the swim itself.
Tip! Head towards the of Castro to try the local Pasticiotto-pastry and a coffee at the Martinucci Pasticceria. I swear I cried a few happy tears when tasting one for the first time, they as they are so phenomenal.
As the temperature was rising in the afternoon, we decided to switch beaches and continued our journey by the coast heading towards a more famous beach spot, Cala dell’Acquaviva in Marina di Marittima, near the town of Castro. Cala dell’Acquaviva is a cove with fresh water springs making the water cooler and optimal for a hot August day to swim in. It was quite packed with tourists, but still worth visiting.
The water everywhere I visited in Puglia was crystal clear and deep turquoise, making it optimal for both swimming and snorkling. It was very hard to leave the water as it is amazing to swim in. I can’t wait to go back to Salento and explore more of what the fantastic destination has to offer.
A Highlight of my Summer
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