Otranto Tour Guide

Out of all the regions in Italy, I think Puglia has to be my favorite. And of all the many cities in Puglia, the area right around Otranto has had my heart for 4 years and counting. I first came across this part of Salento my first summer in Italy and fell in love with the panoramic views, super engaging locals, mouthwatering food, charming small towns and incredible beaches. I have a feeling that this roundup of my favorite places to visit, head to the beach and eat around Otranto is one I’ll be adding to for the rest of my life, but here’s a start. If you’re coming to Salento, there are a few cities that are a must-visit in my book. While Gallipoli is probably the most popular, after the main city of Lecce, Otranto on the other coast is just as wonderful. It’s full of history and beautiful architectural moments, but the main bragging points of Otranto are its port and beautiful lungomare of the fortress. You can walk along the palisades and watch the sun set over the water. It really has a magical feel to it, being surrounding by the rock walls and turrets, despite the abundance of touristy beach shops that bring to mind the main shopping areas of towns like Positano.

Place to visit

Cava di Bauxite - The Bauxite Cave of Otranto | ita: Cava di Bauxite di Otranto|, located in the low Salento, is a neglected quarry used between 1940 and 1976. After that, the quarry was totally abandoned, and nature took its own place. The intense emerald color lake is for sure the peculiarity of this site. Strada Porto - Torre del Serpe - Orte - Baia delle Orte, a wild and unspoiled bay, is embellished by the shades of the sea, while not far away from the beach, stands out the red colour of the bauxite cave.

Between Punta Facì and the Lighthouse of Punta Palascìa, in the south of Otranto, after the Torre del Serpe (the Tower of the Snake), appears the wildest beach among those of Otranto, the Baia delle Orte. The bay, awarded the Blue Flag and 5 Sails (a flag awarded to the most beautiful beaches) of Legambiente (Italian environment protection association), boasts shimmering water, with shades of cobalt blue, where water is deeper, and turquoise, where the sea bed is sandy, near the coast. Walking along the trails which run through the pine forest and the Mediterranean scrub, one can arrive as far as the sea. In this isolated and wild place, you have to walk amid the low rocks to find a comfortable place on which you can stop and dive in a blue sea, protected by the northern winds. Baia delle Orte, populated by water animals, is also a small paradise for those who love diving and underwater fishing. Just a hundred metres away from water’s edge, instead, stand out the small red hills of the Torre del Serpe - Serpe's tower (or Idro's) is located near Otranto. It is believed that its construction dates back to the Roman period and that it had the function of lighthouse; it was later restored following an expansion strategy ordered by Frederick II. The name is linked to an ancient legend that tells of a snake which climbed the cliff every night to drink some of the oil that kept the lighthouse's lantern alight. Another legend says that a few years before the capture of Otranto in 1480, the Saracens were headed towards the town to ransack it, but on that occasion the snake, who had drunk the oil, had put out the light. The pirates, without any landmarks, went past it and attacked the nearby Brindisi. Faro di Punta Palascìa - The lighthouse was built in 1867 and abandoned in the 1970s, however, was reopened in 2008 and currently hosts the Centre on Environment and Health of the Mediterranean Ecosystems and a multimedia Museum of the Sea. The lighthouse consists of a white stone cylindrical tower, 32 metres (105 ft) high, with balcony and lantern rising from a 2-storey white building. The lantern is positioned at 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level and emits one white flash in a 5 seconds period visible at 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) of distance. The lighthouse is fully automated and is managed by the Marina Militare and is identified by the code number 1983 E.F.[1]

The lighthouse is one of five Mediterranean lighthouses protected by the European Commission. It is open to guided tours for visitors, particularly at New Year, since it stands at the eastern point of Italy where the dawn of the New Year can be seen before the rest of the country.

Laghi Alimini - here’s a must-see place in Salento where you will find beaches, lakes and forests all together in one place. It’s called Alimini Beach or simply ‘Alimini’. It’s a beautiful beach north of Baia dei Turchi in Otranto which I recommended you visit during your holiday in Salento.

The Alimini consists of two small lakes close to Otranto and the Adriatic Sea: Alimini Grande to the North and Alimini Piccolo to the South (also known as Fontanelle). The lake water is salty, especially in Alimini Grande which is directly connected to the sea. However, the two lakes are also fed by many fresh water sources, most importantly the Zudrea and Rio Grande. The lakes are shallow and surrounded by luxurious vegetation including Mediterranean scrub and pine forests. The area is of great natural importance because it constitutes a reserve and a stopping point for various migrating birds such as white storks, flamingos, cranes, greylag geese, swans and many others.

The area is also important because of its beach which has over five kilometres of fine, white sand bordered by dunes and Mediterranean scrub made up of myrtle, laurel oak and juniper. Behind the dunes, lies a pine forest which separates the sea and beach from the two lakes. To get to the beach, you need to park in the designated areas along the SP366 coastal road and follow the walking trails through the pine forest. The beach is narrow, as are most in Salento. There you will find beach facilities, especially in the section just north of Baia dei Turchi. There are also free beaches as you go north towards Torre Fiumicelli and beyond. The sandy beach terminates just before Conca Specchiulla while the pine forest continues on toward Sant’Andrea, where spectacular rock sea stacks can be seen. To give you another point of reference, Frassanito is in the same area and the nearest inland towns from the beach are Cannole, Borgagne, Serrano and Carpignano Salentino. There are many campgrounds, resorts, farm stay accommodations, holiday homes and rental villas for those wanting to stay close to the Alimini Lakes. Otherwise, you can stay in in Otranto. From there, you can easily reach the beaches by car. I recommend you read this post of mine: 3 things you must see in Otranto

Facts about the Alimini Lakes 1) Thick vegetation grows around the lakes, including Utricularia australis (‘erba vescica’ in Italian) which is a carnivorous plant! The plant is covered with very fine hairs. When an insect touches these hairs, a part of the plant is triggered which captures the insect inside (if you have more information on this, please share it in the comments). 2) Close to the beach lies the wreck of the Greek bulk vessel Dimitros, which got trapped in the Alimini shallows on 19 December 1978, laden with cereal. 3) Baia dei Turchi is part of Alimini Beach. According to legend, it’s the point where Turkish pirates made landfall in the XV century before laying siege to nearby Otranto.

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