Ionian Coast ItinerariesBlue flags and 5 sails from Legambiente, clean coastlines, transparent waters, quality of services and the scents and colours of the Mediterranean maquis, traces of history in the sea caves and on the coastal towers make this part of the Heel of Italy a special place to spend your boating holidays.
The “City Beautiful” has fascinated conquerors, merchants and travellers since its origins. The sea that the “Pearl of the Ionian Sea” overlooks is transparent, the coast is low and sandy, and the scent is that of the Mediterranean maquis.
Don't miss the festivals and fairs to experience the city and its oldest traditions, listen to music, watch shows and taste the cuisine and typical products, amidst lights, stalls and fireworks.
- Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a religious and civil festivity celebrated between 15 and 16 July;
- Santa Cristina Festival and Fair, 23 to 25 July, the most important event of the year;
- the Swordfish Festival from 15 to 18 August.
The New Town, built on a peninsula jutting out into the Ionian Sea, is connected to the old town by a 17th-century arched bridge. Here, one can visit civil and religious buildings of great historical and cultural interest and see the oldest fountain in Italy, the “Fontana Greca”, dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Gallipoli is renowned for its olive oil, and in the past it was known for the trade of “Olio Lampante”: over the centuries, the demand for lamp oil was such that the Via Salentina and the Via Traiana were built and made its port one of the most famous and busiest, where foreign ships from all over the world landed, bringing spices, silks, precious stones and goods of all kinds, and set sail laden with oil, the best on the market, with which the great European cities and capitals were illuminated.
DON'T MISS: Punta della Suina, one of the most beautiful beaches in Gallipoli and on the Salento coast. Crystal-clear water, white sand and the thick vegetation of the fragrant pine forest, beauty, relaxation and wellbeing.
Opposite Gallipoli, 2 km from the coast, is one of the few islands in Salento, the island of Sant'Andrea, named after a Byzantine chapel dedicated to the saint of the same name.
An ideal place for boaters who appreciate the nature and richness of the sea and its coral-rich seabed.
A rocky and arid area of about 50,000 square metres, unsuitable for cultivation and habitation, presents an unspoilt ecosystem with a unique natural heritage. It is a nature reserve, a resting place for birdlife during the migration period; a number of bird species nest in its ravines, in particular the Corsican Seagull. To the south of the island is a lighthouse, 45 m high, built in 1866 and now completely restored, while to the north is a small basin filled with rushes and small canals that, connected to the sea, prevent it from stagnating.
Choosing a yacht charter holiday allows you to discover intimate and reserved places, perfect for those who love to experience total contact with the most unspoilt nature, far from chaos and super-frequented destinations. Punta Pizzo is one of these relaxing places. It is a small bay with transparent, pearly water that enchants with its colours and scents, given by myrtle, orchids, strawberry trees and marigolds, as well as the many rare animal and plant species that can be found here, surrounded by a large, thick pine forest.
The turquoise sea laps against a beach of fine white sand. The landscape is unspoilt and features places of interest such as the Karst caves - located a short distance from the beach - and archaeological sites from prehistoric times.
A corner of paradise in the heart of Salento.
Also a popular destination for diving enthusiasts, it is framed by thick, centuries-old Mediterranean scrub. The soft white sand is caressed by shallow, crystal-clear waters perfect for children's games.
The Charter to discover the Coastal Caves in full autonomy.
Santa Maria di Leuca, the extreme tip of Italy, is located in the inlet between Punta Ristola and Punta Meliso, at the point where the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea mix their waters, a peculiarity that allows for exciting sunsets and striking sunrises!
The higher and more indented coastline to the east, lower and more homogenous to the west, hides small sandy beaches lapped by a crystal-clear sea, with seabeds of great natural interest appreciated by lovers of underwater excursions, and then caves and ravines that can only be reached by sea.
We report:
- Grotta Cazzafri , with its vault full of stalactites and, even further inland, a ledge allows a short landing;
- Grotta Porcinara, first used by the Messapians and then by the Romans as a place of worship;
- Grotta del Diavolo, where remains of Stone Age human settlements and numerous Greek and Latin inscriptions have been found;
- Grotta delle Tre Porte, which has three different entrances towards the sea;
- Cave of the Nativity so called because its stalactites resemble the figures of the Nativity.
On the coast, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Leuca is visible, a small town of white houses, connected to the port below by a flight of 184 steps, along which the monumental 120-metre-high Waterfall of the Aqueduct descends. Usually closed, it is only activated during important events.
One of the best known and most popular beaches in Salento, and certainly one of the most beautiful in Italy, it is located in the Porto Selvaggio Natural Park. It stretches over 432 hectares of coastline, 268 of which are pine forest, surrounding the beach and making it a unique, magical and unspoilt place.
The bay of Porto Selvaggio with its crystal-clear sea is crossed by a current of cold fresh water.
In the pine forest, following the numerous paths, it is possible to take long, healthy walks and observe marvellous landscapes, such as admiring the Torre di Santa Maria dall'Alto, an ancient watchtower, from which one can enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Porto Selvaggio natural park.
It is possible to visit suggestive caves such as Grotta Gaia, accessible on foot, or Grotta Verde, reachable in a few strokes from its small beach.
The Bay of Torre Lapillo is one of the most fascinating sea places in the whole of Salento.
A long tongue of sand on the Ionian coast at the northern end of Salento, between two equally exceptional locations Porto Cesareo and Punta Prosciutto.
The crystal-clear, blue sea allows you to admire the seabed, an authentic blue table, and in the reef section there is a coral reef that has nothing to envy from the most picturesque exotic destinations. An unmissable destination during your boating holiday.
The symbol of the Bay is the ancient Tower of St Thomas which, imposing, dominates the horizon with its 17 m height.
Fiart Rent S.r.l.
Via Lucullo n. 71
80070 | Baia | Naples
VAT N. IT07123801214
Fiart Rent S.r.l.
Via Lucullo n. 71
80070 | Baia | Naples
VAT N. IT07123801214