BOAT EXCURSIONS – GUIDED EXCURSIONS TO THE CAVES
The first of our options, designed to let you take the most from your guided tour, is the STANDARD TOUR
It lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes in which you’ll visit the caves of one side of the coast, also giving the opportunity to stop to take a dive in the clear waters that characterize our sea.
Boat excursions to Santa Maria di Leuca – Ponente –
THE IONIAN SIDE
Full of caves and creeks, presents a not so high coast edge, shallow waters alternating sandy and rocky seabed, creating stunning colour visual effects.
Leaving the harbour behind following the west route leading to the Ionian side we’ll soon find
- “Torre dell’Omo morto” (the dead man tower) one of the several medieval watchtower dating back to the age of the Saracens domination.
- “Grotta porcinara” (not a sea cave) back to the days of the Greek empire domination, this cave offered the perfect spot for the sailors to stop and perform rituals to honor the gods.
- “Punta Ristola” (ristola point): it’s the extreme southern point of Salento’s peninsula the famous “Italy’s heel”
- “Grotta del diavolo” (Devil’s Cave): characterized by the two entrances by land and by sea.
- “Grotta dellu chirchiu” (circular cave): as said in the name itself it’s a cave circle shaped
- “ Mèsciu Sciànni: one of the smallest, but beautiful for the colour and light games created by the light reflected on the water directly to cave walls.
- “Grotta del fiume” (river’s cave): wide and deep with communicating tunnels, the entrance has shallow waters and sandy seabed.
- “Tre Porte” (three doors cave): probably the most famous of them all, big and bright thanks to the light entering from the three big entrances.
- “Grotta del Presepe e della stalla” (Nativity scene cave): in this cave you’ll find some natural limestone column that looks like the Nativity scene.
- “Torre del Marchello”: another watchtower located on the coastline.
- “Grotta degli innamorati” (Lovers’s Cave): visitable only after a short swim it’s quite deep with a small beach at the end of it.
- “Grotta del Drago” (Dragon’s cave): it has a big limestone column at the centre of it which looks like a moray that reminds of a dragon
Boat excursions to Santa Maria di Leuca – Levante –
THE ADRIATIC SIDE
Very different from the Ionion side it presents a high cliff and dark blue sea due to the deepness of the water, the caves are massive developing in highness but not much wideness.
These are the caves you’ll find during the Adriatic tour:
- “Grotte Cazzafri”: located next to the harbour are four caves one next to the other connected by small tunnels
- “Punta Meliso” (Meliso Point): right below the lighthouse it’s the point which conventionally divides the two seas, the Ionian and the Adriatic
- “Grotta Fiumara”: It takes its name from a freshwater source inside the cave
- “Punta Terradìco”: Used as landmark by the sailors considering its majestic size
- “Grotta dei gabbiani” (Seagull cave): In this cave the seagulls make their nest
- “Orto cupo bay”: this small bay is home of the famous “Grotta del soffio” (Underwater cave)
- “Grotta cattedrale (Cathedral Cave): full of limestone stalactites which make the entire cave look like a gothic cathedral
- “Grotta del Laghetto”: Crossing a few rocks, you’ll reach a small freshwater lake.
(These two last caves are not included in the one hour and a half standard tour but could be included in the customized one.)
“La libertà è come il mare. Non può essere rinchiusa, e come il mare, un uomo libero lo è per sempre.”
