The coastal towers of Salento are a characteristic feature that speaks of the history and identity of these places. The 16th-century sighting system also marks ideal routes for trekking to discover the hinterland and splendid views.
Salento is dotted with coastal watchtowers, most of which were built by Charles V due to the continuous raids of the Saracens. Since 1480 it was clear that both the Ionian and the Adriatic coasts needed a defense system, especially after the bloody sack of Otranto, which saw the massacre of at least 800 unarmed inhabitants.
Today 57 towers remain visible, many of which are now in ruins and others that have remained in excellent condition and, in some cases, are still accessible. As defense structures, characteristic farms were built over the centuries. Today, after years of complete abandonment, they have been recovered and converted into accommodation facilities, such as Masseria Chicco Rizzo, between Lecce and Otranto.
The coastal towers of Salento have also given their name to the localities and this is why it is not difficult to trace the itineraries in the nearby hinterland where you can go trekking and slow walks. Trekking itself is one of the unusual and surprising aspects of the “land between the 2 seas“, which also reserves surprises for those who love to discover the area between the sea, backpackers and boots.
Here are some of the routes where you can go trekking in Salento and maybe, at the end of the day, dive into a clear sea with enchanting landscape views.
From Torre Uluzzo and Torre dall’Alto
Between these 2 towers is the Porto Selvaggio Natural Park north of Gallipoli. It is a protected area that is also accessible to lovers of long walks immersed in the Mediterranean car, with its scents mixed with those of the sea.
Thanks to the creation of the natural park, the area is almost untouched.
The excursions on which you can venture wind through the road that starts from the town of Santa Caterina and climbs right in front of Torre dell’Alto. It is one of the best preserved Salento coastal towers, characterized by a majestic staircase supported by arches. Its location is on a spur of rock called “della damnata“, as it seems that here a woman, unhappy betrothed and in love with another man, threw herself off the cliff.
Nearby is the medieval abbey of Santa Maria dell’Alto and from here you can admire a view that sweeps over the lush pine forest and up to Gallipoli. Continue through paths and stone steps until you reach the beautiful bay of Porto Selvaggio, where you can take a refreshing swim. On the way you will encounter several natural caves, such as that of Capelvenere, within which artifacts ranging from the Neolithic to the medieval period have been found.
Caves along the coast
There are 23 caves along this stretch of coast formed over the millennia, due to the karst phenomena to which the area is subject. You can also visit the Grotta del Cavallo, so called for the discovery of equine skeletons and which is located in a rocky area very close to the sea.
This is where the partly collapsed Torre Uluzzo and the bay of the same name are located in a wild and spectacular setting. Torre Sant’Emiliano and the Grotta dei Cervi .
Torre Sant’Emiliano is located in Porto Badisco, a renowned seaside resort that offers you an unusual setting on the Salento coast. You will find yourself in front of a rocky landscape in which the Mediterranean scrub alternates with low shrubs. However, only the base remains of the tower. It was conical in shape with a single room and from here the other towers and the nearby fortified farms were warned with the most classic smoke signals. The area is reminiscent of a Scottish landscape, where you will meet a small bay ideal for a nice swim. Also in this path there is the surprise of an ancient cave, that of the Cervi, famous for the discovery of rock inscriptions, tools and ceramics, so much so that it seems to have been considered an important apotropaic place of worship in prehistoric times.
“Torre dell’Orso” route
It is a 6 km route that allows you to enjoy the 3 characteristics of this land: the sea, the sun, the wind. Torre dell’Orso and the stacks Torre dell’Orso is a town in the Municipality of Melendugno and is the place par excellence for coastal trekking. The partially collapsed tower is quadrangular in shape and is located a few meters away on a rock outcrop facing the sea. Here the landscape also changes, from rocky to tufaceous and very white.
A circular itinerary that starts from the splendid town of Roca Vecchia with its clear waters, will take you to the picturesque Grotta della Poesia. The collapse of the vault has transformed it into an exceptional swimming pool where in summer tourists dive and enjoy a unique karst scenery. From here you will reach the beach of Torre dell’Orso where you can admire the rocks called “Le Due Sorelle” and further on the Grotta di San Cristofaro, inside which there are rock inscriptions depicting ancient sailing ships. The panorama here is characterized by the dunes and the low vegetation composed mostly of junipers. The continuation of this slow walk will reveal the spectacle of the stacks of Sant’Andrea, with tall spikes that rise majestically from the sea and dazzle with their whiteness. The route is about 12 km long and, in the last stretch, you will cross paths immersed in the Mediterranean scrub.
