DISCOVERING THE IONIAN COAST BY CATAMARAN
Isola dei Conigli so named because it was once home to wild rabbits, also known as Isola Grande, surrounded by a crystal clear turquoise sea. The Island’s most precious treasure is its unspoiled wilderness, which is notable for its dense vegetation of pine and acacia trees.
L’Isola a Cuore, a beautiful little heart-shaped island in the locality of Approdo, in the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area. It was discovered in 2017 by a film drone pilot while filming a documentary.
The Submerged Roman Columns a sunken treasure, protected by the sea. The imposing cipolin marble columns, lost from a Roman ship that sank during an erroneous docking maneuver. Porto Cesareo is not only sun-drenched beaches and dreamy sea but also holds millennia of history.
Saracen Towers sprouting on rocky headlands, such as Torre della Chianca, built centuries ago to defend the local population from Saracen raids.
Our Lady of the Seafarers, laid in the coastal stretch of Torre Lapillo to remember the 32 victims of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, has become the focus of pilgrimages for anyone who wants to leave a message or prayer.
During the snorkeling tour by catamaran, one can admire all the sites of interest in thePorto Cesareo Marine Protected Area, includingIsola Grande, which is notable for its dense vegetation of pine and acacia trees and is better known as Rabbit Island, as it was once home to hundreds of wild rabbits and is now being repopulated by wildlife. Sailing northward, one sails up the Gulf of Taranto, along the stunning Ionian coastline, rich in natural inlets drawn by the sea over the centuries and white beaches from which stunning golden dunes rise.
Discovered in 2017 by a film drone pilot while filming for a documentary, theheart-shaped Island has become a must-see for swimmers and boats cruising along our beautiful stretch of coastline.
The Chianca Tower, in front of which a small heart-shaped island emerges, dates back to 1570 and is lapped by a natural inlet, in ancient times a Roman port. On the sandy seabed at a depth of about 4 meters, impressive columns lost from a Roman ship that sank during an erroneous docking maneuver can be seen. Here, thanks to snorkeling, the cipolin marble columns can be observed more closely. This is followed byMallow Island, which stands in front of the Chianca Tower at the Bacino Grande (a reservoir used for spawning mullet and bass).
In the direction of Torre Lapillo, you can skirt the most beautiful beaches in Salento, until you reach the foot of Torre di Lapillo, where spring waters springing from the low cliffs create an enchanting play of color and a splendid underwater landscape. The site is not only naturalistic, but houses on the seabed the statue of Our Lady of the Sailors dedicated to the victims of the sea, the Costa Concordia and migrants.
The countless coves of thePorto Cesareo Marine Protected Area provide the setting for our typical aperip lunch or apericena. One can once again enjoy the transparency that distinguishes our waters and immediately afterwards a hearty lunch/dinner served, again based on strictly local products, native wine and various unlimited drinks.
