A high and wild coastline characterises the Adriatic in the area of Castrignano del Capo, with splendid cliffs overlooking the sea, which ranges from crystal-clear green near the shore to deep blue further out; the Ionian coast is greener with beaches covered with Mediterranean scrub alternating with low rocky headlands. The two seas meet off the Cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, finis terrae as it was called in ancient times, the tip of Italy’s heel where Greece and Albania can be seen on a clear day. The coastline of the municipality is part of the Costa Otranto– Santa Maria di Leuca – Bosco di Trifase regional natural park, which is in the process of being established by the Region of Apulia. A visit to the Grottos of Santa Maria di Leuca is not to be missed, where Pleistocene fauna fossils and constructions from the upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic have been found. They can be easily reached by sea by local fishermen’s boats. These same grottos were a refuge for Byzantine monks, as seen from the numerous Greek and Latin inscriptions and crosses engraved in the rocks.
Activities:
The sea off Capo Santa Maria di Leuca is very popular with scuba divers, with beds of posidonia, the typical Mediterranean seaweed and coral reef formations: Salento’s horny corals are among the best preserved in the entire Mediterranean. The Secca della Scala is one of the best points for diving, there are numerous organisms including some of fairly large dimensions mixed with tropical species which arrive here by crossing the Suez Canal. There are many wrecks, requiring dives of a medium – high difficulty due to the depth.
Coast Type:
The coasts of Castrignano del Capo are characterised by the presence of numerous grottos and cliffs and rocks overlooking the sea alternating with greener sections of coast with low headlands covered with Mediterranean scrub. These include: Grotta del Diavolo, at Punta Ristola, this large grotto was considered a sacred place in prehistoric times, Grotta dei Giganti, which owes its name to the discovery of pachyderm skeletons found here; and Grotta del Drago with a rock inside it resembling the head of a dragon.
Sources: By the editorial staff Updated on: 16/10/2008
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia