Isola dei Conigli or Isola Grande is a small island located a few metres from Porto Cesareo. With its uncontaminated environment and an ecosystem that deserves all our attention in addition to due environmental protection, Isola dei Conigli remains a popular destination for hundreds of tourists who visit it every year in the height of summer in search of a quiet corner of green nature in a mix of golden beach and wide cliffs. Isola dei Conigli can be reached by the various boats on the Riviera di Ponente (near the Jousts), which provide a boat service to the island, or, for the most daring (I"ll let you in on a little secret - don"t hold it against my friends in Porto Cesareo, who provide the "boat service to the island" every summer), the island can also be reached on foot, going down into the water from the Lungomare di Ponente side (opposite the ice-cream parlour Il Principe), where the water remains almost shallow.At most it will reach up to your navel for a relaxing walk to the island. So... let"s take this short virtual tour, also because I don"t seem to have seen the Google machine on the island lately for a quick mapping. Once we arrive at the small jetty where the various boats moor, we get off and through the pine forest continue to the left for a few dozen metres. The first beach we come across is just a few metres long, the sand is soft and the water shallow for several metres. The island has this name because years ago there was a large group of rabbits there, and after years of absence, someone decided to repopulate the island by introducing a few pairs of these graceful animals, so it will not be difficult to spot some. Continuing along the left-hand side, after the small beach, the open sea with a low cliff comes into view... watch out for the waves if you decide to dive in, the sea soon becomes deep. After this stretch of reef, we find an inlet with a beach a little longer than the previous one, which is quite popular with tourists in the height of summer. The sand is soft, with perhaps a few small stones, and the water is shallow at first and becomes deep after a few strokes, with a seabed worth visiting. On the way back through the central pine forest, you will not fail to come across a small pool of water... attention for the more curious, looking in the sand for some clams you may come across strange types of green crabs that are a little aggressive. Rabbit Island is a paradise on earth, take care of it if you visit, bring back your rubbish bags... nature will thank you.
Last update: 29/11/2022, Tonio Viva
