Just imagine a blue sky, that light summer breeze that blows gently caressing our dreams, summer, the sun tingling just enough to colour most of our bodies, a crystal clear blue sea and a stretch of coastline that for a moment you think you are in the Grand Canyon... wake up, you are in Salento, welcome to Ciolo. We are in the deep south of Apulia, where the land ends, finibus terrae as the Latins called it, where the Ionian Sea embraces the Adriatic Sea and where the coastline takes on that bizarre and capricious appearance of high cliffs that drop sheer to the sea, dotted with sea caves and hidden inlets to be discovered and visited. This area seems to be the perfect copy of a nature that has proved its greatness and mastery in designing a landscape of such beauty. Ciolo is a seaside resort located between Santa Maria di Leuca and Marina di Novaglie in the province of Lecce, famous above all because of a bridge that connects a cliff and from which one can admire a marvellous picture-postcard landscape. The Spiaggia del Ciolo is easily reached by parking the car near the bridge and continuing on foot through an evocative pathway along a flight of steps between steep paths and vertical rocks that accompany us with a beautiful glimpse almost as if to seal a perfect fusion between man and nature. The Spiaggia del Ciolo (Ciolo Beach) is not a real beach as one might well imagine, in reality it is a stretch of pebbly shoreline set between high rocky walls and with a sea so cool and transparent that it is a unique pleasure to bathe during the sultry days of a Salento summer. This is a corner of paradise, the place is frequented mainly by intrepid young thrill-seekers who decide to dive from the most prohibitive spots; the sea bed is ideal for snorkelling and discovering fascinating marine fauna, but also just for a healthy swim. To be really nitpicky and find a small flaw in this beautiful place, perhaps the short hours of sunshine given the position in which it is located, almost swallowed up inside this characteristic cliff. Perhaps take advantage of the early hours of the morning for a proper tan and then continue the rest of the day with other activities. So many words are always spent describing the Salento and its beautiful coastline, but experiencing it in person and making those unique emotions your own is something else... welcome to the Spiaggia del Ciolo and have a great holiday.
Last update: 24/10/2022, Tonio Viva
