7 Beaches of Baia delle Orte - Otranto
Laghetto di Bauxite
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: Far from the big summer crowds, there where nature takes its regular course giving life to singular spectacles that color the whole surrounding landscape we find the Baia delle Orte. We are at the gates of Otranto a town that certainly does not need any introduction, and the Baia delle Orte represents the wildest side of this magical land called Salento, as this suggestive bay develops along a stretch of coast characterized by low cliffs that mixes with the spontaneous and discontinuous green of the Mediterranean scrub among the pine forests that always come in handy in summer for shelter from the sun and a crystal clear sea that represents the icing on the cake of the Baia delle Orte. Well, if by chance you should find yourself in these parts, do not miss a visit to the Bauxite Pond of the Bay of Orte; an explosion of colors ready to welcome anyone among the green waters of the pond that, let"s remember, is not swimmable, contrasting with the red of the bauxite rock that surrounds the entire circumference of this very special basin. The Bauxite Pond can be easily reached with a short walk after parking your car in the designated parking area; after that once you get there you will be surprised by the bright colors that contrast with each other in this supreme spectacle of nature. This now decommissioned former mining deposit is now an interesting tourist destination and every year thousands of visitors are fascinated by so much spectacle as this quarry from its total state of abandonment has rediscovered its primary roots with nature thus merging with the surrounding area in an explosion of natural colors. Wonders and charm of an enchanting land ... welcome to Salento ... from the Bauxite Pond is everything.
Cala Casotto
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: Cala Casotto is located in the town of Otranto in Baia delle Orte, in the province of Lecce. Not far from the Laghetto di Bauxite we find this characteristic cove surrounded by rocks that often change shades of color and range from limestone white to opaque black. All around there is a riot of colors, from the green of the typical Mediterranean scrub to the blue of a fantastic sea and interrupted stretches of pine forest; this stretch of coast conveys to the traveler all the wild and lonely aspect that characterizes precisely Cala Casotto. This corner of paradise is light years away from all that summer hustle and bustle of crowded beaches with loud music and the sea full of people; if you love the hustle and bustle and the comforts of a fully equipped and full comfort lido then you can also avoid visiting Cala Casotto, here even your cell phone is superfluous and if only for the always beautiful photos to post on various social networks and share with friends it would be better to leave it in the car. At Cala Casotto the hands of the clock have stopped in a time now lost where nature has taken over from man shaping in this way, to his liking one of the most enchanting places that Salento has to offer. Now honey lines aside, which can certainly seem biased, this place must be experienced in all its complexity to fully savor the sensations it manages to convey. Don"t forget your rock shoes, after which once you arrive at the small cove all you have to do is find an inviting corner on which to spread your towel and take advantage of a perfect tan; the sea becomes deep after a few strokes and lends itself greatly to those who love snorkeling so as to go on a discovery of these evocative and luminous seabeds. Vibrant sensations and summer pleasure for our body good vacations from Cala Casotto.
Baia dell Orte
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: The verse of a song in the Salento dialect often resonates with me as a tune when I talk to someone about my beautiful land and it goes : (Cinca lu vide nde lassa lu core cinca lu lassa se sonna lu mare) which translated would be he who sees it leaves us his heart and he who leaves it dreams of the sea, obviously speaking of Salento. Well these verses come back to me in a split second now that I am about to write something about a remote and lonely place as Baia delle Orte can be. We are on the southeastern side of the Heel of Italy along these beautiful coasts washed by the Adriatic Sea that are intertwined with the green of the surrounding nature between the uninterrupted pine forests that always come in handy in the height of summer for shaded areas, the typical Mediterranean scrub that arises spontaneously a bit "everywhere almost to mark the belonging to its territory and dulcis in fundo the crystal blue of these waters that touch deep in the soul each of us; here is precisely explained in all its essence the prologue with reference to the verses of that song. Baia delle Orte is located just 4 kilometers from the more famous Otranto, and to reach it you have to walk along some dirt paths, among dry stone walls, and paths that seem designed especially for those who love trekking and nature walks. Once there, that contrast of colors between the white, low cliffs and the transparent blue of a wonderful sea so that some spots look like real natural open-air swimming pools will become evident. Baia delle Orte"s characteristic of being reached precisely in a way that is not exactly convenient and fast represents its absolute strength as in this way it has been preserved from that uncontrolled human development of doing business and speculating on every single square meter of sea. Here you will feel repaid by nature, advanced on tiptoe and respectful of the place where you are, fully enjoy every single corner and the unique freshness of these waters that regenerate body and spirit. Glimpses of a wild and unknown Salento that I hope will maintain over time this delightful typicality...have a good summer at Baia delle Orte.
Spiaggia di Porto Grande
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: Porto Grande Beach is located in Baia delle Orte a beautiful location on the outskirts of Otranto, south of Punta Facì and is a place of rare beauty not very well known and isolated compared to other Salento beaches that are usually overcrowded in high season. Certainly contrary to the name here there is no beach, rather, low cliffs characterize much of the surrounding area drawing a landscape of rare beauty engulfed in unspoiled nature. The sea of Porto Grande Beach represents the real wonder, the undisputed protagonist of this stretch of coastline the crystal clear blue waters of the Adriatic offer interesting insights through the rich seabed that are ideal for those who love snorkeling and going to discover the beautiful play of light between the most striking views of this wide reef. The Porto Grande Beach can be reached by driving along a dirt road for about fifteen minutes; it is possible to park your car in the designated area with a parking fee of 3 euros for the whole day so that after a relaxing walk through characteristic paths surrounded by the green of the Mediterranean scrub here is that this contagious blue of a splendid sea opens to our eyes. This place has maintained its charm over time (as has the whole area of Baia delle Orte) thanks to the fact that it is little known and practicable, here one immediately feels that sense of detachment from everyday reality as we are usually accustomed to experiencing it, the wild aspect of this area is what most of all attracts the solitary traveler when he decides to visit this remote place. So to sum up, forget about Porto Grande Beach if you are used to comfort and prefer the soft, soft golden sand, here you only need rock shoes, mask and fins and a cooler bag full of cold drinks to mitigate the summer heat...have a good summer from the Bay of Orte.
Grotte dell Orte
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: Grotta dell"Orte is a beautiful sea cave located in the Masseria dell"Orte area south of Otranto, in Baia delle Orte. We are on the southeastern side of the Salento coast, along a stretch of sea that immediately stands out for its wonderful transparency. This area is characterized by a wide reef that excellently draws a landscape of rare beauty. The Grotta dell"Orte represents one of the many sea cavities along this coast and can be reached by swimming, or it can be admired in all its complexity by renting a small boat so as to explore the entire stretch of coast in question, which certainly deserves to be visited in depth. The sea soon becomes deep and the beauty of these seabeds offer the right reasons to put on a mask and go discovering the most interesting spots; alternatively, a healthy regenerating swim can also do the trick, after which it is easy to find an inviting corner on which to spread your towel and let yourself be dried by the warm Salento sun. The beautiful view of the cliffs covered in the green Mediterranean scrub is unmatched in terms of scenery, here it is all a riot of bright colors ranging from the yellow to the limestone white of the surrounding rock to the blue of these cool waters. Salento remains a magical land that knows how to give enormous emotions to those who decide to visit enchanting places like the Grotta dell"Orte... happy vacations.
Grotta Palombara
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: Grotta Palombara is located south of Otranto near Masseria dell"Orte on the eastern side of the Salento coast and is washed by the Adriatic Sea. This impressive cave was formed as a result of the collapse of limestone walls along this stretch of coastline, generating an extraordinary example of a sea cave. Grotta Palombara can also be reached from the mainland, but the best way to admire such beauty certainly remains access from the sea, where the water is still quite deep and through mask and fins you can also contemplate a wonderful seabed rich in life. All the surrounding area is covered with typical Mediterranean scrub, and not far from Grotta Palombara we find a pine forest always convenient for the large areas of shade that always come in handy in the middle of summer. The place is not very crowded and you can breathe an air of absolute relaxation, the cliff maintains all in all a practicable aspect and the access to the sea is easy in some places; the sea has that crystal clear and transparent characteristic that distinguishes the whole coastal area so once you have chosen the spot where to lay your towel take advantage of it for a regenerating bath and enjoy your day at the beach. Glimpses of a Salento all to be experienced and vibrant emotions at Grotta Palombara... happy vacations.
Torre dell Orte
Salento, Baia delle Orte - Otranto: The Orte Tower is a coastal tower in Salento and is part of the complex defense and watchtower system erected during the 16th century to defend the Salento coasts from the continuous incursions of Saracen pirates who raged the coasts in those years. The Orte Tower, unlike the other towers in this area that are spherical in shape and classified as the "Otranto series," is in a truncated pyramidal shape with a curb delimiting its final part; the tower communicated to the north with the Torre del Serpe while to the south with Torre Palascia, which has practically disappeared today. The Orte Tower towers on a high promontory about 100 meters from the sea, and from here one can enjoy a wonderful panorama as well as breathe in clean air being completely immersed in the surrounding nature. In 1826 this coastal tower was incorporated into the Masseria dell"Orte where it served as a warehouse, today the ruin is on private property and is being restored. The Torre dell"Orte from the top of its position dominates the entire picturesque bay and the historical testimony combined with the surrounding landscape produces a respectable glance so if you decide to drop by Otranto don"t forget to visit the Torre dell"Orte...have a good summer.