Porto Cesareo

Piero: so we start the second day from here!

Angela: but first, to kick off the day, a delicious breakfast. Near the port, a great option is the Dolci Tramonti café: pasticciotti (a shell of shortcrust pastry filled with custard) and salentino coffee (coffee with ice sweetened with almond milk) are a must to start off right!

Piero: now we can head to Torre Chianca (named after the tower on the Adriatic coast), which is located on a strip of land between Torre Cesarea and Torre Lapillo. In the waters near the tower, important artifacts dating back to between the 2nd and 1st century BC have been found, particularly the famous Roman columns lying just four meters deep. A few swims and some relaxation on the beach until early afternoon.

Angela: we could visit the large island in front of Porto Cesareo, Rabbit Island.

Piero: as mentioned, the coast in this area is characterized by numerous promontories, islets, and rocks, including Rabbit Island. The name comes from a wild rabbit farm that was started and then abandoned in the 1950s. Today, there are no rabbits left, and the island has become an interesting natural park from a botanical and ecological perspective, thanks to the presence of numerous different plant species. It’s easily accessible and at a modest cost from the port with various shuttle services. The tour is quite brief. The pine forest is ideal for a picnic; the beaches aren’t spectacular, and the first stretch of sea is muddy; at the center of the island, there’s a kind of swamp that can be crossed easily. Kids and ladies might be a bit disappointed by this excursion, but for some photos and maybe a nice drone flight, it’s definitely worth it.

Angela: so we conclude our second day and prepare for a new one. What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?

Piero: we’re going to Otranto, one of the pearls of Salento.

Angela: we can take the day at a leisurely pace, leaving in the afternoon to avoid the heat and enjoy the sunset there. From Porto Cesareo, it’s less than an hour.