The Salento Coast

The Salento peninsula has two very different coasts. The Ionian side, from Porto Cesareo down to Pescoluse, has fine pale sand, dunes and water that stays shallow and clear a long way out, which is why the stretch near Pescoluse is marketed as the Maldives of Salento, a nickname the locals now use themselves. The Adriatic side is rock: low limestone cliffs, sea caves, and swimming from platforms rather than beaches. Between them the interior is flat with olive groves, dry-stone walls and baroque towns. Torre dell'Orso, Porto Selvaggio and Punta Prosciutto are among the better-known stops.

What you actually see

• The Ionian sand - fine pale beaches with long shallow water.
• The Adriatic rock - low cliffs, caves and platform swimming.
• The dune systems - protected dunes behind several Ionian beaches.
• The towers - coastal watchtowers built against sixteenth-century raids.

When to go

June to September; August is extremely crowded with Italian holidaymakers and parking is difficult everywhere. June and September are far more comfortable.

Honest expectations

Many good beaches are occupied by paid clubs with limited free access. August traffic and parking are severe. Public transport along the coast is thin.

Nearby

Gallipoli and Otranto sit on opposite coasts; Lecce is inland.