# Salento: sea pools and cliffs between two seas

> 3-day road trip of about 175 km (108 mi) with 9 stops, from Lecce to Nardò. About 2 h 25 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b11-salento-two-seas/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 175 km (108 mi) with 9 stops, from Lecce to Nardò. About 2 h 25 min of driving in total. Down the Adriatic cliffs from Lecce to Italy’s heel at Leuca, then up the sandy Ionian shore to Gallipoli and the pine woods of Porto Selvaggio.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 175 km (108 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 25 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | Lecce → Nardò |
| Countries | Italy |
| Updated | July 7, 2026 |

## Route description

From Lecce, drive 25 km east to the coast at Roca Vecchia, where the Grotta della Poesia is a natural pool in the rock, joined to the sea by a tunnel, next to ancient ruins. Follow the coast south past the sea stacks of Torre Sant’Andrea to Otranto, a walled port with a cathedral whose floor is one huge 12th-century mosaic. The old town is closed to cars.

Just south of Otranto, a short walk from the road to Porto Badisco, an abandoned bauxite quarry holds a green lake framed by red earth. The coast road SP358 then runs high above the Adriatic along cliffs and watchtowers, one of the best drives in Puglia, with sea caves at Castro and the bridge over the deep inlet of the Ciolo, where steps lead down to the water.

At Santa Maria di Leuca, the lighthouse and sanctuary stand on the cape where the Adriatic meets the Ionian Sea; boat trips visit the sea caves. Turn north-west on the SS274 towards Gallipoli. The Ionian coast is lower and sandier, with long beaches such as those around Pescoluse, sometimes called the Maldives of Salento, and very crowded in August.

Gallipoli’s old town sits on an island linked to the mainland by a bridge, with a castle, fish market and walls lined with churches. Continue north along the coast to Porto Selvaggio, a nature park where a path through pines leads down to a rocky bay; it is about 15 minutes each way. End in Nardò, whose Baroque main square is one of the finest in Salento.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Lecce** (Italy)
2. **Grotta della Poesia** (Melendugno, Italy): A round natural pool in the limestone at Roca Vecchia, linked to the sea by an underwater passage, beside the ruins of an ancient settlement. Very busy on summer afternoons; parking is paid along the coast road.
3. **Otranto** (Italy)
4. **Otranto bauxite quarry** (Otranto, Italy): An abandoned bauxite quarry south of Otranto where red earth frames a green lake that fills the old pit. It is a short walk from the coast road towards Porto Badisco; do not swim in the lake.
5. **Ciolo bridge** (Gagliano del Capo, Italy): A road bridge over a deep sea inlet on the Adriatic coast road north of Leuca, with steps down to a rocky cove and cliff paths. Parking along the road is limited; the cove is best in the morning.
6. **Santa Maria di Leuca** (Italy)
7. **Gallipoli** (Italy)
8. **Porto Selvaggio** (Nardò, Italy): A protected Ionian bay with a pine wood, a cold freshwater spring in the sea and a coastal watchtower. It is reached on foot by a path of about 15 minutes from the car parks on the coast road.
9. **Nardò** (Italy)

## FAQs

**How long is Salento: sea pools and cliffs between two seas?**
3-day road trip of about 175 km (108 mi) with 9 stops, from Lecce to Nardò. About 2 h 25 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Salento: sea pools and cliffs between two seas?**
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 25 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Salento: sea pools and cliffs between two seas start and end?**
It starts in Lecce and ends in Nardò.

**Which countries does Salento: sea pools and cliffs between two seas pass through?**
Italy.