Interested in Marine Life? Check out Porto Cesareo in Puglia

Found near the province Lecce is the absolutely beautiful town of Porto Cesareo – an area that you’re sure to want to visit if you’re planning on spending your next Italian holiday in Puglia. While quite popular among tourists in this region, you’re likely to find that the amount of people who actually visit here are far fewer than you would expect. This is largely due to the fact that Puglia isn’t too well known. However, there are many gems located here.

Our team at Travel Puglia know so much about this fantastic region and what’s on offer – and we’d love to take the time to tell you a little bit more about why you may want to add this destination to your list of dream Italian getaways.

Why come to Comune di Porto Cesareo?

There’s a lot to love about this location, and essentially anyone will find that they can spend at least a few hours here and feel like they haven’t wasted a moment of their time. For the most part, this area is frequented by tourists and locals alike because of the long, beautiful beaches and clear waters that can be found here. The sea is just incredible, and the expansive golden sands only make visits to this area all the more enjoyable.

But this isn’t just a destination for beach holidays. The small village is a must-visit for anybody who’s interested in the culture of the region, and you’re certain to want to spend a little time taking in the Puglian lifestyle during your visit. Why not relax and see how the attractions and atmosphere surrounding Porto Cesareo are centred around the beautiful waters and the seasons of the sea.

While there are certainly other seaside villages in Puglia that you could visit (namely Ostuni, Otranto and Polignano a Mare), there’s something just so unique and special about Porto Cesareo that you won’t want to miss it.

For these few reasons alone, countless people choose to come down to this part of Puglia, but there is so much more that you could do if you decide to explore.

Things to enjoy in Porto Cesareo

Apart from getting a feel for the way of life or spending all your time by the beach, you may be wondering if there’s something more to make your time in Porto Cesareo truly memorable. Fortunately for anyone who wants to have a fun Puglian adventure, there are several sites and landmarks to check out. Some of the most interesting ones are:

The watchtowers of Porto Cesareo

With not one, not two, but three different watchtowers situated in this beautiful location, you’ll find that you can easily spend a few hours just wandering through the streets and taking in these magnificent structures for yourself – and it certainly won’t be a waste of time. Their names are:

• Torre Cesarea
• Torre Chianca
• Torre Lapillo

The Regional Nature Reserve of Palude del Conte and Duna Costiera

Within this nature reserve, you’ll find several different habitats, containing a variety of flora and fauna. For example, you’ll find Mediterranean vegetation and aquatic orchids within the marshes, yet shrubs and juniper trees in the sandy dunes. The coastal dunes contain many sinkholes called doline; natural cavities of the rocky landscape.

Just walking around this protected area is fantastic, since it gives you a chance to see a number of different types of terrain, as well as the plant life and wildlife in each of them – and it’s not often that you get to see these all together in such close quarters.

The Marine Protected Area

Also commonly known as the MPA, this is another beautiful reserve that you’re going to want to see during your exploration of Porto Cesareo. The Ionian Sea, and especially this section of it, is considered to be one of the most beautiful seas in the world, thanks to the variety of colourful coral formations, overlapping algae, Anthozoans and sponges. It’s even better on a sunny day, when the sun light makes this underwater world even more visible.

It has a maritime of more than 17,000 hectares, and covers about 7 miles from the coast (between Punta Prosciutto and Torre dell’Inserraglio).

Isola dei Conigli

Another prominent feature of this part of Puglia is Isola dei Conigli, which you’re likely to want to visit if you’re planning on spending a holiday in this region by the sea and exploring the beautiful coast. Also commonly called Isola della Malva, Isola della Testa, Lo Scoglio and Rabbits Island (the English translation of course), this little part of Porto Cesareo is just amazing.

Outside from the activities that we’ve already mentioned, there are also other great things that you could do while stopping by – like paying a visit to the Thalassographic Museum, or the Marine Biology Station. There’s just so much to be enjoyed, for those who are looking for an adventurous holiday, but also for those who simply want to take in the beauty of this coastal town.

Check out some of the best Puglian tours 2021 has to offer

If you want to see more of the wonders of this region, from exploring towns like Ostuni and Alberobello, to taking part in one of the best Puglia wine tours around; booking a holiday to Puglia in 2021 could be the perfect choice for you. Why not take a look at what we have in store for our guests?