Porto Cesareo: a popular destination in Salento

How to get to Porto Cesareo

Advice on how to reach Porto Cesareo: Very easy from Salento, equally easy from Taranto

There are a thousand ways to reach Porto Cesareo.
Obviously, we invite you to choose the means of transport that best suits your needs and your budget, whether it be:

• plane,
• train,
• car,
• bus.

From Northern Italy

After travelling along the Autostrada del Sole (A1) and arriving at the end of the Adriatic motorway, take the A14 exit for Bologna – Taranto.
Once you reach Bari, continue south, taking the SS 16 Brindisi-Lecce road. Once you reach Brindisi, take the SS7 for Taranto and exit at Mesagne Est. We advise you to follow the signs for San Pancrazio Salentino and then for Porto Cesareo.

From Bari

From Bari, take the exit for the SS 16 Brindisi-Lecce road, exit at Mesagne Est, after following the signs for San Pancrazio Salentino. Then take the exit for Porto Cesareo, and you’ll arrive directly at the beach.

From Brindisi

From Brindisi, take the Mesagne Est exit on the Brindisi Taranto road.
Follow the signs for San Pancrazio Salentino and you’ll arrive at Torre Lapillo, which is just a few kilometres from Porto Cesareo.

From Lecce

If you’re leaving directly from Lecce, the capital of Salento, it’s best to take the ring road for Gallipoli; from here, take the SS 101 and continue until the ‘Nardò’ exit.
From beautiful Nardò, continue on the SS 174 towards Porto Cesareo.

From Rome, Naples and Taranto

Once you reach Bari after travelling along the A14 Bologna–Taranto motorway or alternatively the A16 Napoli–Canosa, you must continue towards Taranto and take the SS7 state road that connects Taranto to Brindisi. Before reaching Brindisi, you must take the junction for Francavilla Fontana and continue towards Manduria.
You will pass through the centres of Manduria and Avetrana, before reaching the seaside resorts of Punta Prosciutto and Torre Lapillo, a few kilometres from Porto Cesareo.

From Otranto and Maglie

Otranto and Maglie are on the same route.
From Otranto, take the Otranto-Maglie (a four-lane motorway with a central reservation), and continue towards Lecce. At the junction near Melpignano, take the fast Lecce-Gallipoli road.
Exit at Copertino and continue towards Leverano. Immediately after Leverano, follow the signs for Porto Cesareo and you’re there.

By plane

Land at the Salento Papola Casale Airport and follow the directions above, in the paragraph ‘Reaching Porto Cesareo from Brindisi’.

By train

You can take a comfortable Trenitalia train to Lecce from anywhere in Italy.
Once you arrive at Lecce Centrale station, you will need to take a private shuttle transfer or check out the Salento in Bus routes.

Map of Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo: a bit of history

In prehistoric times and in the Bronze Age, Porto Cesareo was already inhabited near Scalo di Furnu, respectively by a community of shepherds and by the Greeks who worshipped the goddess Thana here.

Under the Romans, this enchanting place was known as Portus Sasinæ, a nerve centre for maritime trade and a port for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Following numerous raids and progressive abandonment, this small piece of land became marshy. Around the year 1000, Basilian monks built an abbey here, which remained in their possession until 1400.

Subsequently, the fief of Porto Cesareo passed into the hands of the Orsini del Balzo di Taranto, then to the Acquaviva di Nardò, under whom this locality became a nerve centre for trade with the maritime republics.

Then, before passing to the Muci di Nardò family, who kept it even after the overthrow of feudalism in 1806, this land was progressively abandoned.
In 1700, a small repopulation took place thanks to a group of fishermen from Taranto who came here seasonally to fish for tuna in the tuna traps.
Under the Muci family, repopulation began because they implemented an intelligent policy aimed at the development of demographic settlements: after the overthrow of feudalism and towards the end of the 19th century, they began to sell their land to families of fishermen and this guaranteed a repopulation of these areas.

These settlements gradually became stable at the beginning of the 20th century. The church dedicated to the Madonna del Perpetuo Soccorso was built on the orders of Bishop Mautone; he was far-sighted and clamoured for a bigger and larger church to hold all the faithful.
Under Fascism, the Terre d’Arneo were reclaimed and this area, once a simple fishing port, became a popular seaside resort.

1975: Porto Cesareo, with its splendid beach of Punta Prosciutto, becomes a municipality

Independence from the municipality of Nardò, which the inhabitants had been clamouring for, came about in 1975and, finally, Porto Cesareo became a municipality in all respects.
Punta Prosciutto, a location that symbolises Porto Cesareo’s tourism, is no longer part of the municipality of Nardò, which nevertheless boasts a large maritime area of its own.
Since 1997 Porto Cesareo has been part of the Marine Protected Areas and in 2006 the regional nature reserve ‘Palude del Conte e Duna Costiera’ was established.

The statue dedicated to the fisherman’s wife: with the features of Emanuela Arcuri

In 2002 a statue was installed representing the wife waiting for the fisherman to return. This statue, modelled on the beautiful showgirl Manuela Arcuri, was met with hilarity from the men and harsh criticism from the female population of Porto Cesareo.
It was removed and then reinstalled, once again causing controversy.

What to see in Porto Cesareo

Marine Protected Areas, beautiful beaches, immortal Coastal Towers

Whoever says that there is nothing to see in Porto Cesareo is very wrong because there are too many things to do and admire. We’ll just give you a couple of suggestions so you don’t waste time, admire the beauty of Porto Cesareo and enjoy the sea.

Church of the Madonna del Perpetuo Soccorso

First of all you can admire the splendid church of the Madonna del Perpetuo Soccorso (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) which was built in 1880 (next to the chapel dedicated to Santa Cesarea Vergine in 1639) on the orders of the Bishop of Nardò, Mautone.
The facade is of a unique simplicity, typical of neoclassicism and dominated by a triangular tympanum. Inside the church, minimalism and the formal rigour of essential architectural lines prevail. On the sides, two niches house the statues of the following saints: Saint Caesarea and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Two fine works in Lecce papier-mâché, the work of an unknown artist, but true masterpieces.

The watchtowers: the gentle giants of the coast

Along the coast you can admire 4 sturdy and gigantic watchtowers, or rather, three towers that are still intact, while only the ruins of one remain because the tower was demolished during the Second World War.
They are:

• Lapillo Tower
• Cesarea Tower
• Chianca Tower
• Castiglione Tower (you can see the remains of what was once a watchtower).

Lapillo Tower

Lapillo Tower is also known as San Tommaso Tower. Like all the towers along the coast, this one was also built as a lookout post.
It appears majestic and indestructible, with a square base and an access stairway. Centuries ago, at the end of the stairway, there was a drawbridge.
With its 16 metres per side and 17 metres in height, there is a large room on the ground floor.
Completed in 1568, Torre Lapillo is connected to the remains of Torre Castiglione to the north and the beautiful Torre Chianca to the south.
Today, this tower, which in ancient times was a lookout post, has become a tourist information centre: here you can find everything you need for your visits to the area, excursions, etc.

Cesarea Tower

Located near the town centre, Cesarea Tower was also built as a watchtower.
Colossal, sublime, the largest of them all, it was built as a lookout point for the Comarca di Cesarea. It is also known as the ‘Torre Capitana’ (Captain’s Tower) because it had jurisdiction over and military control of all the towers and places in the Comarca. It has a quadrangular shape, is 16 metres high and each side measures approximately 22 metres.
Built with local stone, its crowning is supported by corbels.
It was built between 1568 and 1570. To the south it dominates Torre Squillace and the municipality of Nardò, while to the north it dominates Torre Chianca.
Today it houses the offices of the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Finance Police).

Torre Chianca

Thanks to its height of 18 metres, Torre Chianca is connected to Torre Cesarea to the south and Torre Lapillo to the north.
During the Second World War it was used by the Italian army and became a camp and artillery post.

Porto Cesareo Protected Marine Area

The Porto Cesareo marine protected area extends for about 32 km and is delimited by the stretch between Punta Prosciutto and Torre Inserraglio; with its approximately 17,000 hectares of extension, it is the third largest in Italy.
It includes two municipalities: Porto Cesareo and Nardò, both belonging to the Province of Lecce.
The stretches of the Ionian coast included in the Porto Cesareo MPA (we’ll use this abbreviation for convenience) are varied: in places there are rocks, in others dunes and sandy shores.
There are three zones in the area concerned, as well as three different protection regimes imposed by law.

Zone A: Integral reserve: the heart of the reserve

In this zone all activities are prohibited with the sole exception of scientific research.

Zone B: General Reserve

A small portion of the AMP that allows activities such as professional fishing with selective equipment, subject to authorisation by the authorities.
In the General Reserve zone, bathing and underwater activities compatible with environmental and natural protection are permitted, as is navigation with boats at a speed of less than 10 nautical knots.

Zone C: Partial Reserve

In this partially protected area all the activities allowed in zone B are permitted, except underwater fishing using free diving or unsuitable equipment.

Porto Cesareo beaches

The colours of the Caribbean sea, but still in Salento

Porto Cesareo has a spectacular sea. There’s no point beating about the bush!
We can identify the most beautiful beaches by distinguishing between specific areas:

1. Porto Cesareo town centre: here we find Isola Beach, Tabù and Le Dune
2. Isola Grande: where you’ll find the beautiful Isola dei Conigli
3. Torre Chianca beach
4. Punta Prosciutto: where you’ll find Lido degli Angeli
5. Torre Lapillo: where you’ll find the beaches Bacino Grande, Togo Bay and Bonavista.

The town centre

Isola Beach, the Tabù beach establishment and the Le Dune beach establishment

This area is the busiest during the hottest months of the summer. But this shouldn’t be an excuse for not stopping at these fantastic beach establishments.
We’re talking about fine white sand and well-spaced sunbeds and umbrellas.
The Tabù and Le Dune beaches belong to the same owner, even though they are about a hundred metres apart.
The places are enchanting, the water is crystal clear and the service is superb: excellent food and the staff are courteous and ready to meet your every need.
The restaurant serves traditional dishes and revisited recipes.
Let’s take a closer look at them.

Isola Beach: a cool and exclusive beach club

Isola Beach is an exclusive and really ‘cool’ beach club. The modernisation of the entire structure, the hotel, the restaurants and the beach club has been truly incredible.
The spectacle that will unfold before your eyes is unique, as is the advice we’re about to give you: the beauty of being at the water’s edge comes at a cost, so get your wallet ready to spend a whole day at the beach and, why not, have dinner and the after-dinner entertainment.
The beach club is well-kept down to the smallest detail. As well as being able to relax on extra-comfortable sunbeds, you can also sit by the pool, listen to a top DJ set at cocktail hour and enjoy a delicious cocktail.
The atmosphere is young and the music volume magically increases after 7 p.m.

Le Dune Beach Club Aperitif & more

The lido Le Dune is ideal for families with children, but of course young couples without children and singles are also welcome.
The location is truly evocative because the places to eat and take a break from the summer heat are positioned on a terrace overlooking the sea of Porto Cesareo.
You can take a break at the bar, drink an iced coffee with almond milk (‘Salento coffee’, as they call it at Eataly) or have an ice cream and a quick bite to eat.
In addition to the snack bar, the services offered to the demanding clientele include the beach restaurant Aqua, where the scent of the sea and traditional fish recipes are enhanced and sublimated by the skill of the chef. The wine cellar is well stocked and the raw materials used are of the highest quality. Highly recommended.

Tabù Fashion Beach

Another enchanting stretch of Porto Cesareo beach, a beautiful lido: Tabù Fashion Beach.
A sought-after location frequented by famous people: last but not least, Antonio Conte, former coach of Juventus and Chelsea FC, winner of the English Premier League, now with Internazionale of Milan.
The words comfort and relaxation are two key points of the beach club’s offer, which is wide-ranging because in addition to providing strictly beach services, Tabù Fashion Beach offers an excellent bar, restaurant and deli service with great ingredients and superlative dishes, as well as hotel services. But we’ll talk about this later in the ‘Where to sleep in Porto Cesareo’ section of this article.

Spiaggia Isola Grande or Isola dei Conigli

The area of Isola Grande is beautiful, and known for a particular reason: it is called Isola dei Conigli (Rabbit Island) because this beautiful island, just a few metres from the sandy coast of Porti Cesareo, was used for breeding and reintroducing these cute rodents into the Salento habitat.
In this specific area of Porto Cesareo, there are no organised beaches. For this reason, you can swim and dive in the blue sea without any problem.
It can be easily reached from the shore because the water is only one metre deep and it is not unusual to see tourists and bathers crossing the channel of water between the mainland and the island, with umbrellas, deckchairs and coolboxes on their heads.

Torre Chianca beach

Near Torre Chianca, you can experience the wild beaches of Salento. The sand is very fine and the sea water is crystal clear.
You can immerse yourself in complete tranquillity, also because this stretch is one of the least travelled during the warmer months. You will be able to enjoy the sea and the wild nature.

Punta Prosciutto

the most beautiful stretch of coast of Porto Cesareo

We are north of Porto Cesareo, in the most beautiful and best served stretch of coast. We are talking about one of the most beautiful stretches of coast of Salento, if not the most beautiful of all.
The particular feature of this stretch of coast north of Porto Cesareo, between Torre Colimena and Torre Lapillo, are the steep, sunken stretches of land called ‘Spunnulate’.
In this area, the most charming beach is Lido degli Angeli.

As well as offering holiday accommodation, Lido Degli Angeli is located on the most beautiful stretch of the Ionian coast.
The sunbeds are spaced out at regular intervals and the beach is decorated in total white.
The beach has a bar and diner that offers excellent breakfasts and dishes.
For those who like to keep moving, an area of the beach has been set up as a beach volleyball court.

Torre Lapillo: another enchanting stretch of beaches, with well-equipped lidos

Torre Lapillo embraces a beautiful and enchanting stretch of coastline. The beaches are well organised, the lidos you’ll find in the area are well-stocked with everything: comfort, food and relaxation.
Here are a few suggestions.

Bacino Grande: one of the most famous

As well as offering hotel services, this is one of the most famous and popular beaches in Porto Cesareo.
The umbrellas are well spaced and the services offered are the classic ones: bar, cafeteria, restaurant serving local dishes.

Togo Bay

An enchanting beach establishment, the name evokes exotic, Caribbean destinations, miles and miles away from Porto Cesareo even though we are in Salento, in a corner of sun-kissed land, where the water is crystal clear, almost uncontaminated, and the sand is very fine and white.
The beach offers various services depending on the type of relaxation that tourists are looking for: canopy, large comfort beds, sunbeds and palm trees.
An excellent refreshment area and a large reception area, because first impressions are what count.

B&B Hotel Camping Porto Cesareo

There are many hotels, B&Bs and campsites in Porto Cesareo and there’s something for everyone because as well as 4-star luxury hotels, you can find a comfortable holiday home, a campsite or even a relais.
Having said that, we will show you the facilities we like the most. Of course it’s up to you to find accommodation that suits your budget.

Hotel Falli

4-star hotel in Porto Cesareo equipped with all comforts

A spectacular building, in neoclassical style, with a view over the enchanting bay of Porto Cesareo. A 4-star hotel where guests can choose between different types of comfort:

1. classic rooms: located in the annex 10 metres from the main building, they are equipped with all the main services: wi-fi, safe, air conditioning, hairdryer.
2. panoramic rooms: these have all the services of the classic rooms but enjoy a view over the splendid bay of Porto Cesareo; for those who choose this level of comfort, in addition to the double bed, there is the possibility of adding an extra bed;
3. Superior rooms: these are for those who don’t want to compromise on comfort. As well as a large shower cubicle, you’ll find a comfortable whirlpool bath.

The accommodation offer is completed by the Cosimino restaurant, which we’ll talk about in the next paragraph.

Hotel Lo Scoglio

An enviable position and a magnificent view are the hallmarks of one of the best hotels in Porto Cesareo.

The hotel Lo Scoglio enjoys an enviable position and an incredibly magnificent view.
The place where this hotel is located is very picturesque, because it is a real island, connected to the mainland by a small artificial bridge.
As we mentioned earlier, when we talked about the beaches, the hotel and all the facilities that are part of the Isola Lo Scoglio, have been involved in a major modernisation and restoration project. So, in terms of comfort, everything has been thoroughly revised, to provide a superior service to customers.
In this hotel, as well as foreign languages such as English and French, Russian is also spoken because the clientele that the place attracts is international.

Suite Hotel Le Dune

4-star hotel in Porto Cesareo a stone’s throw from the crystal-clear waters of the Le Dune beach, in the town of Porto Cesareo: you just have to cross the road!

This is a truly enchanting hotel. Perhaps it’s an understatement to call it a ‘hotel’.
47 rooms, including suites, superior and deluxe, enclosed in a modern and charming structure.
Every comfort has been studied and designed for your stay. From the private beach club, which we mentioned earlier in this article, to the three restaurants, solarium, swimming pool with sea view, American bar on the terrace, internal car park and beauty farm.
A unique place where you’ll really be the master of your holiday.

Porto Cesareo camping Torre Castiglione

The best campsite in Porto Cesareo

The Torre Castiglione campsite is a well-kept and well-finished campsite.
Inside you’ll find all the services you need: supermarket and catering services: bar, self-service, and a very good diner.
The campsite overlooks the Porto Cesareo Protected Marine Area, in Torre Lapillo.

Where to eat in Porto Cesareo

The best fish restaurants in Porto Cesareo

Obviously we don’t recommend you go and eat meat here in Porto Cesareo, a renowned seaside resort in Salento.
The places we recommend mainly serve fish, with excellent fusion sushi as a new entry.

Cosimino Restaurant

Part of the Falli hotel and also open to tourists and visitors not staying at the hotel, Cosimino is an institution here in Porto Cesareo because it has fishing in its DNA.

The flavours of the sea and the freshness of the fish are skilfully combined with the flavours of the Salento land.
Here you won’t find a simple fish restaurant, but a real ‘oasis of taste’ for your palate. With an enchanting and enviable view over the bay and the island, let yourself be hypnotised by the majestic trolley with the catch of the day.
Take the advice of the waiting staff and leave some room in your suitcase for the tuna caught and canned by the Falli family, fishermen from generation to generation.

Tortuga Restaurant

The restaurant on the island of Porto Cesareo, at water level

Tortuga is a restaurant at water level, on the island of Porto Cesareo.
To reach it you have to cross a small bridge on foot or by car, or take a taxi-boat.
We’re talking about a magnificent fish restaurant, open all year round for lunch and dinner.
As well as offering delicious dishes of fresh fish, beautifully presented and ‘plated’, it satisfies your desire for pizza, with some very good pizzas, also by the metre, made with alternative flours.
If you want to have a romantic dinner with your loved one or have lunch with all the family, this is the place for you.

Shima

This fusion restaurant offers incredibly good dishes for the demanding tourist palate.

The location is the same as Tortuga, as is the owner. What varies is the chef, Henrique Belmiro Baccarin. A true artist in the kitchen, he blends international cuisine with Japanese cuisine to create amazing dishes.
If you want to eat something healthy and really good, there’s only one thing to do: book.

Dune Suite Hotel and its three restaurants

The Dune Suite Hotel Restaurant, Aqua Restaurant and Altomare Restaurant

This accommodation complex has three excellent restaurants, guided by the skill and creative flair of executive chef Cosimo Russo.
Let’s take a look at them together.

Aqua Restaurant

Located in the Lido Le Dune

Aqua Restaurant is on the seafront, within the lido restaurant.
The decor is refined and elegant, and the large windows and balconies facing the sea at Porto Cesareo let in lots of light. The restaurant offers breakfast and light lunches for those who want to continue their day at the beach, or proper lunches, including a buffet.
The dishes offered are typical seafood recipes. Everything is taken care of down to the smallest detail.
The restaurant is mainly open during the day.

Altomare Restaurant

A restaurant with a view of the pool, for your dinners

Altomare Restaurant is the hotel’s à la carte restaurant, and is located on the first floor of the building.
A large panoramic terrace, where you can enjoy traditional Salento dishes with a twist in peace and quiet, by the pool. It’s worth booking because such an evocative view of the Porto Cesareo sunset can’t be found anywhere else.

Le Dune Suite Hotel Restaurant

Creative cuisine with the utmost respect for tradition

A large hall with panoramic windows provides the perfect setting for a romantic dinner or an intimate meal with a few friends. A typical Salento restaurant in terms of flavours and colours, the cuisine, prepared to order in this magnificent location, is very genuine.
The chefs, while respecting local traditions, offer incredibly good and innovative dishes, with seasonal menus designed to satisfy and amaze even the most refined palates.
We suggest you book in advance.

Weather in Porto Cesareo

The weather of the sky and the sea of Porto Cesareo in a small graphic representation