Beach vacation in Puglia? Stop in Nardò, Salento's hidden gem.

It's not directly on the coast, nor among the names bouncing among beach towels and crowded aperitifs on the beach. Yet all you have to do is turn your back on the chaos, follow your instincts rather than your navigation system, and there it is: Nardò (visitnardo.it), south of Lecce toward the Ionian Sea, in that corner of Puglia that gazes out to sea from afar. A town where time stands still. Here, everything continues to flow, with the discreet grace encapsulated in its name: Nar, which in Illyrian means water. The same water that irrigated the gardens of the Messapians (the founders, before the arrival of the Greeks, Romans, and Normans) and gave birth to stories. Like the one about the bull who, with a stomp of his hoof, caused a spring to gush forth from underground. In memory of this legendary birth, there is the Fountain of the Bull, erected in 1930, when the Apulian Aqueduct arrived in the city, and created by the sculptor Michele Gaballo from Nardò. The circular panels at the sides of the monument feature the civic coat of arms and the emblem of the Province of Lecce, which replaced the original Fascist insignia. A phrase from the Canticle of the Creatures by Saint Francis of Assisi is a reminder of how "useful, humble, precious, and chaste" water is.
From the Messapians to the Apulian AqueductAnd if water gave rise to the myth, it is the pale stone that today tells its story. One need only enter the harmonious labyrinth of the historic center to realize this: every façade, every balcony, every glimpse seems to hold a story. And the light, like a silent accomplice, seems to know exactly where to rest. Piazza Salandra, formerly known as Piazza delle Legne, is the visible heart of this enchantment. Described as "the most beautiful baroque square in the South," it is an explosion of elegance and geometry, of golden carparo stone that lights up at sunset. The 19-meter-high Spire of the Immaculate Conception, built by the people of Nardò as a votive offering after the 1743 earthquake, stands tall in the center, seemingly protecting the comings and goings of people and bicycles from above. All around, like extras in a perfect scene, are the Clock Tower, the Palazzo della Pretura, and the Sedile, the former civic seat, now an information point but once the place where the city's fate was decided. The sober parallelepiped volume, pierced by round arches, was enriched, a harmonious labyrinth with Rococo influences in the upper gable with the statues of San Gregorio Armeno, in the centre, Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Anthony of Padua at the sides.
Those unique architectural detailsBut it's in the details that Nardò is truly enchanting. In the shiny paving stones, in the half-open doors, in the mignani, those small, barred balconies from which women once watched life unseen. A gesture of discretion that speaks volumes about the character of this discreet place.
Not far away, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is a symphony of styles and eras: founded in 1090 by the Benedictines on the site of an 8th-century Basilian church, it preserves Byzantine and Gothic frescoes, Romanesque naves, and a Baroque influence that enriches its interior. But what is most striking is the Chapel of the Crucifix, home to the famous polychrome wooden Black Christ. It is said that, during a Saracen raid, he was knocked against a doorpost: blood gushed from his broken finger, scaring the frightened looters away. Legend or faith, it matters little: before that sculpture, one breathes a devotion that needs no words. The chapel, decorated in the early 20th century by Pietro Piccolomini Lolli, a collaborator of Cesare Maccari, is a silent treasure trove of art and spirituality. Not far away, Acquaviva Castle, the current seat of the Municipality, reveals the noble soul of the city. The Apollo Film Festival, an international film and literary festival now in its third year, will be held here from August 22nd to 24th, showcasing art in all its forms. Next to the castle is one of Salento's oldest botanical gardens: the Orto Botanico, home to rare and native species.
Museums that tell the story of the pastFor those who love to discover the past with new eyes, two museums are worth another leisurely stop. The Museum of Prehistory, housed in the former Franciscan Convent, offers a journey through time beginning around 75 million years ago with a collection of fossil fish dating back to the late Cretaceous period and a turtle. It also houses the oldest Homo sapiens remains in Europe. Also worth a visit is the Museum of Memory and Hospitality, housed in a former school building and designed by architect Luca Zevi, which houses the remains of Jewish Holocaust survivors, welcomed here between 1944 and 1947. Murals, photographs, and letters: a touching testimony to the solidarity between local residents and refugees.
But Nardò is also contemporary, vibrant, and alive among the streets, with grassroots cultural projects. This is demonstrated by Insolita Comune, a multidisciplinary space spread across courtyards, terraces, and small rooms, designed by Alessandra Martino and Silvia Priore to host a community of artists and artists, with furnishings, fashion, and crafts. On Via De Michele, you enter Sutta, an art laboratory with an urban, retro feel, which also served as a music rehearsal space in the 1970s (Rita Pavone and Edoardo Vianello are said to have performed here). The exhibition "Progetti" by artist Francesco Levi, hosted by Galleria SpazioArrivabene 2 in Mantua, is currently open until September: cut-out writings, painted strokes, and faceless human silhouettes become kites, trees, and clouds, in a visual world where everything can still transform. A few meters away, Susu, the poetic terrace, opens, where the Insolita Rassegna curated by Mirella Borgocroce comes to life: meetings under the stars with writers and a view of the rooftops.
Summer eventsAnd if you love painting, until August 15th, in the Church of San Trifone, you can visit the exhibition "Faces from the World" for free, a solo exhibition of paintings by Lecce native Vittorio Tapparini. Twenty-five works, oil on canvas, celebrate women in a pop, sometimes vintage, style, featuring references to Frida Kahlo and Picasso, vibrant colors, and faces that seem to speak of aspirations, journeys, and dreams. From August 20th to September 20th, the exhibition "My Landscape" will take center stage.
A few kilometers later, you reach the coastline, where sandy stretches alternate with cliffs immersed in Mediterranean vegetation. Santa Maria al Bagno, with its Quattro Colonne—ancient watchtowers—that seem to emerge from a marine fairytale, is a small, secluded bay. The waters have been awarded the Blue Flag, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the elegance is enhanced by the details: old pastel-colored houses, bars with tables on the pier, a captivating tranquility. Santa Caterina is wilder, with its high cliffs and defense towers that remind you of how this sea once served as a frontier. The vegetation is scented with rosemary, myrtle, and mastic; the waters are clear, and every corner seems perfect for stopping and gazing. Nothing else is needed.
The very close coast and the nearby oneFor those traveling with children or seeking a quieter day, there's Sant'Isidoro, with its golden beach protected by a small island that softens the waves. Excursions along the coast and towards Torre Squillace also depart from here.
But the unmissable stop for those who love nature in all its nuances is the Porto Selvaggio Regional Natural Park. A paradise of over 500 hectares of pine forest, shady paths, coves carved into the rock, and prehistoric caves like the Grotta del Cavallo, where the oldest Homo sapiens remains in Europe were discovered. You can hike among pine trees and silence, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters. At the summit, the Torri dell'Alto and Torri di Uluzzo watch over the pristine landscape like stone sentinels. On August 16th, when the last shooting stars pass by, you can participate in the special nighttime excursion "Portoselvaggio and the Stars": three kilometers between sky and desires, guided by an expert voice that intertwines botany, astronomy, and myth.
A little further south, towards Gallipoli, the hues become tropical. At Punta della Suina, aptly called the "Caribbean of the Ionian," the sea varies from emerald green to turquoise, and the two small coves of fine sand are framed by juniper trees, wild lilies, and fragrant scrub.
Practical adviceAnd in the evening, after a day out and about, you can unwind with a delicious break in one of the many bars and restaurants. Just steps from Piazza Salandra, the family-run Antica Trattoria Salandra offers orecchiette, fried octopus, spaghetti with mussels, fava bean and chicory purée, stuffed zucchini flowers, and a warm, homey welcome. Don't miss the Amarissimo, a Salento artisanal liqueur with a strong, wild flavor, made with Mediterranean herbs.
For accommodation, the ideal option is to choose one of the many surrounding masserie or a home in the heart of the historic center that has a soul. Like Casa Vico Moline (on Airbnb): a vintage 1970s retreat with a large terrace overlooking the spire of the Immaculate Conception. The Relais Monastero Santa Teresa, on the other hand, is a sort of "albergo diffuso" (a hotel spread across several buildings): the rooms are spread across three buildings, once inhabited by numerous illustrious figures from the aristocracy of the Kingdom of Naples, the Two Sicilies, and the ecclesiastical world. On the main floor of the Sambiasi Palace—formerly the Santa Teresa Monastery—in the large frescoed rooms, you can lose yourself in a book from the international library.
Nardò doesn't impose itself. It reveals itself. And once you discover it, it stays with you. Like certain summer loves that can last well into autumn and beyond.
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