6 November 2024
Puglia has a coastline that surely caters for every need. From white sandy beaches to sheer cliffs and secret corners. And mostly the most beautiful clear water. To the west, the Ionian sea, and to the east, the Adriatic.
Today, we took a drive towards the Adriatic coast, and more specifically to an area that has the dramatic cliffs and, what they seem to call, sea stacks.
First, we stopped to see the Grotta della Poesia, or translated, the Cave of Poetry, located in Roca Vecchia. Next to a small beach with beautiful clear water, and opposite a historical watchtower, built in 1568, you will find the most beautiful natural pool.
It took us a while to find the Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea, or Sea Stacks of Sant’Andrea. Clearly also a very popular destination, but, once again, we were very happy to have come in the off season, and so successfully avoiding the summer crowds. And just to at least experience these beautiful beaches a little better, we even got our feet wet in the crystal clear water.
One thing that astounded us today is how completely deserted the coastal villages are. In some villages, I’m quite sure that the current population must be zero. Everything seems closed, and you don’t see even a parked car, to at least show some glimmer of life.
We have now (finally) learnt that it is absolutly pointless trying to find a restaurant for supper before 7pm. Most places only open then, or even later. There also seems to be many ‘bars’ here. So at first sight, it does not seem like you would be able to eat something meaningful there. Today we tried a place that looked like a mix between a bar and a fast-food shop. We had a lovely dinner, and had a long chat with a Frenchman (or rather, he chatted for a long time, we mostly tried to listen and understand, and largely failed at that too 🙂 ).
This was our last night in Lecce. Next stop – Ostuni. Possibly via a winery.
