Holiday apartment in Santa Caterina: Coast, Towers and Kayaking

Santa Caterina overlooks a low, rocky coast. A small sandy cove, transparent turquoise water and gently sloping seabeds shape the shoreline.

Torre Santa Caterina in the pine grove

The Torre Santa Caterina is part of the coastal scenery. It stands in a pine grove 200 metres from the sea, at an altitude of approximately 32 metres. The Torre Santa Maria dell’Alto (Torre dell’Alto) is a coastal tower in the village of Santa Caterina in the municipality of Nardò and is located in the Porto Selvaggio e Palude del Capitano Park.

In 1582, construction of the Torre Santa Caterina was definitively assigned to Massenzio Gravili from Lecce. The Torre Santa Caterina is believed to have already been standing in 1613; the year of its completion is not known with certainty. The restored external staircase still leads to the usable floor.

Coastal sightseeing and kayak routes

When sea and weather conditions are suitable, guided coastal tours of the park depart from the launching ramp in Santa Caterina. With advance reservation, they are available for groups of two to twelve people. For beginners, the guided outings can be limited to the area as far as the Torre dell’Alto or the cove of Porto Selvaggio.

Santa Caterina also has a diving centre and a canoe club, from which coastal excursions towards the Porto Selvaggio Park depart. The kayak route passes beneath the Torre dell’Alto and can include a walk through the pine grove as well as a visit to the freshwater spring. A kayak excursion in the Porto Selvaggio Park is also suitable for people with no previous kayaking experience and leads to hidden caves and gorges.

Archaeology along the coast and inland

Approximately 300 metres off the coast at Punta dell’Aspide, opposite the northern pine grove of Santa Caterina di Nardò, lies a shipwreck dating from the late Republican period. About 150 amphorae were recovered from this wreck. The harbour or landing place of Santa Caterina was used in the 5th century and from the second half of the 4th to the 2nd century BC.

Traces of various periods can also be seen on land. The Grotta di Capelvenere was a place of worship in the Archaic and Hellenistic periods. In Santa Caterina, the remains of an ancient landing place with quays and moles, and probably also warehouses and storage facilities, can be identified. Significant fortifications with a ditch and an isodomic wall with a gateway opening can also be seen.

Routes in the Porto Selvaggio Park

The Porto Selvaggio e Palude del Capitano Park offers nature and cultural heritage routes. The park’s address is: Via Litoranea Sant Isidoro, Santa Caterina, 73048 Nardò LE.

Discover more places

More places: Montesano Salentino, Sogliano Cavour, Cerfignano, Marina Di Ugento, Frigole, Depressa, Torre Vado and Tricase Porto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lecce.