Saint Catherine
Saint Catherine
Santa Caterina is a marina that is part of the Nardò Riviera, from which it is 7 km away and which continues with Santa Maria al Bagno. It is a small seaside resort of great environmental and naturalistic value thanks to the quiet and green pine forest, natural caves and a crystal clear sea. Santa Caterina is bordered by two nearby towers. The “Torre di Santa Caterina” and the “Torre Dell'Alto”: the first is almost hidden in a thicket of pines and looks directly towards the town, the second marks the border with the Porto Selvaggio Park. Both were part of that complex coastal defense and sighting system wanted by Charles V to repel the attacks of the Turks. Along the coast of Santa Caterina there are numerous caves and cavities, many of which have proved to be precious because they have allowed the discovery of fossils and prehistoric finds. Among these, we remember the Grotta del Capelvenere, located at the foot of the cliff that closes the town to the north.
From the heights of this small tourist center you can admire the Salento coast bordered by Gallipoli to the south and by the regional natural park of Porto Selvaggio to the north.
Behind the stretch of coast that goes from Santa Maria al Bagno to Santa Caterina, there are the Cenate, one of the most beautiful residential areas of Salento and its name derives from the acenata grape. Near Santa Caterina you can also see the ruins of an abbey dating back to the late medieval period.
During the summer season, Santa Caterina is a very popular place for young people. Its promenade and main street are besieged by boys and girls who love to stroll during the sultry evenings of June, July and August. In these stretches, many commercial activities have arisen such as bars, ice cream parlors, pubs and lounge bars where you can enjoy cocktails or listen to music under one of the many gazebos that partially occupy the streets. There are also numerous excellent restaurants specializing in tasty fish dishes. The important tourist push then allowed the rise of accommodation facilities such as b & b, holiday homes and a resort and wellness center of the same name, while remaining quite far from the great attendance (and confusion?) Of Gallipoli. The main avenues converge in a small square and throughout the path the nightlife is present until late. Many areas of the town have recently been restructured and allow you to fully enjoy the views and scents that distinguish it.
The coast is exclusively rocky made of low cliffs, in some places it is possible for tourists to swim or, for the more courageous, to "experience" beautiful dives. In reality there is also a small sandy beach, however, granted to private owners. The color of the sea is a pale blue towards the coast to quickly become more intense sign of deeper waters. The sea of Santa Caterina has been awarded Five Sails by the Blue Guide published by Touring and Legambiente and is considered one of the ten most beautiful seaside resorts in Italy.
