Santa Maria dell'Alto Tower stands about 50 metres above the southern edge of Porto Selvaggio Park. It is a historic and scenic stop, not a beach: its main attraction is the landscape of pine woods, cliffs and the Ionian Sea.
Checked practical information on access, sea conditions, services and safety. local public sources and municipal records document maintenance of the Torre dell'Alto viewpoint in 2024; the tower remains within Porto Selvaggio Park. Local access can change because of works or orders, so follow current signage.
Reach it on foot via park trails and the viewpoint area. You cannot drive to the tower itself: leave the car only in permitted areas and allow for uneven paths and elevation changes.
If an access point is closed or altered, do not improvise shortcuts: use authorised routes only.
The tower stands above a high cliff and the sea below is deep; this is not a water-entry point. For swimming, use authorised coastal access points in the park and never descend the cliff.
Before moving away from shore, identify a safe exit point and do not enter if waves or current exceed your ability.
With small children, choose only spots away from manoeuvring areas and with an easy entry; supervision and sea conditions remain essential.
Before planning the day, consider access, distance from services, crowding and how easy it will be to get back.
No services are guaranteed at the tower. Bring water, sun protection and suitable shoes; avoid the hottest hours in summer. Services are in nearby resorts, not on the headland.
Do not leave valuables visible in the car and do not occupy verges, access points or unauthorised spaces.
The site is mainly viewed from outside and along walking routes. Ground can be uneven, and we found no certification allowing the whole route to be described as barrier-free.
If you have specific mobility needs, check before leaving whether the route is genuinely usable that day.
Stay on the trails and away from cliff edges. Do not use the area for cliff jumping or seek direct descents to the sea: wind, brittle rock and height increase risk.
If the wind strengthens, reassess your return before conditions worsen.
local public sources and municipal records document maintenance of the Torre dell'Alto viewpoint in 2024; the tower remains within Porto Selvaggio Park. Local access can change because of works or orders, so follow current signage.
If signs or barriers on site are more restrictive than this guide, the instructions on site always take precedence.
Best for hiking, photography, history and views. With children, assess age, heat and walking ability; this is not a family bathing spot.
Before deciding, pay particular attention to the access and safety cards, as they can completely change the experience.
Less suitable for anyone seeking an actual beach: this is mainly a historic, archaeological or scenic stop.
If one of these limitations is decisive for you, compare a nearby location before setting off.
Hiking or sports shoes with good grip, water, hat and sun protection; binoculars or a camera for the views.
Keep your phone and documents in a waterproof case and carry your gear in a compact backpack.
The gallery shows the available and verified photographs for this place.
Have you photographed this beach or a beach club located here? Send your image to Salentissimo.it.
The photo and the details you enter will be emailed to the editorial team and checked before possible publication among the photographs of this beach.
Beach clubs and bathing establishments linked to this location.
Continue along the same coast with linked guides.
A small free cove in the northern sector of Porto Selvaggio and Palude del Capitano Regional Natural Park, between Torre Uluzzo and Torre Inserraglio. It is best enjoyed as a natural beach: mixed seabed, rocks and pebbles, clear water, snorkelling and very limited direct services.
Torre Uluzzo Bay is one of the most dramatic and rugged stretches of Porto Selvaggio Park: cliffs, Mediterranean scrub, the remains of the 16th-century tower and an important archaeological landscape. It is not an easy beach and not a place for flip-flops.
A small pebble bay inside the natural park: the sea is spectacular, but before you go it helps to know where to leave the car, how far you need to walk, how the shuttle works and what to bring.
This page does not describe one cave: it is an overview of the cave and rock-shelter system of Porto Selvaggio and Uluzzo Bay. Grotta del Cavallo, Grotta di Uluzzu, Uluzzo C, Grotta Gaia and Green Cave have very different characteristics and access conditions and should be considered separately.
Lu Rinaru is a small natural cove between Serra Cicora and Uluzzo Bay, on a rocky and lightly developed stretch of coast. In previous years the municipality designated it for bathing with dogs, but current local signage should be checked before automatically treating it as a dog beach this season.
The regional cave register records “Grotta di Uluzzu” in the same position on the tower headland: we keep the historical Salentissimo name while using the verified location and without promising easy access.
Grotta del Cavallo in Uluzzo Bay is one of Salento’s most important prehistoric sites. Its long Palaeolithic sequence has produced key evidence for the study of Neanderthals, the Uluzzian and early Homo sapiens in Europe. It should not be treated as an ordinary tourist swimming cave.
Grotta Gaia is a coastal cave very close to Porto Selvaggio’s main bay. The Puglia cave register confirms its name and position, but the new page avoids presenting it as an “easy” cave to reach in all conditions.
Grotta Greta is a local name on Porto Selvaggio’s rocky coast. Official sources confirm the protected park and its many caves, but no official cave-registry coordinate was found under this name, so the pin marks the coastal sector rather than a certified entrance.
Porto Selvaggio’s Green Cave is a sea cave also recorded by the Puglia cave register. Green reflections and clear water make it striking, but its low entrance and swell can make it impassable: it is not a place to reach at any cost.
Choose a service and view all available businesses and information on its dedicated page.
Navigation follows the parent resort and the actual neighbouring coastal locations.
Access, sea, parking, families, services and safety.
