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.
Checked practical information on access, sea conditions, services and safety. In 2026 the Puglia natural-cave register provides updated coordinates for several caves in Nardò, while the municipality has reorganised part of park mobility. These data help distinguish the individual caves and their access routes more accurately.
There is no single “cave route”. Some caves are on the Uluzzo headland and reached on foot, some are sea caves dependent on conditions, and others are protected archaeological sites where entry must never be assumed.
If an access point is closed or altered, do not improvise shortcuts: use authorised routes only.
The sea caves sit on a rocky coast with variable depth, waves and currents. Clear water makes snorkelling appealing, but each cave must be assessed individually and only in calm sea.
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.
Use this page to orient yourself, then open the page for the individual cave. Parking, trails and services vary greatly between Uluzzo Bay, Porto Selvaggio’s main bay and the Torre dell’Alto sector.
Do not leave valuables visible in the car and do not occupy verges, access points or unauthorised spaces.
The setting is natural, with rock and uneven trails. There is no certification allowing the cave approach to be described as barrier-free; visitors with specific mobility needs should use the accessible viewpoints of the park instead.
If you have specific mobility needs, check before leaving whether the route is genuinely usable that day.
No cave should be treated as a playground for jumping or improvised exploration. Archaeological barriers, restrictions, rough sea and exposed passages always take priority over your planned itinerary.
If signs or barriers on site are more restrictive than this guide, the instructions on site always take precedence.
Useful for hikers, archaeology enthusiasts and experienced snorkellers who want to understand which caves are terrestrial, marine or protected.
Before deciding, pay particular attention to the access and safety cards, as they can completely change the experience.
Less suitable for anyone seeking a sandy beach, easy access and services within a few metres.
If one of these limitations is decisive for you, compare a nearby location before setting off.
Suitable shoes, water, sun protection and the specific page for the cave you intend to see. For sea caves add appropriate equipment and caution about conditions.
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.
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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.
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.
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 Porto Selvaggio between Torre Inserraglio and Santa Caterina.
Access, sea, parking, families, services and safety.
