The Grotta Porcinara is perhaps the best known of the caves along the Santa Maria di Leuca coastline. Built by man as a place of pagan worship, this example of a cave bears witness to the very history of Leuca, a land that has seen different cultures intermingle over the centuries in a mixture of mutual respect, and which has been a safe harbour for many sailors for millennia. The Grotta della Porcinara is located along a small promontory about 60 metres from the sea and can be accessed via a small path from the mainland. At present, the cave is closed with iron grilles and to visit it, one must make an explicit request to the municipality. The entrance has two mouths that give access to three different rooms, inside which pre-Christian epigraphs have been discovered of thanksgiving for a safe voyage or of prayers that solicited comfort before facing a long journey. Some archaeological research by the University of Salento has revealed the presence of an area inside the cave used for the worship of pagan-religious rites. From a landscape point of view, the Grotta della Porcinara represents only one of the many natural beauties of the Leuca area; the wide cliffs interspersed with small paths through the green of the typical Mediterranean maquis frame a crystal-clear blue sea. The marvellous seabed is ideal for those who love diving so as to discover the most hidden recesses while also admiring the beautiful plays of light that are produced between the crevices of the various inlets; have a good summer at the Grotta della Porcinara.
Last update: 26/03/2023, Tonio Viva
