Summer in Salento, from a villa between two seas
Salento is the very tip of the heel, a flat peninsula of olive groves, stone walls and baroque towns running down to Santa Maria di Leuca. Summer here means a choice of coasts every morning: the Adriatic, with its cliffs and sea caves around Castro and Otranto, or the Ionian, where the sand runs long and the sun sets into the water.
The 23 villas below include a clifftop house near Castro with a private path down to the rocks, a villa within the Porto Selvaggio nature reserve on the Ionian coast, and a 16th century masseria at Salve with a Gonzaga watchtower and a heated natural swimming lake. Evenings belong to Lecce, Gallipoli or the tambourines of the pizzica.
At a glance
- 23 private villas
- From 2 to 12 bedrooms
- Up to 40 guests in one villa
- 23 with a private pool
- 6 with sea views
- 5 with a cook or staff
- Availability and price on request, reply within one working day
Locals pick their beach by the wind: when it blows from the north the Ionian is calmer, and with a southerly wind the Adriatic side.
Boats leave from Castro's harbour for the caves along the cliffs, including the Zinzulusa, best visited in the calm of the morning.
Lecce's custard filled pastry, eaten warm with an iced coffee sweetened with almond milk, is the local way to start a summer day.
Choose your villa
Add up to five villas to your list and send one request with your dates: we confirm availability and price with each owner.
Positions are approximate: the exact address is shared once your stay is confirmed.
Questions before you choose
Which airport serves Salento?
Brindisi is the nearest, about 40 minutes by car from Lecce and under two hours from Santa Maria di Leuca. Bari is further but has more routes. You will need a car to reach the villas.
Is August very busy in Salento?
Yes. Mid August is the peak of the Italian holiday, and beaches and towns are crowded. June, July and early September are calmer; a villa with its own pool lets you avoid the busiest beaches.
How long must we stay in summer?
In summer villas generally rent Saturday to Saturday for a week or longer. Most pools are open from May through October. Send up to five villas in one request and we reply within one working day.
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