Puglia west coast boat tour: Punta Prosciutto, Rabbit Island and Underwater Greek Roman Columns from Porto Cesareo - Salento

The sandy beaches, coastal cliffs, and sea caves of the Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area lie along Puglia’s west coast. Let's discover it together, from the sea point of view, with this boat trip that you will hardly forget.

Duration
3 hours

Available
Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun

Small Group
Max 20 people

Meeting Point
Nazario Sauro Square

Start time
9:30am or 3:00pm

On this tour of 3 hours, admire stunning landscapes from the water as you cruise from Porto Cesareo to Punta Prosciutto, stop along the way to swim in the Mediterranean, enjoy snorkeling in the most crystalline sea, guided by an expert skipper and an environmental guide that will assist you all along the tour. The best way to discover the amazing Salento.

Program of the Puglia west coast boat tour – Salento:

Meeting point in Nazario Sauro Square, in front of the Restaurant Lu Cannizzu.
Start of the boat tour with stops for swimming and snorkeling in Punta Prosciutto, a corner of paradise in the heart of Salento, with its turquoise sea and wild and unspoiled beach: the Telegraph listed it among the 10 most beautiful little-known beaches in the world.
Continue the tour stopping for swimming and snorkeling at Torre Castiglione, a stretch of coastline that not only is known for its karst areas but also for its extremely clear sea, that locals like to define as “Caribbean”.
The third stop will be in Torre Chianca, overlooking one of the most ancient underwater archaeological site in Italy: at only 4 meters deep, and 80 meters from the coast, five monolithic columns from the Roman era in the 2nd century AD can be found on the sandy seabed.
Before the end of the tour, stop at the Rabbit Island for a walk: it is a true natural oasis, completely uninhabited and without accommodations, bars or any recreational structures. The island is surrounded by beautiful seabed, perfect for diving lovers.

The price includes: Professional skipper – Environmental guide – Snacks – Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages – Masks and jackets for snorkeling.

The price does not include: Hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Do not forget: Swimsuit – Beach towel – Sunscreen – Sun hat – Camera.

Maximum: 20 people on board.

To know more about your boat trip...

Punta Prosciutto

It is a pristine beach with crystal clear water and for this reason it is one of the most popular destination for tourists. One of the most particular feature of this stretch of sea is the so-called spunnulate: term used to identify the tiny little ponds surrounded by wild vegetation typical of the Mediterranean marquis, that make this coast one of the most beautiful spot of Salento. Curiosity: The bizarre name of Punta Prosciutto (“ham” in English) comes from the local dialect “Li Prisuti”, expression with which locals used to call the beach. But Punta Prosciutto is also called in other ways: for example Palude del Conte (“marsh of the count” in English), a name taken from the homonymous Regional Park, where this coastline is located.

The most beautiful beaches of Porto Cesareo

The coast of Porto Cesareo is full of wonderful beaches where the water is very clean and surrounded by lush Mediterranean vegetation, a mix that makes this stretch of coastline the perfect destination for those who want to experience the sea in all its wonderful aspects, without giving up the history and the charm of Italy. Among the beaches not to be missed, we must mention Punta Prosciutto, Torre Chianca and the Isola dei Conigli because almost completely unspoiled. These areas, particularly popular during the summer months, represent the actual treasures of the Ionian Coast.

Torre Castiglione

Like a real Caribbean inlet on the Salento coast! The sea is spectacular and the vegetation thick. A corner of paradise, not to be missed.

Torre Chianca and the roman columns

This is a beautiful beach with very shallow crystal water where a watchtower against the enemies of the coast once stood. Not far away, 15 feet under the water, it is possible to admire 5 Roman columns submerged for at least two thousand years.The beach of Torre Chianca is not only dream sea and white sand, but preserves the traces of an ancient history. Near Torre Chianca, in fact, during the Bronze Age, there was a village that established strong trade with the Greeks, and over the years various handmade ceramics, object of the exchanges, have been found on the seabeds. But Torre Chianca is also famous for the treasure that still today lies on its seabed: just in front of the coast, it is possible to admire 5 Roman columns dating back to the second century A.D. The Roman columns of Torre Chianca are made of Cipollino marble, about 9 meters long with a thickness between 70 and 100 cm, that probably ended up in the sea after a shipwreck.

Isola dei Conigli (“rabbit island” in English)

A completely uninhabited island located in the Marine Protected Area of Porto Cesareo, perfect place for diving and relaxing, thought to forget the world outside. Isola dei Conigli (“rabbit island” in English) was better known as Isola Grande (or “big island”) because of its size (2.5 km long and 400 m wide) and the land was mainly used by the surrounding population for cattle breeding purposes in order to feed themselves, especially during world wars. Later in the fifties, the island was used to breed rabbits in the wild, hence the name used today and that makes it even more famous. Today rabbits are no longer inhabitants of the island, but this remains one of the wildest and most unspoiled place to make a stop in complete relaxation.

Q&A

How to reach Punta Prosciutto?

Punta Prosciutto is not immediately accessible by public transport. The only two valid alternatives to reach this heavenly stretch of Apulian coastline are the car and the boat. It is important to point out that the beaches of Punta Prosciutto, mostly public beaches, have become a popular destination for tourists and locals, especially in the summer months. For this reason, if you do not like chaos and stress, booking a boat tour to Punta Prosciutto becomes the best way to enjoy the crystal clear waters and the charming morphology of this unique place.

How to get to Isola dei Conigli from Porto Cesareo?

Isola dei Conigli is a wild island located in the Protected Marine Area of Porto Cesareo. For the more adventurous, it is possible to reach the island swimming from the nearby beaches, but the boat is definitely the best solution. On the uninhabited island you will see glimpses of pine forest, soft sand, typical Mediterranean vegetation and sea beds full of colorful fish. Undoubtedly it is the ideal destination for snorkeling.

How long is the boat tour?

The boat tour will last around 3 hours.

Can I choose the departure time?

Yes, you can choose to depart at 09:30 or at 15:00 depending on availability.

Do I have some free time to swim and snorkel?

Yes you will have some free time to swim and snorkel during the boat tour. The skipper will decide the best and most comfortable stops for you thanks to his experience.

Are there toilet breaks during the tour?

On board there is the opportunity to use the restroom.

Is lunch included in the boat tour?

Lunch is not included in the boat tour.

Will the tour be cancelled in case of heavy rain or rough sea?

Yes, in case of bad weather/sea conditions the tour might be cancelled. In case of cancellation we are happy to offer our customers the choice of an alternative date or, in case of inability to rebook, the full refund.