San Pietro in Bevagna

The water trail

From Campomarino Maruggio you can quickly reach San Pietro in Bevagna, an area to explore at a slow pace. To do so, simply walk along the Water Trail, which passes through a nature reserve and reaches Torre Colimena.

The Nature Reserve of the Mouth of the Chidro River

The protected area is the Chidro River Mouth Nature Reserve. The point where the Chidro flows into the Ionian Sea is nothing short of marvelous: a soft beach lines the basin where the two crystal clear waters merge. Here it is possible to dive in and enjoy the sea temperature, which is around 18-20 degrees. The more adventurous can go further, about 200 meters from the mouth and 6 meters deep. Right here there is the largest site of marine archaeology in Italy: the 23 "Sarcophagi of the Kings" that can only be visited with mask and flippers.

The Sarcophagi of the Kings are not the only evidence of Salento's past. Diving into the nature of the reserve, one encounters the Salina dei Monaci. Ostensibly a beautiful natural sight, it actually tells how the salt harvesting activity took place.

The Colimena Tower

The archaeological panorama of the area continues even further. Having arrived at Torre Colimena, it is time to marvel at the beautiful lookout tower that allowed the coast to be defended from Saracen attacks. A splendid time to see it is undoubtedly sunset, when the sun tints it with warm colors that seem to bring its ancient stones to life.