Porto Badisco Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

According to one interpretation Porto Badisco was the first landing of Aeneas, described in Virgil's Aeneid: the hero would make a stopover here on his trip to Italy after fleeing from Troy. In Porto Badisco there is also the "Grotta dei Cervi", a cave which contains important drawings made with bat guano dating to the Neolithic period and is characterized by numerous ravines and coves of exceptional beauty. In Direction Santa Caesarea-Castro-Leuca, furthermore, there is the so-called "Grotta delle Striare", that is, the witches' cave, characteristic for entry crossed diagonally by a tongue of rock. Since October 2006, part of the territory of Otranto is part of the Leuca Otranto-Santa Maria Coast Park and Tricase Forest, established by the Region of Puglia in order to safeguard the east coast of Salento, rich in precious architectural monuments and important species animals and plants.
According to one interpretation Porto Badisco was the first landing of Aeneas, described in Virgil's Aeneid: the hero would make a stopover here on his trip to Italy after fleeing from Troy. In Porto Badisco there is also the "Grotta dei Cervi", a cave which contains important drawings made with bat guano dating to the Neolithic period and is characterized by numerous ravines and coves of exceptional beauty. In Direction Santa Caesarea-Castro-Leuca, furthermore, there is the so-called "Grotta delle Striare", that is, the witches' cave, characteristic for entry crossed diagonally by a tongue of rock. Since October 2006, part of the territory of Otranto is part of the Leuca Otranto-Santa Maria Coast Park and Tricase Forest, established by the Region of Puglia in order to safeguard the east coast of Salento, rich in precious architectural monuments and important species animals and plants.
Porto Badisco is a seaside resort located in the municipality of Otranto, in the province of Lecce. A tourist destination of notable historical-landscape interest, it overlooks the Adriatic Sea and is less than 8 km from Otranto, 37 km from Lecce, 8 km from Santa Cesarea Terme and 15 km from Castro. The locality is renowned above all for the culinary tradition of sea urchins.

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Tenuta Centoporte - Resort Hotel

Tenuta Centoporte - Resort Hotel

4 out of 5
Via Vecchia Otranto-Giurdignano Giurdignano LE
Stay at this hotel in Giurdignano. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Popular attractions Spiaggia degli scaloni and Torre Pinta are located ...
9/10 Wonderful! (106 reviews)
Gorgeous place!

Reviewed on 4 Sept 2025

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Tenuta Centoporte - Resort Hotel
Masseria Stali, The Originals Relais

Masseria Stali, The Originals Relais

Via Cisterna Vecchia Caprarica di Lecce LE
The price is NZ$122 per night from 12 Mar to 13 Mar
NZ$122
per night
12 Mar - 13 Mar
Stay at this golf country house in Caprarica di Lecce. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Popular attractions Kalos Archeodromo del Salento ...
Masseria Stali, The Originals Relais
Hotel Belvedere, Torre Dell'Orso

Hotel Belvedere, Torre Dell'Orso

4 out of 5
Via Alessandro Volta, 37 Melendugno LE
Stay at this beach hotel in Melendugno. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (264 reviews)
The front desk was very helpful and the view from our room was fantastic

Reviewed on 10 Jan 2026

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Hotel Belvedere, Torre Dell'Orso
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Puglia Salento luxury villa with swimming pool and hydro spa. a few km from leuca

Puglia Salento luxury villa with swimming pool and hydro spa. a few km from leuca

alessano Puglia
Stay at this villa in Alessano. Enjoy private pools, breakfast (surcharge) and a garden. Popular attractions Don Tonino Bello Birthplace and Torre Nasparo are ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (47 reviews)
Fabulous week
What a wonderful villa and great hospitality, thoroughly recommend a stay at this very special place. Ideal for touring the Salento region but also perfect for a day enjoying the super swimming pool and the trulli whirlpool then enjoy a delicious supper cooked by the villa’s private chefs.

Reviewed on 20 June 2025

Puglia Salento luxury villa with swimming pool and hydro spa. a few km from leuca
Marelive - CDSHotels

Marelive - CDSHotels

4 out of 5
Viale Dei Palmizi, snc Melendugno LE
Stay at this residence in Melendugno. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a free airport shuttle. Popular attractions Faraglioni Sant Andrea and Torre Sant'Andrea ...
9/10 Wonderful! (26 reviews)
Excellent
Excellent overall.

Reviewed on 12 Aug 2025

Marelive - CDSHotels
Breathtaking whirlpool villa&office w/ sea access

Breathtaking whirlpool villa&office w/ sea access

Castro Puglia
Stay at this villa in Castro. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, private pools and a garden. Popular attractions Diocesi di Castro di Puglia and Artefatto - L'idea in Terracotta ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (19 reviews)
Great views
The location, peace, and views are amazing. The beds are comfortable. The kitchen has all the necessary appliances. The home needs a fair amount of improvement. It was not very clean and the interior furnishings were random and of poor quality. There are still some pans that will not work on induction ...

Reviewed on 25 Oct 2024

Breathtaking whirlpool villa&office w/ sea access
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Otranto Cathedral which includes a church or cathedral, interior views and heritage architecture

Otranto Cathedral

Trace the stories of Otranto’s martyrs and marvel at beautifully preserved mosaics in a spectacular church on the town’s historic waterfront.

Otranto Cathedral
Otranto Castle showing heritage architecture and a castle

Otranto Castle

Gripping Gothic fiction and centuries of fascinating history meet in the formidable walls and towers of Otranto’s impressive medieval castle.

Otranto Castle

Alimini Lakes

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Alimini Lakes during your travels in Otranto. While you're in the area, stroll along the beaches.

Alimini Lakes

Porto Badisco Beach

If a restful holiday is part of your travel plans, Porto Badisco Beach might be the perfect place to visit during your trip to Porto Badisco.

Porto Badisco Beach

Cape Palascia Lighthouse

Learn about the local history of Otranto when you take a trip to Cape Palascia Lighthouse. Stroll along the marina or visit the spas in this relaxing area.

Cape Palascia Lighthouse

Spiaggia di San Giorgio

Why not spend a lazy afternoon at Spiaggia di San Giorgio during your trip to Otranto? Amble around the area's marina or visit its monuments.

Spiaggia di San Giorgio

Activities

Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting in Lecce

Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting in Lecce (Corigliano)

NZ$155
per adult
Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting in Lecce (Corigliano)
Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting in Lecce

Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting near Lecce

NZ$155
per adult
Cooking class, dinner and wine tasting near Lecce
Palascia Lighthouse

Full Day Tour of Otranto City and its Amazing Seacoast from Lecce

NZ$254
per adult
Full Day Tour of Otranto City and its Amazing Seacoast from Lecce
Torre dell'orso Bay

Full Day Tour to Otranto coast most beautiful Beaches from Lecce

NZ$254
per adult
Full Day Tour to Otranto coast most beautiful Beaches from Lecce
Salento's sea cost tour

Salento's sea coast tour

NZ$492
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
Salento's sea coast tour
Punta Palascìa Lighthouse

Otranto and Surroundings Full-Day Bike Tour

NZ$268
per adult
Otranto and Surroundings Full-Day Bike Tour
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Cities near Porto Badisco

10 shots panorama thanks to my mate who posed for this photo --- The bay of Porto Miggiano is located in the town of Santa Cesarea Terme, one of the best destinations to spend the holidays in Puglia, located in the east coast of Salento. La Torre Miggiano was probably built in the sixteenth century to protect the port and to the defense of the miners working quarries carparo stone and sent the segments throughout the county to provide useful material for construction. Now these ancient ruined structures create a unique landscape, surrounded by clear water that flows into the bay of Porto Miggiano.

Santa Cesarea Terme