Sant'Isidoro

The locality of S. Isidoro, marina and hamlet of Nardò, overlooks the Ionian Sea a few kilometers south of the more famous Porto Cesareo. It is the ideal place for those who love fine sand and shallow waters and is part of the Porto Cesareo and Nardò Marine Park established in the 1990s.

This small town has developed in the last fifteen years thanks to the lively tourist impulse and takes its name from an ancient coastal tower that still exists that overlooks a long sandy beach, but in fact constituted by a single large curve that extends for about one kilometer. There are also two other smaller beaches called "Lido dell'Ancora" and "Frascone". An important peculiarity is given by the favorable position that allows to always be sheltered from the winds giving way to have a particularly calm sea and some underwater currents of fresh water make it even more transparent, highlighting the seabed to the delight of fans of snorkeling.

In front of the Torre di Sant'Isidoro you can see the presence of an islet, which stretches towards the sea forming a natural pier, making the water in the bay always calm and peaceful. A natural swimming pool in which to enjoy sunny days and relaxation. It is precisely from Sant'Isidoro that the whole long coastal stretch that is characterized by large expanses of sand and the particularly low and crystalline sea that reaches Porto Cesareo ideally begins. The bay remains relatively small because the stretches of free beach are limited and on summer weekends it can be difficult to find a place: tourists are added to the inhabitants of the inland towns, in particular from Coverino, so in these circumstances it is preferable to arrive early and take an umbrella in the equipped private facilities. In addition to the beaches, in Sant'Isidoro there are in fact a tourist village (equipped with tennis courts and five-a-side football pitches) and a campsite, places where tourists who prefer comfort and entertainment are divided on the one hand and those who love contact with nature. The total absence of rocks, the fine sand and the constantly low water level make Sant'Isidoro ideal for holidays for families with small children.

The town responds to tourist needs by offering the most common commercial activities along its streets and in particular bars, supermarkets and restaurants offering typical local dishes and fresh fish. As accommodation facilities outside the village, however, there is the possibility of renting b & bs or villas for longer periods of time.

The name of S. Isidoro derives from Torre Sant'Isidoro, a structure built in the sixteenth century that rises at one end of the bay and wanted like all the other Salento towers at the behest of Charles V as a form of sea control aimed at repelling Turkish attacks . The tower has a square plan and has three floors with a terrace equipped with a guardhouse. Today it is owned by the state property.

At 2 km from S. Isidoro there is a vast underground cavity called "Palude del Capitano", created due to erosion by atmospheric agents. It is a body of brackish water that communicates with the sea through a network of underground channels, a truly suggestive scenario.