Torre Gauceto

Throughout my many years of writing reviews about beaches one of the main problems that I find is writing a review that works for everyone. Why? Because everybody seems to have a unique idea about what an ideal beach should be. Some seek the fun and excitement promised by the well-stocked beach bars of St.Tropez, while others look for the solitude afforded by the dramatic cliffs of Southern Cork. With that in mind, I think the most effective way to describe Torre Gauceto is by first saying what it is not. Torre Gauceto is not the easiest beach in Puglia to get to, nor does it have the facilities to provide high quality food and drink (there was one panino on the menu at the only bar cum shop: tinned tuna, bread, olive oil). There is one lido where you can pay 20 euros to rent an umbrella and two sun beds for half a day, but if you are looking for somewhere with music or an umbrella that can effectively block the sun, there are plenty of other lidos that would be better suited.

What then, is Torre Gauceto? Perhaps the largest uninterrupted sandy beach south of Gargano. In fact, that doesn’t really do it justice – it is really a series of beaches that are protected as a national park, hemmed in by impressive sand dunes, and watched over by the eponymous Tower of huge historical importance. These factors combine to make it my favourite beach in Southern Puglia, and somewhere that is well worth a visit.

Practicalities: Near brindisi, follow the signs to Torre Gauceto. Parking is 5 euros for the day, and there is a free shuttle service that takes you from the parking lot to the beach. If you don’t want to use the lido it is worth bringing your own umbrella as the sun can be quite intense and finding shade would be a challenge. Near the lido there is a shop that sells simple sandwiches, foccacia, water and beer.

Polignano a mare

Polignano a mare (literally “polignano on the sea”) is a beautiful stone city which is almost literally, as the name suggests, on the sea. Walking through the old town it is difficult to miss the stunning, potentially vertigo inducing, views of the Adriatic from the top of the sheer cliff where the city sits and the annual Red Bull cliff diving championships are held. Great restaurants (specialised in fish and sea food given the proximity to the sea) and gellaterias (which claim to have invented café especial – a delicious treat that I challenge all of my readers to try) abound – leaving visitors spoiled for choice.

Regular readers of my column might already have noticed something strange about this review – it so far hasn’t mentioned any beaches. Why have I done this? Why have I opened a review about a beach by describing a city? Because it is impossible to separate the Polignano the city from its most famous beach, “Cala Porto” which is daringly located slap bang in the in the middle of the city. Flanked on both sides by dramatic cliffs and formed of piles of pebbles “Cala Porto” is ostentatiously unique. It is not a visit for the faint of heart, the combination of pebbles and waves can make it a challenge to get in and out (a “secret” cave on the left hand side of the beach provides an easy passage to the sea), and doesn’t afford many comfortable positions to lie down. What “Cala Porto” does offer is an exciting dose of something different while having access to the amenities of city life.