Marina di Mancaversa

The beach resort for Taviano offers a couple of kilometers of coastline along Puglia's Ionian Sea. Marina di Mancaversa is a tranquil, family-oriented beach town, for those looking for a low-key place to relax, enjoy the water and nature, enjoy good food and wine, and be in a good location for seeing other parts of the Salento. From here, it is only 6 km to Gallipoli, 30 km to Santa Maria di Leuca, Puglia's southern-most tip, and 40 km to charming Otranto, on the Adriatic Sea.

The town was a sleepy fishing village for years, on the "other side" of the bay from Gallipoli, and it's said that's what gave it the name "manca" (left of) and "versa" (side, or deposit in reference to the bay). It didn't develop as a community until around 1900 when wealthy families from Taviano and other inland towns acquired property and built summer homes here. It was in the post-war period that it developed into a town as such, with a year-round presence. But of course, it is summer that brings more people and activity to the town, with concerts, festivals, cinema under the stars, and more. There is a lovely waterfront promenade lined with cedar trees that makes for a pleasant stroll with the sea breezes.

There are services for daily needs, such as grocery stores, shops, restaurants and coffee bars. Beach-side bars and vendors are present in the summer so you can enjoy a drink while watching the sunset, rent an umbrella and sun-bed for a day, and walk along the shore, stopping for a gelato. In the area, you can wander the Parco Naturale Regionale Isola di Sant'Andrea nature park, or take a horse ride on the beach or through the countryside. There are miles of coastline to explore and hidden gems in the towns scattered throughout the Salento.