Porto Cesareo Marina

Porto Cesareo sits on the Ionian coast about 30 km from Lecce, tucked inside a protected marine area known for crystal-clear shallow waters and a string of small islands just offshore. You can hop a boat tour through the reserve to spot seagrass meadows and the wildlife that comes with them — it's genuinely one of the more striking stretches of Salento coastline. The town itself is small but lively in summer, with good seafood and easy access to Lecce's baroque old city if you want a change of scenery.