The Cave of Poetry, Puglia. All about the most beautiful natural pool in the world

In the magical Salento between Caribbean beaches, small villages, farms and Salento culture there is a small corner of paradise even mentioned by National Geographic as a dream place, not to be missed.

Inserted in the ranking of 10 most beautiful natural pools in the world, the cave of poetry was discovered in 1983 by the archaeologist Cosimo Pagliara. It is made up of a cave of Great poetry and a cave of the Little poetry communicating with each other from an underground karst complex once also covered by rocks. Then the impetuous sea, the atmospheric and karst agents caused the collapse of the rock cover, giving life to these natural pools with extraordinary colours, and here it will be natural to take photo to post on instagram to make some envy..

Cave of poetry : Origin of the name between history and legend

You must be wondering but why is it called thatthe? The name comes from the Greek “posia” and indeed poetry translates as a spring of fresh water present here in the past and then extinct. But you know there is always a more popular version told by the locals… It is told of one legend starring a beautiful princess who used to swim and dive in these crystal clear waters Salento sea. Many poets and writers reached the cave to admire it, letting themselves be inspired by its grace and elegance to compose verses and poems.

It will also be a folk tale but on the internal rocks in the Grotto there are engravings and signs dating back to the XNUMXnd millennium BC dedicated to Thaotor Audirahas, a divinity linked to the healing of diseases. 

Cave of poetry archaeological area: where it is and how to get there

Grotta della Poesia is located precisely at Old rock, a seaside resort of Salento in the municipality of Melendugno. It is part of the archaeological area of ​​Roca, a destination loved by diving enthusiasts and by those who want to travel to discover unique beauties. 

It is 20km from Otranto and 25km from Lecce. It can be reached along the provincial roads n.136 and n.145. Also available is the bus from Lecce 101 (station/chamber of commerce stop) which in about nine stops takes you to Rocca Li Posti, near the Malama Village: from here the Grotto is just over 1 km on foot.

The exact location of the Cave of Poetry on Google maps it's this one: 

Cave of Poetry weather and ideal period to visit it

The best time to visit the Grotta della Poesia is the months of June and September, with less muggy and more pleasant weather temperatures. Alternatively, it is preferable to schedule a visit to the Grotto at strategic times, early in the morning or at sunset thus avoiding the peak hours of the chaotic summer months.

Once upon a time you could have fun diving from aheight of 5 meters, the depth of the seabed is reduced therefore it was not very dangerous, however recently the area is subjected to a series of prohibitions  (such as the ban on bathing) to protect this authentic jewel of nature. In short, look but don't touch!

Cave of Poetry and surroundings:

The Salento Adriatic coast offers many other seaside places such as Torre dell'Orso, Pordo Badisco, the Baia dei Turchi in Otranto, Santa Cesarea Terme, Castro marine and further south Santa Maria di Leuca where you can book a boat excursion. Otherwise inland don't miss a Lecce tours, with its elegant Baroque churches and the village of Otranto to admire the marvelous XNUMXth century mosaics located inside the Cathedral of Otranto. If you are looking for a personalized itinerary, we can help you.

Cave of poetry archaeological site: how to visit it

The Grotta della Poesia can be accessed by sea and by land. In the first, accompanied by expert guides you go through an underground underwater tunnel with a mask and torch or excursions in kayak; by land instead it can be easily reached from the road with comfortable shoes for rocks. Given the need to preserve the beauty of this place for as long as possible, the municipality of Melendugno has recently decided to limit theentrance with ticket to avoid overcrowding and to arrange a series of bans in the exclusive interest of protecting the cliff and the archaeological area. The updated provisions and the new booking methods for the upcoming summer will be announced shortly, in the meantime take a look at these packages which include a visit to the cave of Poetry and dreams.