Baia dell'Orte
Bay between Punta Facì and Punta Palascia, about 4 km from the harbour: red bauxite earth, green scrub and sea that often turns emerald here. The name "Orte" comes from "where the sun rises," for its easterly position.
At a glance
- Red bauxite earth
- Name tied to the sunrise
- Emerald water
- South tour swim stop
The red-and-blue contrast shows better from the RIB than in any photo — the most photographed stop on the South tour.
Often calm, sheltered water: Jacopo picks it for the swim stop.
After your jump you continue along the coast towards Punta Palascia and the Capo d’Otranto lighthouse.
Location on the route
Approximate offshore route
More stops on the SOUTH tour
A few stops on the SOUTH tour — swipe for more or open the full list.
SOUTHTorre del Serpente
Just outside the harbour: a tower of Roman origin that became the symbol of Otranto. The South tour starts here.
SOUTHGrotta Palombara
Just after Torre del Serpente you skirt the cliff to Grotta Palombara’s entrance — the second stop on the South tour.
SOUTHPunta Palascìa lighthouse
Capo d’Otranto: mainland Italy’s easternmost point and the narrowest stretch of the Otranto Channel. Palascia lighthouse, built in 1867 and reopened to the public in 2008 after years of neglect, now also houses a small sea museum.
