Visiting Beaches of Marina Di Pescoluse (The Maldives of Italy) in 2024

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Deciding on where to stay and play for a holiday in Puglia? Discover why Marina di Pescoluse is among the best beach destinations in Italy!

A nickname like “The Maldives of Italy” (or Maldive del Salento) doesn’t get thrown around without reason. Found along Puglia’s southeastern coast, the heavenly and paradise-like beaches of Pescoluse await.

Its recognizable blue waters and fine sand have made Marina di Pescoluse one of the most sought-after destinations in the entire region and perhaps Italy. The long coastline is perfect for families, couples, or any traveler simply looking to enjoy the ultimate lazy beach holiday.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about a quintessential beach trip to Pescoluse.

Where In Puglia Is Pescoluse?

Marina di Pescoluse can be found on the Salento peninsula in Puglia. The peninsula is the southernmost section of the region and home to arguably the best beaches on mainland Italy.

Salento is bordered by two seas, one on each side. Pescoluse is situated on the east coast, and therefore, it sits on the side of the Ionian Sea. It is located less than 10 km from the southernmost point of Puglia in Santa Maria di Leuca.

From the big city of Lecce, Pescoluse is located 76 km to the south.

What Are the Beaches Like in Pescoluse?

Marina di Pescoluse holds a reputation for being the Maldives of Salento, and even the Maldives of Italy. The reason why the nickname sticks quickly makes sense after stepping foot onto the white stretch of sand that makes up Pescoluse’s coastline.

Comparatively, the sea and beach types in Pescoluse are unique and uncommon throughout the majority of Italy. Light sand with crystal clear water and turquoise hues is the main characteristic of Pescoluse beaches and the reason why the area is so desirable.

Throughout the entire 4 km stretch of shoreline, there is no sight of rocky coves, half-moon bays, or pebble beaches. It is distinctly a different landscape that you will only find near Pescoluse.

Top Pescoluse Beaches to Visit

When asking yourself, “What is the best beach in Pescoluse?” you should not be looking too hard for the answer.

From Marini all the way down to Torre Vado, the coastline is relatively similar in its characteristics. This means there’s a great likelihood that you’ll always end up on the perfect beach in Pescoluse. Still, there are some minor features that separate a good beach from a fantastic one.

Whether it’s the absence of noisy beach bars, clean sand that’s free of cigarette butts, or its location in nature, these types of specifics can make up a positive experience.

Our Favorite Pescoluse Beaches Worth Visiting:

• 1. Spiaggia di Pescoluse – As the most centrally located beach, it technically covers the entirety of Marina di Pescoluse. Its coastline is separated into public beaches and paid lidos, but if you enter here, the spiaggia libera is most accessible. This beach has the most options for finding a restaurant for lunch, grabbing drinks at a bar, and free street parking throughout the neighborhood.
• 2. Lido Marini – Situated just north of Marina di Pescoluse is the seaside town of Marini. With equally magnificent blue water and soft sand, it’s less frequented (but not empty) than the Pescoluse beaches. On the very far side of Lido Marini, you’ll find the wild section near the green bushes and water reservoir. This portion of the beach is free and a much calmer escape from the lido crowd. You’ll also find some rock formations along the edge which means you shouldn’t forget your snorkel gear.

• 3. Spiaggia di Posto Vecchio – Although it tends to get crowded, this is one of the easiest beaches to reach, which makes it a favourite for families. The beach also includes a generous section for the public, so as long as you don’t arrive too late, it’s possible to secure a prime spot with your own umbrella. Parking directly above the beach is available for less than €1/hr or around €5 for the entire day.

• 4. Spiaggia Marina Di Salve – Sitting on the beach of Spiaggia Marina Di Salve ensures a perfect view of Torre Pali, an ancient tower peeking out from the sea. In fact, it’s close enough for people to swim to. The beach is slightly curved, which means it’s a bit more protected than the neighboring straight coastline. A handful of gelato shops, bars, and beachfront apartments are within a stone’s throw.

• 5. Spiaggia di Torre Mozza – Below the historical landmark of Torre Mozza, an old watchtower positioned along the shore, is the less energetic section of the beach. We suspect this area is a tad quieter because it’s also a designated dog-friendly beach. Once you wander a bit farther north, you’ll be greeted with an influx of beach clubs and seafront bars.

• 6. Spiaggia Calette di Salve – North of Torre Pali, there is a rugged patch of off-road trails that lead to wild beaches. Based on your preference, they can be deemed as some of the best beaches in Puglia.
  • Who doesn’t love a hidden gem? You can reach the few beaches on foot from Torre Pali, or you can drive down the dirt roads. The paths are not too difficult, but it’s a much smoother ride if you have a 4×4 vehicle.
  • On Google Maps, you’ll see one beach marked “Schiopparello 2” and another named “Spiaggia calette di Salve.” Both are marvellous with fine sand, clear water, and mostly protected from waves.

• 7. Spiaggia dell’Isola della Fanciulla – This beach has a bit of a “stranded on an island” feel to it, but in the best way possible. It is not quite a sandbar, but very shallow water connects the beach to the islet of Isola della Fanciulla. The beach is uniquely backed by greenery, including trees and there is no lido in sight.

Pescoluse Beach Clubs & Resorts

Depending on your travel style, the number of beach clubs (also known as lidos) that have claimed their real estate in Pescoluse can be unexpected.

It’s a fairly even split in terms of how many beaches are public and which are paid. Still, it’s important to know that the entirety of Pescoluse’s gorgeous coastline is not free to use.

With that being said, we have nothing against beach clubs as there have been times when they made our lives much easier, particularly when our daughter was a baby.

If you’re the type that values convenience, comfort, and service, visiting a Pescoluse resort or beach club is the ideal option.

There are many fantastic beach clubs to choose from, and the great news is, you don’t have to expect Positano prices to enjoy yourself. Typical prices for two sunbeds and an umbrella range from €20 – €30 from June to August.

Each lido is fairly similar in their level of service and offers. This means guests usually have access to drink and food delivery service, as well as restrooms or showers.

If you do opt for a beach club, we recommend looking for one that has parking included in the price. While driving along the SP91 main road that runs parallel to the coast, you’ll see tons of signs advertising offers at the nearby beach clubs.

A few of the best rated Pescoluse beach clubs include:

• Lido Bambù
• Lido del Sol
• Lido Venere
• Le Cinque Vele Beach Club e Restaurant
• Maldive del Salento
• Lido Tropical
• AGRI BEACH eden Salento (🐶 dog friendly!)

Places to See in Pescoluse & Nearby

Sidereus Astronomy Park

For Puglia, finding a planetarium is a bit of an unusual attraction. All the more reason to break the routine of going to the beach and make a quick visit to the astronomy park.

A joyful experience for both adults and children, this museum includes exhibits from space shuttles and international space stations. Sidereus Astronomy Park has remnants of meteorites, a science gallery, and even a range of telescopes available to try out for yourself.

Ancient Sites

One of the beauties of travelling throughout Puglia is how many landmarks you’ll come across without even looking. There’s no need to head to a museum when ancient structures are sitting in plain sight and free to visit by the public.

Salento is specifically home to many old watchtowers, some wonderfully located along the marina as a defence like Torre Vado or even partially submerged in the sea like Torre Pali.

Puglia is an extensive farming region, and unlike in northern Puglia, the common old stone structures you’ll see in Salento are called “pajare.” Near Bari and around Alberobello, the huts are called trullis.

Similar in purpose, the pajare style is distinct to Salento as they are round in shape but flat on top. These stone wonders are often sprinkled throughout the countryside, and some are even reassembled as hotels.

Canale del Fano Nature Preserve

A leisurely hike through the nature preserve of Canale del Fano allows you to experience some forgotten wonders. As you traverse this tranquil green space, you’ll be immersed in a landscape that is completely different from the one near Pescoluse.

Amongst the trees and overgrown ivy, you might even stumble upon a crypt from the Byzantine era if you’re fortunate enough.

Punta Ristola Leuca

Since you’ve traveled so far south already, you might as well stop at the southernmost tip of Italy’s heel while you’re there.

The town of Santa Maria di Leuca is 10 km from Pescoluse, and it’s the location of the southern point, marked with a gigantic Italian flag and sculptures. While visiting the town of Leuca, you can also check out a 19th-century lighthouse up on a cliff that offers views of a Greek island in the distance.

Porto di Leuca is also one of the best places to book and depart from on a boat tour. The excursions which depart here offer excellent tours of two seas – the Ionian and Adriatic.

The Town of Patù

We stumbled upon the charming town of Patù while following a route provided by Google Maps to get back to our hotel. It was never on our radar, and it genuinely caught our attention just from its looks.

Many Salento towns located inland are frankly quite ordinary, but Patù, in particular, gives off an endearing vibe. Patù is tranquil, beautifully historical, clean, and simply inviting.

🍕 If you don’t have time to explore the town, at least plan a visit to Pizzeria Pulcinella for a ready-to-eat slice.

Where to Eat In Pescoluse

Ristorante Le Scalelle – A proper sit-down restaurant situated off the busy beach streets and up the hill. Enjoy a meal on the atmospheric terrace while overlooking the sea and town below.

Torreantigua – Serving fresh seafood and traditional dishes with a rooftop terrace and view of Torre Vado below. This gem is particularly recommended for a romantic meal at sunset.

Friggitoria Pesce – One of the best ways to enjoy seafood is when it’s fried! This unpretentious restaurant offers a range of crispy, simple, and delicious dishes that are sure to satisfy anyone.

Caffèreccio – This casual eatery proves that quality and genuine meals do not have to cost an arm and a leg. Serving a wide range of local favorites, Caffèreccio is great for any meal of the day.

Pescheria del Corso – It’s not a place to visit for great service, ambiance or a view. This fish market solely focuses on delivering humble yet quality dishes based on their outstanding products. 

How to Get To Marina di Pescoluse

By Driving

One of the reasons Puglia has been able to stay out of the limelight for so long is its location. Unlike the Amalfi Coast and its close proximity to Naples, getting to Puglia as a traveller takes a couple more steps.

Furthermore, reaching the Salento peninsula in the south of Puglia isn’t necessarily instant. For those flying to Bari or Brindisi, the easiest way to reach Marina di Pescoluse is by car.

Upon flying in, it’s recommended to pick up a rental at the airport and drive down. If you have the time, opt for the scenic routes throughout the local roads. For inexperienced international drivers, zipping along the main motorway is much easier.

As if Puglia isn’t wonderful enough, one of its most practical visitor benefits is the complete lack of tolls.

Public Transportation

Luckily, driving is not the only way to reach Pescoluse. Especially during the summer, Salento is effortlessly accessible by bus.

The Salento in Bus is a seasonal offer which gets visitors to all of the major destinations on the peninsula. To reach Pescoluse with this method, you’ll need to take line 108 that departs in Lecce and heads all the way to Santa Maria di Leuca. Along this route, simply get off at the stop Marina di Pescoluse stop.

For anyone interested in taking the train to Pescoluse, it’s doable but not necessarily the most efficient option.

The nearest train station can be found in Salve-Ruggiano, which is just 6 km inland. From there, it would be necessary to find the bus that heads towards Marina di Pescoluse.

🚘 Read More: How to Master Driving in Puglia

Marina di Pescoluse Visitor Information

When to Visit

With such stunning beaches and dreamy setting, it should be known that Pescoluse isn’t a secret.

Drawing locals and international visitors alike, the Maldives of Italy is of interest to nearly anyone and everyone. Particularly if you are opting for a free or public swimming area, other folks will begin to pitch their umbrellas as early as 9 am.

If a prime location is important to you, arrive even earlier. Alternatively, we’ve found that getting to the beach in Italy around lunchtime is also a good idea.

Most people will leave during that time to grab a meal at one of the nearby restaurants, therefore freeing up spots on the beach for you!

Parking

For the most part, parking in Puglia is easy to find and either affordable or free. Unfortunately, this generalization doesn’t seem to apply near Pescoluse.

Even if you are visiting a free beach, also known as “spiaggia libera,” large grass and dirt lots are paid to use. Undoubtedly, there are more paid parking lots than free opportunities in Pescoluse, which is one of its biggest downsides.

To find free parking, you can park along a dirt road (assuming you’re not at all in the way) and walk a bit further to the beach.

Alternatively, you can visit Pescoluse during the off-season when many beach clubs close up shop by the end of September. Paid parking lots typically cost around €5 for the entire day.

PRO TIP: When searching for unpaid parking, you may come across “parcheggio libero” on Google Maps. Despite being labeled as free parking, we have seen that people still get charged. The car parks are a mixed result and unfortunately takes some trial and error if you are committed to not paying. However, we ended up leaving our car here and were never asked to pay.

Accessibility & Visiting With Children

Aside from its obvious beauty, Marina di Pescoluse is also consistently frequented for one big reason. It’s one of the most perfect areas to visit the beach with kids.

Soft sand, shallow water and gradual entrances are absolutely ideal for families, specifically with young children. Additionally, with the endless supply of beachfront restaurants and bars, there is always a quick way to find ice cream. 

Reaching any of the beaches on the Pescoluse coastline is not difficult and accessible to most people.

There is no hiking required, directions are well marked and finding parking close by is always an option if you’re willing to pay. A handful of beaches are also equipped with wooden boardwalks that connect parking lots to the beach entrance.

These make it suitable for wheelchairs or strollers, but unfortunately, the boardwalks aren’t available everywhere.

Facilities

There are likely hundreds of restaurants, bars, and clubs along the coastline from Torre Pali to Torre Vado.

This means that these places have restrooms. So even if you’re not at a paid beach club in Pescoluse, there are still plenty of places where you can use the bathroom if needed.

However, for the general public, there are no official free restrooms available. It is also not typically allowed to use the showers at a paid lido if you are not a guest. Still, we’d be lying if we said that we don’t sneakily use them anyway if the opportunity presents itself.

What to Bring

Given the landscape of Pescoluse beaches, the one thing you won’t see are trees. This means that natural shade is fairly tricky to come by. Although you’ll be popping in and out of the sun from your umbrella, it’s important to wear sunscreen and plenty of it!

As an added layer of protection from the sun, the beach is the right time to bring out a classic straw hat (and confidently rock it).

Quick-drying towels seem to get a bad reputation. If you take just one more additional minute to pat yourself down, yes, they do actually work and soak up water. There’s nothing worse than traveling with a chunky towel that takes forever to dry.

As with all things sold right on the beach, don’t expect basic necessities like water to be inexpensive. Bring a reusable water bottle with you and fill up before you get there. Collapsible bottles like this one are perfect for travelling.

Sure, fine and soft sand is ideal for a lazy beach day but we don’t necessarily like when everything gets sandy. Avoid bringing the whole beach home with you and pack your things in a sandproof tote bag!

Where to Stay Near Pescoluse

Morello Beach Hotel (Best Beachfront Hotel) – CHECK PRICES

Mare Villas Pescoluse (Best Apartments) – CHECK PRICES

Picchio Hotel Pescoluse (Best Budget Stay) – CHECK PRICES

Antica Masseria Ficazzana (Best Masseria) – CHECK PRICES

More Puglia Travel Posts:

• Is Polignano a Mare Worth Visiting?
• Marina Serra: Puglia’s Most Beautiful Natural Pool
• Where to Stay in Puglia
• A Pocket Guide to Visiting Spiaggia Di Porto Miggiano
• The Best Beaches in Puglia
• Porto Cesareo – A Paradise Near Lecce

Marina di Pescoluse Travel Resources

☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com

🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com

🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries

🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago

☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator

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