Santa Cesarea Terme

Santa Cesarea Terme sits on a stretch of dramatic limestone cliffs on Salento's Adriatic coast, known for its sulphurous thermal springs and strikingly clear, colourful seabeds rather than sandy beaches. There's no sand here - access to the water is via beach clubs with pools or stairs down the rock, alongside the town's historic thermal baths. It suits visitors combining a swim with spa treatments rather than a classic beach day.

Santa Cesarea Terme is built around its thermal springs - sulphurous waters rich in sulfur, bromine and iodine that have drawn visitors for their reputed benefits for rheumatism, dermatitis, circulation and stress for well over a century. The town itself sits above dramatic cliffs, with the thermal baths and mud treatments still operating as the main draw alongside the sea. Because the coast here is cliffside rather than sandy, there's no beach in the conventional sense. Most swimming happens through beach clubs, many of which are equipped with a swimming pool as well as stair or ladder access to the sea, where the water is exceptionally clear and colourful across the seabed. Kayaking, paddleboarding and boat tours to nearby caves are popular ways to explore the coast beyond the clubs themselves. Getting to the swimming spots means either booking into one of the beach clubs, several of which offer sunbeds, cabins, showers and a sea-view restaurant, or finding one of the public stair access points along the cliffs. Parking is available in a paid area near the thermal centre, or a free area along the SP358 about an eight-minute walk from the seafront. Santa Cesarea Terme suits a different kind of coastal day than most of Salento - spa treatments, dramatic cliff scenery and clear water reached by stairs rather than a stretch of sand to spread a towel on.

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