Ergate Itinerary

This extraordinary hiking itinerary will take us to discover Porto Badisco, the Ergate Coast Trail, and Santa Cesarea Terme, immersed in a varied and wild coastal landscape, immersed in the nature and diverse coastal environments of the Otranto-Santa Maria di Leuca Coast and Tricase Forest Regional Natural Park. The route begins from Piazzetta Consiglio in Porto Badisco, in front of the Bar Alimentare da Carlo. From here, descend the stone steps next to the square that lead to the cliff, and begin the itinerary along the wonderful Ergate Coast Trail.

Following the coastal path south, you'll come across the stunning Porto Russo Cove. The trail follows the coast almost right up to the sea, over rocks and dirt roads. Along the way, you'll come across ancient pajare (shelters) once used by fishermen using the Ergate method, ancient gillnets. Here, you can take a break and enjoy the stunning views of the rocky coast.

Continuing along the Ergate Coast Path, you'll reach the stunning Torre Minervino, which stands out from the splendid rocky cliff, home to the natural park's typical rock flora. This is, in fact, a true sanctuary for the rarest biodiversity in Salento. In such a small area, it's possible to observe species on the regional and national Red List, such as the Apulian bellflower (Campanula versicolor), the Leuca alyssum (Aurinia leucadea), the Salento pink (Dianthus japigicus), and other rock flora of great conservation value.

The route continues south along the Sentiero Malepasso, another splendid coastal path, which reaches the promontory of the same name, a steep slope that characterizes this stretch of coast. From here, following the path, you ascend the cliff and continue along the Sentiero Terme Nuove, above the mountain range, immersed in a landscape of Mediterranean scrub. Following ancient sheep tracks, you reach Torre Specchia la Guardia. From here, following the Litoranea road for a stretch, you enter the splendid Santa Cesarea Terme, with its rugged coastline, inlets, sulfur caves, and the marvelous Palazzo Sticchi. The route continues up the mountain range of Santa Cesarea, where you can walk the nature trails of Masseria San Giovanni, among ancient sheep tracks and historic farmhouses.

From here, the route continues north to return to Porto Badisco, first along the Terme Nuove Trail, then the Spiziala Trail, and finally the Terre Rosse Trail. This trail, too, is immersed in a unique natural setting, amidst Mediterranean scrub, Aleppo pine forests, and Mediterranean steppe rich in rural features such as dry stone walls and ancient farmhouses. The route continues to Masseria Grande, from where it continues along the splendid sheep tracks that lead to the intersection of the ancient Via Appia Calabro-Sallentina. Following the La Fraula mule track, it descends back towards Porto Badisco, returning to the starting point where this evocative hiking trail ends.

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LENGTH: 15,738 km
TRAVEL TIME: 6 hours and 18 minutes
DIFFICULTY: Hiking and
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Credits: https://www.sentierinelparco.it/

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