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 Woods Regional Natural Park. The route begins in Piazzetta Consiglio, 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 stunning 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 encounter ancient pajare used by fishermen during their Ergate fishing, ancient gillnets. Here, you can take a break and enjoy the stunning views of the rocky coast.

Continuing along the Sentiero Costa delle Ergate, you reach the magnificent Torre Minervino, which stands out from the splendid rocky cliff, home to the typical rock flora of the natural park. It is, in fact, a true sanctuary for the rarest biodiversity in Salento. In such a small area, it is possible to observe species on the regional and national Red List, such as the Campanula pugliese (Campanula versicolor), the Alisso di Leuca (Aurinia leucadea), the Garofano salenttino (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 climb the cliff and continue along the Sentiero Terme Nuove, above the greenhouse, immersed in a landscape of Mediterranean scrub. Along ancient sheep tracks, you reach Torre Specchia la Guardia. From here, following the coastal road for a stretch, you enter the splendid Santa Cesarea Terme, with its rugged coastline, inlets, sulphurous caves, and the marvelous Palazzo Sticchi. The route continues up the Serra di Santa Cesarea, where you can hike the nature trails of Masseria San Giovanni, passing ancient sheep tracks and historic farmhouses.

From here, the route continues north to return to Porto Badisco, first along the Sentiero Terme Nuove, then the Sentiero Spiziala, and finally the Sentiero Terre Rosse, also immersed in a unique natural setting, among 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, the route descends towards Porto Badisco and returns to the starting point, where this evocative hiking trail ends.