Baia dei Turchi, Mediterranean beach in Otranto, Italy
Baia dei Turchi is a beach along the Salento coast with roughly two hundred meters of fine white sand set between limestone cliffs and Mediterranean vegetation. The water appears clear and deep blue, creating a natural cove sheltered by surrounding rocky formations.
The beach took its name in 1480 when Ottoman ships landed here and used the natural harbor during the military campaign against Otranto. This event made the cove significant in the region's defensive history against naval invasions.
The beach represents a meeting point between Eastern and Western maritime traditions that remain visible in local fishing practices. Visitors can observe how fishermen still work with traditional methods tied to both Mediterranean and Levantine customs.
Reaching the beach requires a walk of about four hundred meters through a protected pine forest, which makes snorkeling and swimming gear worth bringing. The terrain is natural and vegetated, so sturdy footwear helps with the path.
The cove sits within a protected natural area containing rare coastal dunes and Mediterranean maquis with plant species found nowhere else in the region. Migratory birds use this location as a crucial stopover point during their seasonal journeys across the sea.
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