Acquarica Del Capo: Crafts, Towers and Beaches in the Surrounding Area

Acquarica del Capo combines artisanal culture, religious heritage and distinctive buildings with landscape features in the surrounding area. This creates a destination for you that is best explored through specific places: from the Museo del Giunco and the Caverna della Madonna della Grotta to towers, quarries and beaches.

Crafts and cultural heritage

The Museo del Giunco is located in the medieval castle of Acquarica del Capo. It presents the local craft of making objects from paleddu, a reed known as bulrush. Handcrafted exhibits and reconstructions of the rooms where the basket makers worked can be seen there. One of the notable pieces is a reed nativity scene completed by Addolorata Olimpio in 1975. In the same building in Acquarica del Capo, the medieval castle complex and the local craft of making objects from paleddu thus meet directly.

Inscriptions attributed to the Byzantine period are visible on the walls of the Caverna della Madonna della Grotta. The monumental Calvario in Località Acquarica also leads into a religiously shaped local history: it is one of the largest in the province of Lecce.

Towers and castles in the surrounding area

The defensive tower of Celsorizzo was built in the late 14th century. Including its upper section, it is approximately 25 metres high and has four floors. The castles of Il Castello, Castello dei Trane and Castello dei Gallone are also located in the area around Acquarica del Capo. Together, these buildings provide access to different historical themes, without their individual functions having to be equated.

Beaches and landscape in the wider surrounding area

The four beaches Spiaggia Torre Pali, Spiaggia Lido Marini, Spiaggia Torre Mozza and Fontanelle are located in the area around Acquarica del Capo. For planning your day, the Tajate and the beaches represent two different landscape themes.

At the edge of Località Acquarica, you can observe the Tajate, meaning quarries. The Museo Naturalistico Marittima, a museum, is also located in the wider regional area around Acquarica del Capo. These themes complement the local history with landscape and nature-related aspects.

Sightseeing with local guidance

The local Pro Loco offers guided tours of Acquarica by prior reservation. If you would like to combine the museums, the Caverna, the Calvario and the historic buildings into a single visit, this reservation-required tour is a practical option for planning your day. The sites represent different interests: crafts at the Museo del Giunco, religious heritage at the Caverna and the Calvario, and architectural history at the defensive tower of Celsorizzo and the castles in the surrounding area.

Other destinations in the shared travel area

Other destinations: Marina Di Pescoluse, San Cataldo, Castrignano De' Greci, Santa Caterina, Specchia, Lecce, Bagnolo Del Salento, Vitigliano

To the overview of the wider travel area: Lecce.