Tower of St. Andrew it is a marina of Melendugno, which is located in the Salento, between Torre dell'Orso and Otranto, in the province of Lecce.
It is a small tourist resort in the Puglia region, with a small port on the Adriatic Sea and it presents itself with a beautiful little beach and its famous stacks, as well as ravines and enchanting little caves.
For yours holidays in Torre Sant'Andrea you will notice that the location enjoys a sea that varies from emerald green to cobalt blue.
01/06 al 30/09/26
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In the vicinity of Sant'Andrea, we recommend you spend your holidays at:
If you also want to discover the naturalistic beauties of the Salento countryside you can rent a room at the Masserie dell'hinterland of Grecia salentina to enjoy colors and uncontaminated nature.
In Torre Sant'Andrea there are some stacks called:
“Lu Pepe”
“Column”
“Giardinetto” and the “Punticeddha”.
The Faraglioni of Torre Sant'Andrea and they are a work of art of nature.
The white rock that meets the crystalline sea gives life to a wonderful stretch of coast, and it is one of the most visited places in Puglia.
Of all the stacks, one of the most evocative is the Arco degli Innamorati which, on calm sea days, offers a unique experience: that of swimming in a crystalline sea.
Getting to the beach of this tourist resort in Salento is simple, just walk along the coastal road.
Sant'Andrea beach is located near “Babilonia”, the famous club that coined the famous slogan:
“Salentu – lu Sule lu Mare lu Ientu”.
The Babilonia is a bar, pizzeria by day, and pub by night with live music concerts that brighten up summer evenings.
Further insights on How to reach the beach and the Faraglioni of Sant'Andrea in the marina of Melendugno, you can find them by visiting our videos on Youtube and Facebook @Salento.it
The marina of Torre Sant'Andrea It is known by all for its stacks, now famous throughout Europe, a true work of art of nature, shaped by the erosive force of the sea.
These are located north of the lighthouse, close to the “point at Pepe”, which starts at the Bastimento bay and ends with the arch of “the little column”.
This bay is a true paradise, the high cliff stands out overlooking a sea of stunning colors and crystal clear waters.
It can be reached by boat or by a steep staircase that ends directly in the water, this staircase has an incredible history, still told today by the elderly precisely because of its exceptional nature.
The Bastimento ladder was dug by hand in one night, because a ship, a “Bastimento” to be precise, ran aground in the bay while sailing along the coast during the Second World War, when for safety reasons the shore light signals were turned off, a wrong maneuver caused the disaster.
In order to save the precious cargo of grain that the ship was carrying, a ladder was built from scratch, using pickaxes, which allowed the many volunteers who had come from nearby towns to reach the vessel and help with the unloading.
They unloaded as many chess pieces as were needed for the ship to free itself and set out to sea again.
The grain and goods landed on land and were transported to the port of Otranto, where they were all re-embarked.
Even today that bay is known as the “Bastimento Bay” and the staircase is called the “stairway to paradise”, because by going down it you reach a true paradise.
quote Antonio D'Ostuni
The marina of Sant'Andrea is a small fishing village, a picturesque cove surrounded by a modest cliff with numerous ravines, forming a natural harbor that over the centuries has been the refuge of a small rock community.
The name derives from a rock church dedicated to Sant'Andrea, most likely of Greek rite, which dates back to the late Middle Ages.
There is evidence of the church up until the second half of the seventeenth century, when masses were celebrated for the local fishermen.
Unfortunately today there is no trace of this place of worship.
To protect the small port, an ancient watchtower stood on a promontory, replaced at the beginning of the 20th century by a lighthouse, built on the ruins of the sea sentinel.
The construction of the lighthouse became necessary around 1932, to indicate the shallows of Missioezza off the coast of Alimini to the naval traffic of the XNUMXth century.
The small community has always lived in isolation, with its life made of sea, rituals and beliefs that generated legends that have spanned the centuries, such as that of the “striara” (witch) who lived in the small rural village.
It is said that a long time ago, a woman arrived in small bay of Sant'Andrea, settled in one of the small caves to live alone away from everyone.
She was beautiful with her raven hair and her dazzling smile.
It was said that she was a “striara” and that if anyone met her gaze they would be transformed into a wooden statue.
The fishermen were afraid to look at her even though they were attracted by her beauty and her smile.
In that little port, where she wandered day and night, they could not work, fix the nets and repair the boats, without running the risk of meeting her.
Soon, those that had not been transformed into pieces of wood were limited and the fishermen no longer went to the beach to get their boats.
The fear was great and soon despair took possession of their souls. Their despair was heard beyond the Strait of Otranto, where on the other bank lived a good and just wizard. Who thought that magic should be made available for the good of men and not to do harm.
So he decided to go to the aid of the poor fishermen. He disguised himself as a sailor and landed in the small bay.
The striara, seeing it, immediately thought “here is another piece of wood to put together with the others.
Here is another stick that will add many more years to my life." He went to meet him across the small beach covered with soft algae, which the sea has always gathered there. "Come to my cave and cool off a bit.
Come, I will offer you some good wine from Borgagne and you will rest in the shade of the reeds”. And just as she was pouring the wine into the glass, the magician, raising his staff and uttering a magic formula, pierced the striara.
A scream resounded throughout the small village and the fishermen returned to their former selves and happily returned to their homes.
Antonio D'Ostuni – popularizer of popular tradition