There are places in Salento where nature still has a primitive charm and one of these is Serra Cicora, within the Porto Selvaggio Regional Natural Park and Palude del Capitano, a few kilometers from the city of Nardò (10 km).
It is a rugged and rocky plateau interspersed with cultivated fields that gradually lowers until it reaches sea level. Its stretch of coast is among the most inaccessible of the Ionian coast of Salento and its beauty is decidedly suggestive.
A very popular point to admire the sunset over the sea is the bend that from Masseria Brusca, a monumental villa-masseria upstream of the Porto Selvaggio Park, descends towards the coast road. Some access points to the sea are the Lu Rinaru cove, a small beach with coarse sand and low cliffs, and the Litos bathhouse, about 1 km south of the coast, located on a comfortable wooden platform built on the rocks. The rest of the cliff cliff is difficult to walk and this does not make Serra Cicora a suitable destination for those looking for stretches of sand.
Serra Cicora is in fact a perfect destination for those who love contact with nature and seek the spirit of adventure: the rich biodiversity of the seabed is ideal for long snorkeling sessions or for excursions by canoe and kayak, while trekking excursions allow to immerse yourself in the Mediterranean vegetation among rosemary shrubs, prickly pears and the colors of the Ionian Sea. We must not forget that the caves and shelters in this area, real treasures of archaeological finds, have attracted the attention of scholars from all over the world and history buffs.
Archaeological sites in Serra Cicora
The sites Grotta del Cavallo, Grotte Serra Cicora A, B and C and the plateau of Serra Cicora testify to the presence of man since the Paleolithic. In particular, the remains of the Uluzzian culture, which developed in Puglia in the ancient Upper Paleolithic (34,000-31,000 years ago) were found in the Grotta del Cavallo deposit and are also the oldest traces of the Sapiens man's presence in Europe.
The plateau of Serra Cicora was therefore declared an asset of cultural interest by the Mibact (Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and for Tourism) and hosts one of the best documented examples of a Neolithic necropolis in southern Italy. The site is surrounded by a double curtain wall of large blocks in which several stone circles with the remains of interred individuals have been found, all elements that make it a real megalithic monument.
