Lovely Leuca

After three nights in Polignano, it was time for our next stop – Santa Maria di Leuca. This seaside town is at the very bottom of Italy’s heel and attracted my attention with its location which is precisely where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. For future reference – any place which offers the chance for both amazing sunrises and sunsets has my name all over it.

After considering our transportation options, I had elected to rent a car for the three nights we’ll be in Leuca since it seemed to be a bit of the beaten track in terms of transit. We left Polignano by train, made a quick change of trains in Monopoli and then continued to Lecce (our eventual final stop in Puglia) where we grabbed a cab from the train station to pick up the car.

Less than 90 minutes later our host, who had met us under the large Italian flag near the statue of San Pio, led us to our home for the next few nights. After a quick unpacking, we grabbed our swimsuits and other necessities and drove down the hill with the Adriatic glistening to the right. Our host had recommended Lido Giulia as the original Lido in the area and we found it to be perfect. For €20 we scored a couple of lounge chairs and an umbrella on one of the decks on the water and I went directly into the sea.

Have I mentioned the heat here? It was over 100° F!

The temperature of the water was a little cooler than it had been in Polignano and I welcomed the refreshment it provided. The area where we got into the water was rocky, but the Lido had constructed a walkway which led directly into the water without having to tread on what looked to be sharp rocks.

We remained comfortably ensconced on our lounge chairs until 7:00. To facilitate parking, I downloaded the Easy Park app which is used to pay for parking and allows one to extend their allotted time without bothering to return to the car. Easy peasy. We left the Lido and continued into town (a very short distance) to pick up a few necessary items from the grocery market and had a quick look around getting a lay of the land.

What happened next was similar to the experience we had in Polignano – we “met” people in one location and then encountered them again in a different place. This time, as we backed the car out of a tight spot we received some welcome assistance from some locals. Some 20 minutes later as we searched for our accommodations, without much help from any of the apps we were using, we once again ran into the very same folks who had guided us out of the parking space. Now they guided us into our home, even using the key to unlock the door for us. It was so kind that the donation they solicited for their church festival seemed a small price to pay!

After showering and relaxing for a while we walked to dinner at a nearby restaurant, Loquita. It was close to 9:00 by this point and the walk was delightful with warm air and a delicious and steady breeze. Speaking of delicious, our meal was really good. We were seated under the bridge we had driven over multiple times when we were seeking our Airbnb and the view was lovely. Dinner was a leisurely affair with 3 courses and the perfect bottle of vino bianco, a Puglian Falanghina.

It was close to midnight by the time we found our way home (easier on foot than driving despite the wine we had consumed!) and called it a day. Actually, let’s call it a bella giornata.