Exploring this lovely and underrated seaside town in the southern province of Salento
Castro Marina
Castro: a prologue
The Italians have a phrase 'dolce far niente' - the sweetness of doing nothing. It's a state of pleasant idleness. Of being, rather than doing. It's slowing down and embracing the simple pleasures of life. It's mindfulness, in the best possible sense of the word.
Roof terrace, L' ATTICO CastroSalento
By the time we'd reached Castro at the end of our first week in Puglia, I had fully embraced 'il dolce far niente'. At 5:30am that first morning and unable to sleep, I made my way to our roof terrace as the sun rose. Down below, the marina was silent while church bells rang out from the Old Town up above. The hazy morning light was dreamy as a deliciously warm breeze from the sea caressed my skin. I lazed in a sun lounger, watching the swifts put on a show: lining up on the telephone wires, and darting in and out of crevices in the house across the road. I bit into a nectarine and let its juice run down my chin. I drank my coffee slowly, savouring every mouthful. I thought to myself 'this is it. This is life. This is what happiness looks like'.
Roof terrace, L' ATTICO CastroSalento, and Castro marina
I experienced many more of those simple perfect moments in Castro, an endearing little coastal town that completely stole my heart. Divided into two, the Old Town sits perched on a cliff overlooking the impossibly blue waters of the Adriatic while down below is Castro Marina, lined with dramatic palm trees and with colourful boats bobbing in the water. It has a nostalgic, timeless quality; almost cinematic.
Castro Marina
Contents:
Slow living in Castro, Puglia: A Guide.
What to do or not to do...
Days are hot and spent by the sea; reading and dipping in and out of the water to stay cool. Evenings are for aperitivi, long lazy dinners and aimless strolls with gelato. At night, we sat on our roof terrace, sipping wine and listening to the murmur of conversation from the Old Town above; the gentle lapping of the sea at the harbour below.
Castro Old Town by night
It's our second evening in Castro and we make our way to the Old Town. The sky is blue and cloudless and there's a soft breeze coming in from the sea. The evening light casts a pinkish hue on the ancient buildings and we take our lead from the locals on the Passeggiata delle Mura, a leisurely stroll along the fortifications which surround its medieval centre, and the imposing 12th century Aragonese Castle.
Passeggiata delle Mura, Castro
At the top of the steps is Belvedere di Castro, a panoramic viewing point with spectacular views across the ocean. And just like that, it's aperitivo time again. Piazza Armando Perotti is an enticingly pretty square, lined with casual bars and restaurants on one side, overlooking the sea on the other. Elderly local residents congregated in groups, talking animatedly and greeting friends with warm hugs and kisses on the cheeks - it filled my heart with joy to see those powerful connections and that sense of community.
Piazza Armando Perotti, Castro
Life here is relaxed and peaceful. Groups of kids played football and chased each other across the square. Others cycled up and down contentedly while their parents enjoyed a drink at a bar.
Aperitivo
We nab a streetside table at Fonte dei Messapi, a casual bar with criminally cheap drinks, despite its stunning location. I'd come to really enjoy this part of the day; of ordering a really good cocktail and savouring it: people-watching as all around us the evening was springing into life, the sun dropping low in the sky.
Fonte Dei Messapi, Piazza Armando Perotti
Piazza della Vittoria
Piazza della Vittoria is the heart of Castro, a ridiculously pretty square overlooked by the 12th century Church of the Annunziata. Church bells chime on the hour, a sound that fills me with nostalgia, while all around us tables are occupied by couples and families enjoying their food and each other's company. I note the lack of phones and devices on tables: instead the air is filled with the hum of good conversation. Could there be a more idyllic spot to enjoy an evening meal? I don't think so.
Where to eat: best restaurants in Castro Old Town
Delizie in Contea, Piazza della Vittoria, 10
And so we found ourselves at Delizie in Contea, right in the middle of this gorgeous square. A blissful evening at this glorious wine bar was one of the highlights of our trip to Puglia. Serving also as a wine shop & artisan deli, ingredients are local and of the highest quality. We ordered a Tagliere Misto to share, a board of regional cheeses and charcuterie, and one of their gourmet puccia, a traditional bread from Salento, which comes with a variety of different fillings. Mouthwateringly excellent. Every single bite.
A bottle of Negroamaro is always an occasion: we took the recommendation of our young server and opted for one which was smooth and profumato - perfumed - what a beautiful word. It was exquisite. At the table next to us a daughter, mother and grandmother were deep in conversation. Their sense of connection and love was a powerful thing to witness. As the sun set, the ornate street lamps came to life, and fairy-lights dotted the trees around the square. Once again the church bells rang out and I had one of those pinch-me moments where everything is just right: good food, excellent wine and great company in the most beautiful of settings. A simple moment but one which I'll remember forever. For a glimpse into this moment in time, it's captured in my Instagram Story highlights here.
Delizie in Contea Piazza della Vittoria, 10
Centro Storico, Castro
Getting to the Old Town
Well, walking of course is an option. Castro is a very compact town. However....with temperatures hitting 40 degrees, the idea of climbing up the steep hills and steps to the Old Town was becoming increasingly unappealing. And that's where the Trenino Turistico comes into play. We'd noticed this ridiculously twee red and white striped train as it wound its way through the streets surrounding the marina, and scoffed at the idea of grown adults jumping on board. We changed our tune when the temperatures were still in the late 30s by 7pm and we had a dinner reservation in the Old Town. We swallowed our pride, paid the €3 return trip fee and in no time were at the top of the hill. It runs every 30 minutes from Piazza Dante until 1am. Details here.
Trenino Turistico, Castro
Castro Marina - Dinner with a view
Castro Marina
After a lazy day reading and dipping in and out of the sea, we were ready for some food. This time we opted for one of the restaurants on the marina. L'Aragosta is an old-fashioned family-friendly restaurant with a focus, as you might expect, on seafood. Food-wise, it's nothing fancy: simple dishes served well, but its biggest selling point is the terrace with stunning panoramic views across the bay. Somehow, we lucked out and bagged one of their best tables. I tucked into my usual, Linguine al Vongole, accompanied by a deliciously crisp Malvasia rosato, and watched as the sun set over the ocean. Another pinch-me moment.
Ristorante Aragosta Castro, Via Litoranea per, Via Litoranea Tricase, 3
Beaches and swimming spots
You'll be spoiled for choice with fantastic places to swim in and around Castro. Let's start with the marina, nestled beneath limestone cliffs, lined with colourful boats and with crystalline water in the most extraordinary shades of blue and green. The shoreline is rocky rather than sandy, but there are lots of inlets and coves creating natural seating areas for reading or sunbathing. It's the perfect spot for snorkeling - the water is teeming with brightly-coloured fish.
Castro Marina
Cala dell'Acquaviva
This was a wonderful recommendation from our host Paolo. Less than 3 kms outside of Castro is this jewel of a spot - a small sheltered beach surrounded by natural grottoes in the rocks, and with the most gloriously clear azure waters. The water is pretty shallow close to the shore and balmy in temperature, though you'll need flip-flops or preferably aqua shoes because of the small pebbles underfoot. Again, there's no sandy beach here and the shoreline is rocky but on the plus side, it means no annoying sand in your clothes and all over your rental car.
Cala dell'Acquaviva, Via Litoranea, 73030 Marina di Marittima
At the entrance is a fairly large public car park with reasonable rates per hour, up to a max of €5 per day
Where we stayed
Roof terrace, L' ATTICO CastroSalento
Our studio apartment had everything we wanted for our stay. The location is terrific - literally five mins from the marina and the sea. Our room was pretty basic and simply furnished - a studio with a bed and kitchen all in one space, and a separate bathroom. But the biggest surprise was the roof terrace which we had all to ourselves, and which is where we spent most of our time. It's huge and clean with honey-coloured tiles and vibrant potted plants, not to mention the epic views of the sea, the harbour and the Old Town above. We ate breakfast up there every morning, enjoying the sea breeze, and had a drink up there every evening as the sun went down.
Roof terrace, L' ATTICO CastroSalento
Our host Paolo couldn't have been any nicer - his warm Italian hospitality was second-to-none. We had free parking in the drive (at the top of a very steep and narrow hill - our poor little rental car struggled to get up), and he gave us lots of helpful information on restaurants and sights in the area. He is also directly responsible for my love affair with Pasticciotti, those delectable shortcrust pastry treats filled with custard which are a speciality of the region. On arrival, he left a little bottle of Prosecco and two artisan Pasticciotti as a welcome gift. These came from Martinucci, a local artisan pasticcerria and were utter perfection: not too sweet and perfectly crumbly. Their Crema di Limone became my taste of the summer.
l'Attico CastroSalento, Via Manzoni 28, 73040 Castro di Lecce
Is Castro worth visiting?
Yes absolutely. In case it wasn't obvious, we really loved this little town and almost immediately fell into its relaxed rhythm of life. Lively without being overwhelmed by tourists, even in peak summer months, it has a chilled-out vibe and everything moves slowly. It's also ridiculously pretty and there is great value for money to be had here, especially in the Old Town. I can see why Italians like to holiday in Castro. We already want to come back.
Getting to Castro
Castro is located on the south-eastern coast of Puglia, right at the bottom of the heel. It's best reached by car as public transport options are limited. The nearest airport is Brindisi, approximately a 1 hour and 15 minutes drive. It's close to two of the most popular places in Puglia: 30 minutes from Otranto and just 40 minutes from Lecce.
We visited Castro as part of a 12-day trip around Puglia.
Our trip kicked off with four nights in beautiful Monopoli, halfway down the east coast. From there, we made our way to Matera in neighbouring Basilicata for two nights before heading further down the east coast to Castro, ending with three nights in Lecce, the so-called Florence of the south.
Link to Slow Living in Puglia part I here. This focuses on Monopoli, its coastline, and day trips to Ostuni, Polignano a Mare and Locorotondo. Two further articles will be published over the coming weeks, one focusing on Lecce and Brindisi, the second showcasing our trip to neighbouring Basilicata and two nights in a cave hotel in magical Matera. Stay tuned!
We flew direct from Dublin to Brindisi Airport with Aer Lingus. We hired a car from Discover Cars with pick-up from a location on the outskirts of the airport. A shuttle bus was provided.
Buon viaggio
Karyn x
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