Overlooking a sandy beach on the Gulf of Taranto, Castellaneta Marina is a seaside village on the Apulian coast. It’s backed by Mediterranean scrubland on one side and a dense forest of Aleppo pines on the other, with a handful of traditional Italian holiday homes, pizzerias and restaurants in between.
Stretching the length of the village is the Spiaggia di Castellaneta Marina, which is dotted with beach umbrellas and sun loungers for rent. Spend your days swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea before grabbing drinks and snacks at one of the waterfront lidos or beach clubs.
Travelling with kids? They’ll love spending a day at Torremattoni, which boasts a series of challenging rope courses and thrilling zip lines. On the other side of Castellaneta Marina is the 16th-century Torre del Fiume Lato, which was built to protect the coast against Saracen and pirate raids.
Getting there
Castellaneta Marina is around 30 minutes' drive from Taranto and 1.5 hours from Bari International Airport-Karol Wojtyla, which has flights to destinations across Europe and North Africa. Regular buses connect to Castellaneta Marina and the village is small enough to explore on foot.