Looking for crystal-clear sea you can reach from the rocks, a cave where the water lights up green and a walk by the sea among the agaves? This guide takes you to Marina di Andrano, the coast of the municipality of Andrano on Salento’s Adriatic side, between Marittima and Tricase Porto: the Grotta Verde, swimming from the rocks between the Torre and the Botte, the Lungomare delle Agavi, the crypt of the Madonna dell’Attarico, the Serra del Mito with the Torre del Sasso, the town of Andrano with its castle and everything there is to see nearby, with practical tips and local curiosities.
In short
Marina di Andrano, also called Feronzo, is the seaside village of the municipality of Andrano (Lecce), on the Adriatic coast of southern Salento, 6 km from Castro and 5 km from Tricase Porto. It is a stretch of coast about 3 km long, almost all rocky shore, divided into two areas: to the south the Torre, with the Grotta Verde and the remains of a coastal tower, to the north the Botte, with the little harbour cut into the rock. The two are linked by the Lungomare delle Agavi, a pedestrian promenade by the sea. There are no long sandy beaches: you swim from the rocks, in crystal-clear sea. The undeveloped stretch of coast is part of the Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase Regional Nature Park. The best months are June and September.
What is Marina di Andrano?
Marina di Andrano is the coastal hamlet of Andrano, a town of about 4,400 inhabitants 4 km inland. It lies between Marina di Marittima (Diso) to the north and the Tricase coast to the south, where the Serra del Mito climbs up to the Torre del Sasso. It is a small resort of little houses and holiday homes looking out over a limestone rocky shore with small coves, sea caves and freshwater springs, known above all for the Grotta Verde.
Marina di Andrano is made up of low white houses, gardens, dry-stone walls and a coast road that runs a few metres from the sea. The heart of the village is the pedestrian seafront, with its benches facing the horizon, which links the square of the Grotta Verde, to the south, with the area of the Botte and the little harbour, to the north. Behind it the countryside climbs towards Andrano among olive trees, Mediterranean scrub and pajare, the old stone farm buildings. In summer it is mostly frequented by families from Andrano and the nearby villages and by tourists staying between Castro, Santa Cesarea Terme and Tricase Porto.
This is not the place for long beaches with facilities: here you reach the sea from the rocks and the small coves, and the water is so clear that you can see the rocky seabed as if through glass. This is the Salento for those who love swimming, watching the fish with a mask, exploring caves and walking along the cliffs. In this guide you will find how to get there, where to swim, what to see and how to plan your day, nearby too.
Curiosities and atmosphere
The town takes its name from Sant’Andrea, its patron saint: from the old «Andreano», with the «e» dropped, came Andrano, which in dialect is «’Ndranu». According to the historian Giacomo Arditi the saint was chosen because he is the protector of fishermen, a sign that people here originally lived mainly from the sea. Tradition also has it that the town was born after the destruction of two old hamlets, Feronzo and Cellino: and Feronzo is precisely the name still used today for the seaside village.
The sea, however, also brought dangers. In 1480 the Turks took Otranto, and Antonio Saraceno, then lord of Andrano, died hurrying to the city’s aid with his men; his remains rest in the church of San Domenico. After that siege a chain of watchtowers, each within sight of the next, was built along the coast: at Marina di Andrano rose the Torre Porto di Ripa, which communicated with Torre Capo Lupo, to the north, and with the Torre del Sasso, to the south. Today Andrano is the seat of the Regional Nature Park that protects this coast, and two of its sites, the crypt of the Madonna dell’Attarico and the nearby Torre del Sasso, have been nominated several times in FAI’s «I Luoghi del Cuore» census. A curiosity from the municipality of Andrano: on the clearest days, sitting on a bench on the seafront, you can see the mountains of Albania on the horizon.
Where it is and how to reach it
Marina di Andrano is on the Adriatic coast of southern Salento, between Marina di Marittima (Diso) to the north and the Tricase coast to the south. The town of Andrano is about 4 km inland, Castro 6 km away, Tricase Porto 5 km, Tricase 9 km, Santa Maria di Leuca 24 km, Otranto 28 km and Lecce about 52 km. The coast road (here provincial road 358) runs along the sea, leading north to Castro and Otranto and south to Tricase Porto and Santa Maria di Leuca; from the town of Andrano you come down on provincial road 168.
By car: from Lecce take the SS16 to Maglie and then carry on towards the Adriatic coast, in the direction of Castro or Andrano, as far as the coast road: about 55 minutes without traffic. There are car parks near the Grotta Verde and the Botte, partly paid in summer: check on the spot and in August arrive early in the morning.
By public transport: national trains arrive in Lecce; the nearest station is Andrano-Castiglione, in Castiglione d’Otranto, on the FS Sud Est (Ferrovie del Sud Est) line between Zollino and Gagliano del Capo, about 8 km from the seaside village: check the timetables and any replacement buses. In summer «Salento in Bus» line 103, Maglie – Santa Cesarea Terme – Castro – Marina di Andrano, runs as far as the Grotta Verde car park (in 2026 from 1 July to 31 August): check this year’s routes and timetables before you set off. The most convenient airport is Brindisi, about an hour and a half away by car.
What to do and what to see
Marina di Andrano is about the sea and the stone: the Grotta Verde and a swim from the rocks in the morning, the crypt of the Attarico, the Serra del Mito or the town of Andrano in the afternoon, a stroll along the seafront in the evening. Here are the experiences not to miss.
1. The Grotta Verde (1-2 hours)
At the southern end of the village, below the square that bears its name, opens the most famous cave on this coast, recorded in the Puglia cave register as the Grotta di Torre Andrano. From the square a flight of steps leads down to the rocks; the cave is right next to it, on the left. When the sea is calm you go in through a side opening, walking on the rock, or with a few swimming strokes. Inside there are several chambers, some with an underwater floor: sunlight comes in through the openings onto the sea and also through a submerged mouth, and is reflected on the water and the walls in a colour between emerald green and turquoise, hence the name. The best moment is the morning, when the sun comes from the sea. Bring a mask and a small torch and only go in when the sea is calm: with waves the inside becomes dangerous. Some people dive from the rocks above the cave: it is a sight to watch, not to copy.
2. Swimming from the rocks, between the Torre and the Botte (2-3 hours)
The village is divided into two bathing areas. To the south, in the area of the Torre, besides the Grotta Verde there is the Fiume, «the river», an inlet that takes its name from the freshwater springs welling up between the rocks and that once sheltered small boats: if, while swimming, you suddenly feel the water get cooler, that is why. To the north, in the area of the Botte, you settle on the rocks around the little harbour, cut into the rock for fishing boats and pleasure boats. Everywhere you get into the water from the rocks or down the small ladders; the sea is crystal clear and the rocky seabed is perfect for snorkelling, among fish, sea urchins and crevices.
3. The Lungomare delle Agavi (45 minutes)
It is an entirely pedestrian route that runs along the sea and links the area of the Botte with that of the Grotta Verde. It is named after the agaves that line it along its whole length. Work began at the end of the 1980s from the square of the Grotta Verde; then came the five-a-side football pitch, the paving, the lighting and, in 2002, the Piazzetta delle Agavi. Today it is a quiet walk away from the traffic, with benches, pots of geraniums and the scent of wild herbs, pines and seaweed; on summer evenings there is music, shows and open-air cinema. In September 2024 bad weather caused part of the seafront to collapse: check on the spot for any stretches that are closed or under repair.
4. The Torre di Andrano, or Torre Porto di Ripa (15 minutes)
A stone’s throw from the Grotta Verde stand the ruins of the Torre di Andrano, also called Torre Porto di Ripa. It was built at the end of the fifteenth century, after the Turks took Otranto, with irregular rubble and red earth alternating with squared blocks of tufa. Today only its truncated-cone base remains, which was once the cistern: it probably supported a cylindrical body that has been lost. From here the sentries could see Torre Capo Lupo, towards Marittima, and the Torre del Sasso, on the Serra del Mito.
5. The crypt and church of the Madonna dell’Attarico (45 minutes)
On the headland behind the village, between the coast and the town, there is a viewpoint from which you can take in a long stretch of coast. Here, among pajare and dry-stone walls, is the crypt of the Madonna dell’Attarico, a largely natural cave carved into the rock, with its threshold facing the sea. Basilian monks are believed to have taken refuge here between the eighth and tenth centuries. Inside there remain two badly damaged frescoes, a Madonna nursing the Child between two angels and a Latin cross, and on the vault a Templar cross. The name comes from the Greek «tárikos», tanning: hides were tanned here with the acorns of the Valonia oak. Locals also call it the Madonna «del Lattarico», because of a legend: the Virgin is said to have revealed in a dream to a mother who could not feed her child that a grass snake, hidden among the stones of the house, was stealing her milk. Next to the cave is the church inaugurated in 1990, shaped like a ship’s keel, near the ruins of the chapels built by the Caracciolo family between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Check on the spot whether the crypt is open.
6. The Serra del Mito and the Torre del Sasso (2-3 hours)
Just south of the village, in the territory of Tricase, the coast climbs onto the Serra del Mito. On the ridge, 116 metres above the sea, rises the Torre del Sasso, also called Torre del Mito, one of the highest coastal towers in Salento, documented as early as 1584: it had a truncated-pyramid base and a square body, but today it has partly collapsed. You reach it on foot along old drove roads and rough paths, waymarked by the Park among scrub, rocks and pajare; the Cammino del Salento also passes through here, on the stage between Santa Cesarea Terme and Marina Serra. From the top the view of the coast and the sea is beautiful. You need closed shoes, water and a hat, because there is no shade: go early in the morning or in the late afternoon and look at the tower from the outside.
7. In town: Andrano and the Spinola-Caracciolo castle (1-2 hours)
4 km from the sea is Andrano. In Piazza Castello stands the Spinola-Caracciolo castle, which began in the thirteenth century as a rural hamlet and then became a fortified farmhouse: between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, under the Saraceno family, it gained the cylindrical tower with its corbels and the moat, which can still be seen at the back today. In the seventeenth century the Gallone family of Tricase turned it into a palace, with the inner loggia, the baroque balcony over the square and the windows bearing Latin mottoes; from 1734 it passed to the Caracciolo family, and in the 1980s it was bought by the municipality. A few steps away are the Chiesa Madre di Sant’Andrea, from 1741, with its tufa façade and a nineteenth-century altar in Lecce stone, and the church of San Domenico, from 1561, which holds a fifteenth-century fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie driving back the Saracens. To visit the inside of the castle, ask at the town hall; the square and the façade can always be admired.
Sea, rocks and who it suits
The sea at Marina di Andrano is among the clearest on Salento’s Adriatic coast: turquoise over the pale rock, deep blue further out, emerald green inside the Grotta Verde. The coast is a limestone rocky shore, sometimes low and sometimes higher, with a few small coves and rock platforms from which you get into the water. When the sea is calm the water is crystal clear and inviting; when the wind blows from the east the waves come in and break hard on the rocks, and swimming should be avoided.
On the rocks near the sea grow salt-tolerant plants such as rock samphire and caper, and on the Park’s cliffs live species that exist only in Salento, such as the Leuca cornflower and the Salento pink. Don’t trample the vegetation and don’t light fires on the rocks.
It is perfect for strong swimmers, for those who love snorkelling and caves, for couples, for anyone looking for a quiet Salento and for those who want to combine the sea with walks in nature. It is less suited to small children looking for sand and to those who find it hard to walk on the rocks.
Free beach and facilities
In Marina di Andrano you can swim freely from the rocks all along the coast; there is no sandy beach. There are also beach clubs on the rocks, with sunloungers and umbrellas, and in the area of the Botte a beach club designed to welcome people with disabilities: check on the spot which ones are open and when. Bars and restaurants are near the Grotta Verde and the Botte, open mainly in summer; for more choice there are Andrano, Castro and Tricase, a few minutes away.
Bring reef shoes, a small umbrella and water: there is no shade on the rocks and in the middle of the day the rock is scorching.
Marina di Andrano vs other seaside villages of the Adriatic coast
On this stretch of coast the villages are very close to one another. Here is a practical comparison to help you choose:
Marina di Andrano vs Cala dell’Acquaviva (Marittima)
- Marina di Andrano: three kilometres of rocky shore, more room to stretch out, the Grotta Verde and the pedestrian seafront
- Cala dell’Acquaviva: a narrow cove between two rock walls, with a small beach of sand and pebbles and cool spring water, small and very busy in August
Marina di Andrano vs Castro
- Marina di Andrano: a quiet swim from the rocks, with parking close to the sea
- Castro: the harbour where boats leave for the caves, such as the Zinzulusa and the Grotta Azzurra, the village on the hill with its castle, and more bars and restaurants
Marina di Andrano vs Tricase Porto
- Marina di Andrano: the Grotta Verde, the springs of the Fiume and the walk among the agaves
- Tricase Porto: the fishing village around the old harbour, with a small beach and boat trips along the coast
When to choose Marina di Andrano: if you love swimming and looking at the seabed, want to go inside a sea cave and prefer peace and quiet to a crowded beach.
When to choose somewhere else: if you are travelling with small children and are looking for sand and shallow water, look at the beaches of the Ionian coast, such as Pescoluse or Torre Vado, about 40 minutes away.
Practical tips
For the Grotta Verde choose a morning without wind: when the sea is calm the side entrance is dry and the light inside the cave is lovelier. Bring a small torch, because some chambers are dark, and don’t go in when the sea is rough or if you are not a strong swimmer. To swim, look for the spots where the rock slopes gently down to the water, or for the ladders, and always wear reef shoes: near the water the rocks are slippery and sharp.
In July and August arrive early, for parking too and for a good spot on the rock. In the hottest hours leave the sea and go up to Andrano or to the crypt of the Attarico; for the paths of the Serra del Mito, on the other hand, choose early morning or late afternoon. In the evening come back to the seafront: it is the coolest and most pleasant time of the day.
Useful practical information
| 📍 Where | Marina di Andrano (Andrano, Lecce), 6 km from Castro, 24 km from Santa Maria di Leuca and 52 km from Lecce |
|---|---|
| 🚗 Parking | Near the Grotta Verde and the Botte, partly paid in summer; in August arrive early |
| ♿ Access | Into the water from the rocks and the ladders; level pedestrian seafront; an accessible beach club at the Botte (check on the spot) |
| 🏖 Beach | No sand: rocky shore with small coves and rock platforms |
| 🌊 Sea | Crystal clear, with a rocky seabed; excellent for snorkelling when the sea is calm |
| 👟 What to bring | Reef shoes, a mask, a small torch for the cave, a hat and water |
| 🍴 Food | Bars and restaurants in the village, open mainly in summer; more choice in Andrano, Castro and Tricase |
| 📅 Best time | June and September for the sea; spring and autumn for the paths of the Serra del Mito |
Where to stay near Marina di Andrano
To enjoy the Grotta Verde early in the morning, with a calm sea and the best light, it is best to stay nearby. In Marittima, about 3 km and a 5-7 minute drive from the Botte and the Grotta Verde, there is our Villetta Arenosa con piscina: 4 guests, 2 rooms, 3 bathrooms and 80 m² on two levels, with the double bedroom upstairs, under the typical Salento star vaults, and a living area with an equipped kitchenette and a sofa bed. Outside there is a large private garden with a sea-view pool, a sun terrace, an outdoor bathroom and showers, a play area with a volleyball net and five-a-side football goals, the barbecue and private parking; in the house you will find air conditioning, a washing machine and a dishwasher. It is a quiet base for exploring the coast between Castro, Andrano and Tricase.
You will find our houses in the area on the page holiday homes in Marittima. Would you like advice on dates, getting around or other houses in the area? Contact us: we will help you choose the right option.
When to go and how much time to plan
June: the sea is already pleasant, the rocks are quiet even at weekends and the days are very long. It is one of the best months for the Grotta Verde, with few people and plenty of light.
July and August: it is high season. The sea is warm and the village fills with families; the best spots on the rocks and the car parks fill up early, so arrive early in the morning or enjoy the sea in the late afternoon. At the beginning of August come Andrano’s most heartfelt festivals.
September: the best month, in our opinion. The sea is still warm, there are far fewer people and you have the cave almost to yourself.
April, May and October: the ideal time for walks on the Serra del Mito and among the pajare, with mild temperatures and the scrub in flower; swimming is for those who don’t mind cool water.
November to March: the village is almost deserted and many houses are closed. In heavy seas the sight of the waves on the rocks is impressive, but it is best watched from a distance. On the clearest days, the municipality says, you can see the snow-capped mountains of Albania on the horizon.
Events and festivals (indicative dates, check them every year on the Andrano municipality website and on SalentoMe):
- Feast of the Madonna dell’Attarico: 3 August, with the torchlight procession that goes down from the town to the crypt at sunset, the blessing of the bread and the Sagra de la Puccia cu le Vulìe, the festival of focaccia with olives, with folk music
- Patronal feast of Maria Santissima delle Grazie in Andrano: early August, just after the feast of the Attarico, with festive illuminations in the town
How much time to allow: half a day is enough for the Grotta Verde and a swim; a whole day if you add the crypt of the Attarico, the Torre del Sasso and the town of Andrano. With three or four days you can combine Castro, the Cala dell’Acquaviva, Tricase Porto and the caves along the coast. A typical day:
- 8:30: the Grotta Verde, with a calm sea and the morning light
- 11:00: a swim and snorkelling from the rocks of the Botte
- 13:30: lunch in the village or in Castro
- 16:30: the crypt of the Madonna dell’Attarico and a walk towards the Torre del Sasso
- 19:30: a stroll along the Lungomare delle Agavi
- 21:00: dinner in Andrano or Castro
Surroundings and extra ideas
Marina di Andrano is well placed for exploring the most spectacular stretch of Salento’s Adriatic coast, with its caves, cliffs, coastal towers and small harbours. Distances and driving times are approximate.
Marittima and the Cala dell’Acquaviva (3-5 km, 4-8 minutes): just to the north, an inlet between the cliffs where the sea mixes with the fresh water of the springs, and the village with its towers. Read our guide to the Cala dell’Acquaviva.
Castro and the Grotta Zinzulusa (6-7 km, 8-10 minutes): the harbour where boats leave for the caves, the Zinzulusa, and the village on the hill with its castle and a splendid view of the sea. Read our practical guide to Castro.
Tricase Porto (4-5 km, 7-8 minutes): the fishing village around the old harbour, with a small beach and boat trips along the coast. In 2026 an ordinance banned swimming at the Bagno delle Monache and the Bagno Panico because of the risk of rockfalls: check before you go. Read our guide to Tricase Porto.
Marina Serra and Tricase (8-9 km, 15-16 minutes): the seaside village with the natural pool below Torre Palane, closed to swimming since February 2026 after a cliff collapse (check whether the ban is still in force), and the town of Tricase with Palazzo Gallone, belonging to the family that turned the castle of Andrano into a palace in the seventeenth century.
Santa Cesarea Terme and Porto Miggiano (11-12 km, 15-16 minutes): the spa, the Moorish-style villas and the steps that lead down to the bay of Porto Miggiano.
Marina di Novaglie and the Ciolo (14-16 km, 23-25 minutes): heading south, the little harbour of Novaglie cut into the rock, the Cipolliane trail and the bridge over the Ciolo gorge. Read our guide to Marina di Novaglie.
Porto Badisco and Otranto (18-28 km, 23-35 minutes): to the north, the small bay of Porto Badisco and then Otranto, with its old town by the sea, the Cathedral with its great floor mosaic and the Aragonese castle.
Santa Maria di Leuca (24 km, 35 minutes): the lighthouse, the de Finibus Terrae sanctuary, the seafront with its nineteenth-century villas and the boats to the caves.
Local tip
Marina di Andrano faces east: the sun rises out of the sea, in front of the rocks. Go to the Grotta Verde early in the morning, when the sea is calm, as the low light enters the cave and turns the water green: it is the moment when the colour is most intense and you have the place almost to yourself.
In the afternoon, when the sun is beating down, go up to the Attarico viewpoint and look at the coast from above, then carry on at a leisurely pace towards the Serra del Mito: among pajare, scrub and dry-stone walls you will discover a landscape of stone a few minutes from the sea. If you happen to be here on 3 August, stay for the torchlight procession that goes down from the town to the crypt at sunset.
In the evening don’t miss a stroll along the Lungomare delle Agavi: sit on a bench and, if the air is clear, look for the mountains of Albania on the horizon.
FAQ
Where is Marina di Andrano?
On the Adriatic coast of southern Salento, in the municipality of Andrano (Lecce), between Marina di Marittima to the north and the Tricase coast to the south, about 6 km from Castro, 5 km from Tricase Porto and 52 km from Lecce. It is also called Feronzo.
How do you get into the Grotta Verde?
From the square of the Grotta Verde a flight of steps leads down to the rocks; the cave is right next to it. When the sea is calm you go in through a side opening, walking on the rock, or with a few swimming strokes. Bring a mask and a small torch and avoid days when the sea is rough.
Why is it called Grotta Verde?
Because sunlight comes in through the openings onto the sea and through a submerged mouth and is reflected on the water and the walls in a colour between emerald green and turquoise. The best time to see it is in the morning.
Is there a sandy beach at Marina di Andrano?
No: the coast is a rocky shore with small coves and rock platforms, from which you get into the water. For sand you can go to the Ionian coast, to Pescoluse or Torre Vado, about 40 minutes away.
What is the Lungomare delle Agavi?
It is the pedestrian promenade by the sea that links the area of the Botte with that of the Grotta Verde, named after the agaves that line it. It has benches, a small square and the five-a-side football pitch, and on summer evenings it hosts music and shows.
Is Marina di Andrano suitable for children?
With care: there is no sand, and to get into the water you have to move across the rocks or climb down the ladders. With small children the sandy beaches of the Ionian coast are easier.
How do you get to Marina di Andrano without a car?
In summer on «Salento in Bus» line 103, Maglie – Santa Cesarea Terme – Castro – Marina di Andrano, which runs to the Grotta Verde car park. The nearest railway station is Andrano-Castiglione, on the FS Sud Est line, about 8 km away.
What is there to see in Andrano, the town?
The Spinola-Caracciolo castle in Piazza Castello, the Chiesa Madre di Sant’Andrea and the church of San Domenico; just outside, towards the sea, the crypt of the Madonna dell’Attarico.
Where to stay near Marina di Andrano?
In Marittima, about 3 km from the Grotta Verde, there is Salento Prime’s Villetta Arenosa con piscina: 4 guests, 2 rooms, 3 bathrooms and a private sea-view pool. Castro and Tricase are also convenient bases for exploring this stretch of coast.
Conclusion
Marina di Andrano is Salento’s Adriatic coast at its simplest and most authentic: three kilometres of rocky shore, a cave where the sea turns green, freshwater springs among the rocks, a seafront lined with agaves and, behind it all, the countryside of the pajare, the crypt of the Attarico and the Serra del Mito. Choose a morning when the sea is calm, bring a mask and reef shoes and take the time to go up to Andrano too, at the foot of its castle.
If you want to stay a few minutes from the sea, in Marittima there is our Villetta Arenosa con piscina: 4 guests, 2 rooms, 3 bathrooms and a private sea-view pool, about 3 km from the Grotta Verde. You will find our houses in the area on the page holiday homes in Marittima.
Discover the available accommodations with Salento Prime. To best organize your base and transfers, contact us here or start a chat on WHATSAPP.
Cover photo: Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
