{"id":43276,"date":"2026-11-04T20:38:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T19:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salentoprime.com\/?p=43276"},"modified":"2026-11-04T20:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T19:38:12","slug":"punta-meliso-what-to-see-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salentoprime.com\/en\/punta-meliso-what-to-see-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Punta Meliso, Santa Maria di Leuca: cosa vedere e guida 2027 [GUIDA]"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Looking for the point where Salento ends, with a lighthouse, a sanctuary and the sea on both sides? This guide takes you to Punta Meliso, the cape of Santa Maria di Leuca: the viewpoint on the square of the Basilica de Finibus Terrae, the lighthouse, the monumental waterfall of the Acquedotto Pugliese on the evenings when it is open, the caves below the headland and everything there is to see nearby, with practical tips and local curiosities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In short<\/h2>

Punta Meliso, or Punta M\u00e8liso, is the cape of Santa Maria di Leuca, in the municipality of Castrignano del Capo (Lecce), at the southern tip of Salento. On top of the headland stand the lighthouse, one of the most important in Italy, and the Basilica di Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae with its large panoramic square; towards the harbour runs the monumental waterfall of the Acquedotto Pugliese, which is opened only on some evenings. By convention, this is where the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea meet. An hour or two is enough for the visit; the best times are dawn, sunset and the waterfall evenings.<\/p><\/blockquote>

What is Punta Meliso?<\/h2>

Punta Meliso is the rocky headland that closes off the bay of Santa Maria di Leuca to the east, also called Capo Santa Maria di Leuca or Capo di Leuca. It is the second southernmost point of Puglia, after nearby Punta Ristola, but it is here that sailors\u2019 tradition sets the boundary between the two seas. On the cape you can visit the square and the Basilica de Finibus Terrae, the lighthouse, the staircase with the monumental waterfall and the pine wood of the Croce Pietrina; below, the sea caves of Leuca open onto the deep sea.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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For many travellers Punta Meliso is the point where the journey through Salento comes to an end: the road climbs through the pines, the large white square opens up in front of the Basilica and, beyond the arches, there is only the sea. On one side you look at the Adriatic coast running back up towards Otranto, on the other at the bay of Leuca with the harbour, the seafront lined with nineteenth-century villas and Punta Ristola. Santa Maria di Leuca, the hamlet of Castrignano del Capo that stretches around the bay, has just under 1,400 inhabitants, but in summer it fills with visitors and pilgrims.<\/p>

You don\u2019t come here for the beach: Punta Meliso is a high cliff, with deep sea and caves below the headland. You come for the view, for the lighthouse and the sanctuary, to see the waterfall on the evenings when it flows down to the harbour and to set off by boat towards the caves. In this guide you will find how to get there, what to see on and below the cape, when to go and how to plan your day, nearby too.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Index<\/h2>