Lido La Castellana, Otranto

The beach club of the Capasa family in Otranto is a container of elegance, beauty and sustainability. Nestled in greenery, it gradually descends towards an intensely colored sea, occupying two coves separated by more green space. Shower water flows directly from the rock, the white and blue beach huts are perfectly integrated into the environment, beneath white umbrellas we find wooden sunbeds with white mattresses, well-spaced, and everywhere a vibrant silence of wellness reigns. There are a total of 67 positions on the first beach and 27 on the second, where there are also six luxury positions. Lunch is enjoyed in the shade of a large plant, and the catering entrusted to chef Franco Tornese is at the center of a strong enhancement of the offer: on the menu we find raw fish, hot appetizers such as tacos with crispy vegetables and tuna tartare, a salad menu, frise and pinse, first courses such as pacchero with purple shrimp from Gallipoli, second courses such as swordfish Gallipolina style and some “grandmother’s dishes” such as lasagna and eggplant parmesan. Two bars are in operation, one in the restaurant area and the other on the smaller beach. The cocktails? Try the Castellana, a signature drink that can only be enjoyed here, if only because among the ingredients is mulberry juice collected from the trees present in the beach club.