Bauxite Lake of Otranto

Not far from Otranto, in the former bauxite quarry, you can admire the suggestive lake on a palette of colors ranging from red to emerald green.

The discovery of the deposit and its exploitation date back to 1940. Following its abandonment 30 years later, the numerous water infiltrations due to the underground aquifers have allowed the formation of a small lake with a very particular color.
All this creates a suggestive environment immersed in the typical Mediterranean scrub with shades ranging from emerald green to intense red. Today the area, completely re-naturalized, hosts luxuriant pine forests and paths and is used for agricultural-pastoral activities as well as a destination for walking and outdoor activities.

Bauxite is a mineral from which aluminum is obtained. The Otranto quarry was an important source of livelihood for all those who extracted the material during the years in which the site remained in business.