포르토 셀바조 에 팔루데 델 카피타노 자연 공원‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪6‬개의 천연기념물

A difficult path but overall easy to tackle

One of the most representative Spunnulate of the marsh. Example of how the water emerging from the subsoil indicates the presence of abundant fresh water in the Salento subsoil but also the difficulty of accessing it. Destination of migratory avifauna. Wonderful. It is a protected place and (for obvious reasons) bathing is absolutely prohibited.

The spunnulates result from the collapse of the vaults of pre-existing underground karst cavities. In many cases they host a body of groundwater which, given the proximity to the sea, is brackish and with variable salinity.

The Grotta del Cavallo is famous for the archaeological finds of human and animal remains dating back to the Paleolithic. Some of the oldest Homo sapiens in Europe, who lived around 40,000 years ago, were discovered here. The entrance to the cave is not open to the public, but there is a splendid view of the entire coast.

The swamp develops along the coast of Nereto and has a high value and naturalistic interest. One of the many beauties of this place are the "spunnulate", a very rare geological phenomenon in which a karst sinking creates a "lake" of fresh and salt water. These areas have given rise to a unique habitat rich in very interesting botanical and faunal species. In addition to this, among the paths of the Captain's Marsh you can come across beautiful Orchids, wild flowers and expanses of Salicornia, also called sea asparagus. The small bays that can be encountered along the way, enclose the beauty of this place to be discovered. https://www.18meridianoescursioni.it/la-palude-del-capitano-e-le-spunnulate/

Not open to the public, but worth a detour for the view. Not accessible to the public. Splendida vista.

The pristine landscape captures the gaze and soothes the soul of visitors who find here an environment where peace and nature reign supreme. Without a doubt one of the most evocative places in Salento, the so-called Palude del Capitano located in the area of the Porto Selvaggio Regional Natural Park (in S. Isidoro di Nardò), offers visitors an enchanting scenery. Inside, lush vegetation with various plants now rare as well as evidence of prehistoric man. In recent years, following archaeological excavations, the remains of a Roman villa have been brought to light and an ancient ointment filled with silver coins was also found. In this site of Community interest there are several bodies of fresh water (due to the karst phenomenon of the collapse sinkholes, called spundulate in the local dialect) that gushes from the cold springs from the rock and mixes with the salty waters coming from small underground channels that from the nearby sea they join up to the swamp. https://www.solosalento.it/palude-del-capitano/

Warning, the paths through the cliffs end suddenly. Good footwear can work wonders.