A sea cave with stalactites shaped like rags
On the Adriatic coast of the Salento, between Otranto and Leuca, the stretch near Castro is one of the most spectacular, with high cliffs dropping into an intensely blue sea. Here opens the Grotta Zinzulusa, the most famous of the Salento's caves, a karst cave partly flooded by the sea, which can be visited both on foot and by boat. Its name comes from the local dialect word "zinzuli", rags: the stalactites hanging from the vault at the entrance look like ragged clothes hung out to dry.
The visit, about 150 metres long, starts at the mouth of the cave and passes through a sequence of chambers: the Conca, a pool of sea water, the "Corridor of Wonders" decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, and the Duomo, a great hall with a vault about 25 metres high. At the end lies the Cocito, a pool of brackish water, named after one of the rivers of Dante's Hell, which is home to unique species of tiny blind crustaceans and sponges, living fossils that have adapted to the darkness. In prehistoric times the cave was inhabited, and the bones of extinct animals have been found. The village of Castro, perched on the cliff, has a castle, a cathedral and a picturesque port.
Tip: combine the visit with a boat trip along the coast to see other caves, such as the Grotta Romanelli and the Grotta Azzurra di Castro.
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