So take it or leave it, these are just some words about the pristine water and hostile rocks of Porto Selvaggio.
The drive to get to it is an experience in itself.
The road unfolds between the coast and a rather hilly landscape, where the vibrancy of the red soil creates a striking contrast with the paler rocks, and the forest green from which the vegetation ties everything together with the rich blue from the sea.
These colour combinations are what I think heavily influenced what I consider ‘beautiful’, my taste as a designer, as well as the colour palette for House of Deda.
It’s a place with the charm of an uncharted place. It’s a portion of the Ionian coast, crammed with hard-to-get-to bays with evocative views, unspoiled wildlife, green waters.
Most of the beaches or cliffs around here require a bit of a hike to get to, which means that they are also less busy, and give us the chance to enjoy nature in its rawest form, away from the crowds.
A few miles west of Nardò, this coastal enclave has resisted against many attempts of land speculation, and it’s been put in protected-area status since 1980, mainly because people started to use underwater bombs to fish seafood, damaging large portions of the cliffs, and killing wildlife.
We’ve known Porto Selvaggio since we were kids. We used to go to La Baia with my family. That’s the most famous and accessible bay of Porto Selvaggio. The sea never gets rough, it’s protected on either side, and the water has a specific emerald green hue in which is a joy to dive or to snorkel.
As this bay got increasingly busier and more popular amongst tourists and locals, I’d been looking for a more intimate and wilder one, where to connect with the sea and nature in a more soulful way.
And I found the sweet spot on the cliffside below Torre Uluzzo.
This coastline is crammed with mysterious caves where only recently signs of Neanderthal settlements were found. Look for La Grotta del Cavallo.
For some it may be a turn off, but I love how there aren’t any facilities once you get down to the bay, and it’s quite a walk from the nearest source of water or food. As well as lacking shade spots. So, if you do come down here, get plenty of sunscreen, water, and food.
This unassuming gem is part of who I’ve become, it’s where I take a break, and where I feel nothing matters more than there and then.