Cave of poetry it is one of the most beautiful corners of Italy. A wonderful natural swimming pool in the town of Roca Vecchia, a stretch of coast of the Marine of Melendugno. A dream place in Salento, in the splendid Puglia. Here, natural beauty is accompanied by the charm of history and legend.
Cave of poetry, between charm and mystery
The cave of poetry, since 1983, thanks toarchaeologist Cosimo Pagliara, aroused the general interest; starting from archaeologists, historians, lovers of traditions and folklore, lovers of poems of ancient Greece and ancient Rome up to the simple curious and tourists. Inside, in fact, some Messapian inscriptions, but also Greeks and Latinos, who have traced the cave to a place of worship of God Taotor (o Tattoo, Theotor, tootor). It has been included among the ten most beautiful natural pools in the world and its name derives from "possesses", A Greek term from the Middle Ages which means"freshwater spring“, Referring to the source that in the past flowed inside, the signs of which are still visible today.
The two poems
Indeed there are two caves, the large and the small Poetry. They are karst in nature and are approximately sixty meters apart from each other. The great is a magnificent crystal clear water ranging from cobalt blue to emerald green and pours into the sea on the southern side. On the bottom, however, the large one connects to the small one thanks to a tunnel. Small poetry is definitely more wild, hidden and difficult to access. A story tells of a noblewoman who answered the name of Isabella. The lady used to spend her free time in this little corner of paradise devoting herself to fishing.
The legend of the beautiful princess
A ancient legend tells of a princess who loved swimming in these pristine waters. Its beauty dazzled the inhabitants so much that the news spread like wildfire. Poets and travelers, coming from every corner of Southern Italy, went to the Grotta della poesia to leave be fascinated by the spectacle of the natural pool and the beauty of the young woman. Pages and pages of poetry were written inspired by the princess, including lyrics dedicated to water lilies, oriental princesses and queens of the north.
How to reach the Grotta della poesia and some indications
The cave of poetry is located in Roca Vecchia, fraction of Melendugno. The locality is part of the province of Lecce and is away 20 kilometers from Otranto. From Lecce, Roca Vecchia is about 25 km away and can be reached by car thanks to the provincial roads 1 and 145 towards Roca Vecchia. From Otrantoinstead, it takes 25 minutes along the provincial road 136. Grotta della poesia is a romantic place, but also a diving destination. Thanks to the different heights it is highly appreciated by natives and tourists who can have fun and practice in exciting diving competitions and relaxing swims. A curiosity: continuing to follow the road that connects Torre dell'Orso a Melendugno, it is possible to be enchanted by an old uninhabited village which is called Rock New. In this place, time seems to have stopped two centuries ago.
