Torre Vado

Torre Vado is a small hamlet of the municipality of Morciano di Leuca in the province of Lecce. Located in the lower Salento, a short distance from Santa Maria di Leuca, it is a famous seaside resort on the Ionian coast of Salento, very close to the beaches of Pescoluse, known as the "Maldives of Salento", for its fine golden sandy beaches and the crystal-clear sea that greatly resemble the landscapes of the much more famous Maldives, yet have nothing to envy of those places.

Cliff or Beach?

The coast of Torre Vado is characterized by low cliffs that extend to the beaches of Pescoluse, about 1 km away from the town center. The town has developed around the small harbor, primarily in the last few decades, on the strength of tourism.

The town takes its name from the homonymous watchtower near the port. “Vado” is derived from the Latin “vadum” (ford), referring to the coast easily accessible from the sea, or according to another theory, from the Spanish “ovado”, meaning a place where fish lay their eggs.

The tower of Torre Vado is one of the numerous coastal watchtowers built in the 16th century by Charles V to defend the Salento territory from invasions by Saracen pirates. The watchtower is located on the coast just a few meters from the sea and is currently surrounded by some buildings constructed in more recent times. Due to its proximity to the town center of Salve, it was used as a torre cavallara, meaning it was equipped with a messenger on horseback who, in case of danger, would set off to warn the inland villages.

The tower, with a circular base, is built on two floors and features windows and loopholes in the upper part. It is accessed by a staircase. With the disarmament of the coastal towers, which took place around 1846 by order of Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, the tower was repurposed as a customs control station. In 1930 it was purchased by private individuals and was restored in 1935.

The Residence was born

12 km from Santa Maria di Leuca, renowned for its nineteenth-century villas, the Basilica, the Lighthouse and the monumental waterfall and its beautiful caves.