Puglia and Salento: beach reality check
Short answer: 22 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Lama Monachile (18:05), Cala Porto Rosso (19:20), Spiaggia dei Gradoni (19:20); the latest sun is at Apani, Spiaggia di Cala Materdomini, Lido Marini.
| Beach | Surface | Sun in July | Climb from parking | Water | Sea in Aug | Clubs mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lama Monachile Polignano a Mare | Pebbles | 07:35–18:05 | 90 m, ↑16 m | deep fast | 26 °C | — |
| Baia dei Turchi Otranto | ? | 05:40–19:50 | 520 m, ↑7 m | gradual | 26 °C | 3 |
| Torre dell'Orso Melendugno | Sand | 05:40–19:40 | 300 m, ↑11 m | gradual | 26 °C | 6 |
| Spiaggia di Pescoluse Salve | ? | 05:55–20:10 | 170 m | gradual | 26 °C | — |
| Baia Verde Gallipoli | ? | 05:45–20:15 | 230 m | gradual | 26 °C | 12 |
| Torre Lapillo Porto Cesareo | ? | 05:45–20:10 | — | gradual | 26 °C | 7 |
| Cala Porto Rosso Monopoli | Sand | 05:40–19:20 | 100 m, ↑7 m | gradual | 26 °C | — |
| Spiaggia La Triglia Porto Cesareo | Sand | 06:15–19:35 | 170 m, ↑4 m | shallow | 26 °C | — |
| Alimini Otranto | Sand | 05:40–20:10 | 660 m, ↑6 m | gradual | 26 °C | 20 |
| Spiaggia di Torre Pali Salve | Sand | 05:50–20:15 | 220 m | shallow | 26 °C | 8 |
| Frassanito Otranto | Sand | 05:40–20:00 | 480 m, ↑14 m | gradual | 26 °C | 2 |
| Spiaggia di Sant'Isidoro Nardò | ? | 05:50–20:15 | 220 m | shallow | 26 °C | 1 |
| San Giorgio Otranto | Sand | 05:40–20:05 | 410 m, ↑9 m | gradual | 26 °C | 1 |
| Spiaggia di Rivabella Gallipoli | Sand | 05:50–20:10 | 40 m | gradual | 26 °C | 6 |
| Apani Brindisi | ? | 05:40–20:20 | — | shallow | 26 °C | 4 |
| Apani Brindisi | ? | 05:40–20:15 | — | shallow | 26 °C | 4 |
| Lido Marini Ugento | Sand | 05:55–20:15 | 130 m | shallow | 26 °C | 6 |
| Spiaggia dei Gradoni Otranto | Sand | 05:40–19:20 | 90 m, ↑13 m | gradual | 26 °C | 3 |
| Spiaggia libera Salve | ? | 05:50–20:10 | 400 m | gradual | 26 °C | 3 |
| Spiaggia della Commenda Maruggio | Sand | 05:50–19:50 | — | shallow | 26 °C | 2 |
| Spiaggia di Cala Materdomini Brindisi | ? | 05:40–20:15 | 70 m | gradual | 26 °C | 2 |
| Spiaggia di Campomarino Maruggio | ? | 05:50–20:05 | 160 m, ↑7 m | gradual | 26 °C | 1 |
Plan it
Questions
Which beaches in Puglia and Salento lose the sun first?
22 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at Lama Monachile (18:05), Cala Porto Rosso (19:20), Spiaggia dei Gradoni (19:20); the latest sun is at Apani, Spiaggia di Cala Materdomini, Lido Marini.
Which beaches in Puglia and Salento are sand?
Torre dell'Orso, Cala Porto Rosso, Spiaggia La Triglia, Alimini, Spiaggia di Torre Pali, Frassanito, San Giorgio, Spiaggia di Rivabella, Lido Marini, Spiaggia dei Gradoni, Spiaggia della Commenda.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick.