Isles and cliffs from east to west
WEST SMALL ISLANDS
CESARIA’S ISLAND or Big island
Known as “Isola dei Conigli”(Rabbit Island), it is the biggest island near Porto Cesareo. It is made up of three parts:”Lu Campu”(East), “La Mpresa” (the central part of the island) and “La Chianca d’Abramo”(West). Worthy of attention are: “LU lakkuddhu” (a small lake),”Puertu Pignatu”( a place where you can spot the remains of several Roman ships and even a grave carved into the rock on the sea-floor.
The Eastern part of the island is "La punta di li crape" (Goat Point). The most famous rock on the island is the "pietra dei cento ducati"(the hundred ducat rock), famous because it was a reference point for all the sailors during 1700,and because this reference point helped few fishermen earn a hundred ducats.
In the nearby there are several cliffs, for example: “il Campo” ,the “Scoglio Mujoso”with a muddy sea-floor where a new species of Iris(Iris revoluta nova specie) has been found, and the” Chianca d’Abramo” (Abraham’s rock)
“Scoglio della Penna”, a cliff parallel to “Isola Grande” (Big Island).
The “Scoglio dell'occhio” (eye cliff) is a cliff that completely disappears when the sea levels rise, so it became necessar to place a light on it. For this reason, the cliff was given a second name:”Scoglio della colonna” ( Column Rock).
Near the archaeological site called “Scalo di Furno” there is a cliff named “scoglio ti lu cipuddhazzu" (Leopoldia comosa Island) because of the high presence of Leopoldia comosa (whose bulbs, called “Lampagioni” are an Apulian delicacy)during the rainy season.
Relevant is also the island “Cucciu Manneddha” , named after a bird that can be found on it.
Another island near Torre Chianca is the “isola della Malva”(Mallow island), where the Thot statue was found in 1932. The statue of the monkey God is now in the National Museum of Taranto and it is worth a visit.
The “Isola della Chianca”(Rock Island) is just in front of the Torre Chianca tower. Perennial wild asparagus may be found on this three hectare island.
THE MIDDLE ISLES
The middle isles are: “Lo Scoglio”(the cliff), “lo scoglio di Mezzo”( the Middle Rock), the “Scoglio di Testa”(the Head Rock), “Il Campo”(The Field) and another little isle named “Lu Pilu”(The Hair) because the whole isle is covered in a particular type of evergreen grass used for the fishing nets. Those islands are located between the West and the East islands.
EAST SMALL ISLANDS
The Red eye rock(Scoglio dell'occhio rosso) is a little isle which can be seen only when the sea level falls. Its name is connected with the high presence of red algae.
The isle” ti lu Caparrone”(the Barn Isle) is linked with the Astrea’s peninsula and looks like a barn in the middle of the sea.
“Scoglio della taverna”(the Tavern rock) has been named after a tavern built near the shore in 1600; while Astrea’s rock is a small rock within the Astrea’s creek.