Villas in Nardò
Nardò is a good Ionian coast base for families, with most homes around the fishing village of Santa Maria al Bagno. At nearby Santa Caterina the shore is low rock with some sandy stretches, and few homes have a pool, so this is for sea swimmers rather than poolside days.
- Villas
- 5
- From, per week
- £533
About Nardò
Nardò is the second-largest town in the province of Lecce, with an old centre of Lecce-style baroque churches and palaces around Piazza Salandra and a cathedral built around the year 1000. Its coast is a string of hamlets on the Ionian Sea, and that is where most of these homes are, spread around Santa Maria al Bagno. The village has about 1,000 residents, a medieval coastal tower known as the Four Columns, a Sunday market and the Museum of Memory and Welcome. In summer its bars and restaurants stay open around the clock. Out of season things calm down; Santa Caterina, another hamlet, is usually quiet in winter apart from holidays.
Is Nardò right for you?
- Best for
- Families wanting sea swimming and a baroque town nearby
- Not for you if
- You need a private pool or a long sandy beach outside the door.
Near Nardò
Porto Selvaggio
Regional park of about 400 hectares of pinewood with seven kilometres of coastline, next to Santa Maria al Bagno.
Santa Caterina
Seaside hamlet about 7 km from Nardò with a small harbour and two 16th-century Spanish lookout towers, Torre Santa Caterina and Torre dell'Alto.
Lecce
Provincial capital around 20 minutes by car from Santa Maria al Bagno, and the model for Nardò's baroque.
Getting to Nardò
Fly to Brindisi or Bari. By car, Santa Maria al Bagno is around 45 minutes from Brindisi and around an hour and a half from Bari, while Lecce is about 20 minutes away. Hire a car to move between the hamlets, the old town and the airport.
When to go to Nardò
Summers in the Salento are hot, dry and sunny, and the coast is at its liveliest, with bars in Santa Maria al Bagno open round the clock. Winters are mild and rainy, and Santa Caterina is usually quiet outside holidays. The area can be windy at any time of year.
Villas in Nardò
Casa Lilli in Nardò
Nardò, Salento, Italy
11
4
0
Air ConFireplaceWashing Machine+3 more
from£81
per night
5-star property
5-star property
Nardò villa holidays: questions answered
Is the coast at Nardò sandy or rocky?
Rocky in places. At Santa Caterina, one of Nardò's coastal hamlets, the shore is low rock apart from some sandy stretches, and Porto Selvaggio adds seven kilometres of pine-backed coast. Anyone set on soft sand should check the beach nearest their chosen home.
Do homes in Nardò have pools?
Only a few do. Most homes here rely on the sea instead, though most have a garden; filter for a private pool if it matters, and check each listing for air conditioning.
What is the museum in Santa Maria al Bagno, Nardò?
The Museum of Memory and Welcome recalls 1943 to 1947, when the village hosted a displaced persons camp and some 150,000 Jews passed through, many on their way to Israel. It holds archives, witness accounts, photographs and a library.
Is Nardò busy in summer?
On the coast, yes. Bars and restaurants in Santa Maria al Bagno stay open around the clock in summer, and there is a market every Sunday. Out of season the hamlets are far quieter.
Nearby towns to Nardò
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed November 2026.
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