Chiatona, the Beach of the people of Massafra

 

The shore of Chiatona, the seaside of Massafra, where crystal clear sea and soft and white sand have always been the summer background of the people of Massafra.

If you ask the inhabitants of Massafra where they go to the beach, it’s likely, if not sure, that they will answer “Chiatona”. Yes, the shore of Chiatona has always been the beach of the inhabitants of Massafra and it seems right to me to tell you about it, to make you know the beauty and the peculiarities of the shore of this corner of Apulia, and, perhaps, they may be the kind of beach that you are looking for.

Leggi in italiano

In the blogpost about the itinerary where I suggested what to see in Massafra, someone made me notice that I hadn’t talked about the beach. Infact, being Massafra known more for its ravines, not everyone knows that the beach is actually not more than 15 minute far. So, here I am to fix my absent-mindedness and to talk to you about Chiatona, the seaside of the people of Massafra.

Chiatona, the seaside of the people of Massafra and my adolescence

Ah, the old good days of the adolescence, of carefree summers, when the only thought was to get up in time to take the bus with friends to go to the beach. And where did we go? Obviously, to Chiatona beach.

We took the bus hoping to find four seats together, surrounded by the voices of many other guys like us; we reached Chiatona station, we got off, slippers on our feet, a bag with a beach towel on our back and we reached Lido Impero, the seaside meeting point of the whole town. (Note: time passes but the fact that the people of Massafra meet in Chiatona remains a constant!)

Lido Impero, the historic beach club of Chiatona

Lido Impero is a historic beach resort. It dates back to the 30s, when the guests came here even from Taranto by rail-cruiser, got off at the railroad crossing right in front of the entrance of the resort and enjoyed this sea.

Back then, bathers had their own changing room with a mirror and all they needed. There are some old pictures hanging on the walls of the current resort that recall that time. Unfortunately, war arrived here too and both foreign and Italian soldiers used it as a headquarter, forcing even the owners to leave the shore.

After the war, Lido Impero got back to life, not without any difficulties to rebuild and to equip again the structure and still nowadays it welcomes its guests and offers its services.

Lido Impero, not just a beach resort

When I was a teenager, I had always experienced Lido Impero as a bather: I used a beach umbrella, the access to the beach, beach volleyball courts where we played ruthless matches with old and new friends met at the moment, and then we had an ice-cream or a slush at the bar.

But this historic beach resort doesn’t offer just a day on the beach. Actually, It has a wide restaurant  that becomes a pizzeria in the evening for those who want to spend a quiet evening by the sea. Moreover, for those who want to sleep and to wake up sea view, the structure provides fifteen rooms accessible from the elegant garden that frames the entrance.

Chiatona shore, the beach

Ok, but let’s see the crucial points, that that maybe you’re waiting for since the beginning of the blogpost. How’s the beach? Whom would I recommend it to?

Let’s begin with saying that it’s a stretch of soft, fine, white sand, without a shadow of a rock. It’s that kind of beach where you can spread the towel and model the sand under it to adapt it to the shape of your body (and, in that case, be careful not to fall asleep under the sun. Trust me, it happens...); a beach where, as I said before, you can play beach volleyball and daringly throw yourself to hit the ball.

It’s a beach where children also can unleash their architectural creativity, digging and building sand castles on the shoreline, without the danger to hurt themselves with rocks.

Besides, the level of water is the best for children who play in the sea, because you must walk in the sea very far from the shore to reach an important high. This characteristic, besides making this beach child proof, is also very much appreciated by adults for the possibility to go for long, draining and massaging walks in the water. A panacea for blood circulation!

The seashore of Chiatona is known mostly by locals. It’s one of those beaches where you really find the people of the place and those who aren’t often are locals who have moved somewhere else, but during summer they come back here to enjoy a holiday by the sea they have always known.

Did you know that Massafra have its seaside? Have you ever heard of the seashore of Chiatona?