Santa Caterina is a town in the municipality of Nardo in Lecce province. Santa Caterina is located on the Ionian coast, about 7 km from the capital city. The territory consists of the hills and the coast is rather low and rocky, except for a few sandy stretches. The shape of the area is due to the gradual raising and lowering of the sea level, an event witnessed by the presence of numerous fossils of marine species on the mainland. The landscape, therefore, is formed by a series of steps which descend towards the sea. There are also many caves in the cliffs. It is not far from Porto Cesareo and Gallipoli.