The great journey of seaplanes has enchanted Italy by 'landing' at the seaplane base of the Ecoresort Le Sirenè in Gallipoli. Anticipation grows for 2026

GALLIPOLI – A journey of nearly two thousand kilometers across Italy, between aviation history, territory promotion, and sustainable tourism. The first “Gidro d’Italia in Seaplane” represented a unique experience in the landscape of Italian aeronautical events, attracting over fifteen amphibious ultralight aircraft from all over Italy and abroad.

The tour, which took place from September 5 to 22, 2025, crossed the peninsula in eight stages, connecting Venice to Salento in a route of about two thousand kilometers. The event, named “Gidro d’Italia Seaplane 2025”, was organized by the Italian Maritime Aviation Association in collaboration with the Italian Air Force, the Aviation Army Association – Aviators of Italy, the Transatlantic Flyers Association, and the Pioneers of Aviation Association, with the support of the hotel network Caroli Hotels, a key player in the hospitality during the concluding stage in Salento.

The program kicked off on Friday, September 5 from the Nicelli Airport in Venice, with a first stop at the historic seaplane base Sant’Andrea on the Island of Vignole. From there, the seaplanes reached the seaplane base “IdroCaproni” on Lake Iseo in Marone, in the Brescia area, before continuing to the seaplane base “Battellieri Colombo” on the Ticino River in Pavia.

The route then crossed central Italy with a stop at the seaplane base Airone on the Island of Elba and subsequently at the historic seaplane base of Vigna di Valle on the Lake Bracciano, on the outskirts of Rome. The journey continued along the Tyrrhenian coast to the marine area in front of Rotonda Diaz on the Caracciolo seafront in Naples, before heading towards Calabria with a stop at the Lakes of Sibari, in Cassano Ionio.

From Calabria, the crews flew towards Puglia with a stop at the historic seaplane base “Luigi Bologna” in Taranto before reaching, on Monday, September 22, the final destination: the seaplane base of the Ecoresort Le Sirenè in Gallipoli, a symbol of the Caroli Hotels group, which welcomed the arrival of the crews in the heart of Salento.

During the various stages of the tour, numerous collateral initiatives were organized: conferences and exhibitions dedicated to the history of aviation, screenings of historical documentaries, meetings with local authorities and schools, promotional flights, and moments dedicated to discovering the gastronomic traditions of the territories crossed.

“We were very satisfied with the great interest generated by the first Gidro d’Italia in Seaplane”, declared the president of the Italian Maritime Aviation Orazio Frigino, emphasizing how the initiative involved pilots, institutions, and local administrations. The project also celebrated the great Italian tradition in the seaplane sector, exactly one hundred years after the raid of pioneer Francesco De Pinedo, who in 1925 reached Australia and Japan at the controls of the seaplane S.16bis Gennariello.

The journey, as mentioned, culminated in Gallipoli, where the project found its natural conclusion thanks to the hospitality of the Caroli Hotels group, a historic reality of Salento hospitality. The presence of the hotel network represented one of the central elements of the initiative, capable of uniting the promotion of seaplane flight with the tourist enhancement of the territory.

The roots of the Caroli family run deep in Salento. Attilio, originally from Taurisano, and his wife Gilda, a teacher who moved from Bari, embarked on a journey in the hotel hospitality sector in the 1960s after managing the family farm for a long time, also known for the production and trade of wines, oil, and dried figs for export.

Supported by their daughter Maria Domenica and their son-in-law Mario, a surgeon who later dedicated himself to the hospitality industry, the family began the expansion of the Hotel Terminal in Santa Maria di Leuca and in 1976 completed the acquisition of the hotel complex Le Sirenuse in Gallipoli. These were the pioneering years of the Salento tourism industry, and, thanks to relationships with Italian travel agents and foreign tour operators, that bet proved successful.

With the arrival of the third generation – Annamaria, Attilio, Gilda, and Pierluigi – and the acquisition of new accommodation facilities such as the Joli Park Hotel and the Bellavista Club in Gallipoli and Villa La Meridiana in Santa Maria di Leuca, Caroli Hotels was officially born, a reality that today manages over a thousand beds and develops complementary activities through the Caroli House & Boat brand for prestigious properties and sailing charters. With “La Dispensa di Caroli”, the group also promotes the gastronomic excellences of Salento, recovering the family tradition linked to local products. Today, the story continues with the fourth generation of the family, represented by Attilio's great-grandchildren, Mario and Gabriele, who are committed to innovating tradition with new ideas and projects.

The experience of the Gidro d’Italia in Seaplane 2025, which arrived in Gallipoli, perfectly fits into this vision: spectacular events and initiatives with a national scope capable of enhancing Puglia and Salento.

And it is precisely from that experience that a new anticipation arises. The success of the first edition has indeed strengthened the prospect of future events, with the aim of continuing to promote the territory through initiatives that unite tourism, culture, sport, and innovation. A path that Caroli Hotels continues to support with conviction, through shared projects aimed at making Puglia increasingly attractive on the national and international stage.