Gallipoli
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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One of the signature locations in the Salento region of Puglia, Gallipoli is a seaside town with a population of 20,405 residents.
The majority of those people live within the town's eastern, mainland area but it's to the centro storico (historic centre) that most tourists flock. Dominated by a 14th century castle, the centro storico is in effect a small island, connected to the mainland via a short road bridge. It is within this area that you'll find Gallipoli's most memorable sights. |
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The castle and the island that it sits on occupy the western extreme of Gallipoli while the town's eastern area has a distinctly more modern feel to it. Arriving on the eastern side of the bridge you'll find fishermen tending to their nets while a formidable squadron of seagulls hover above, assessing the day's catch and how they might acquire the odd fish or two. On this side of the bridge the dominant sight on the opposite side is the castle, the Castello di Gallipoli built in 1629.
Cross the bridge and you'll be held up by the need to take photos as the castle with its small fishing port begin to beguile. On the other side of the bridge you're presented with a fish market down to the right but take a left here and head to the castle, passing a neat and tidy array of bars and restaurants on the way. On a sunny day, the castle's walls emit a golden hue and you can amble around the battlements at the top admiring the panoramic views. At this point you start to get a hint of the crystalline waters around the port as you gaze out but there's still more to come on that. On the bottom floor of the castle there are usually exhibitions and one room in particular is very eye-catching; an internal dome where photographs of the town's history are on display.
Leave the castle and you can walk around the town's "Riviera" which is lined by houses, shops and restaurants. I'd recommend walking down to the small marina and then heading to the end of the pier. From there you get one of the best views of the town and I find this is the point where the water is at its most dazzling. During the summer you'll find locals sunbathing and swimming here, away from the busier beach further around the Riviera road.
Gallipoli can boast a series of beautiful Baroque buildings, particularly churches, and as you make your way around the Riviera you'll come to one such example of this, the small but attractive Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi. The church sits on the bend of the road and as you make your away around, another breathtaking sight opens up in front of you. La Spiaggia della Purità. or Purity Beach if you prefer, offers up a kaleidoscope of marine colours that seem to change form the closer you approach. This is the favourite spot for swimmers during the summer and simply a memorable sight at any other time of year.
Beyond Purity Beach is another small marina from where you can take boat trips or diving expeditions and beyond that lies the town's main car park; certainly the best place to park if you're spending a day in the centro storico. At this point it makes sense to head inland for Gallipoli's final set of treats. As with most towns in Puglia, the buildings are mainly whitewashed and straight-edged, but here sprinkled with further Baroque delights. The most impressive building here is the Cattedrale di Sant'Agata: the Cathedral was built in the 17th century and is one of the most beautiful in Puglia. Any visitors to Lecce's Basilica di Santa Croce will find some similarities here as the facades of both churches were worked on by the same architect: one Giuseppe Zimbalo.
Around the Cathedral lies a tangled warren of narrow streets where you'll find shops of every kind and a large number of bars and restaurants. This is one of the most interesting parts of Gallipoli and with its collection of museums and general vivacity, there's more than enough to warrant a day's exploration. If you have more time available then this is without a doubt one of the best places to base yourself for a holiday in the Salento. The region's main city Lecce is just a half an hour drive from here, while heading south you can embark on a tour of the Salento's main coastal road which is one of the most beautiful drives in Italy.
I should add a little footnote about the name of the town here. There's a famous 1981 film called Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir and starring among others: Mel Gibson. The film depicts an important battle in World War One which was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey but apart from the identical name, there's no connection between the film and this, the town in Puglia.
Cross the bridge and you'll be held up by the need to take photos as the castle with its small fishing port begin to beguile. On the other side of the bridge you're presented with a fish market down to the right but take a left here and head to the castle, passing a neat and tidy array of bars and restaurants on the way. On a sunny day, the castle's walls emit a golden hue and you can amble around the battlements at the top admiring the panoramic views. At this point you start to get a hint of the crystalline waters around the port as you gaze out but there's still more to come on that. On the bottom floor of the castle there are usually exhibitions and one room in particular is very eye-catching; an internal dome where photographs of the town's history are on display.
Leave the castle and you can walk around the town's "Riviera" which is lined by houses, shops and restaurants. I'd recommend walking down to the small marina and then heading to the end of the pier. From there you get one of the best views of the town and I find this is the point where the water is at its most dazzling. During the summer you'll find locals sunbathing and swimming here, away from the busier beach further around the Riviera road.
Gallipoli can boast a series of beautiful Baroque buildings, particularly churches, and as you make your way around the Riviera you'll come to one such example of this, the small but attractive Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi. The church sits on the bend of the road and as you make your away around, another breathtaking sight opens up in front of you. La Spiaggia della Purità. or Purity Beach if you prefer, offers up a kaleidoscope of marine colours that seem to change form the closer you approach. This is the favourite spot for swimmers during the summer and simply a memorable sight at any other time of year.
Beyond Purity Beach is another small marina from where you can take boat trips or diving expeditions and beyond that lies the town's main car park; certainly the best place to park if you're spending a day in the centro storico. At this point it makes sense to head inland for Gallipoli's final set of treats. As with most towns in Puglia, the buildings are mainly whitewashed and straight-edged, but here sprinkled with further Baroque delights. The most impressive building here is the Cattedrale di Sant'Agata: the Cathedral was built in the 17th century and is one of the most beautiful in Puglia. Any visitors to Lecce's Basilica di Santa Croce will find some similarities here as the facades of both churches were worked on by the same architect: one Giuseppe Zimbalo.
Around the Cathedral lies a tangled warren of narrow streets where you'll find shops of every kind and a large number of bars and restaurants. This is one of the most interesting parts of Gallipoli and with its collection of museums and general vivacity, there's more than enough to warrant a day's exploration. If you have more time available then this is without a doubt one of the best places to base yourself for a holiday in the Salento. The region's main city Lecce is just a half an hour drive from here, while heading south you can embark on a tour of the Salento's main coastal road which is one of the most beautiful drives in Italy.
I should add a little footnote about the name of the town here. There's a famous 1981 film called Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir and starring among others: Mel Gibson. The film depicts an important battle in World War One which was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey but apart from the identical name, there's no connection between the film and this, the town in Puglia.
Comune di Gallipoli
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Province: Lecce
Region: Puglia Population: 19,561 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 41 km² Highlights: Spiaggia della Purità, Gallipoli Castle, Cathedral Close by: Lecce, Otranto, Torre Sant'Andrea, Salento, Brindisi Recommended hotel: I Bastioni San Domenico |
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