Located on the Ionian coast, a few kilometers from Lecce, Gallipoli, whose name derives from the Greek and means "beautiful city", is a perfect meeting between past and present, rich in history and loved above all for its long beaches. The historical city center stands on an island of limestone origin, connected to the more modern part of the city by an arched bridge. Surrounding walls, bastions and towers evoke an atmosphere of other times. Of impact, the Angevin Castle, dating back to the Byzantine age, entirely surrounded by the sea, fortified with turrets and bastions, among which the Torre del Rivellino stands out.
There are numerous religious buildings in the city, including the suggestive Basilica of Sant’Agata, whose facade is adorned with Baroque motifs; the Church of Santa Maria della Purità and the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Canneto. One of the main attractions of the city is the fish market, where every afternoon you can watch the fishing boats dock and buy the catch of the day directly from the fishermen.
Walking in the historical city center of Gallipoli allows you to savor the taste of the maritime tradition. As for the beaches, the Spiaggia della Purità is very suggestive, a small bay between the turrets and the ramparts of the old city, as well as the very long Baia Verde beach up to the Torre del Pizzo, an ideal place to enjoy the crystal clear sea and golden sand that characterizes Salento. Breathtaking scenery appears at sunset: as it is possible to admire directly from the beaches or from the top of the ramparts the moment when the sun plunges into the sea and the sky turns red.
