Golden Gallipoli ☀️ The best tips for Puglia’s coastal paradise

Gallipoli consists of an old town on a rocky island and a new town on the mainland, connected by a bridge.

Gallipoli has a rich history as a Greek colony, Roman municipium and was once an important trading center. Much of this can still be felt in the old town. The new town and the surrounding region, on the other hand, are known for their vibrant nightlife and are therefore often visited by younger tourists from all over the world, especially during the peak summer season.

Like in many Italian cities, life in Gallipoli somehow only really begins after 4 p.m. Where before only a few tourists strolled through the still sleepy streets and a few locals untangled the fishing nets at the harbor, there is a lot of activity later in the day. The later it gets, the more lively it gets. And it is precisely this special mix of maritime history and pulsating nightlife that makes Gallipoli a great vacation spot in Puglia for me.

Places to stay in and around Gallipoli

There are many hotels in Gallipoli. The most authentic are located in the old town. The I Bastioni San Domenico – Boutique Hotel or the Relais Corte Palmieri & Il Chiostro – Residenza d’epoca are high-quality and popular accommodations.

If you are looking for a more upscale hotel with a wellness area, then the 5-star Biancodonda Greenblu Hotel & SPA is a good option. It is located in the new town, but only a few minutes from Fontana Greca and the castle.

I myself decided to stay outside the gates of Gallipoli, because I was traveling with a rental car and wanted to have it a little more relaxed. With the Ferrocino Resort, I found a really cool place to stay that I can recommend. There is a really great pool with hot tubs, very spacious rooms with comfortable beds, and the breakfast was also very tasty and included in the price.

The only drawback: there is an expressway right next to the resort. But that didn’t bother us at night.

1. Fontana Greca – Fountain of the Greeks

The Greek Fountain in Gallipoli was long considered the oldest fountain in Italy, supposedly dating back to the 3rd century BC. However, this is now highly controversial. It is also known as the “fountain of scandal” because of the mythological stories of love and revenge depicted in it.

You can’t miss it when you visit Gallipoli. It stands near the bridge to the Castello di Gallipoli, at the transition from the old town to the new town.

2. Porto Antico

The historic harbor around the castle of Gallipoli is a beautiful area to stroll around and take pictures.

The harbor still plays an important role in fishing in Gallipoli, which is why you can still see many fishermen at work here in their colorful boats.

3. Castello di Gallipoli

The Castello di Gallipoli is an impressive fortress with a rich history dating back to Roman times.

An architectural highlight of the fortress is the “Hall Ennagonale”, a nonagonally shaped, highly echo-friendly hall. Admission costs €5 per person.

4. Get a Pasticciotto at Martinucci

Pasticciotti are an oval-shaped shortcrust pastry from Puglia that is traditionally filled with vanilla cream. However, there are also all sorts of variations with different fillings.

Pasticciotti are particularly typical of the Salento region, including Gallipoli. The Martinucci, directly opposite the fortress, offers this local delicacy as well as many other delicacies.

5. The old town of Gallipoli

One of the best things to do in Gallipoli is to stroll through the narrow and winding streets of the old town and also walk around it. You will discover many great shops, historic buildings and photo opportunities that look like something out of an Italian movie from the 60s.

Most of the shops and souvenir stores are located along Via Antoinetta de Pace.

6. Oil mills in the old town

The oil trade once made Gallipoli an important trading port. The oil was mainly exported to Sweden and England for wool processing and as lamp oil.

The oil mills in Gallipoli were therefore an important part of the economic and cultural history of the city. They were located deep below the old town in old caves, and you can still visit two of them today:

• You can visit the Frantoio Ipogeo di Palazzo Granafei for €2 admission.
• Admission to Il frantoio del Vicerè: antichi tesori di Gallipoli costs €1.50.
  

7. Sunset on the Riviera Nazzario Sauro

The most beautiful place to watch the sunset is in the far west of the old town, directly opposite Isola Sant’Andrea with its distinctive lighthouse. There are also some bars along the Riviera where you can enjoy a sundowner and watch the blood-orange sun sink into the horizon.

8. Spiaggia della Purità

The Purità beach is located just below the city walls of the old town and is a popular meeting place for locals and visitors to Gallipoli alike. There are also a few restaurants and bars around the beach.

9. Library – Ex Oratorio Sant’Angelo

The old city library houses around 3,000 books, including some quite old specimens from the 16th century. The 32 incunabula here are the highlight, because they are rare and represent the beginnings of printing.

The entrance to the library is also spectacular. Seemingly just growing in the middle of the city, an old tree marks the entrance to the library, which is flanked by ornate stone steps.

9. Museo del mare

Right across from the library is the Museo del Mare, a small exhibition that costs just €1 to enter. You can marvel at interesting finds of marine animals from the area and also learn a lot about marine life. A visit is a great idea, especially on rainy days, but also otherwise.

10. Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata

The Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata is an impressive building in the Baroque style in the middle of the old town. In 1940, it was even recognized as a national monument due to its historical and artistic significance.

The interior of the church, which can be entered free of charge, is also beautiful. There are numerous pictures, decorations and impressive paintings in the ceiling.

11. Live music in the old town

The Associazione S.Cecilia is actually a music school, but it is also an association that includes the city’s wind orchestra. Sometimes the old men get together, take out the guitar and accordion and play for the tourists who happen to be passing by.

12. The churches of the old town

The old town of Gallipoli has a fairly high density of churches for its size. In addition to the basilica, there are numerous other Catholic churches:

• Chiesa di San Francesco D’Assisi: It houses various altars with icons, paintings and statuettes.
• Church of San Domenico al Rosario: this church is the seat of the historic Confraternity of the Rosary. To the left of the church there is another place of worship.
• Chiesa Rettoria Santa Maria della Purità: This church is one of the oldest in Gallipoli. It was built between 1662 and 1665.
• Oratorio della Confraternita di San Giuseppe e della Buona Morte: church with a simple façade and a portal decorated with floral motifs. Inside is a unique collection of paintings by the artist Gian Domenico from Gallipoli
• Santa Maria degli Angeli: simple and bright façade in white and blue. It houses valuable paintings by Diego Oronzo Bianchi from the 18th century.
• Chiesa Rettoria Maria Santissima del Monte Carmelo e della Misericordia
• Chiesa Rettoria San Francesco di Paola
  

13. Gallipoli Nightlife

Gallipoli’s nightlife offers something for everyone. There are beach bars with music, bars and pubs in the city, as well as larger open-air clubs with well-known DJs.

• A hotspot is the Baia Verde south of the city, where beach parties a la Mallorca often take place. A well-known disco here is Praja Gallipoli – famous for its pool parties. But other beach bars also turn into open-air discos in the evening, for example, the Lido Zen.
• The Parco Gondar, just outside the city, is a venue that often hosts well-known DJs.
• The Vega is a club in a wooded area near Punta della Suina, south of Gallipoli.
• North of Gallipoli you will find the Quartiere Latino, which has been around since 1986 and often hosts well-known DJs.
• The Riobo is a large Italian club with plenty of space in the north of Gallipoli.

As you can see for yourself, Gallipoli in Puglia is a great place for a stopover on your trip around Puglia. What attractions in Gallipoli should be on the list here? Write it in the comments.