Gallipoli:
Our road trip and travels in Puglia lead us to Gallipoli, located on the south western coast of Puglia. This old walled town was around a 1-1.5 hour drive from popular locations like Ostuni, Brindisi and Otranto, and around a 30 minute drive from Lecce. The old town was small, full of winding streets, home to a port harbour, and a charming little beach adjacent to the city walls right in the heart of the town. Gallipoli is also situated close to some stunning beaches and coastline, which we will touch on later.
Our favourite moment in Gallipoli:
The beach provided wonderful morning and daytime swimming moments, however sunset is when we will remember it most. As the colourful glow of the sun lights up the sky, people flock to catch a glimpse and the little bar/ice cream stand plays some melancholy tunes. We sipped on some local Puglia wine and enjoyed the vibes here!
Some recommendations for Gallipoli:
Coffee at Laboratori Urbani:
This little café was about 1km out of the old town, but the walk was worth it. The coffee was excellent, and the salads were some of the best we had on our trip. They also offered good brunch options.
Octopus at La Polperia:
This little restaurant delivered one of the best meals of our trip. Make sure you try the ‘Polpo in Pignata con sugo e patate’. This loosely translates to octopus with tomato sauce and potato.
Where we stayed – Gallipoli Accommodation:
Our accommodation in Gallipoli was one of our favourite from our travels so far, and excellent value for money. Right in the heart of the old town, only 5 minutes or less walk from everywhere in the town, this room was excellent. We had our own terrace and heaps of space to spread out. Have a look at our Gallipoli accommodation here!
Walk to look at other accommodation in Gallipoli?
Booking.comLecce:
This old town, situated inland in the heart of the south of Puglia, has a unique charm. We visited for a day trip and loved wandering through the streets. The old amphitheatre is a sight to see, and the numerous bars and cafes are worth checking out when resting the legs. A consideration would be around those visiting during summer, as after around 11am, the town was very hot, and without a beach to cool down, or accommodation to retreat to, we found it extremely warm. Despite this heat, we would still recommend to add it to your Puglia road trip, however we are pleased with out decision to stay down at the coast rather than inland. Take a look at more moments from Lecce here!
Otranto:
Situated on the eastern coast of south Puglia, Otranto is one of the towns we didn’t make get to on our road trip. After reports from others that have visited, this is somewhere we want to return to check out! One of the key differences appears to be the beaches around Otranto, which are more ‘rocky’ beaches, whilst the ones closer to Gallipoli are ‘sandy beaches’. Most of the popular beaches around both Otranto and Gallipoli are best reached by car, as walking or public transport options are limited. We will touch on transport considerations for Puglia in a future blog.
The Beaches of Salento – The South of Puglia
We did a day trip up the coast from Gallipoli, visiting Punta Prosciutto. This strip of sandy beach offered clearer water than in Gallipoli’s town, and was one of the nicer ones we visited in Italy. We visited on a Saturday, and found the beach packed with local Italians, giving us a real ‘local feel’. The drive from Gallipoli is around 45 minutes, and can only be done via car. If you’re wanting to get the beach to yourself, we would advise to get there early.
We decided against visiting the other beaches as we didn’t want to pack in too much and not enjoy ourselves. However, we have seen photos, and heard reports that the other beaches around are stunning as well. The list below are some of the beaches we researched and had recommended to us that you may want to check out (please note this is far from exhaustive):
- Pescoluse (near Gallipoli or otranto)
- Punta Proscuitto (Near Gallipoli/lecce) – *where we visited
- Santa Moaria Al Bagno (near Gallipoli)
- Grotta Della Poesia (near Lecce/Otranto)
- Torre Dellorso (as above)
- Tricase Porte (near Otranto)
- Baia del Mulino d’Acqua (near Otranto)
- Cala dell’Aquiva (near Otravo)
- Porto Cesareo (north of Gallipoli)
- Castro Marina (near Otranto)
- Conca Specchulla (near Otranto)
- Torre San Giovanni (near Gallipoli)
- North of Bari – Baia Vignanotica, Baia Delle Zagare
WANT TO SEE MORE TRAVEL MEMORIES?
Check out some of the moments from our incredible stay in Puglia by clicking here!! This was one of our favourite places from our travels!
Have you been to Polignano a Mare? Take a look at this incredible Puglia town here!
Check out more stories, moments and recommendations from our time in Puglia! Check it out here!
Take a look at some more highlights, tips and advice from our travels in Italy! Check it out here!
Check out further highlights from our time in the Europe! Take a look!
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