Puglia in September 2023 - Gallipoli

Another early start, then indecision about parking, then when we park and get as far as the Fontana Greca we realise that the weekly market is not where it used to be but somewhere totally different too far to go on foot so I go to retrieve the car but by the time we get to the market there’s a gridlock of cars and at one point we are stuck down a dead end road which ends at the cemetery(!). Eventually we get out of and find some space where the cars peter out, park, get to the market to buy roast almonds of two different types, almonds not roasted, roasted hazelnuts, a particular local round dried tomato which looks promising and a kilo of dried broad beans to make purè di fave this winter and head back to Gallipoli Centre.

So, to park in Gallipoli if you want to visit in the morning, keep right and follow all the signs to the port and to port parking, keeping right until you are right under the walls of the historical part of Gallipoli. This is the Parcheggio del Porto which is free until 3pm (September 2023). We find a space easily and from there in just a couple of minutes are up along the walls. It’s a beautiful day. 

The sea is a dazzling deep blue, the sky as well, the sun is hot. First we walk the external perimeter, surprised by the amount of crowds. On the spiaggia della purità, the city beach, there are just a few people, it looks very nice, some in the sea and a man snorkelling. Once we’ve been all the way round, very pleasant, we go through the historical centre. Two or three narrow streets full of tourist shops and people and the rest of the historical centre is quiet. The cathedral façade restoration work has just finished and the carvings are beautiful but the there’s no square in front, just a narrow street, so it’s difficult to admire them. 

Inside it’s rather gloomy, nothing special, aiming for majestic but not quite making it. We stroll around some more and then almost stop at Martinucci for a snack for lunch, but after sitting there a while, nobody comes to take our order and it’s really quite hot so we change our minds and head towards the newer part of Gallipoli. 

There’s a wide pavement in the shade and the breeze is cool and refreshing. We head for Bar Paolo which has good reviews and is recommended on a couple of blogs. I wonder if these bloggers have actually been to the places they recommend. Maybe we’re just unlucky or it’s the time of day but the area outside Bar Paolo where the seating is, is littered with the remains of previous customers’ food and the tables are grubby. We are tired by now and so eat the last available rustico leccese and a calzone fritto. Not bad but nothing special. They’re supposed to close at 13.30 and it’s not yet 1pm but a waitress is already removing things from the tables ready for closing, but not cleaning them or the floor below. We retreat to the other Martinucci which is clean and order a cappuccino, an espressino and two pasticciotti with ricotta and pistachio, our favourite from other visits to Martinucci in Bari. After that I go to get the car. The plan is to explore the coast but it’s hot and windy and we’re tired, so we park in the shade for a quarter of an hour near Baia Verde and then head north. Andrea recuperates enough to navigate us on a detour near Santa Maria del Bagno where we’re impressed by the imposing villas hidden in the woods and the coast near Porto Selvaggio which is really spectacular. 

We also stop at a couple of coves 

and Sant’Isidoro and near another tower, but by now we’re tired and and everywhere, even in the most isolated fraction of sandy bay, there are people, so we call it a day and head back to base for the sunset and supper. Not quite sure why the sunsets here aren’t quite as good as at Torre Ovo…….