Renée
Despite you always hope that your planned SUN holiday will actually only be covered with sun, in practice this is of course not always the case. During our holiday in Lecce, the Salento, we also had no sunshine for two or three days. But it was 27 degrees. And what do you do then? Simple enough.
The Salento is full of beautiful villages that you can visit on a cloudy holiday day. You can go either way, it just depends on what you feel like. On the first cloudy day we decided to visit Gallipoli.
Gallipoli is one of the most visited cities in the province of Lecce. Gallipoli is about 42 kilometers from Lecce and can be easily reached by car within half an hour. The historic center of Gallipoli is truly beautiful. It's as if time has stood still. The streets look picturesque, the houses have beautiful colors, the sea turns blue and the view seems endless.
Landmarks in Gallipoli
The fish market – you have to love it – is seen as an attraction. It is therefore the first thing you see and smell when you have parked your car and walk into the historic center. Gallipoli is well visited, but despite the crowds of tourists in the city, it is not annoying. The locals are not rushed or unkind. Gallipoli has a great vibe, where you can walk in circles endlessly, maybe stop every now and then for a cocktail (yes, first things first).
Gallipoli has several popular sights such as the Cattedrale di Sant'Agata, the fountain, the oil presses and of course the city walls and the white beach. All worth it.
What we encountered was the siesta. On the sun-drenched beach days you are not so aware of this, because you are in fact having a siesta yourself on a brightly colored beach chair by an azure blue sea. But on such a cloudy day it turned out to be quite difficult. Everything is closed between 13.00 and 16.00.
Surviving during the siesta
Many bars and restaurants in Gallipoli were also closed, leaving little choice for a good pizza or a refreshing cocktail (or just a beer, that's also allowed). That is sometimes annoying, but you learn to deal with it too. In the end I was able to buy earrings and a handmade leather bag, so you don't have to worry too much.
Tip: Speaking of that handmade leather bag… Gallipoli is a good place to buy leather shoes, bags and so on. Good quality and for a good price. The designer is often in the store himself and can explain exactly how the bag is made. There is often only one copy of each item, so you can also take something very special home with you!
Back to Gallipoli
Unfortunately, I have not yet had an extensive dinner in this beautiful town in the heel of the boot. This is on the list for the next holiday to Salento next summer, because from what I've heard you can eat ridiculously well in Gallipoli. The nightlife in Gallipoli is also very well known. I have yet to explore that. But of course you have to leave something to be desired for the next one holiday in Italy!
Have you ever been to Gallipoli? Do you have any tips for restaurants or have you visited another nice village in the Salento? Let us hear from you!
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