4 Best Sights in Gallipoli, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria

Ample swimming and clean, fine-grained sand make Gallipoli's beaches a good choice for families. For a stunning Borgo Antico backdrop there's La Purità. The 5-km (3-mile) mainland strand from the Punta Pizzo nature reserve to the more developed Lido San Giovanni is divided among a series of bathing establishments, providing sun beds, umbrellas, showers, changing facilities, and snack bars. Parco Gondar hosts a fun fair and music events. Water-sports equipment can be bought or rented at the waterfront shops in town. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

The massive bulk of Gallipoli's castle guards the entrance to the island of the borgo antico, which is linked to the new town by a bridge. Rising out of the sea, the present fortress, dating from the 17th to 18th century, is built on the foundations of an earlier Byzantine citadel. It has four towers, plus a separate fifth known as the Rivellino, where open-air shows are held in summer. A visit allows grandstand sea views, but there's little to see inside between exhibitions.

In the center of the borgo antico, Gallipoli's Duomo is a notable Baroque cathedral from the late 17th century, dedicated to Sant'Agata, patron saint of the city. Built in local limestone, the ornate facade is matched by an equally elaborate interior with columns and altars in fine polychrome marble and paintings by leading local Gallipoli and Neapolitan maestros of the time. Particularly interesting are the stone carvings that depict episodes from the city's history.

A fine example of Gallipoli Baroque, the 17th-century Church of Santa Maria della Purità stands at the end of the borgo antico overlooking famed Purità Beach. It contains an eye-popping wealth of art and decoration, including the painting at the high altar by Luca Giordano (1634-1705), intricately carved wooden choir stalls, and a 19th-century majolica pavement.