Gallipoli with kids: all you need to know to visit this family-friendly town in Puglia
Italy’s Gallipoli with kids: practical travel guide for families. Best things to do, how to get around, family-friendly beaches nearby, practical tips.
Gallipoli is a beautiful, charming and family-friendly small town on the Western coast of Puglia and a wonderful place for a family vacation.
Perched on a small promontory stretching into the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea, Gallipoli is an ancient town with a long and significant history.
Its old center is still enclosed by mighty fortifications and develops as a maze of pretty, pastel-colored, car-free alleys, perfect for leisurely family strolls.
We visited Gallipoli during our last trip to Salento with kids; it was our favorite coastal town.
To be fully honest, the first impression we had of the city wasn’t great.
As you enter the town, you see the modern area first, which is a mic pf pretty stretched and seriously ugly high-rise building. However, once you pass it and get into the old town center, WOW!
Gallipoli turns on the charm and is simply fantastic!
Out of all the coastal towns in Salento we have visited, we all agreed Gallipoli is a gem.
This is our family guide to Gallipoli and our tips to enjoy Gallipoli with kids.
As you see from the photos, we had rain in Puglia for the whole time.
To give you the best and most accurate account of our real trip and how our personal experience actually was, I have included photos I took, but I used a stock one as the top image, so you can see how even pretties it can get if you are in Gallipoli with the sun!
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Why visit Gallipoli with kids
Gallipoli is a beautiful town with a charming, car-free center.
Setting your own base in ancient Gallipoli means you can enjoy village life, stroll to the town’s many restaurants and enjoy a seaside resort town lifestyle in picture-perfect surroundings.
Gallipoli is also close to many beautiful beaches. The town itself has a nice, sandy beach; however, if you have a car, you can easily reach stunning localities like Torre Lapillo or Pescoluse, among the best beaches in Italy for families!
In terms of practicalities, Gallipoli is good for families as it has a large modern area with many services, shops etc.
While this modern town is mixed in terms of beauty, having modern services nearby is great as it can ease some of the anxiety a more remote location may cause, especially if you have very young kids.
Gallipoli even has a hospital, which can give great peace of mind.
Why not visit Gallipoli with kids
The only two reasons why Gallipoli may not be for you are crowds and transport.
Gallipoli is a popular place. While it may not be very famous abroad, Italians know it very well; therefore, August especially can be very busy here.
While you don’t need a car in Gallipoli town, you need your own vehicle to explore the area.
I do not recommend coming to Gallipoli or Salento in general, relying on public transport.
The best things to do in Gallipoli with kids
Gallipoli is a small Italian resort town that comes to life in the summer when tourism is at its peak and goes on a quieter, subdued time during the winter.
Therefore, the best things to do n Gallipoli with kids revolve around the beautiful coastal location of the town.
In particular, we recommend the following:
Enjoy the city center – get out and about strolling around Gallipoli’s old town.
Seek out the local cats (there is a cat-aid box on the main promenade along the bastions; Gallipoli is a cat-friendly town!); let the kids loose in the small car-free alleys, peek into hidden yards and churches, get knick-knacks in the small shops.
Go to the fish market: Gallipoli has an active fishing port, and you find an excellent fish market just beside it.
Here, you see vendors and restaurants selling the fresh catch of the day in a setting that mixes a market, an outdoor food hall and a bustling piazza.
Visit Gallipoli Castle – Gallipoli Castle is the heart of the ancient center of Gallipoli and a cool place to visit with kids.
The castle dates back to Byzantine times but underwent several changes and additions and changes as recent as the XVII century; therefore, what we see today is a fascinating building with a long and incredible history!
The castle is open to the public, and it is interesting for kids to see its spaces, tunnels and views.
Since this was a fortification, do expect a castle fortress, not a palace with princesses and thrones (I always feel this is worth telling kids beforehand to set expectations of little royals in the making!).
Visit the Aquarium In the locality of Santa Maria al Bagno, close to Gallipoli, you will find one of the best kids’ attractions in the area: Acquario del Salento.
Acquario del Salento is a relatively small aquarium; however, it offers nice exhibits for children and is an excellent place to visit to get a break from the beach if the weather is against you.
As you can see from the photos of our last trip to Gallipoli, rain is possible!
The aquarium has kid-friendly exhibits and displays and children, workshops, guided tours, and presentations. https://www.acquariodelsalento.it
Go to the water park Gallipoli has one of the best kids’ attractions in the area: Aqua Splash.
Aqua Splash water park is just what it says on the tin: a water park!
The park s one of the best kids’ attractions in Salento as it has pools and slides for most ages, including baby toboggan and a water castle play area https://www.splashparco.it/acquatiche.html
Go to the beach – Gallipoli is close to stunning beaches. When you see photos of beaches in Italy that look like the Caribbean or the Maldives, usually they come from here (or Sardinia!).
This explains why one of the beaches here is usually referred to as ‘Maldive del Salento’ aka Salento’s Maldives!
You’ll be happy to learn that these amazing beaches are also great for kids and are among the best beaches in Puglia for families with children!
Family friendly Beaches near Gallipoli
Gallipoli has its own beach, a lovely and free sandy area on the far side of the town below the promenade.
However, it is also close to many beautiful beaches you can explore within a short drive.
Among the best family beaches and beach clubs in and near Gallipoli, there are :
- Torre Lapillo Beach https://goo.gl/maps/ytQF3BsZTT2TJt5fA
- Pescoluse Beach https://goo.gl/maps/no3EaYCH4TRaXgGY6
- Lido Rivabella https://goo.gl/maps/Msj2RL1ZHpc6fQxHA
- Lido Conchiglie, Lido Le Canne, Lido Le Bandiere
- Lido Marini, Torre Mozza, Torre San Giovanni
Where to buy baby essentials in Gallipoli
Gallipoli is well-equipped with supermarkets and pharmacies for all baby essentials, especially in the modern part of town where you have Coop, Todis supermarkets as well as many independent shops for grocery shopping, clothes and essential needs.
- You can learn here >>> what to expect from Italian Supermarkets
- Here >>> all about pharmacies in Italy (and why they are amazing for families with kids)
- And here >>> where to find baby essentials in Italy
Where to eat in Gallipoli with kids – family-friendly restaurants
We had a nice and kid-friendly meal in La Navicula, which has a nice menu based around the catch of the day and simple staples for kids.
The stalls at Gallipoli market are also great for a quick lunch with kids.
Where to stay in Gallipoli with kids
Palazzo Presta – a nice hotel with family rooms, close to Gallipoli beach La Purita
Palazzo Zaca’ – offering nice rooms and breakfast in Gallipoli old town. The hotel can also help you organize activities such as cooking class, boat tours and bike tours.
Additional resources for a family trip to Puglia
Marta Correale
Marta Correale is an Italian mama of two. Born and raised in Rome, Marta has a passion for travel and especially enjoys showing off Italy to her kids, who are growing up to love it as much as she does! A classics graduate from the University of Rome, Marta channeled her passion for culture and travel into the creation of family travel websites that inspire, support and help curious visitors to make the most of a trip to Italy and learn about Italian culture on the way. Marta also manages the thriving online community of parents 'Italy with kids' who turn to her for expert advice and competent Italy travel planning support. She is the author of the travel guides 'Best of Rome with kids' and 'Best of Florence with kids' available on Amazon and of an array of kids printables (scavenger hunts, info booklets etc) available on her Etsy shop 'Mama Loves To Print'
