Gallipoli (Italian: [ɡalˈliːpoli]; Salentino: Caḍḍìpuli [kaɖˈɖiːpʊlɪ]; Ancient Greek: Καλλίπολις, romanized: Kallípolis, lit.

Historically, what is known is that Gallipoli was a city of the Greater Greece, ruling over a large territory including today's Porto Cesareo.

In 265 BC it sided with Pyrrhus and Taranto against ancient Rome, suffering a defeat which relegated it to a Roman colony (later a municipium).

In the 11th century Gallipoli was conquered by the Normans and, in 1268, it was besieged by Charles I of Anjou, causing numerous inhabitants to flee to the nearby Alezio.

King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies started the construction of the port, which in the 18th century became the largest olive oil market in the Mediterranean.

Gallipoli also boasts a very recently built harbour for private boats, located just steps from the bottom of the main Corso Roma.

[5] A vibrant nightlife means Gallipoli draws an international gay crowd over the summer months, with visitors also being drawn by the nearby naturist beaches and the popular lidos at Baia Verde.