Punta Pulvini del Pizzo in Gallipoli

Access by car via Strada Provinciale 215, heading towards Marina di Mancaversa from Gallipoli.
If you enter ‘Punta Pizzo’ into your sat-nav, ignore ‘Punta Pizzo Beach’ – a lovely little private beach – and head towards Pizzo.
At the first left-hand bend on the SD215, you’ll see a sign on your right for “Parco Naturale Regionale”. Take this north-bound track for about 600 metres to reach a large but unpaved car park, where the start of this walk is located.

(S/E) Once you’re properly kitted out, head north from the car park to the information board marked “La Gariga”. After reading it, first head to the seaside 50 metres to the west, then head northwards and finally join the nearest north-bound coastal path. In the distance, you’ll see an unremarkable concrete tower; keep it on your right as you continue along the coast.

(1) When you reach the headland, watch out for the small rocks – they’re sharp. Retrace your steps along the same path. Consider taking a different path on the way back; you might come across some lovely surprises in the heath before reaching the car park (S/E).

No water, no shelter. The walk can be done in low-cut shoes.
It’s by the sea, so the wind can be chilly, even in summer. A light windbreaker as well? Perhaps.

Gallipoli is well worth a visit. The inland part of the town, which is rather uninteresting, is laid out in a grid pattern, with streets at right angles and clearly defined thoroughfares. There’s free parking near the university, 1 km from the bridge.
Once you’ve crossed the bridge, the best way to explore the old town is to wander around at random.

There’s a promenade along Gallipoli’s Via Salento from the bridge. Having walked part of it, we didn’t find anything particularly special about that stretch.
Bear in mind that the walk suggested here is nothing out of the ordinary, but it did help us unwind after the morning’s tourist frenzy.