Salento reveals its secrets, enchanting the Guardian who crowns the beach of Purity among the hidden pearls of Europe. This magical strip of sand, bathed by the calm waters of the Ionian Sea, enchants with its blue that is lost on the horizon. Its name, “Purità”, takes inspiration from the nearby baroque church of Santa Maria della Purità, adding a touch of mystery and charm to its beauty.
Purità beach among the most evocative in Europe
The renowned British newspaper “The Guardian” recently published a list of most suggestive beaches of Southern Europe, treasures jealously guarded by the local inhabitants.
Among postcard landscapes, crystal clear sea, uncontaminated nature and thousand-year history, the travel authors have carefully selected 24 destinations that have won them over.
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The choices range between Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy and Portugal, with our nation boasting 4 beaches in the ranking: Scilla in Calabria, Trapani in Sicily, Sperlonga in Lazio and Gallipoli in Puglia.
Each beach has been the subject of a careful review, highlighting how Italy is a concentration of natural beauty and thousand-year history, increasingly attractive for international tourism.
Gallipoli beach
The Spiaggia della Purità, also known as "Puritate", stands like a jewel of Gallipoli, set in a characteristic area of the city and surrounded by legends and thousand-year history.
Its history has its roots in the legends linked to the Virgin of Saint Agatha, patron saint of Gallipoli: stories handed down tell of a mother who found her baby intent on sucking from the breast of the Virgin, who had mysteriously arrived on the coast, or of his interruption only when he pronounced the name of the Saint, hence the name "Breast of Purity".
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Already since the 900th century, the beach attracted the people of Gallipoli as a meeting place, while in the XNUMXs it began to emerge as a tourist destination. In that period, stilt houses called "li camrini" were built, reserved for foreign tourists for a period of time privileged access to the sea.
The beach, despite being small, offers a welcoming environment with its fine sand and crystal clear, calm waters. A short distance away stands the Church of Santa Maria della Purità, an architectural gem dating back to 1664 and founded by longshoremen. Enriched with valuable works of art, including XNUMXth century paintings by Liborio Riccio da Muro, the church houses the statues of the Dead Christ and the Desolate Madonna, protagonists of the Holy Week rites.
