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Sant’Andrea Island, takes its name from an old chapel, and is located just over 1,8 km from Gallipoli, in the province of Lecce.
The island is virtually flat rising from the sea for no more than 3 meters, as a consequence its surface is constantly washed by waves and therefore it is not suitable to host rich vegetation. However, there are some vegetation species, including rushes, which over the centuries have learnt to adapt to this small strip of land.
The area represents the only Italian nesting site for the Audouin's Gull.
In the past, the island was called Achtotus, which derived from a Messapian word that means "dry land". The old Messapian name was forgotten when the Roman conquered Gallipoli (267 BC) and probably it took the name of Sant’Andrea only a few centuries later, in honour of the abbey built by Byzantine monks.
The position of the island has always been tricky, especially for navigation; for this reason a lighthouse was built in the second half of XIX, in order to help fishermen during storms. Its light it can be seen up to Taranto and Santa María di Leuca.
Over the centuries the island has been used in different ways, such as a grazing for flocks which were carried on the boats by local shepherds. During the summer the island attracts many visitors especially for the beauty of its sea bed with many corals. Sant’Andrea island is also an important archaeological sites dating back to the Bronze Age.
Nearby Gallipoli, there is also another island, called Isola del Campo.
Located on the southeast of Gallipoli, this little island was once connected to the town by a small isthmus. The discovery of skeletons on the island has led to believe that it was once a burial place.