Baroque city, a symbol of Salento culture and a candidate for European Capital of Culture 2019, visiting Lecce is a must on your experience in Salento.

Lecce is located in the hinterland of the Salento Peninsula, exactly halfway between Gallipoli and Otranto, and although it is not flow through the sea, some locations such as San Cataldo, on the Adriatic coast, are known as the seascape of Lecce.

The ancient origins of the city are still unknown, but the cultures that more than others have left their mark in the artistic and cultural heritage are Greek, Roman and above all Naples Kingdom during the Aragonese crown.

Walking around Lecce, especially in its historical center, is like admiring a museum under the open sky. The main square is dedicated to Sant’Oronzo, patron of the city, and in the middle stands a Roman column, translated here from Brindisi where signaled the end of the Via Appia. The square directly faces one of the most interesting historical sites of the city, the Roman Amphitheatre.Today we can only admire half of this ,the rest remains below street level under some important historic buildings.

The city is almost entirely decorated in Baroque style, which is married perfectly with the use of a limestone rock, known as Pietra Leccese and with the mastery of local stonemasons. The ornaments and decorations carved into this porous stone and the warm color stand out on the facades of churches and historic buildings, but also decorate the homes of citizens and the most picturesque corners of the old town. For this  reason  is not impossible to visit the monumental complex of Piazza Duomo, Santa Croce Basilica, the former Convent of the Celestini and again, the Church of St. Irene, the Castle of Charles V and Porta Rudiae, a small arc of triumph.

We suggest you to dedicate an entire day to visit Lecce and what better way to start it with a typical breakfast at Casa di Lò. After a good breakfast the day can be spent visiting museums, especially do not miss the Museo Provincial La Viola, the Provincial Museum and the Historical Archaeological Museum (MUSA), which traces the Salento. For lunch you can opt for one of many typical restaurants of downtown or eat a “Rustico Leccese” or “puccia,” a must for every bar and grill. Early in the afternoon, especially in summer because of the strong heat, the city stops and shops close. So you should enjoy the shade of some monument, sipping a local specialty, ice coffee with almond milk, better known as Lecce coffee or Salento coffee and take some pictures in the shade of the giant Ficus, a centuries-old tall tree 18 meters located in the precincts of the former Conservatory St. Anne.

When the sun goes down will be more pleasant walk through via Umberto I, the main street of the old town, including souvenir shops, local products and Baroque glimpses. In the same streets you will find many typical restaurants and pubs where you can sip an aperitif or spend the rest of the evening, enjoying the Lecce nightlife.

Visiting Lecce you will discover many beauties in a few square kilometers, with an atmosphere that will seem magic during the day and the night.

We suggest, finally, a visit to the city during the various events like the Opera Season, the White Nights in summer, the season of Blues and Jazz, the event Open Courtyards, the Fair of Saint Lucia and local craft shows.