LECCE | APULIA

Discover Lecce

Lecce is a provincial capital in the Puglia region, and above all, Queen of Salento, owing its unique appearance to the fine architecture in its historical centre, most of which is Baroque.
Take your time and look carefully at Lecce’s treasures in Piazza Sant'Oronzo, Piazza del Duomo and Via Umberto I.
Lecce’s architecture, made from its ‘yielding’ local stone, is among the most original in Puglia and can be seen in both major monuments and simple houses.

This is Salento, a part of Italy where nature offers its best, and where in the course of time man has created small towns overlooking the crystal sea, set among green plants, white cliffs, olive groves and vineyards that provide us with much appreciated, delicious products for our tables.
The coast is beautiful throughout the Salento area, with serene places like Santa Maria di Leuca and Punta della Suina, or the more lively and bustling area of Otranto.
A visit to Salento is a true pleasure, even in winter when everything is more peaceful and the sounds of nature can be heard more distinctly.

Places to visit along the coast are the less well-known Castro, Patu, San Cataldo, Nardò and Copertino, or the more famous towns like Gallipoli with its Anjou Castle and Hellenistic Fountain. During summer evenings the old part of Gallipoli fills with young people but maintains the serene silence so typical of a town that dominates the sea. There are marvellous sea views from the ancient and well-maintained town walls.
Woodwork, metalwork and papier-mâché have always been practised in the small towns of Lecce, and still today such objects can be purchased as a reminder of the local traditions. Excellent local wines are Negramaro, Malvasia and Aleatico.
The women of Salento have raised the tradition of lacemaking to a true art. The Baroque town of Nardò is the home of lace in Puglia.