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    Lecce

    Italy

    Lecce

    CityCulture

    Lecce, Salento's provincial capital, has an old town shaped by baroque churches and palaces, built from the region's light, soft, dense limestone, the *pietra leccese*.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Italy
    7. Apulien
    9. Lecce
    Lecce, Salento's provincial capital, has an old town shaped by baroque churches and palaces, built from the region's light, soft, dense limestone, the *pietra leccese*. Its easy workability fostered a unique, richly ornamented Baroque style here in the 17th century.Roman remains, including the Amphitheater on Piazza Sant'Oronzo and the Theater in the old town, lie beside the baroque facades. The city's territory stretches over 20 kilometers of coast to the Adria.

    Sights in Lecce

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Basilica di Santa Croce

    1Basilica di Santa Croce

    Built between 1549 and 1646, Lecce Baroque's most famous structure features a facade richly adorned with sculptures and a large central rose window. Adjacent lies the Palazzo dei Celestini, seat of Prefecture and Provincial Administration.
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    Piazza del Duomo
    Historic Landmark

    2Piazza del Duomo

    Enclosed square, surrounded by the Cathedral, its bell tower, the Bishop's Palace, and the Palazzo del Seminario. Giuseppe Zimbalo rebuilt the Cathedral in Baroque style from 1659, and he erected the 70-meter-high bell tower between 1661 and 1682.
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    Roman Theatre
    Historic Landmark

    3Roman Theatre

    Roman Theatre from the Augustan era, discovered by chance in 1929. Nearby, the Museo del Teatro Romano showcases finds from antiquity.
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    Castle Charles V
    Castle

    4Castle Charles V

    Emperor Charles V. had the medieval castle expanded from 1539 into a fortress with four corner bastions. Today, it hosts exhibitions and cultural events, and also houses the Museo della Cartapesta.
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    Museo Faggiano
    Museum

    5Museo Faggiano

    Private museum in a residential house in the Old Town. In 2001, pipe problems led to digging here, revealing historical layers under the floor, including a cistern and a presumably Messapian floor. The finds can be viewed in the house today.
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    City walks in Lecce

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    Lecce: Baroque Splendor & Ancient Traces – A Walk Through the City of Art

    Discover Lecce, the "Florence of the South", on a roughly 2-hour walk. Immerse yourself in the stunning world of Lecce Baroque, explore ancient Roman relics and be enchanted by the charming lanes of the old town.

    ~2 Std. 5 Min.
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    Stops (6)

    Food & Drink

    1

    400 Gradi Lecce

    Pizzeria on Viale Porta d'Europa, north of the old town, outside the historic centre.
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    2

    Osteria 203

    Osteria on the southern edge of the Old Town with Italian fish and pasta dishes in a wood-paneled dining room.
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    3

    Alle due Corti

    Restaurant featuring Salento cuisine at Corte dei Giugni in the north of the old town.
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    Dining & Drinks

    Lecce's cuisine is simple and strongly influenced by its surroundings, featuring legumes, vegetables, and durum wheat.

    Pasticciotto

    Baked tartlet made of crispy shortcrust pastry with pastry cream, often eaten for breakfast.

    Rustico leccese

    Savory puff pastry pocket with Béchamel, Mozzarella and tomato.

    Ciceri e tria

    Chickpeas with tagliatelle, some of which are cooked and the rest crispy fried in olive oil.

    Coffee served on ice with almond milk

    Coffee on ice with almond milk instead of sugar, enjoyed in Salento for breakfast or after a meal.

    History and the Baroque

    Lecce dates back to a Messapian settlement and was known as Lupiae in Roman times. From this era stem the amphitheater, about a third of which is visible, and the Augustan-era theater. On Piazza Sant'Oronzo stands a column that Brindisi gifted to the city.In the 17th century, the Barocco leccese spread with densely ornamented facades. An important master builder was Giuseppe Zimbalo, who rebuilt the Cathedral. Karl V. had the castle fortified from 1539; in his honor, Porta Napoli was erected in 1548.Papier-mâché figures, the cartapesta, are a traditional craft of Lecce.

    Nightlife

    Lecce's nightlife is concentrated in the historic old town, where you'll find a mix of relaxed aperitivo bars and later evening venues. Local hotspots like the Cicchetteria cocktail bar Suncity or the Malibu Pub offer a diverse selection of drinks and local wines to round off the evening.
    1

    L’Havana food & drink

    Bar in Via XXV Luglio.
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    2

    Cicchetteria cocktail bar Suncity

    Via Ludovico Maremonti, 5, 73100 Lecce LE, Italien
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    3

    Ristorante CRIANZA

    Bar in LE.
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    4

    Settimo Cielo

    Bar in Via XXV Luglio.
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    5

    Malibu Pub

    Bar in Via di Porcigliano.
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    Exploring Locally

    The Old Town is best explored on foot.Lecce train station is the terminus of the Adriabahn from Ancona via Bari; long-distance trains run to Rome and Milan, among other destinations. The Ferrovie del Sud Est operate services from here to Martina Franca, Otranto, and Gallipoli. Check the current timetable before your journey.For excursions to the coast, you'll be most flexible with a rental car.

    Accommodations in Lecce

    Find perfect stay in Lecce

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    Campgrounds in Lecce

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      Trip to Lecce

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      • 1Basilica di Santa Croce3 days
      • 2Piazza del Duomo4 days
      • 3Roman Theatre5 days
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    Nearby

    Salento Peninsula

    Salento Peninsula

    Salento is the southernmost part of Apulia, the "heel" of the Italian boot between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. On the east coast, limestone cliffs with grottoes drop steeply into the sea, while on the west coast, near Porto Cesareo and Gallipoli, there are long sandy beaches with shallow water.Inland, olive groves, dry stone walls, and small towns with Baroque churches define the landscape. In the towns of Grecìa Salentina, such as Corigliano d'Otranto and Melpignano, a Greek dialect is still spoken today. Lecce is the cultural center; Otranto and Gallipoli are the best-known coastal towns.
    Otranto

    Otranto

    Otranto is located on the Adriatic coast of Salento. Just south of the city, Punta Palascìa marks Italy's easternmost point, and is also the closest point to Albania.The old town, with its Norman Cathedral and Aragonese Castle, overlooks the harbor. North of the city lie the Laghi Alimini and the Baia dei Turchi.
    Gallipoli

    Gallipoli

    Gallipoli is located on the west coast of Salento on the Ionian Sea. The old town is situated on a small limestone island, connected by a 17th-century bridge to the new town on the mainland. A waterfront promenade circles around it, linking the bastions of the old city wall.In the narrow streets of the old town stand Baroque churches and palazzi, including the Cathedral Sant'Agata. South of the city, sandy beaches such as Baia Verde and Punta della Suina stretch along the coast.
    Ostuni

    Ostuni

    Ostuni is situated on three hills at the edge of the Murgia, about 7.5 kilometers from the Adriatic coast. The lime-whitewashed houses of the old town have earned it the nickname Città Bianca, the white city.In the old town, alleys, stairs, and arches lead up to the cathedral with its late Gothic facade and a large rose window. Surrounding the city lies the Piana degli Ulivi with numerous monumental olive trees.
    Alberobello

    Alberobello

    Alberobello is located in the Valle d'Itria in the Metropolitan City of Bari and is known for its Trulli, houses built of roughly hewn limestone using dry-stone techniques without mortar, with conical roofs made of stone slabs. Since 1996, they have been a UNESCO World Heritage site.The two Trulli districts are Rione Monti and Aia Piccola.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI