What to see in Lecce in a day: the beauties of the center

Where Lecce is located

Lecce, in Apulia, is located precisely in the Salento plain, in a more or less central position between the Ionian and Adriatic coasts. It is the provincial capital and includes the marinas of San Cataldo, Frigole, Torre Chianca, Spiaggiabella and Torre Rinalda, the hamlet of Villa Convento and the suburb of San Ligorio. The territory of Lecce borders the Adriatic Sea to the north and east, the municipalities of Lequile, San Cesario di Lecce, Cavallino, Lizzanello and Vernole to the south, and Squinzano, Trepuzzi, Novoli, Arnesano and Monteroni di Lecce to the west.

What Lecce is famous for

Lecce is famous for its Baroque art; it is no accident that it has been named the "Lady of Baroque." In fact, the city is a riot of art, historical and religious buildings, such as the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Cathedral Square with its bell tower and the Bishop's Palace. In addition, Lecce is known for its pietra leccese, a particularly malleable type of limestone used in the construction of many buildings, especially Baroque ones. Lecce, however, lacks nothing and is in fact also renowned for its local gastronomy with a range of dishes such as puccia, rustico, pasticciotto and much more.Finally, Lecce is an important university and cultural center, with a lively nightlife, plenty of clubs and interesting cultural and artistic events throughout the year.

What to see in Lecce on foot

Whether it's a short trip or a long stay, start your visit from the historic center of Lecce, a real gem, an open-air museum teeming with art, history, archaeology and sheer beauty! But then, what to see in Lecce's historic center?

The Gates of Lecce

The historic center of Lecce is accessed through three stunning gateways. Originally there were four city gates, but one of them was destroyed long ago.

Of the three that remain, the most majestic is certainly Porta Napoli, the city's arch of triumph with its delightful little square in front, is a magical corner to make one's triumphant entrance to Lecce. It was built in 1548 in honor of Charles V, who had fortification works built in defense of the city.

A short distance away, on the eastern side of Lecce's center, stands Porta Rudiae the oldest and most interesting of the Baroque city's three gates. It takes its name from the now vanished Messapic-Doric city located near ancient Lupiae, today's Lecce. Porta Rudiae is dedicated to St. Oronzo, patron saint of the city , and a statue of him stands at the top of the structure. The gate we see today was built in 1700, replacing an older gateway of medieval origin.

And finally, Porta San Biagio, located on the southern side of Lecce's beautiful historic center, overlooks Piazza Italia, an ideal place to relax over a good coffee in one of its lovely cafés.

The gate is surmounted by the coat of arms of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon and the coat of arms of the city of Lecce duplicated on either side. The sculpture of Saint Blaise in bishop's robes completes the artistic ornamentation of the gate, which is more than 17 meters high.

Cathedral Square

Passing through Porta Napoli, we enter the historic center by walking along the characteristic Via Palmieri and heading toward Piazza del Duomo. Tucked away among the narrow streets opens in all its opulence, this Baroque square among the most beautiful in Italy.

At the entrance, statues of the Church Fathers seem to do the honors. The square is truly fascinating: the light, warm tones of Lecce stone cover the four buildings that stand there, the bell tower, the cathedral, the episcope and the Diocesan Museum. A spectacle all to be admired.

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Piazza Sant'Oronzo

From Piazza del Duomo, in a matter of minutes, you'll reach the city's other salon buono: Piazza Sant'Oronzo. Here many wonders of the city from different eras coexist: the Roman Amphitheater, the column of Sant'Oronzo, the 16th-century Sedile.

The Fascist architecture of the Palazzo dell'Ina and the fascinating mosaic of the She-wolf, which holds within its tesserae a story worth knowing: the finest stones were used for its creation, all chosen from the cliffs of Capo di Leuca and Santa Cesarea Terme, then creating all the tesserae by hand. The work depicts a sand-colored shield and the black she-wolf walking in front of a lush green holm oak tree.

The churches

Among the things to see in Lecce in a day are certainly its characteristic Baroque churches. There are many and one more beautiful than the other, but among the most representative are:

The Basilica of Santa Croce, with its opulent and glittering façade is one of those spectacles that make one's nose stay up: it is in fact entirely covered with scenes of Christian life and decorations of the most varied kinds. A jewel of rare uniqueness.

The Church of St. Clare: one of its most beautiful features is the precious suspended ceiling, designed by Mauro Manieri, who imitated contemporary wooden ceilings, making the work in traditional papier-mâché instead.

A wooden framework supports more than 300 papier-mâché modules covering an area of nearly 300 square meters. Working on the important work, unique in Apulia, were numerous workshops located in the nearby street that today bears the name "Via Arte della Cartapesta."

TheChurch of the Carmine particular and characteristic dome made of white and green majolica, one of the few examples of this type of roofing in Lecce.

The Charles V Castle

Imposing and austere, unlike all the Baroque beauties of the city, the Charles V Castle of Lecce stands at an eastern end of the historic center. The shape of the defensive building is quadrangular with as many "bastions" at its four corners. From west to east clockwise we can see: the bastion of S. Croce, that of S. Martino, S. Giacomo and S. Trinità. The shape traces the typical shape of fortifications with bastions at the corners. The castle is located along a very important communication route since Roman and then medieval times, in fact from here one can reach San Cataldo, the main port of Lecce.

Over the years the castle abandoned its totally defensive function; in fact, in the 1700s it was redesigned and part of its rooms were converted back into a theater. Currently inside the castle it is possible to visit the dungeons, the ancient prisons, the patrol walkways, the chapel of Santa Barbara, and again, the Piazza d'Armi, the Sala Maria d'Enghien and the medieval Torre Mozza.

What to see outside the historic center

Sigismondo Castromediano Provincial Museum

Allows visitors to delve into the history of Lecce and the whole of Puglia.Thebuilding is named after the duke who commissioned the work in the second half of the 19th century.

Shrine of St. Anthony in Fulgenzio

This is a church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. Its Romanesque-style construction dates back to the early 1900s, while the interior is a riot of light and color reflected on the frescoed walls.

Former Convent of the Augustinians

This is a monumental complex that includes the Baroque church of Santa Maria d'Ognibene and the convent of the Augustinians .

Street art and murals in Lecce

As we have seen, Lecce has an important historical and artistic background, and in recent years it is also becoming known for a style that is certainly different from what one might expect from such a city. In the most peripheral but easily accessible area, in fact, it is possible to unearth splendid murals and street art scenes, created by local and international artists. A project, of Urban Art, created to upgrade the neighborhood from 167 B in Lecce .

What to do in Lecce?

• Taste the local cuisine: Salento cuisine is delicious, and Lecce is the place to taste some of the specialties;
• Shopping on Via Trinchese, the avenue of stores;
• Visit craft workshops such as those of papier-mâché, wrought iron and Lecce stone;
• Attend cultural events: Lecce has a very active cultural life, and throughout the year there are various cultural events such as concerts, art exhibitions and festivals;
• Discovering historical residences: if you have the chance to visit Lecce during the interesting "Cortili Aperti" event organized by the Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane (ADSI), you will get to know some majestic noble palaces scattered around the historic center.
• Attend theater performances: if you are a lover of the genre, we suggest you check out the schedules of Teatro Apollo, Politeama Greco, Teatro Paisiello and Teatro Koreja.

What to do in Lecce at night?

Lecce offers numerous activities to spend a pleasant and fun evening. Here are some ideas:

• Stroll through the historic center: Lecce at night is particularly charming, with its warm lights and illuminated monuments. A walk through the narrow streets of the historic center is therefore a great idea to enjoy the magical atmosphere of the city.
• Aperitifs in the clubs: in the historic center of Lecce there are numerous bars, clubs and restaurants where you can enjoy an excellent aperitif or a dinner based on typical Apulian products, but also pizza, meat, fish and much more.
• Theater and music shows: in addition, the city offers a wide choice of theater shows, concerts and cultural events in different places around the city.
• Cocktail bars and pubs: for those looking for a bit of nightlife, Lecce offers numerous nightclubs where you can sip cocktails, craft beers and listen to live music. Here are some recommended venues: -Fuel Craft Brewery; -Querencia; -Quanto Basta; -Golden; -Laurus.

Where to eat in Lecce?

One thing is for sure, Lecce is teeming with all kinds of places, restaurants and lounge bars, where you can enjoy from local to foreign cuisine, street food, sandwiches, pucce, sushi and so much more. Here then are the places to eat in Lecce:

Taula, to try delicious pucce di mare e di terra;

Osteria Da Angiulino to try typical Lecce cuisine;

Pescheria con cottura, for fish lovers;

Màrgot Gourmet and La Rustica for excellent pizzas;

ROV&ROS, if you are looking for a distinctive and stylish place;

Crianza, rustic but gourmet cuisine;

La Sapore, with homemade and rustic cuisine;;

Osteria 203 with a fish and meat offering;

Kyoto Sushi.

What to see around Lecce

Lecce is the hub of Salento, but it is surrounded by breathtaking sights both on the coast and inland. If you want to discover the most fascinating places in the surrounding area, we recommend visiting:

• Acaya at 12.4 km;
• Le Cesine at 24 km;
• San Foca at 23.7 km;
• Roca and the Cave of Poetry at 26 km;
• Torre dell'Orso at 27.6 km;
• Faraglioni di Sant'Andrea at 29.5 km;
• Otranto at 46.4 km;
• Martano at 23.9 km;
• Borgagne at 30.3 km;
• Maglie at 30 km;
• Galatina at 25.8 km;
• Leverano at 19.2 km;
• Nardò at 25.4 km;
• Porto Cesareo at 28.3 km;
• Torre Lapillo at 37.4 km.

Visiting the queen of Salento is an experience that is sure to give you intense emotions. If you have decided to treat yourself to this opportunity, it will be useful for you to search for your ideal accommodation among vacation homes in Lecce.

Thanks to Barbarhouse'swide selection of apartments, b&bs and vacation homes you can experience the city center in all its facets and discover its unseen and hidden corners.