What to see in Lecce? What are the main places of interest in Lecce? What to visit? What are the must-see stops for those who want to visit the capital of Salento during their vacation?
A WALK THROUGH THE HISTORIC CENTER
Once you set foot in the center of Lecce - for convenience, you can start from one of the city's three historic gates, Porta Rudiae, Porta Napoli or Porta San Biagio - you will automatically want to explore the scenic labyrinth of alleys and courtyards that weave the old town. Elegant as few are, the city offers a spectacle of absolute beauty that will take you on a stroll through time: every corner offers palaces, portals, artisan stores, churches, courtyards, and flowered balconies that will make you feel all the charm of historic Salento, of cities where you can still breathe good air and kindness. Churches not to be missed include the Church of St. Matthew, with its unique curvilinear facade, and the Church of St. Irene, patron saint of Lecce until 1656.
THE HEART OF LECCE IN PIAZZA S. ORONZO
S. Oronzo, patron saint of the city after saving it from the plague, observes everything from the top of his column with a capital: there are those who take a coffee outdoors, those who enjoy an ice cream sitting on the steps of the Sedile, those who take pictures of the Roman amphitheater, and those who shop and stroll around full of envelopes and gifts. Piazza S. Oronzo is the heart of Lecce, the best known and busiest square in the Salento capital. It has an oval shape and a heterogeneous architectural style, the result of the passage of different peoples and sensibilities. The two protagonists of the square are certainly the Roman Amphitheater and the Palazzo del Sedile, once the seat of the municipality.
WITH OUR NOSES TURNED UP TO THE BASILICA OF SANTA CROCE
Together with the nearby Celestine Convent (now the seat of the Province), it is the most striking example of Lecce's Baroque magnificence. From Piazza S. Oronzo it is reached by walking down Via dei Templari, in what was once the Giudecca. The Basilica of Santa Croce rises right on land expropriated from some Jewish families, frowned upon for their privileged social position. The facade of S. Croce will appear to you all at once, leaving you breathless. It was built between the 1500s and 1600s by the greatest architects in Salento, with the help of skilled master stonemasons and carvers. The lower part is in Renaissance style, the upper part, dominated by the beautiful rose window, is of Romanesque inspiration. In the rose window, among plays of light and stone squiggles, you can play at unearthing 5 hidden faces that not everyone can spot.
A PHOTO IN THE CATHEDRAL SQUARE
At the intersection of Via Libertini and Via Palmieri, the widening of Piazza Duomo opens up, a riot of Baroque art where the Cathedral dedicated to M. SS. Assunta, the Bell Tower, the Episcope and the Seminary Palace are located. Initially, the square was designed as a courtyard and was closed off in the evening by two imposing gates. Today it remains an intimate and cozy square, with the entrance only on one side, built with a typical material of the area, Lecce stone, which takes on particular colors and chiaroscuro as the light changes. Beautiful during the day, Piazza Duomo becomes even more beautiful at night with lighting.
CAFÉ WITH A VIEW OF THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATER
Lecce's Roman amphitheater, in Piazza S. Oronzo, is the most important legacy left from Roman times, built in the 2nd century AD to entertain spectators with shows and games. The amphitheater, which bears an inscription with the name of Emperor Trajan, was brought to light only in the late 1800s, during excavation work in Piazza S. Oronzo for the construction of a branch of the Bank of Italy. What is visible today is only 1/3 of the original construction, which was so large that it could accommodate as many as 250,000 people. Today the amphitheater is used as a natural stage for concerts and theater performances. A compulsory stop after admiring it is a coffee at a historic bar in Lecce, Caffè Alvino, which stands just across the street, to sit at the outdoor tables with a 360-degree view of the square.
LECCE TO DRINK - A DRINK IN COMPANY
The center of Lecce teems with life late into the night, and at night, the atmosphere of the capital of Salento, is even more fascinating . Crossroads for those who want to stay up late are the narrow streets adjacent to Piazzetta S.Chiara where one can have a drink with friends, between a pub and a wine bar, or the clubs of Via Umberto I, in the surroundings of the Basilica of Santa Croce. Beautiful places, full of art and charm, as well as very busy, where you can meet new people and have a chat. Finger food, DJ sets, chatting with friends and in the tranquility of the traffic-free streets are the trump cards of two venues that have long been a reference point for the local movida.
A WALK IN THE GREEN - MUNICIPAL VILLA AND BELLOLUOGO
Long avenues in the green, flower beds, merry-go-rounds and children's games. During a vacation in Lecce, especially with children in tow, a must-see is the municipal villa: a place to rest after a walk downtown, quench your thirst and - why not - do sports. Inside the villa there is also an artificial lake crossed by a bridge where you can often admire geese and ducks. The largest green area in Lecce, however, is Belloluogo Park, about 10 hectares wide, near Viale Taranto and Porta Napoli. Within the park stands the Belloluogo Tower, a 14th-century monument undergoing restoration.
MUSEUMS - A PLUNGE INTO HISTORY
If visiting the historic center of Lecce has made you fond of its Baroque, in the Sigismondo Castromediano Provincial Museum you can find a large collection of paintings dating from between 1400 and 1700, along with another collection dedicated to the Middle Ages. Very interesting is the collection of Attic vases, Roman-era statues recovered in the Amphitheater, and ceramic work from the Messapic period. There is no shortage of prehistoric artifacts. Another entity worth seeing is the must, Historical Museum of the City of Lecce, next to the Church of Santa Chiara. Inside is a gallery with artifacts from different eras: Messapian, Roman, medieval and modern.
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