Top Things to See in Lecce: Why You Should Visit This Beautiful Town in Puglia
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that at the beginning of November I went on a week-long trip to Puglia, a region in the south of Italy. I was there with my family, so no solo trip this time (very unusual for me), and I had a wonderful vacation filled with beautiful towns, nature, and amazing food.
One of my favourite towns we visited in Puglia is Lecce, a city that is more than two thousand years old and famous for its rich baroque architecture. In this blog post, I will tell you what to see in Lecce, so I can hopefully convince you to put this beautiful town on your Puglia itinerary.
Get lost in the historic streets
The first thing you will notice when visiting Lecce is the colour of the city. Many of the buildings are made with Pietra Leccese, a fine-grained limestone found only in a small area of southern Italy’s Salento peninsula. Or in simpler terms, the heel of the boot. Pietra Leccese has a beautiful yellowish, creamy, golden tone that makes walking through Lecce a unique experience. Depending on the hour of the day and how the sun hits the stone, you get a completely different version of the city, from soft beige to a sun kissed golden glow.
As I mentioned before, Lecce is famous for its baroque architecture, and while wandering through its streets you will find plenty of beautiful examples. The most spectacular one is the Basilica di Santa Croce, with its incredibly detailed Baroque façade.
Lecce is a city of around 95,000 people, and since we visited in November, there were not many tourists around. I really loved the atmosphere in Lecce. A lot of locals were biking around which immediately made me feel at home (classic Dutch person) and the city is full of cosy, trendy bars and cafes, such as Filiera Café.
Porta Napoli
Porta San Biagio
When entering the historic city centre, you will probably come across one of Lecce’s three remaining city gates. Like many other historic cities in Italy, Lecce once had an impressive defence system with a huge wall surrounding the old town. Today, what remains of that system are three beautiful gates: Porta Napoli, Porta San Biagio and Porta Rudiae. Porta Rudiae is the oldest of the three, but they are all absolutely worth a visit.
Porta Napoli from within the city walls
Piazza del Duomo
In the heart of the historic centre of Lecce, you will find Piazza del Duomo. This beautiful square brings together several important monuments, including the Cathedral of Lecce with its impressive bell tower, the Palazzo del Seminario which houses the Diocesan Museum, and the Bishop's Palace.
The bell tower stands at about 70 meters high and is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. The Diocesan Museum, located inside the Palazzo del Seminario, displays artwork from around the region. Most of the paintings are in the baroque style, which fits perfectly with the rest of Lecce, so I would highly recommend paying it a visit.
Cattedrale dell’Assunzione della Vergine
As I mentioned above, on Piazza del Duomo you can find the Cathedral of Lecce, also known as the Duomo, one of the most important religious buildings in the city. Its official name is Cattedrale dell’Assunzione della Vergine, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Cathedral was originally built in 1144, repaired in 1230, and later completely rebuilt in 1659. The main entrance is on the north side, featuring a stunning baroque façade, which, as we have seen, is very typical for Lecce.
The interior of the Cathedral is just as impressive, with rich decorations, golden details, arches, and a ceiling filled with beautiful historical paintings. Inside the church you will also find twelve chapels, each dedicated to a different saint or religious figure.
Roman Amphitheatre
If you are interested in ancient history like me, the Roman amphitheatre of Lecce is something you simply cannot miss. Located in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, you will find this impressive reminder of the city’s ancient past. The amphitheatre was probably built between the first and second century, and the huge structure could hold between eighteen and twenty five thousand spectators. Today, only about one third of it is visible because the rest still lies underneath the modern city, but the section you can see is already incredibly striking. One of my favourite things to do is imagine what life must have been like back then, and if you are a daydreamer like me, this is the most inspiring spot you could wish for.
Chiesa di San Matteo
My favourite church and piece of architecture in Lecce is the Chiesa di San Matteo. This church was built in 1667 and is, of course, in classic baroque style. What I love so much about this building is the flow it has. All the curves and arches guide your eyes in a way that is really pleasing to look at. Since the historic centre of Lecce is not very big, I would highly suggest paying a visit to this stunning building.
Conclusion
I hope this blog post inspires you to put Lecce on your Puglia itinerary! While it is not located directly on the sea like many other beautiful towns in Puglia, it is still absolutely worth visiting. I focused a lot on history and architecture, but even if those topics are not your thing, the atmosphere and charm of Lecce are reason enough to go. There are plenty of trendy cafes and cute shops to explore, and like every town in Puglia, the food is incredible. If you have ever been to Lecce, let me know in the comments what you loved the most!
