Lecce (LE)
An absolute must on your trip to Puglia is a visit to the city of Lecce, a true gem. The imposing provincial town with around 100,000 inhabitants is located between two seas, the Ionian and the Adriatic, which are only 12 km away.
Suites del Palazzo
Our advice is to stay overnight in Lecce, the baroque city: just a few minutes’ walk from the castle, we propose some splendid apartments and suites in an old building as bed and breakfast accommodation. Charming and refined residences in historical surroundings.
- 7 suites & apartments
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- Diverse Soluzioni Disponibili
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- From the sea 13 km
Lecce (from the Latin Lupiae) is the southernmost of the 6 provinces of Puglia and the capital of the Salento peninsula. It is a friendly and quite affluent city with a southern Italian touch. The elegant and fascinating baroque city of Lecce is also known as the Florence of the South. For many it is considered the most beautiful baroque city in Italy with its rich architectural monuments. The secret of Lecce Baroque lies in the stone, a sand-colored limestone, similar to marble. Richly decorated house facades with magnificent balustrades, noble ancient palaces, countless churches with twisted columns and ornate decorations and beautifully decorated fountains… pure opulence! The traffic-limited city center resembles an imposing open-air museum. The cityscape with its rich sculptural work dates back to the 17th century.
Lecce und seine Sehenswürdigkeiten
Charles V built Charles V Castle (built between 1539 and 1549) with its massive trapezoidal fortification walls and four bastions built as protection against Ottoman attacks. (He was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain and inherited, among other things, the south-east of Italy). The immensely large fort has a beautiful internal courtyard and many halls. Today it serves as a location for important cultural events.
The Basilica of Santa Croce, with its monumental facade, is one of the most important churches in Lecce and the emblem of the Baroque. The first stone was laid in 1353, but work was interrupted immediately afterwards because the patron Walter of Brienne died. It was only in 1549 that the construction phase continued under the then famous Salento architects Gabriele Riccardi, Giuseppe Zimbalo and Cesare Penna; the work could not be completed until 1699.
The Piazza del Duomo is a fascinating masterpiece. A set of several buildings: the cathedral itself – the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta (built starting in 1144 and subsequently renovated), the 70 m high Bell Tower and the Renaissance-era Bishop's Palace and the Seminary Palace.
Piazza Sant'Oronzo with the column of the popular Sant'Oronzo, patron saint of the city. Originally it was one of the two columns that marked the end of the Via Appia in Brindisi. It was a gift from the people of Brindisi in the 17th century, convinced that the saint had freed them from the plague. In the square there is also the Roman Amphitheater (2nd century AD), which was once built for around 25,000 spectators. The amphitheatre, which remained buried over the centuries, was rediscovered only during excavations after the Second World War.
The baroque churches of the Rosario Church, San Matteo and Sant'Irene.
Impressions of a wonderful southern city
On the one hand you can expect a wonderful ancient setting, but at the same time, at its core, a young and lively city. Lecce is a renowned university city with many students. We recommend taking a walk in the historic center: especially in the evening when it is illuminated, you will breathe in a truly magical atmosphere. For example, ballet performances, concerts and other events take place in the Roman Amphitheatre. Cafes, bars and restaurants line the streets. The shopping streets are nice for walking. In addition to the large boutiques, you can also discover the typical papier-mâché shops of Lecce. What may seem like simple souvenir shops are often small shops – including ateliers and artists' workshops – where this special traditional craft is offered. Very often (but not only) figures of saints and angels are depicted. If you are more interested, there is also a Papier-mâché Museum in Lecce. If you walk through the alleys of the historic center you will find numerous galleries and shops where individual art objects are displayed.
Then as today, Lecce stone plays an important role. The sand-colored stone is soft but at the same time compact enough to be easily workable. You can buy amazing art here! Whether small paperweights for the desk, decorative wall and floor lamps carved from stone to imaginative sculptures and stone objects for elegant private homes.
Are you looking for a small typical Lecce souvenir that doesn't take up too much space? …It must fit in your suitcase…then buy, for example, a delicious homemade Lecce Cotognata in one of the delicatessens. It is made from quince, similar to jam but with a solidified consistency.
Turismo a Lecce e nel Salento
If you think that in the height of summer everyone is on the beaches and the city is deserted, this is not the case in Lecce; August is the high season here. If you intend to dedicate a few days to this wonderful city, you should organize your accommodation in advance. A few minutes walk from the Castle of Lecce, we have personally selected for you suites and apartments of great charm in a historic building; If you are interested, you can find them in our portfolio.
Evocative coastal landscapes await you in the surroundings of Lecce. Salento is beautiful and is today one of the most sought-after individual holiday destinations in Italy. Otranto and Gallipoli in the province of Lecce are also at the top of the priority list. As diverse as Salento is, so is its offer. In summer, many young people come here, but also very demanding middle-aged guests.
Being a region in Southern Italy, Puglia is undoubtedly very active in tourism promotion. Lecce is one of the most interesting cities in Puglia and therefore an important factor in the region's tourism industry. Let's be clear, this refers to individual tourism, because Salento is certainly not suited to mass tourism. Salento is promoted as a travel destination, also within the BTM (Business Tourism Management) which takes place every year at the Lecce Castle. The multi-day event with workshops, launched a few years ago, aims to increase the international awareness and popularity of this beautiful region of the heel of the boot (in particular Salento as a holiday destination).
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