So here you have it.
This is a half-a-day spent amongst the cobblestone streets of Lecce historic centre, surrounded by Baroque from the 18th century, made from the pale-coloured local stone Pietra leccese, mixed with two thousand years old architecture, seasoned with some traditionally delicious Cucina povera.
It all begins at its heart, Piazza Sant’Oronzo, under the column of the saint who’s been protecting the residents since 1681.
The legend goes he successfully protected Salentini during the plague spreading from Napoli in 1650.
Here you’ll find Caffé Alvino, as much as a monument as the statue. Coffee and Pasticciotto is the must-try for breakfast, even though I’m more about savoury breakkie and would recommend Coffee and Rustico.
Opposite the bar, there’s the Roman amphitheatre, half of which is hidden underground.
As teenagers, this was the place to go to on Saturdays. We would sit on those rough-stone steps beneath the statue for hours, chatting and eating gelato.
From Piazza Sant’Oronzo you have many options, but I like going towards the Basilica di Santa Croce, the sumptuous expression of Baroque in Lecce. Arguably the most photographed landmark of the town. Plenty of wine bars on the same street, my favourite is Mamma Elvira Enoteca.
Papier-Mâché workshops populate these narrow streets. Generations of Leccesi mastered techniques to sculpt realistic figures at all scales, and they only represent saints and religious icons. Stop by to see some of their work as they’re not that many anymore. And they’re bound to become fewer and fewer in the next few years, after this generation will have made its course. It’s a job that young people are rarely interested in.
Look for Via Principi di Savoia.
Highly decorated balconies on old palaces will lead you to you to one of the four ancient gates of Lecce, Porta Napoli. This street is quiet by the day, buzzing at night.
From here, just 10 minutes of a lovely stroll leads you to Piazza Dumo. Some have compared Piazza Duomo to the Gran Finale of a romantic film.
I think it’s a cringe comparison. Yet, Dior had an amazing show here in 2020.
I’ll spare you the thousand words on the architecture, because people more knowledgeable than me had this covered, and you can easily find out more about this. Piazza Duomo is the main thing for Leccesi. We go mad about it, and are so proud of it. The bell-tower, the seminary, the 17th century cathedral, the square itself.
From Piazza Duomo you can walk towards Porta Rudiae, the second gate on your walk today.
You can stop on two beautiful churches along the way: Chiesa di Santa Teresa with a neo-Classical facade and an interior containing macabre artworks, which some (see: I) find fascinating. And further up, the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista, also known as Chiesa del Rosario.
There are many restaurants and trattorie in the historic centre, bur our favourite is still il Vico dei Sotterranei, ask for Sasha, say that you saw this on House of Deda and you’ll get treated like royalty. Not thay you wouldn’t otherwise, but you know...
While he keeps things simple, his food respects the tradition of cucina salentina, with a twist that takes inspiration from his travels. The interior is humble, traditional, rough stone tiles and wood. The food, just incredibly delicious.
This is hard to understand for folks that aren’t from the south of Europe, but from 1.30 to 5pm, everything closes here. Align with the pace of locals and get some rest yourself too. If summer, it’s likely to be too hot to do anything anyway.
If you’re ignoring me, and you feel like keep exploring after lunch, St. Matthew Church and the Roman Theatre are a plausible option just 10mins away from Il Vico dei Sotterranei. The narrow streets would make you feel part of a mysterious treasure being dug up as you walk along.
When voices and footsteps return, and the heat of the day has finally subsided, it’s time for aperitivo (6pm-ish), and we all know how it ends.
Whether you're a small business, a cultural organisation, or an individual that has a story to tell, we can help you create content that resonates with a global audience.