Lecce isn’t the first city that comes to mind when thinking about Southern Italy. Hailed as the Florence of the south thanks to its rich Baroque history and architecture, it’s a welcome city stop when exploring the heel of the Italian peninsula.
Surrounded by both the Adriatic and the Ionian sea, Lecce is nestled south of Bari in the Puglia region.
Once here, you’ll fall in love with its captivating centro storico (historic centre). Made up of a maze of small streets that are easy to get lost in, most lead to old churches or squares.
The town is filled with gorgeous doors, facades, churches adorned with gargoyles, and a Roman amphitheatre. One characteristic that marks the old town is a type of yellow limestone – called Lecce stone – unique to the city.
Lecce also boasts a host of Puglian restaurants and hotspots, most with outdoor patios that overlook a piazza or one of Lecce’s charming streets. Here are my must-visits:
When near the Italian coastline, choose seafood! With a slogan that reads “In Fish We Trust,” you know that Pescheria con Cottura is the real deal. Their ordering process works like this: Choose your fish or seafood from their fresh display, let them know how you would like it cooked (fried or grilled, for example), pay your meal at the cash, take a seat and wait for your name to be called, and voilà! I enjoyed mouth-watering grilled squid with a salad and a side of potatoes.
For an upscale dining experience, opt for Volo. I began my meal with a regional bottle of red wine and a Burrata appetizer, a Puglian specialty. For my main, I ordered their shrimp risotto sprinkled with peppercorn (pictured below) – all of this was served on their beautiful outdoor terrace!
A confirmed local favourite, Mamma Elvira became my go-to restaurant and wine bar during my stay. Located right near Santa Croce church, stop by for aperitivo hour and enjoy a glass of wine with a salumi & formaggi platter that comes with several types of cheeses, Italian cold cuts, honey, jam, and an olive spread (pictured below). Head back in the evening for their Eggplant Parmigiana, bombette (cheese stuffed pork poppers), or taieddha (a rice, potato, and seafood specialty from Salento).
End your day at Quanto Basta – or QB as the locals call it, the hottest cocktail bar in town. Opened by bearded duo, Diego and Andrea, everything here is expertly crafted by mixologists. Both of the cocktails I sampled were a hit: the Birimbau, made with white rum, rum from Martinique, lime juice, orange juice, maracuja, honey mix, and angostura bitter & the Prato di Velluto, made with white rum, Doppio Carvi liquor, chamomile syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and egg whites. If you prefer a simpler concoction, they also put lots of love into their mojitos.
Have you been to Lecce? What did you think! Let me know below.
Such a pretty country, I love the doors. I have Florence on my to-go list.
Then you definitely have to visit Lecce once you’ve seen Florence 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous travel pictures! This really flares up my inner travel bug and even though I was in Europe a couple months ago, I’m dying to explore Italy!Also aren’t the underrated places always the best? 🙂
Thank you! Haha, Europe has that effect 🙂 There are so many underrated places in Italy!!!
Ohh I love Florence! I will need to put Lecce on my list for next time! Such a cool vibe in your photos.
Yes, definitely! Thanks 🙂
This looks like a typical south Mediterranean city. I love it, reminds me of home.
Where is home for you? I just read (from your blog) that you now live in Montreal! That’s my hometown 🙂
I feel like there will never be enough time in Italy unless I move there. There are so many places I wanted to visit but I just did not have the time. This looks gorgeous and the peppercorn dish looks amazing!!
Same here – and my parents are Italian haha! (the risotto was amazing :O)
I haven’t been there, but it looks awesome. We’re planning a trip to Europe next fall, so maybe we can put it in our itinerary.
Do let me know if you end up going 🙂 Happy travels!
Never been there, but I LOVE Italy! And I also love to take pictures of doors and windows when I travel 🙂
Same here 🙂
Gorgeous photos as always! And that risotto looks just heavenly! 🙂
Thanks! It most definitely was 😀
Our guests invariably fall in love with Lecce. It’s hard not to. The sights and tastes are wonderful, of course, but it’s the amazing warmth of the people that leaves the greatest impression. If you’re planning a trip to Puglia, make sure you spend at least one evening here. You won’t regret it.
Agreed!!! Thanks for stopping by 🙂