Lecce

Lecce (Salentino: Lècce) is a city in the Apulia region of Italy.

Understand
Lecce has been dubbed "the Florence of the south". Whereas many people skip it in favour of the nearby beach towns of the Salento Peninsula, this city, distinguished by its elaborate style of baroque buildings, has at least a couple of days of attractions worth seeing.

By plane
The closest airport is in Brindisi () located 35 km (22 mi) north of the city centre. There you will find differents bus services providing fast links to the town. It is also the best way to reach the town from central and northern Europe. There are discount flights available from London, Rome, Milan, etc. For a complete list, check out the Apulian airports website.

By train
National operator Trenitalia runs long distance trains from most major cities in Italy. Even as the trains travel on high-speed tracks, journey times can be long. Especially from cities in the northern parts of the country. Overnight trains are available from Milan and Rome, which might be a better option.

An extensive network of regional trains connecting Lecce with smaller towns across the peninsula is available too. Rural routes are often scenic, but can be slower compared to driving or taking the bus.



By car
The town is ringed by a freeway called Tangenziale di Lecce that you can join to bypass the city center.
 * From Bari: at the Bari Nord exit of Autostrada A14 Italia.svg motorway, keep on the Strada Statale 16 Italia.svg and reached Fasano continue on the Strada Statale 379 Italia.svg until Brindisi, then go on the Strada Statale 613 Italia.svg to reach Lecce.
 * From Taranto: take the Strada Statale 7 Italia.svg until Brindisi, then merge onto the Strada Statale 613 Italia.svg towards Lecce.

By bus
These are the main private bus operator to get in the town: From June to September the province of Lecce manages the bus service Salentoinbus, that gives you the occasion to reach the town from the main seaside resorts of the territory.
 * Marino (main continental Italy cities, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland)
 * Marozzi (Avellino, Benevento, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Siena)
 * Miccolis (Caserta, Matera, Naples, Pompeii, Salerno)

By bus
Public transport is managed by SGM company, with 20 bus lines and 4 trolleybus lines. Single tickets can be purchased at most of tobacconists and newspaper sellers around the city. The cost of a single ticket is €1.00 (€1.50 if bought on board), a 90-min ticket is €1.30; a day ticket costs €2.50 while a seven-day ticket costs €9.70.

By taxi
LecceTaxi covers the town and other destinations in the Salento area.

By car
Here is a list of useful parking lots:

By bicycle
Through the Ciclovia Adriatica that connects Trieste with Santa Maria di Leuca, the coastline follows a riviera rich in beaches. The part from the Po Delta in Trieste is included in EuroVelo 8.

On foot
Walking is without doubt the best way to discover the main attractions of Lecce, since the whole old town is a limited traffic zone (ZTL). This feature gives the opportunity to move between monuments, churches and archaeological sites free from the stress of traffic.

Churches
Lecce has more than 30 historic churches, these are the most representative ones:

Other buildings

 * Piazza S. Oronzo - It's in the heart of the city and named after the patron saint's statue erected in 1666 after the population had defeated the plague which had broken out ten years before.
 * Paisiello Theatre - Once the permanent theatre of the town. Founded in 1758 and rebuilt in 1870, it was opened with the performance of Giuseppe Verdi' s 'Un ballo in maschera". Because of its rich decorations, this theatre - which can only contain 320 spectators - is nicknamed "The wedding souvenir".

Do

 * Football: US Lecce were promoted in 2022 and now play soccer in Serie A, Italy's top tier. Their home ground Stadio Via del Mare (capacity 31,500) is two km northeast of town centre.
 * Nature walks and cycling excursions with PATH, a local company that specialises in private active holidays in Puglia, from nature walks across olive groves and along coastal trails to explore the coast and the Apulian countryside to experiential travel to discover the food and culture learning with the locals.

Learn
Many people go to Apulia to learn the typical rustico recipes of the region's cuisine. Cooking schools abound, including
 * The Awaiting Table Cookery School : culinary vacations and wine tours in Apulia.

Buy

 * Lecce cake
 * fantastic gelato from Gelateria Natale in the old city.

Eat
Pasticciotto Leccese is the typical cake of the town. It is made of shortcrust pastry filled with custard and by tradition it must be eaten warm as a breakfast item.
 * Miro Coffee Bistrot & Lounge Bar, Via Umberto I, 4, Lecce,
 * Delicious "cucina tipica" food served with aplomb in a small restaurant in the old city. Many inventive and interesting recipes, plus a large and relatively inexpensive selection of regional and national wines. A terrific choice in the old city, where many restaurants are aimed at tourists and are of limited quality.
 * Delicious "cucina tipica" food served with aplomb in a small restaurant in the old city. Many inventive and interesting recipes, plus a large and relatively inexpensive selection of regional and national wines. A terrific choice in the old city, where many restaurants are aimed at tourists and are of limited quality.

Mid-range

 * Hotel Casina Copini, Via S. Angelo 73038 Spongano, - Fax +39 0836.945352. Hotel Casina Copini offers visitors a swimming pool and a park in the context of a 19th-century villa in the province of Lecce.
 * Hotel Casina dei Cari, S.P. Presicce-Lido Marini, 73054, Presicce Lecce -, Fax +39 0833.711284. Immersed in verdant Salento, amidst olive trees and stone walls, the Hotel Casina dei Cari has inherited a historical farmhouse between Presicce and Lido Marini.
 * Tenuta Monacelli, SS Quinzano Località Cerrate-Casalabate - Contrada Monacelli, 73100, Casalabate-Lecce -, fax +39 0832.382037. Tenuta Monacelli, a farmhouse in Lecce.
 * Tenuta Monacelli, SS Quinzano Località Cerrate-Casalabate - Contrada Monacelli, 73100, Casalabate-Lecce -, fax +39 0832.382037. Tenuta Monacelli, a farmhouse in Lecce.
 * Tenuta Monacelli, SS Quinzano Località Cerrate-Casalabate - Contrada Monacelli, 73100, Casalabate-Lecce -, fax +39 0832.382037. Tenuta Monacelli, a farmhouse in Lecce.
 * Tenuta Monacelli, SS Quinzano Località Cerrate-Casalabate - Contrada Monacelli, 73100, Casalabate-Lecce -, fax +39 0832.382037. Tenuta Monacelli, a farmhouse in Lecce.

Connect
As of June 2022, Lecce has 4G with Iliad and Tim, and 5G with Vodafone and Wind Tre.

Go next
Nearby Lecce are the following towns: Some other daytrips from Lecce include: Other popular destinations such as Alberobello and Matera are also easily reachable by car. Consider spending at least on day at each, but if you're too short on time it is possible to see the main attractions of both in a day trip from Lecce.
 * Otranto
 * Monopoli
 * Gallipoli
 * Specchia
 * Santa Maria di Leuca - with many caves along the coastline
 * Porto Selvaggio - a national park with pine forests and a rugged coastline, reachable by direct bus