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Introduction to Lecce

Lecce is rightly described as the most pure Baroque (Barocco Leccese) walled town in the whole of Italy, a small Florence without the tourists. It is a lively university town with a population of 97,000 and is the power base of the Salento peninsula in Puglia. The buildings in the pedestranised walled centre are made from a special type of soft carved stone called tufigna, which is stunningly floodlit. There are two theatres, an opera season with top international names, fantastic restaurants and bars. It is an excellent place from which to explore the rest of Puglia.

Don't Miss: Da Non Perdere

• the flood-lit stone of Lecce 's architecture (tufigna di Lecce)
• the Roman amphitheatre discovered and excavated in 1938
• an evening aperitivo of latte di mandorle
• the rose window of the Santa Croce church
• a day trip to Gallipoli for some of the best seafood in Italy
• the perfection of pasticciotto custard tarts, Lecce's answer to the Portuguese natas
• a drive down the olive oil road (S611) between the sea and ancient olive groves
• the opera season (February to May) which attracts top names.