The Perfect 1-Day Itinerary for Lecce, Italy
Lecce is a medium sized city in southern Puglia, known for its stunning architecture and scorching hot temperatures. Lecce (pronounced Leh-cheh) is not as popular as other Italian towns such as Capri, Florence, or Venice, but this town can duke it out as one of the most interesting and stunning towns in all of Italy. While there isn’t enough to occupy your time, for say 3 days, I would absolutely spend at least half a day here, walking the town, and gazing up at the Baroque architecture which earned it the nickname “the Florence of the South”.
The beautiful streets of Lecce, Italy
HOW TO GET THERE
Let’s start with how to get to Lecce. Accessible by highway, it is an hour drive from Ostuni, likely the town most people will be using as a base when staying in Puglia. There are also buses and trains that run between Ostuni and Lecce, but those options take 2-3 hours one way, so travel by car is the better option here.
If heading to Lecce straight from the airport, you will most likely be flying into Bari, which is a 2-hour drive from the airport to downtown Lecce.
Public parking is plentiful and cheap, so there will be no issues finding parking in the city. I suggest opting for one of the many public parking lots with an attendant, as Lecce has confusing street signage, and street parking can come with designated zoning and time frames. When there is an option to have zero hassle parking for a small increase in cost, why roll the dice on street parking? The parking lot we used was found next to the Universita di Salento, and across the street from a hotel called “Rose & Ben” on via Adua, and cost us 6 Euros for the entire day.
There are so many gorgeous corners in Lecce.
WHAT TO SEE
The great thing about Lecce is that it is a great city to just…wander. But I’m with you, I want a quick guide of where to look, what to see, and where to go. So here are the top items to see when in Lecce, how long they will take, and how much they will cost.
Basilica di Santa Croce
Located on the Northern end of Lecce
Expected time to explore: 1 hour
Cost to enter: €6 per person to visit the Basilica plus one other church
If there was only one thing you could see in all of Lecce, you should absolutely carve time out to see the Basilica di Santa Croce. The Basilica is the biggest ode to baroque style architecture in southern Italy, and is a sight to behold with your own two eyes, not just through a book. Make sure to take time to really take in the details of the carved stone both on the outside of the building, with the jaw droppingly large yet intricately detailed stained-glass window above the entrance, to the interior of the building, and the carved pillars flanking the aisle of the room.
Another reason you know it’s a big deal? Tour groups will often gather around outside the Basilica di Santa Croce, meaning it is a top spot to stop on a tour. Tour groups rarely spend more than 30 minutes inside, so if you stumble upon one, come back in an hour, and you’ll be inside with only a few others.
Make sure to pack your wide angle lens to capture the Basilica di Santa Croce, and all of its baroque architecture and famous stained glass window
Cattedrale Maria Santissima Assunta
Located at the West end of Lecce, likely the first church you will visit
Expected time to explore: 1 hour
Cost to enter: €6 per person to visit the Cattedrale plus one other church
As there are so many churches in Lecce, I suggest picking your top 2-4, and visiting those, or you will be caught up in trying to see them all, and they would begin to lose their luster after a few hours. Our second pick was Cattedralle Maria Santissima Assunta, as this was part of a package with the Basilica to see both for €6. It was actually the first church that we saw as it was close to where we parked, and was the first spot we stumbled upon. Beautifully preserved and decorated, the Cattedrale was a welcome respite from the 12-noon sun, and the busy Piazza del Duomo on which the Cattedrale is found. With elegant gilding on the columns of the interior, and shockingly beautiful tilework in the basement of the church, the Cattedrale is not to be missed. There is even an excavation area in the basement of the church that showcases bones from those buried in the church, which can be accessed and viewed 2 people at a time.
The interiors of the beautiful cathedral
Giardini Pubblici Giuseppe Garibaldi
Located at the north end of Lecce
Expected time to explore: 1 hour
Cost to enter: FREE
This is a great little park to stop and enjoy gelato on a hot day, or just take a load off your feet and people watch after a long day of sight-seeing. With tons of trees and birds, walk through the paths and check out all of the little gazebos in the park, and find a little bit of quiet away from the busier streets of Lecce. Bonus tip: there are public bathrooms here!
Porta Napoli
Located at the Northwest end of the city
Expected time to explore: 20 minutes
Cost to enter: FREE
Take a walk to the outer ring of Lecce and visit the Porta Napoli, and take in just how large this monument is. Admire how a part of history seems to stand in company with modern buildings, with Vespas and cars speeding by. Built in the 1500’s, this porta served to connect Lecce to Naples, being the starting point for the road to Napoli from Lecce, hence the name Porta Napoli.
Be sure to take in the enormity of this archway, and take plenty of pictures while here. Pro tip: have your camera set up across the street from the arch, in the Piazzeta di Arco di Trionfo amongst the trees and a walking path, to snag a photo of yourself in front of Porta Napoli, and in a way that will be able to capture the entire structure.
The sheer size of this archway is mind blowing!
Anfiteatro
Located at the center of Lecce
Expected time to explore: 1 hr
Cost to enter: FREE
Don’t be a ding dong like me and completely miss this amazing piece of history that can be entered for free at whatever time of day or night you like. Wander this excavated amphitheater, that while a fraction of the size of the Colosseum in Rome, is just as impressive, and can be viewed from all angles. This was high on my list to see when we arrived, but I was lost in the beautiful baroque architecture of the city and completely lost focus and forgot this spot. If I could go back to Lecce, this would be my first stop!
WHERE TO EAT
Fusci Moi
A particular food Puglia, and southern Italy in general is known for is a wonderful, delicious, savory, heavenly meal in a pocket called a panzerotti. In essence, a panzerotti is a pocket of pizza dough, stuffed with everything you would normally put on a pizza (HELLO Italian cured meats and cheeses), which is then fried to a golden brown. This food is MAGICAL. Fusci Moi is said to have the best panzerotti in the city, though we were unable to try it here, as they only have evening hours, open from 7pm to 11pm.
This would be my first-choice recommendation for the panzerotti, but if you are in a pinch, an alternative is a small spot in an alleyway called La Rusticana. While the panzerotti here are made from scratch, they are done so at the beginning of the day, and then are reheated when you order. There is nowhere to sit here, so people often end up waiting for one of the plastic tables outside the nearby church to free up to be able to sit down and eat. While this isn’t my first choice to eat in Lecce, it is a good grab and go option if you are hell bent on having a panzerotti, but not slowing down the pace of your exploring.
Panzerotti from La Rusticana
Baldo Gelato
Another spot with funny hours, Baldo Gelato opens at 2pm everyday (except 12pm on Sunday), but is well worth the wait. Less than 2 city blocks from the Basilica di Santa Croce, this gelateria is in the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon pick me up. The gelato here is thick and creamy, and has such real tasting flavors, you’ll think you’re actually eating a bunch of berries, a cookie, or a chocolate cake. I actually love that they have a finite number of flavors here, which means they pour everything they have into a few flavors, and the love comes through in each bite of this gelato.
Frutti di bosco, or forest fruits (berries), gelato is my favorite!
So, all of this info begs the question, how would I plan one day in Lecce? Below is a time table for what I think would be the perfect day in Lecce:
THE PERFECT 1-DAY ITINERARY FOR LECCE
12:00 pm - Arrive in Lecce and park on via Adua. Enter Lecce proper through Porta Napoli, and stop to take photos
12:30 pm – Make your way to the Anfiteatro, and spend time exploring
2:00 pm – Stop by Baldo Gelato and grab a cone, my recommendation is the frutti di bosco (berry gelato)
2:30 pm – Finish your cone and step into the Basilica di Santa Croce
3:30 pm – Walk to the Cattedrale Maria Santissima Assunta
4:30 pm – Walk around the Giardini Pubblici Giuseppe Garibaldi, exploring, and sitting down to rest your feet after exploring all day. Many major shops such as Zara and McDonalds are near here as well, so if you need anything such as a jacket or new sandals, drop by while there is one available
6:00 pm – Wander the alleys of Lecce, taking photos, and stopping into the many boutiques that line the streets
7:00 pm – Grab a panzerotti at Fusci Moi, and head back to the car for the drive to your accommodations
I hope that I have encouraged you to step off the beaten path in exploring Puglia, and Lecce in particular. There is such a rich history of architecture, art, and, well, history here, that it would be sad to miss out on this amazing city. Step into a world where time stands still, and you feel as though you are deep in the heart of Italy. Explore a smaller city in the heel of the boot of Italy, and fall in love with its character and charm. Explore Lecce, and tell me how much you love it!
Buon Viaggio!
