Lecce, Italy: travel guide
Honey-coloured baroque churches and Puglian cooking in the Salento
The "Florence of the South" — Lecce's soft golden lecce stone yielded Italy's most exuberant Baroque architecture, adorning every church façade and palazzo cornice. A sophisticated Apulian university city with an outstanding food scene.
About Lecce
Lecce is a university city in the Salento, the heel of Italy, and its centre is built from a soft, honey-coloured limestone that carves easily into elaborate decoration. The result is a baroque style so ornate that the city is often called the Florence of the South.
Things to do in Lecce include the facade of the Basilica di Santa Croce, the cathedral square, and the Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Sant'Oronzo. The food is a draw, from orecchiette to the custard pastry pasticciotto, and the beaches around Otranto and Gallipoli are within day-trip range.
Lecce suits couples, architecture lovers and travellers exploring Puglia. Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons.
- Country
- Italy
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Nearest airport
- BDS
Last updated
Top places to visit in Lecce
Basilica di Santa Croce
Baroque Basilica · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
The most exuberant Baroque façade in Italy (built 1549–1695): an explosion of naturalistic carvings — grotesque faces, dragons, cherubs, fruit garlands, and floral rosettes — all carved in the soft golden lecce stone. The rose window is a…
Lecce Cathedral & Bishop's Palace
Cathedral · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
The Baroque Cathedral of the Assumption (1659–1682) stands in the magnificent enclosed Piazza del Duomo — one of Italy's most theatrical squares, where the tall campanile, episcopal seminary, and bishop's palace form a unified Baroque…
Roman Amphitheatre of Lecce
Roman Amphitheatre · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A 1st–2nd century Roman amphitheatre capable of seating 25,000 — discovered under Piazza Sant'Oronzo in 1901 and only partially excavated. The visible lower tiers are still remarkably intact. The adjacent Column of Saint Oronzo marks the…
Piazza del Duomo Lecce
baroque piazza · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
Lecce's theatrical closed Baroque piazza (17th c.): the cathedral, Bishop's Palace, and Seminary form a unified golden-stone set-piece — the finest Baroque ensemble in Italy.
Piazza Sant'Oronzo
piazza with roman ruins · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
Lecce's main piazza built over a 2nd-century Roman amphitheatre (partially excavated and visible); flanked by a column topped by St Oronzo and the medieval Sedile palace.
Lecce Pizzica Tarantella Dance
folk-dance · 4.8 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
The Pizzica dance tradition of Lecce — the spectacular pre-Christian tarantella tradition, with the famous Notte della Taranta festival in August in Melpignano, attracting 200,000 spectators to one of the largest folk festivals in Europe.
Lecce Otranto Cathedral Mosaic
medieval-mosaic · 4.9 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The Otranto Cathedral mosaic floor — the spectacular 12th-century mosaic covering the entire cathedral floor with the Tree of Life imagery, biblical scenes, the zodiac, and one of the most extraordinary medieval mosaic floors in Italy.
Lecce Puglia Beach Caves Coast
cave-coast · 4.8 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate
The Puglia coast cave beaches near Lecce — the spectacular Grotta della Poesia cave swimming pool (a sinkhole filled with crystal-clear seawater), the Grotta Zinzulusa, and the dramatic Salento coastline.
Lecce Christmas Lights Festival
christmas-lights · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The spectacular Christmas lights festival of Lecce — the entire old town is illuminated with thousands of LED lights in the historic style of the famous Luminarie, transforming Lecce into one of the most beautiful Italian Christmas…
Lecce Gallipoli Old Town
island-town · 4.7 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate
A day trip from Lecce to Gallipoli — the spectacular Ionian Sea fishing town with the historic 17th-century Old Town on an island, the famous Sant'Agata Cathedral, and the iconic Salento coastline.
Lecce Grotta della Poesia
sea-cave · 4.8 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate
A day trip from Lecce to Grotta della Poesia — the spectacular natural sea cave at Roca Vecchia, one of the world's 10 most beautiful natural swimming pools, with the iconic crystal-clear water.
Lecce Salento Beaches Tour
beach-tour · 4.9 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate
A Salento beach tour from Lecce — visiting the spectacular beaches of Torre dell'Orso, the Maldives of Salento (Pescoluse), Punta Prosciutto, and Porto Cesareo, the most beautiful Italian beaches.
Things to do
- Lecce Baroque Architecture & Papier-Mâché Workshop Tour Cultural · 3 h · from EUR 29 per person
Day trips and tours
- Lecce Baroque Architecture & Street Food Tour 3 h · from EUR 20
- Salento Peninsula & Otranto Day Trip from Lecce 8 h · from EUR 41
Where to stay in Lecce
- Baroque Centre about EUR 120 per night
The Florence of the South; staying in the centro means every Baroque church is a 5-min walk
Hotels
- Palazzo Bozzi Corso 4-star · EUR 100 to EUR 240 per night
- Risorgimento Resort, Lecce 4-star · EUR 140 to EUR 360 per night
Where to eat
- Trattoria Le Zie Italian, Apulian, Leccese · about EUR 14 per person
- Alle Due Corti Italian, Apulian · about EUR 22 per person
- Osteria degli Spiriti Italian, Apulian · about EUR 28 per person
Getting to Lecce
Airport: Brindisi (Lecce gateway) (BDS)
Getting around
- Bus
- Walking
Safety and scams to avoid
Inflated Taxi Fares
Lecce train station
Unlicensed drivers charge 3× official rates to tourists
How to avoid it: Only use white cabs with taximeter; agree fare in advance
More in Italy
Frequently asked questions about Lecce
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Lecce?
- The highest-rated places in our Lecce guide are Lecce Otranto Cathedral Mosaic, Lecce Salento Beaches Tour, Basilica di Santa Croce, Piazza del Duomo Lecce, Lecce Pizzica Tarantella Dance.
- Where should I stay in Lecce?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Lecce: Baroque Centre.
- How do I get around Lecce?
- Ways to get around Lecce covered in our guide: City bus, Walking.
- What scams should I watch out for in Lecce?
- Scams reported to us for Lecce include Inflated Taxi Fares. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.
- Which airport is nearest to Lecce?
- The nearest airport to Lecce has the code BDS.