‘The best way to experience Lecce is to walk around looking up.’ That is what a tourist is told shortly after arriving in the second-largest city in Italy’s Puglia region, often described as the “Florence of the South.” And not because it is a place filled with skyscrapers like New York. Rather, because so much of its beauty is built into its exquisite architecture, according to London’s Metro newspaper. The cobbled streets are steeped in history, and every Baroque-era building tells a story, much like its northern sister. Florence attracts millions of tourists each year, many of them drawn by world-famous masterpieces. There are frescoes by Giotto, canvases by Botticelli, and sculptures by Michelangelo — it is the cradle of the Renaissance, after all. As for Lecce, the city sits in the Salento peninsula of Puglia, and its honey-drenched limestone is its dominant feature. Much like Florence, you are never far from a church. Again and again, you see an unassuming facade and find an incredible duomo inside. Nothing compares to Lecce Cathedral, built in the 12th century in the heart of the historic center, the Piazza del Duomo. You could spend hours taking in the intricacies of the artwork: pillars romanticized with tiny cherubs, altars carved in gold and huge stone fonts. Remembering the advice, tourists should look up at the ceiling and find a version of The Last Supper, painted by Giuseppe da Brindisi. By night, the streets of Lecce are a gorgeous setting for walking off hearty meals, shopping and finding hidden gems like secret gardens in courtyards. Lecce is smaller than Florence and less crowded, but is just as impressive. This city might be big on siestas, but it’s certainly not one to be slept on.
