Guidebook for Lecce
Sightseeing
Baroque Church of the XVII century, designed by Achille Larducci di Salò, nephew of Francesco Borromini, the architect of several important baroque churches in Rome. It is often busy with weddings which spill out in the small piazza in front of it. Fun to watch!
62 recommandé par les habitants
Church of Saint Irene
Via degli AntogliettaBaroque Church of the XVII century, designed by Achille Larducci di Salò, nephew of Francesco Borromini, the architect of several important baroque churches in Rome. It is often busy with weddings which spill out in the small piazza in front of it. Fun to watch!
Via Theutra. This small Roman theater is almost intact, tucked away a few blocks behind my house, it is still used for concerts and theater performances. There is also a small museum attached to it, fee 3 euros, it will allow entrance to the ancient theater. Otherwise you will have to view it from outside the gate on Via Theutra. (You get there from Via Federico D'Aragona, left on Via del Palazzo dei Conti di Lecce, right on Via Theutra).
58 recommandé par les habitants
Teatro Romano di Lecce
Via Del Teatro RomanoVia Theutra. This small Roman theater is almost intact, tucked away a few blocks behind my house, it is still used for concerts and theater performances. There is also a small museum attached to it, fee 3 euros, it will allow entrance to the ancient theater. Otherwise you will have to view it from outside the gate on Via Theutra. (You get there from Via Federico D'Aragona, left on Via del Palazzo dei Conti di Lecce, right on Via Theutra).
Try to go there either at sunrise or at sunset. This odd-shaped and tucked away piazza will turn a soft salmony color. It is generally very quiet, no cars allowed, and if you sit at the back end of Syrbar, you can sip your drink or eat your lunch while enjoying the architecture and the sky.
139 recommandé par les habitants
Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del DuomoTry to go there either at sunrise or at sunset. This odd-shaped and tucked away piazza will turn a soft salmony color. It is generally very quiet, no cars allowed, and if you sit at the back end of Syrbar, you can sip your drink or eat your lunch while enjoying the architecture and the sky.
Everything Else
Vico del Sindaco Marangio
my street
Food Scene
Good trattoria, steps from my house, on Piazza Regina Maria, affordable, traditional Salento cooking, open till late, always very busy so expect some wait time if you go with a group.
29 recommandé par les habitants
Trattoria Nonna Tetti
17 Piazzetta Regina MariaGood trattoria, steps from my house, on Piazza Regina Maria, affordable, traditional Salento cooking, open till late, always very busy so expect some wait time if you go with a group.
Best Gelateria in Lecce, 10 min walk from my house, near Piazza Sant'Oronzo. Lots of ice cream flavors, lots of amazing pastry. Always very busy especially summer nights, but they have queue ticket numbers.
40 recommandé par les habitants
Pasticceria Natale
7 Via San TrincheseBest Gelateria in Lecce, 10 min walk from my house, near Piazza Sant'Oronzo. Lots of ice cream flavors, lots of amazing pastry. Always very busy especially summer nights, but they have queue ticket numbers.
I tried this restaurant last year for the first time and went there a few more because I like the research they put into their dishes. Less than 10 minutes walk from my house on Via Lo Re, turn left after you get out of Porta San Biagio and walk straight on the left hand side of the street. Here is a recent review in TripAdvisor "The food (most fish) was just amazing. A perfect point of merge between tradition, creativity and innovation. The next day temptation to have a dinner again to 203 is really strong. Nice location in the center of the astonishing town. Service very good."
14 recommandé par les habitants
OSTERIA 203
39 Viale Francesco Lo ReI tried this restaurant last year for the first time and went there a few more because I like the research they put into their dishes. Less than 10 minutes walk from my house on Via Lo Re, turn left after you get out of Porta San Biagio and walk straight on the left hand side of the street. Here is a recent review in TripAdvisor "The food (most fish) was just amazing. A perfect point of merge between tradition, creativity and innovation. The next day temptation to have a dinner again to 203 is really strong. Nice location in the center of the astonishing town. Service very good."
Sit at the table under the portico and enjoy a cappuccino in the am, some brunch items later on or a drink at sunset and watch people milling about on the large Piazza Sant'Oronzo.
Cin Cin Bar
4 Piazza Sant'OronzoSit at the table under the portico and enjoy a cappuccino in the am, some brunch items later on or a drink at sunset and watch people milling about on the large Piazza Sant'Oronzo.
I love this restaurant because besides the very good quality of the food the owner is very keen on researching traditional Salento cooking. One of the waiters told me that if I ever want to know more about any specific food I ate there, I should feel free to write to them and they will be happy to guide me and tell me more about how to cook it.
7 recommandé par les habitants
Alle due Corti
42 Via Leonardo PratoI love this restaurant because besides the very good quality of the food the owner is very keen on researching traditional Salento cooking. One of the waiters told me that if I ever want to know more about any specific food I ate there, I should feel free to write to them and they will be happy to guide me and tell me more about how to cook it.
One of my favorite restaurants, traditional cuisine, low key but very good quality. You must call a day ahead of time to reserve. It is about 20 minute walk from my house or if you want to drive, probably 10 min because you will have to find parking too... ;-)
35 recommandé par les habitants
Le Zie -Trattoria casereccia
19 Via Colonnello Archimede CostaduraOne of my favorite restaurants, traditional cuisine, low key but very good quality. You must call a day ahead of time to reserve. It is about 20 minute walk from my house or if you want to drive, probably 10 min because you will have to find parking too... ;-)
Amazing pizza take out place. Lots of choices. If the weather is not too cold, you can also eat it outside, on their benches, and they will give you a cutting board to keep your pizza on. This is not the regular restaurant kind of pizza, and the pizzas are not round in shape, rather, are cut out from a larger rectangular pizza, "pizza al taglio", and you can choose how large or thin you want your piece. The owner likes to experiment with many recipes and he always gets it right.
IL PIZZICOTTO
14 Via Degli AmmiratiAmazing pizza take out place. Lots of choices. If the weather is not too cold, you can also eat it outside, on their benches, and they will give you a cutting board to keep your pizza on. This is not the regular restaurant kind of pizza, and the pizzas are not round in shape, rather, are cut out from a larger rectangular pizza, "pizza al taglio", and you can choose how large or thin you want your piece. The owner likes to experiment with many recipes and he always gets it right.
Located at Via San Lazzaro 37, Lecce, Puglia, 73100
https://www.caffekaldi.com/
This is small coffee roaster place. No sitting down, but you can have your espresso selecting out of an interesting choice of roasts. It is artisanal coffee, enriched with many variations of flavors. The owner goes to great lengths to tell you all about their offers and the history of coffee. Drinking coffee here is more of a ritual than at any other regular coffee shop in town.
Kaldì Caffè
37/a Via S. LazzaroLocated at Via San Lazzaro 37, Lecce, Puglia, 73100
https://www.caffekaldi.com/
This is small coffee roaster place. No sitting down, but you can have your espresso selecting out of an interesting choice of roasts. It is artisanal coffee, enriched with many variations of flavors. The owner goes to great lengths to tell you all about their offers and the history of coffee. Drinking coffee here is more of a ritual than at any other regular coffee shop in town.
This restaurant hits a delicate spot with me since I am from Rome and I feel very fortunate to have an authentic Osteria Romana in Lecce. Their owners are from Rome but they love Salento so much that they left their home town to realize a dream: open a restaurant that offers traditional food from their native place in their adoptive city of Lecce.
The menu is very rich, you may have to go at least twice if you want to explore it. To go there you walk 13 minutes (as Google walks) from my house, it is a bit closer than the Le Zie.
7 recommandé par les habitants
A'ROMA L'OSTERIA
3 Via Cesare BattistiThis restaurant hits a delicate spot with me since I am from Rome and I feel very fortunate to have an authentic Osteria Romana in Lecce. Their owners are from Rome but they love Salento so much that they left their home town to realize a dream: open a restaurant that offers traditional food from their native place in their adoptive city of Lecce.
The menu is very rich, you may have to go at least twice if you want to explore it. To go there you walk 13 minutes (as Google walks) from my house, it is a bit closer than the Le Zie.
This is a new outfit and already is all the rage in Lecce (and very close to my house!). They specialize in Neapolitan pastry, their pasticciotti are killers! In the nice season, relax under their large umbrellas outside, and in the winter, cozy up at one of their two tables inside or consume on the run, as most Italians do.
6 recommandé par les habitants
Pasticceria Pinti
83 Viale Francesco Lo ReThis is a new outfit and already is all the rage in Lecce (and very close to my house!). They specialize in Neapolitan pastry, their pasticciotti are killers! In the nice season, relax under their large umbrellas outside, and in the winter, cozy up at one of their two tables inside or consume on the run, as most Italians do.
This is a recent discovery. I love it! Great veggie plates very well presented and tasty. Mostly traditional Salento dishes with a slight twist. Ice cream dessert are also quite original and very good.
15 recommandé par les habitants
La Cucina di Mamma Elvira
33 Via Ludovico MaremontiThis is a recent discovery. I love it! Great veggie plates very well presented and tasty. Mostly traditional Salento dishes with a slight twist. Ice cream dessert are also quite original and very good.
I tried this recently. It is a very small restaurant, reservation is a must. Mostly nouvelle cuisine and research that goes beyond the traditional Salento dishes. Also very close to my house.
7 recommandé par les habitants
3 Rane
7 Via Camillo Benso Conte di CavourI tried this recently. It is a very small restaurant, reservation is a must. Mostly nouvelle cuisine and research that goes beyond the traditional Salento dishes. Also very close to my house.
Arts & Culture
A must-see if you like byzantine frescoes. This church has many and all well preserved, your head will spin. Go there with some change as they only light the walls if you put 2 Euros in the slot. Also, in the main corso, they have great gelato. One more thing to do in Galatina: if you are there on June 29th, go at night to the church of San Paolo and enjoy “Pizzica”, the captivating popular dance of Salento.
67 recommandé par les habitants
Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
6 Via Raimondello OrsiniA must-see if you like byzantine frescoes. This church has many and all well preserved, your head will spin. Go there with some change as they only light the walls if you put 2 Euros in the slot. Also, in the main corso, they have great gelato. One more thing to do in Galatina: if you are there on June 29th, go at night to the church of San Paolo and enjoy “Pizzica”, the captivating popular dance of Salento.
Ask to see the circular room upstairs, it has interesting acoustic effects, if you whisper something, a person on the opposite side will hear what you said. Also, interesting frescos in the lower rooms. The castle has now become a venue for cultural, artistic and musical events. It is large, massive and has a moat.
19 recommandé par les habitants
Castello di Corigliano d'Otranto
1 Piazza CastelloAsk to see the circular room upstairs, it has interesting acoustic effects, if you whisper something, a person on the opposite side will hear what you said. Also, interesting frescos in the lower rooms. The castle has now become a venue for cultural, artistic and musical events. It is large, massive and has a moat.
The first time I visited the Otranto Cathedral, I was surprised by its small size. Yet the mosaic work on the floor is so enchanting that I had a hard time leaving. My then 12 yr old daughter was just as transfixed.
The floor mosaic was created between 1163 and 1165. It is one of the most important examples of 12th-century art, and features the Tree of Life growing and branching out into aisles, apses and presbytery to the theological itinerary of salvation, from original sin to redemption.
It also mirrors the culture of inclusion that thrived in Otranto in the 12th century, as this crucial hub of maritime trade connected East and West. Viale Rocamatura, 73028 Otranto.
74 recommandé par les habitants
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Annunciation
1 Piazza BasilicaThe first time I visited the Otranto Cathedral, I was surprised by its small size. Yet the mosaic work on the floor is so enchanting that I had a hard time leaving. My then 12 yr old daughter was just as transfixed.
The floor mosaic was created between 1163 and 1165. It is one of the most important examples of 12th-century art, and features the Tree of Life growing and branching out into aisles, apses and presbytery to the theological itinerary of salvation, from original sin to redemption.
It also mirrors the culture of inclusion that thrived in Otranto in the 12th century, as this crucial hub of maritime trade connected East and West. Viale Rocamatura, 73028 Otranto.