Part of what makes Lecce such a beautiful city is the fact that a particular type of stone was used for the building of most of its Baroque buildings and monuments. This stone, Pietra Leccese, is actually mined in quarries close to the city. It’s a very soft stone, that hardens with time, and so is easy to carve into different shapes. On one of the small streets that head north from Piazza Sant’Oronzo, there is a very unique antique shop. Actually, it’s more like a mall of different antique vendors. It must be nice to be able to leave your things outside to dry, right in the middle of the street, and not to worry about them being taken! Palazzo Gorgoni has a beautiful balcony with three arches. The palazzo is now a B&B. I found the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built by Gabriele Riccardi in the sixteenth-century, to be very beautiful. Although it was closed to visitors while I was there, the exterior of the building mesmerized me. La Fiermontina is a luxury resort in the center of the city, which has 16 rooms and offers a beautiful garden, with a swimming pool. MUST, or the Museo Storico Citta di Lecce, is a nice way to pass an hour or so. I found the name of the place to be a tiny bit deceiving though, as it is mainly filled with modern art, or at least it was when we visited. In Piazzetta Falconieri, you will find Palazzo Marrese, which is considered one of the most beautiful facades in the entire city. The Torre del Parco is the second of the city’s towers built by a Countess of Lecce and former Queen of Naples, Mary of Enghien. Walking back towards the center of town, from the tower, I stumbled upon an antique street fair. Dinner was at the Corte dei Pandolfi. For me, this was the best dining experience that I had in Lecce. The food was fabulous! The service was personal and yet professional. I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to this city!
Next up: A Roman theater, underground walkways, and more!
Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear. If you enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from bella Puglia, as well as other Italian destinations. Grazie!
