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Description
Lecce, Puglia Italy, is the capital of the region of Puglia, has often been called the Florence of the south because of the beauty of its Baroque architecture. It is a university town and a center of learning and culture. It makes a great base for exploring the Salento peninsula with its beautiful beaches and winding cliffs dropping down into the Ionian and Adriatic seas.
All the magnificent architecture is beautifully lit up at night, making the passegiata a wonderful experience to stroll around and read the plaques written in both English and Italian.
The stone around Puglia was particularly soft and malleable, which enabled the great craftsmen of the Renaissance to produce such ornate work. It is a feast for the eyes.
In Lecce We Recommend…
Lecce is the paper mache centre since the 17th century.
Go to visit these talented artisan who produce remarkably detailed figures of everyday, 18th century Lecce life which has won them international prestige.
See the Mostra Permanente dell’Artigianato Salentino, the art exhibition, via Rubichi 21 where you can peruse traditional crafts from across the province: ceramics, cast iron, stone carvings and paper mache.
Photos by Stefano Giacomelli
What To See In and around Lecce
Basilica della Santa Croce – Piazza del Duomo – Roman Amphitheatre – Otranto – Galatina on 29 June the ritual of Tarantism – Gallipoli