What to see in Lecce in one day, is the leitmotif often heard. The Salento city needs more time to be admired in all its beauty. For this reason, we have created a Lecce guide on what to see and do. However, for hurried travelers, we have prepared a short itinerary that takes us to visit Lecce in one day.
A perfect idea is a weekend or a short stay in Lecce, the delightful capital of Apulian Baroque, resting on a small plateau dominating the entire Salento.
A good starting point can be the 17th-century Piazza del Duomo, the baroque and religious heart of the city, designed by the Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace, and the Seminary.
The sea is not visible, but it is so close you can sense its breath. Ever-present, however, is the wind, or rather, the winds: the humid and warm sirocco from the south, the cold and dry tramontana from the north; depending on which blows, locals choose whether to go to the Adriatic beaches or those of the Ionian Sea.
Aside from the wind, what strikes about Lecce is the extraordinary combination of the “blue Salento sky” and the amber hues of Lecce stone, a malleable material (limestone formed by the remains of marine fossil organisms), with which the palaces and many churches enclosed within the ancient walls were built.
Besides the grandiosity, richness, and refinement of the decorations, what stands out most is the solemnity of the entire complex. Walking along via Libertini to Porta Rudiae, you can admire religious buildings of great value, such as the church of Santa Teresa, the church of Sant’Anna with the former Conservatory, or the church of the Rosary, with a Greek cross plan and the original wooden ceiling coverings.
Another focal point is Piazza Sant’Oronzo, with the column surmounted by the statue of the saint blessing passersby. The square is largely occupied by the Amphitheater built during Emperor Augustus’s time and uncovered only in the early 1900s.
Overlooking the Roman ruins is the Sedile, a cubic building with high arches, built at the end of the 16th century as the mayor’s court and remained city hall until the 19th century. Not to be missed is the Castle of Charles V, north of the square, a solid fortress with a 14th-century central tower, built to defend the city from Turkish armies.
The Basilica of Santa Croce, the largest and most famous celebration of Lecce Baroque (1549-1689), the adjacent Government Palace (former Celestine convent). The church of Santa Chiara, the Roman Theater, and the Romanesque church of Saints Nicolò and Cataldo, internally adorned with frescoes so precious that photography is forbidden.
