Lecce

An irresistible combination of history and magic, palaces and churches, monasteries and convents will welcome you in Lecce also known as “Florence of the South“. The origins of the city date back to the Messapi age, but it developed in the Roman age. Famous for the baroque style that characterizes it, it is a place loved by tourists who visit Puglia. Despite this, it can be really difficult to reach the location in summer due to traffic and difficulty finding parking. For this reason, booking a transfer to Lecce is the ideal solution. In this way you will be able to reach the location in total comfort from Brindisi airport or from another location in Salento with our experts.

What to see

As anticipated, once inside the city you will be enchanted to discover churches and monuments, on whose facades the Lecce stone and Baroque style stand out.

First of all the Basilica of Santa Croce together with the adjacent former Convent of the Celestines, continuing with countless Greek churches and various museums.

Almost as if to enclose the most characteristic and ancient areas of the city we find the three gates (Porta Napoli, Porta San Biagio and Porta Rudiae). Porta Napoli and the Obelisk offer an entrance to the discovery of the old city. The Obelisk itself represents a sort of connection between the old city and the new city.

Proceeding through the intricate streets, along Via Palmieri, you can admire the Paisiello Theater up to the entrance to Piazza Duomo.

Leaving Piazza Duomo to the left, you can reach the other part of the city (Porta Rudiae) while on the right you enter Baroque Lecce.

Along the way you can appreciate the Church of Sant’Irene, bars, restaurants, souvenir shops and bookshops, until you reach the beautiful Piazza Sant’Oronzo. In the center of the square the city symbol, the She-Wolf, is depicted; the Palazzo del Seggio better known as the “Sedile” (seat) with the church of San Marco next to it, the 29 meter high column which holds the archbishop Sant’Oronzo, patron saint of the city.

It is then impossible not to notice the magnificent Roman Amphitheater built in the 1st century AD; today only part of it is visible, the other is still buried.

After Piazza Sant’Oronzo, moving towards Via Trichese (shopping street), you will arrive at Piazza Mazzini.

An activity that should not be missed is tasting the delicious and famous Lecce pasticciotto in one of the many bars in the centre.

How to get around Lecce: with and without transfers

Those who say that it is not very liveable in summer are wrong, as it is just over 10 km from San Cataldo which, with its 20 km of coastline, includes Torre Chianca, Torre Rinalda and Frigole overlooking the Adriatic. While moving towards the Ionian it is possible to reach the beautiful beaches of Porto Cesareo in 30 minutes.

Despite the possibility of reaching the location by public transport, we recommend booking a transfer to avoid bus delays and enjoy the journey with air conditioning and in total comfort. In fact, the city has a fairly good urban and extra-urban network, but during the summer, due to the large influx of tourists, you risk having to remain standing along the route. To overcome these problems, a private transfer to Lecce from Brindisi airport or station (depending on where you arrive) is the best solution to enjoy a peaceful and worry-free holiday.