March 16, 2025, 10:41 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Every year, Florence attracts more than four million tourists. Based on the number of inhabitants, the city is therefore one of the most crowded in Europe. Yet there is a city in the south of Italy with a very similar flair but far fewer visitors. It is also close to the sea.
We are talking about Lecce, which is located on the Salento peninsula in Apulia. The city of around 90,000 inhabitants is also known as the Florence of the south — a title that pays tribute to its artistic beauty, comparable to the renowned Tuscan city. This is because the old town is dominated by the “Barocco Leccese.” Indeed, a Baroque architectural style is so closely associated with the city that it bears its name. One of the most famous churches in southern Italy, the Basilica of Santa Croce, for example, is Leccese Baroque.
Ancient Sights in Lecce
Lecce is one of the oldest cities in southern Italy. Legend has it that the city’s origins date back 3200 years. While the Romans established a thriving settlement complete with an amphitheater, forum, and various temples, Lecce’s golden age dawned in the late Middle Ages.
A popular meeting place in Lecce is Piazza San Oronzo, with its amphitheater (see large photo above). Much like in other southern Italian cities, ancient sites were long overlooked. Even in Rome, Naples, or Agrigento, the population often used the buildings as quarries — or they ignored their existence so that new buildings were erected around or even on top of the Roman or Greek monuments. It’s no surprise, then, that tourists might stumble upon millennia-old ruins nestled within the seemingly unremarkable alleyways of the old town.
Famous Landmarks in Lecce
Yet, the crown jewels of Lecce are undoubtedly the 16th-century Basilica di Santa Croce and the 12th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria dell’Assunta, complete with its picturesque piazza. In total, there are around 30 churches in Lecce’s old town between Porta Napoli and Porta Biagio, as well as several abbeys and aristocratic palaces, all of which were built in the Baroque period. Piazza Mazzini, for example, is also worth a visit.
The tip of Italy's boot Why Calabria is also worth a trip in winter
A hidden gem in Italy This City Is as Beautiful as Venice but Much Cheaper and Less Crowded
Hidden Gem in Italy It’s as Beautiful Here as in Tuscany, Only Less Crowded
The Sea Is Not Far Away
Puglia boasts some of Italy’s most stunning beaches. There are several options from Lecce: The Adriatic coast to the east is only around 13 kilometers from the city. The other side of the Puglia coast on the Ionian Sea is also just under 30 kilometers away — the beaches here are even more beautiful.
Contributing writer: Jasch Zacharias