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Lecce is wonderful. Magical. Dreamy. It’s all the things. My husband and I spent two weeks in the city in June 2022 and we fell in love. The city is beautiful, the food is tasty, and your money will go further here than in the more touristy towns and cities of Italy. Read more about the city and everything I love about it.
But what’s it actually like to visit Lecce? The lack of tourists means that there are a lot of benefits to travelling to Lecce. It also mean there are some drawbacks too. Let’s get into it.
Price
Lecce was even more budget friendly than I expected it to be. Your money will go much further here than in a touristy city. The price of food, drinks and your accommodations will be significantly cheaper than say, Rome, Florence, Venice etc. This trip was a budget vacation for us, so we tried to be frugal-ish for the most part. And it was quite easy to do. We mostly choose cheap eats and to cook at the apartment rental as much as possible. But don’t worry, we certainly enjoyed our many spritzes on gorgeous patios.
Even the apartment we rented was quite reasonable. Our private 2 bedroom apartment was about $80 CAD/night and it was right on the edge of the centro storico (historic centre/city centre). This means we were staying in a beautiful historic home, but we enjoyed a quiet street and nearby local haunts. You can’t get any better than that.
Our accommodations:
Ma Mère Maison – www.booking.com
Transportation
We travelled from Victoria, BC, Canada and it took four flights to reach the city of Brindisi in Puglia. This is the closest airport to Lecce. The drive from Brindisi Airport to Lecce is only about 20-30 minutes depending on traffic (and how fast your taxi driver speeds). This was not the easiest 24 hours of my life but the excitement of being on vacation kept me sane and gave me the adrenaline I needed to get through. We had to choose a flight path that fit the budget but there were some options with less legs than we chose. That being said, it is common that from Canada, you’ll have three flights to reach Lecce.
Puglia is a known for its less reliable public transportation. And the access to public transportation in the south of Italy isn’t as widely available as in the north. It’s definitely not impossible to get around using public transportation but it would be a challenge, especially if you don’t speak Italian.
We did not opt for any public transportation because we stayed in Lecce for nearly the entire duration of our trip and so decided to splurge on the small amount of transportation we did do. The taxi service from Brindisi airport was a flat rate of €50. Our host booked the taxi service for us which was super helpful.
We also rented a car for two full days. We didn’t book the car in advance and instead went to Info Lecce when we arrived in Lecce to book a rental. The employee at Info Lecce spoke English (luck) and was able to book a vehicle for us through Imbriani Tours. We rented a Smart Car for €70/day which included insurance. We didn’t choose to go on any more excursions than the rental car, but Info Lecce provided information about several cool looking tours for wineries, pasta making classes, beaches etc. The prices seemed quite fair for the excursions.
I typically suggest booking a rental car in advance to ensure no disappointment with availability. We knew we had the flexibility of two weeks at our advantage so if you’re staying in one city for some length of time like us, you’d probably be fine with not booking in advance. Of course, if you’re travelling during the months of July or August (pls don’t.. it’s too damn hot) I’d definitely suggest booking ahead as these are the busiest months for tourism.
Food
A plethora of tourists comes with a plethora of tourist trap restaurants. In Lecce, we definitely found restaurants that catered to tourists on the main streets, but they still weren’t the caliber of tourist trap that you can find in a very touristy city. The prices are a bit higher in these restaurants but the food isn’t horrible.
But if you step off the busiest streets and wander down a side street, you will easily find a reasonably priced restaurant with delicious food. Even just a block or two will save you about €2 on a spritz and possibly up to €4 on a pasta dish. We loved Ciro Pizzeria so much that we went there twice for dinner – two Margherita pizzas and a large beer was €13. Like… what?? So reasonable and so delicious. The pizza was among the best I’ve ever had.
And if you venture outside of the centro storico, you will quickly find lovely cafés and restaurants that the locals frequent. Our favourite bar was Old House Café. The server was so kind and inviting and the pasticciotti was warm and fresh – the best we had in the city by far. PS. If you want a beer or granita at 10am, go for it. We saw several locals grab a Peroni in the morning during our trip – yolo. Plus you’d be hard pressed to spend more than €5 on your breakfast. Amazing.
And lastly, if you have accommodations with a kitchen and enjoy cooking, don’t miss out on those grocery store deals. And when I say “cooking”, interpret it widely. I loved wandering down the aisles of the grocery store picking up €1 packs of salami and €2 wedges of cheese. You can also find fresh, local fruits, veg and bread for super cheap. The fridge section has a plethora of fresh pasta, small portions of pesto or tomato sauce and pre-diced guanciale. So whether you want to serve up some tasty pasta or have a simple sandwich and want to keep those prices down, the grocery store is going to be your bestie.
Weather
The temperature while we were in Lecce in June was about 30ºC during the hottest point of the day and dang, that sun is scorching. By 1pm it’s pretty much unbearable and I welcomed a cold shower and something called la pennichella/il pisolino (aka la pausa/il riposo in the north). This is the name for the midday break that Italians take during the hottest hours of the day. In Lecce, the city nearly completely empties out as the locals seek shelter from the heat. Be prepared for most (not all) shops, banks, restaurants and bars to close. We did see that the supermarket stayed open as well as some more touristy bars (coffee shops). Embrace and use this quiet break time to take a nap, edit your photos or read a book. You’ll need the energy for that evening stroll anyway!
When the city starts cooling down and everyone finishes their midday hibernation, the streets explode with locals and tourists alike who (very slowly!) wander through the city streets before and after dinner. Remember, it’s still hot. Just less hot. Walk slowly. This evening tradition is called la passeggiata. I highly recommend joining in as this is the most pleasant part of the day to be outside if you’re travelling in the summer months.
Next time we go to Puglia we will definitely go in spring or fall when the temperature is milder. I am not a heat lover so I definitely struggled. But what made up for the sometimes unbearable heat was the fantastic summer downpours that occurred. We don’t really get super hard rain or thunderstorms in Victoria, BC so this was wonderful. And it was a lovely reprieve from the summer heat. I really don’t think there’s anything more calming than a relaxing day in, listening to the pattering of rain and crack of thunder.
Photography
I was definitely able to get gorgeous shots of the city without trying to navigate through hordes of tourists. I didn’t even need to wake up super early to achieve these beautiful photos either. It was so refreshing!
However, if you want some golden hour photos, I would suggest going in the morning. In the evening, Italians leave their homes for la passeggiata and the streets get very busy. In my humble opinion, photos without humans in it are just as beautiful as photos of droves of beautiful Italians meandering down gorgeous city streets during sunset. You choose your favourite.
Souvenirs
There are definitely some disappointing souvenir stores in Lecce (picture the mass made keychains and fridge magnets). But among them are lovely souvenir stores with ceramics and Leccese stone carvings made by local artisans. And the prices are so reasonable. We visited two very memorable souvenir shops in Lecce that I would highly recommend for some stunning and local souvenirs:
For stunning Leccese stone carvings ranging from large lamps to tiny earrings, head to Le Meraviglie della Pietra. We chose a beautifully carved lamp and a candle holder. But it was tempting to purchase everything as it was so beautiful.
Via Arcivescovo Petronelli, 9, 73100 Lecce LE, Italy
For a unique and extremely local souvenir, check out La Massaia Salentina. The artist invented her design in 1990 and creates (various sized) terracotta sculptures celebrating la massaia; a typical peasant woman who for centuries cared for her family and home with the utmost love and dedication. We ended up purchasing a large sculpture and several small ones as souvenirs for friends and family.
Via Bartolomeo Ravenna, 12, 73100 Lecce LE, Italy
Language
I’m going to say it: English speaking travellers are spoiled! In cities that have a significant amount of tourists visiting, English is often widely spoken. I found that in Rome, even if I tried to speak Italian, the person I’m speaking to will answer me in English. Don’t get me wrong, this makes everything super simple. You can ask for advice, tickets, or directions pretty easily. Picking up your car rental is a breeze. But in Lecce, it’s a different story.
If you’re looking to practice your Italian language skills like I am, Puglia is a dream. Not many people speak English so you will able to practice speaking Italian to the locals. To me, this was a benefit because I was forced to try and communicate in Italian. It was certainly a challenge but I enjoy some challenges when travelling because it helps me learn about and appreciate different cultures. Push yourself, you’ll be surprised with what you can do.
So if you are planning a trip to Lecce or the region of Puglia, I would suggest to try to learn a few common Italian phrases. Google translate can also help a lot so I would suggest getting yourself some data so you can access the internet whilst out and about. We used the app Airalo for data while in Italy.
The locals will appreciate if you at least try to make an effort. Even though I struggled, apologized profusely and often stared back blankly, I was always met with a smile for trying my best. And even though it isn’t much, by the end of my two weeks in Lecce, I could successfully navigate a simple conversation at a grocery store checkout line. And damn do I ever feel proud of myself.
If you’re looking for a slow-paced, relaxing and authentic city to stay in Italy, I’d highly recommend Lecce. Or if you’re doing a tour around Puglia, Lecce is definitely worth a stop. We certainly miss Lecce and would go back in a heartbeat!
Read more about the city of Lecce and everything I love about it.
