Beautiful Lecce, the Florence of the South

This roman theatre is adjacent with a small archeological museum housed in a 17th century palace. It shows the artefacts found during the excavation of the theatre and recreates classical roman life.
Open hours Monday - Saturday 9:30 - 13:00 Closed on Sundays.

The church of Saint Clare dates back from the 15th century but the baroque style was redone between 1687 and 1691. Check out the 18th century ceilings inside.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 9:00 - 21:00 Visit included with the full ticket.

This huge roman amphitheater is from the 2nd century AD and it is actually located below the main huge square. It was only discovered in 1901 by constructions workers. On the same square, you will find the Sant' Oronzo column which is actually the column that was marking the end of the Appian Way in Brindisi, the capital of the column is still in Brindisi, you saw it yesterday in the palace. Here the old column was rebuilt in 1666 with the statue of Sant' Oronzo on top, Lecce's patron saint.

The church of Sant Matteo was designed by the famous architect Giuseppe Zimbalo. The façade is very elaborated with lots of decorations. The interior is also worth seeing.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 9:00 - 21:00 Visit included with the full ticket.

Have a good lunch here and take a break to visit more beautiful sites around Lecce. This restaurant has a good selection of local wines, the seasonal menu has many options like seafood, pasta and vegetarian options.
Open hours Wednesday - Monday 12:00 - 00:00 Closed on Tuesdays.

The castle of Carlo V is the largest castle in Puglia. Initially built in the 12th century, the castle was enlarged by the Spanish Emperor Charles V in the 16th century. You can visit inside, there are temporary exhibits as well.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 9:00 - 20:00.

The façade of this basilica is a masterpiece, don't miss it. It is beautiful and impressive by day or by night. The interior also deserves a visit with its baroque style. One of the highlights of Lecce.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 9:00 - 21:00 Visit included with the full ticket.

This museum is quite interesting. It used to be a home and has been turned into a museum. There are many archeological finds here that date back from the 5th century BC.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 9:30 - 20:00.

This museum has a new way of displaying the artefacts from 10.000 years of history. It goes from Prehistory to 18th century paintings with Greek and Roman ornaments and objects.
Check their website for open hours because sometimes it only opens at 19:00 so you could go there later but open hours change quite often.

Have a nice dinner a this seafood restaurant. It is better to book a table on their website.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 12:00 - 16:00, 19:30 - 23:00.

After a nice day around Lecce, it is time to rest, as tomorrow you will explore the South of the Adriatic Coast of Apulia.