Ines Santos went to see if the comparisons made sense (Image: Ines Santos)
Florence is one of Italy’s most beautiful destinations, famous for its Renaissance architecture, grand piazzas and incredible art. Lecce has some of those things too. But during a day spent there, I struggled to see that many similarities between the two.
Don’t get me wrong: Lecce is beautiful. There were moments when I found myself stopping to look at buildings simply because of the sheer amount of detail on them. But ultimately, it has a very different atmosphere to Florence, and I think that’s worth knowing before you visit.
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Not all comparisons with the Tuscan city were obvious (Image: Ines Santos)
The architecture
Even before I properly entered Lecce’s historic centre, I found myself stopping to take it all in. The city has three historic gates still standing – Porta Napoli, Porta Rudiae and Porta San Biagio – and each is so imposing that I couldn’t help but admire them for a while.
Walking through Porta Napoli, I got a sense of how much beauty was waiting around every corner. The centre is packed with ornate Baroque buildings, elaborate churches and grand squares. Unlike Florence, Lecce has a distinctive colour. Many of its buildings are made from Lecce limestone, giving the city a warm, golden glow that looks particularly beautiful in the sunshine.
Florence, meanwhile, is known for its terracotta rooftops and Renaissance palaces. Some of my favourite moments were simply wandering its tiny streets and discovering what breathtaking palazzo – a grand, stately multi-storey building – I would come across next.
The atmosphere
Florence can feel like an enormous museum, while Lecce feels much more like a living city. Locals sit outside cafes, people go about their everyday lives, and you can wander down a side street without feeling like you’re following the same tourist trail as everyone else. Lecce has plenty of visitors, but I found the atmosphere much more relaxed.
And while Florence’s galleries are a huge part of its appeal, that’s not really what you come to Lecce for. There aren’t the same world-famous museums or vast collections of Renaissance paintings. Instead, the city itself is the attraction. Ancient Roman remains sit alongside modern life, while enormous piazzas and elaborate churches are scattered throughout the historic centre.
The Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo was one of my favourite examples. Right in the heart of the city, it’s surrounded by restaurants, shops and locals going about their day, making it feel very different from an attraction designed purely for tourists.
Lecce’s Roman remains are far from ruined (Image: Ines Santos)
The food
The biggest difference between the two cities might actually be on the plate. Florence is known for hearty, meaty Tuscan food, while Lecce’s cuisine is firmly Puglian, with lighter dishes often centred around bread, fish and seafood.
The desserts are different too. While Florence is famous for its gelato, Lecce’s signature sweet is pasticciotto – a warm pastry filled with creamy custard. It was the first thing I was told to try, and it definitely lived up to the hype.
Then there’s caffè leccese, an iced espresso made with sweet almond syrup. It’s very different from the coffee culture you’ll find elsewhere in Italy and, on a hot day, was exactly what I needed. I also found casual food much more prominent in Lecce, with plenty of paninis and quick bites around the city. It was far less formal than the dining experiences I had in Florence.
Is Lecce worth visiting if you’ve already been to Florence?
Absolutely, but I wouldn’t expect the same experience. The ‘Florence of the South’ nickname makes sense when you look at Lecce’s architecture. Both cities are incredibly beautiful, and both have enough historic buildings, churches and grand squares to keep you wandering around for hours.
But that’s where I think the comparison starts to fall apart. In Lecce, there are no Florence-style museums, no famous hills overlooking the city and no huge list of Renaissance masterpieces to tick off.
Instead, the city has its golden limestone, elaborate Baroque architecture, ancient Roman ruins and Puglian food. And, for me, that was part of the charm. So if you’ve fallen in love with Florence but don’t necessarily need another museum-filled city break, Lecce could be your perfect Italian getaway.
Lecce is a more living city than Florence (Image: Getty)
Book the holiday
You can visit Lecce as part of Great Rail Journeys’ eight-day ‘Hidden Gems of Southern Puglia’ trip, starting from £1,799 per adult, based on double occupancy.
The price includes return flights from London Gatwick or Heathrow to Brindisi, accommodation at a four-star all-inclusive resort, all coach travel, and guided tours and excursions. You can find out more and book on greatrail.com.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
