Lecce - 'Florence of the South'

You may not have heard of Lecce, but you would find it in Italy's heel. It is a city, brimming with possibilities for lovers of architecture and when you marvel at this city, it is not only the lack of foreign visitors or the coquettish fanciful aria that might take your breath away, but most probably the apparent seamless tapestry of ancient cultures which have left their hand and foot prints on this stunning southern Italian city. Messapians, Romans, Greeks, Normans, Spaniards, Moorish and Baroque architects have all left their mark. Lecce was, and is, a Gateway to Europe; and a stroll through the honey coloured, Cambridge- arabesque alleyways, streets and piazzas of Lecce is a journey through different epochs and styles, patterns, lights and shadows. Lecce is alive with art; it is a theatre from which emotion, magic and the scent of salentine and North African spices and styles emanate. It has been called the ‘Athens of Puglia’, ‘Florence of the South’, and its elaborate, twisting old town is based on Islamic designs. Even today, the players on this stage are the elegant, bourgeois Leccese and descendants of the vibrant North African settlers. The Roman walls of Lecce’s historical centre follow the perimeter of its first Messapian settlement, and it is contained within three imposing stone gateways – Porta Rudiae (1703), Porta Napoli (1548) and San Biagio. Piazza S. Oronzo is the most obvious starting point for a tour, and is home to an impressive Roman ampitheatre (1 A.D), the Sedile (18th century) and a Roman column taken from the end of the Appian Way in Brindisi. Piazza Duomo is in the heart of the Centro Storico and is especially awe-inspiring after nightfall. The cathedral, set back, is a 12th century construction and clever illumination makes this a breathtaking theatre at night. Years of neglect, decay and abandonment ended 15 years ago and this area is now re-instated as the heart of the city. Meander through the twisting streets of La Giravolte, the area favoured by the Morroccan settlers, and witness the busy renewal of dilapidated palazzi. Lecce has a provincial museum, but it houses touring exhibitions. Some beautiful art is displayed here, but it can change regularly. Entrance is free and it is open during the morning and then from 3pm until 7pm most evenings. For theatre, there are three main options – Teatro Paisiello, Teatro in Tasca, and Teatro Politeama Greco. All three are within walking distance of the centre. The city does not have an abundance of galleries or museums, but this is probably due to the fact that the city itself is an open-air gallery of history and stunning architecture. It has many churches, most dating back to the 16th-18th centuries when the counter-reformation inspired elaborate devotional architecture. Lecce really is a city for those travellers who like to lose themselves in winding streets, beautiful architecture and perhaps pass an hour sitting in a pavement café watching the world go by. Walk through the city gardens - verdant and home to ancient olive trees, prickly pears, pomegranate and palm trees - to the castle of Carlo V, built in 1539. Look out for the Villa Martini, a beautiful example of neo-Moorish design, and the houses on Viale Gallipoli (near the Provincial museum), which are evocative of Cuba or Arabia. Looking upwards at balconies, imposing gates and windows leads your eyes towards the intricate Moorish and Islamic patterns and borders. Lecce truly pays homage to her bourgeois and culturally colourful past and is one of southern Europe’s least known, most sophisticated, exotic urban bazaars. How strange that travel guides for Italy usually give Florence’s little sister the elbow.