Before you go

Your trip to Lecce.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Lecce – Apúlia Destination Apúlia and Matera about 155 km from Bari

How to get there

Aeroporto del Salento (Brindisi) (BDS) Brindisi · 40 km
Aeroporto di Bari Karol Wojtyła (BRI) Bari · 165 km
Lecce 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before booking. You can continue by train from Rome or from Bari: from Bari, Trenitalia trains (Frecciarossa, Intercity and regional) take about 1h20 to 1h40 to Lecce station. The nearest airport is Brindisi (BDS), some 40 km away, with buses to the city. The station is 1 km from the historic center, which can be explored on foot.

How many days

A full day is enough for the baroque churches, the squares and the amphitheatre. With two days you'll have time for museums, the castle and a day trip to Otranto. Many use Lecce as a base to explore the rest of the Salento.

When to go

Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September and October) usually offer pleasant weather for walking around the center. Summer, from June to August, is hot and crowded — beach season in the Salento. In August the feast of the patron saints Oronzo, Giusto and Fortunato takes place.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

You don't need a car for the city: the historic center is small, flat and almost entirely inside the ZTL (limited traffic zone), closed to outside cars. Leave the car outside the walls. A car is useful to explore beaches and villages in the Salento; there is a regional train to Otranto.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Lecce

Morning
Santa Croce and Piazza Sant'Oronzo
Start at the façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce and the neighbouring Palazzo dei Celestini. Follow Via Umberto I to Piazza Sant'Oronzo, with the patron's column and the Anfiteatro Romano half-buried beneath the square.
Afternoon
Piazza del Duomo and bell tower
Have lunch between 12:30 and 14:30 and try the rustico leccese. Then enter the Piazza del Duomo, see the cathedral and climb the bell tower; with the same ticket, visit the seminary and the church of San Matteo.
Late afternoon
Porta Napoli and Castello Carlo V
Walk along Via Palmieri to the Porta Napoli, the arch erected in 1548 for Charles V. Return through the centre to the Castello Carlo V, which often hosts exhibitions.
Evening
Duomo lit up and dinner
The Piazza del Duomo at night is illuminated and peaceful. Dinner starts around 19:30–20:00; order orecchiette and vegetable dishes from the Salento.

2 days in Lecce

Day 1

Morning
Baroque of Santa Croce
See the façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce and go inside the church. Beside it, the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Celestini, seat of the provincial government, is usually accessible during office hours.
Afternoon
Duomo, San Matteo and Santa Chiara
Use the single ticket for the baroque churches for the cathedral, the bell tower, the seminary and the churches of San Matteo and Santa Chiara, all a short walk apart.
Late afternoon
Anfiteatro and Museo Faggiano
Pass through Piazza Sant'Oronzo and the Anfiteatro Romano. Then descend to the city's older layers at the Museo Faggiano, on Via Ascanio Grandi.
Evening
Porta Napoli and centre
Finish at the Porta Napoli and have dinner in the historic center, which comes alive at night with bars and restaurants.

Day 2

Morning
Train to Otranto
Take an early regional train of Ferrovie del Sud Est to Otranto, about 1h30. Validate the paper ticket before boarding.
Afternoon
Cathedral of Otranto
See the large floor mosaic in the cathedral and the Chapel of the Martyrs. Have lunch in the old town, inside the walls, near the castle.
Late afternoon
Walls and port
Walk along the walls overlooking the port and the Adriatic Sea. In summer, the beach next to the centre usually gets very busy.
Evening
Return to Lecce
Return by train to Lecce for dinner or, if you prefer, dine in Otranto — just check the time of the last train beforehand.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get from Bari to Lecce?

By train with Trenitalia, about 1h20 on the Frecciarossa and a little longer on regional and Intercity services. By car it's about 155 km via the coastal SS16 road.

What is the barroco leccese?

It is the Baroque style developed in Lecce between the 16th and 18th centuries, with façades full of sculptures. It uses the pietra leccese, a light, soft limestone that's easy to carve and that takes on a golden hue in the sun.

How does visiting the baroque churches work?

The main churches — the cathedral with its bell tower, the seminary, San Matteo, Santa Chiara and Santa Croce — are part of a circuit with a single ticket valid for several days. During Masses, tourist visits are suspended; check before you go. Shoulders and knees should be covered.

Can you visit Otranto from Lecce?

Yes. The regional train of Ferrovie del Sud Est takes about 1h30, at some times requiring a change in Maglie. By car it's about 45 km.

Is Lecce a good base for the Salento?

Yes. The city has a train station, many places to stay and is close to both coasts — the Adriatic and the Ionian. For beaches and smaller villages, a car is useful.

Back to Lecce