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Lecce
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Football Italia City Guide
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| Lecce is famous for its local stone. Off-white in colour and with an unusually soft but resistant quality, it’s ideal for the intricate carvings that characterise the local baroque-style architecture. As well as numerous stone carvers’ workshops, you’ll come across plenty of craftsmen working with papier-mâché, another traditional local craft, as you wander through central Lecce’s alleyways. The narrow streets of the old town centre also have lots of restaurants and bars, which stay open late into the evening and give the place a permanent party atmosphere. |
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 Stadio: Via Del Mare
Inaugurated in 1966, when the Giallorossi beat neighbours Taranto 1-0, the Via del Mare Stadium is about 5km out of town, on the road to San Cataldo, Lecce’s nearest beach. The original 16,000 capacity has been increased twice – most recently to celebrate the club’s first-ever promotion into Serie A in the 1984-85 season. The resulting 55,000 capacity was reduced to the current 40,800 when regulations for all-seater stadiums were introduced. There is a bus service to the arena on match days. |
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 Match Tickets
You can’t book tickets online, but once in Lecce you can buy them at one of the many lottomatica lottery pay-points around town. A handy one is at Via Vito Fazzi 12, between the castle and the main square, Piazza Sant’Oronzo. While you’re there, why not try your luck with the Superenalotto – Italy’s twice weekly lottery.
Football Italia Ticket Info |
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Out & About
> The Piazza Sant’Oronzo is Lecce’s lively main square. A number of café terraces face into the centre of the square, where the patron saint Sant’Oronzo’s statue stands on a tall column next to the magnificent Roman amphitheatre.
> Right in the main square is the partially uncovered Roman Amphitheatre, only brought to light in the early 20th Century, which gives the place a slightly surreal atmosphere. As it’s several metres below street level you don’t get the full effect until you are standing next to it. These days the amphitheatre, which originally had a capacity of 20,000, is used for occasional concerts, particularly in the summer.
> Head down Corso Vittorio Emanuele from Piazza Sant’Oronzo to reach the cathedral square. The atmosphere is totally different to that in the buzzing main square. As well as the beautifully decorated cathedral, Piazza Duomo contains the elegant Bishop’s Palace and Seminary.
> The Santa Croce Basilica is Lecce’s most famous sight and the white stone baroque basilica took over a hundred years to build. The swirly fruit and foliage carvings, both inside and out, are fascinatingly intricate.
> There is another Roman theatre, just around the corner from the one in the main square. This site, also undiscovered until less than a hundred years ago, has a more graceful, delicate structure.
> Stroll through the centre as far as the city gates in several directions. Porta Rudiae and Porta Napoli, also known as Arco di Trionfo, are particularly impressive.
> The fantastically well-kept Villa Comunale Gardens have a number of exotic species of tree and a there’s an intriguing temple-like structure in the centre.
> Castello Carlo V, Lecce’s imposing castle, was fortified in the early 16th Century to protect the city from attacks by the Turks. The crumbling walls are currently being restored.
> Lecce is home to around 100 churches. No need to visit them all, but do pop into at least one or two - San Matteo, San Giovanni Battista, and Santa Chiara are some of the best to visit - to get the full impression of Lecce’s baroque style.
> If you have time, catch one of the well-run SalentoinBus coaches, or local train FSE - Ferrovie del Sud Est - to explore the Salento area towards the coast, or to the very bottom of Italy’s heel. The seaport of Otranto, about an hour away, makes a great day trip.
> Stock up on Lecce merchandise at the Asics Pro Lecce store - Piazza Mazzini 52, Tel. 0039 0832 332752. One of the most popular lines recently has been items bearing the ‘Salento 12’ logo, showing the importance of the Giallorossi, not just in Lecce itself, but also throughout the surrounding area of Salento.
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Food & Drink
In Lecce, as in the rest of the Puglia region, it’s the vegetables that make the difference. Nowhere else do you get such consistently tasty and succulent fresh produce. The local pasta speciality is orecchiette, served with a variety of vegetable-based sauces, the most famous of which is cime di rapa or broccoli. A great snack is frise – crunchy crackerbread-like disks with various toppings. Try them with fresh tomatoes and rocket. Another delicious taste to try is the local coffee speciality, caffè in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla - an espresso coffee poured over ice and mixed with a shot of almond milk. |
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Restaurants
> Il Giardino dei Mocenigo - Via dei Mocenigo 15, Tel. 0039 0832 301108. A quality restaurant just off the main square. The spacious terrace area is heated for winter dining.
> Arcu te Pratu Locanda - Piazzetta Arco di Prato 14, Tel. 0039 0832 256025. Come here to experience traditional Lecce. The menu, always based on local dishes, changes daily and the staff wear traditional local dress.
> Trattoria Nonna Tetti - Piazzetta Regina Maria, Tel. 0039 0832 246036. Cosy stone-walled trattoria serving delicious local food at reasonable prices.
> Trattoria Nonna Tinda - Via dei Fieschi 14/c, Tel. 0039 0832 246931. You may struggle with the menu, as it’s all written in dialect, but don’t worry too much - everything is tasty. A cosy, relaxed atmosphere.
> Trattoria La Magiàda - Corso V. Emanuele 48, Tel. 0039 0832 247081. Family-run trattoria serving good home cooking as well as delicious giant pizzas in the evenings. Handily located along the main central pedestrian street.
> Ristorante da Guido e Figli - Via XXV Luglio 14, Tel. 0039 0832 305868. If time is short but you’re hungry, come to this self-service restaurant. Traditional stone decor and good quality, inexpensive food.
> La Torre di Merlino - Vico G.B. del Tufo 10, Tel. 0039 0832 242091. Merlin’s Tower, in the lively, central part of town aims at creating a magic atmosphere in its cave-like interior. Ideal for late night meals, snacks or just to enjoy a drink in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.
> Vineria Joyce - Via Umberto I 2-4. This place has a shop, selling local produce, as well as a wine bar. The bruschette – toasted bread with various toppings – are particularly tasty.
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Accomodation
Lecce has a thriving and competitive Bed & Breakfast scene. The centre is littered with leaflets advertising rooms in stunning ancient buildings. Here are three of the best:
> Aranceto B&B - Corte dei Carretti 7, Tel. 0039 0832 2777736, www.paginegialle.it/aranceto. Homely atmosphere and comfortable rooms in a beautifully restored building in the old town. The friendly and helpful owners both speak good English.
> Chiesa Greca B&B - Piazzetta Chiesa Greca 11, Tel. 0039 0832 302330, www.chiesagreca.it. Stay in the unique surroundings of this 14th Century building, complete with vaulted ceilings and stone walled rooms. Parts of a former chapel were discovered during recent renovation work.
> La Suite B&B - Piazza S. Oronzo – Via Acaya 14, Tel. 0039 328 0973058 or 328 5581385, www.lasuitebeb.it. Comfortable and imaginatively furnished rooms at two locations, both overlooking Lecce’s main square, Piazza Sant’Oronzo. Run by the same management as Il Giardino dei Mocenigo restaurant.
If you do want to push the boat out, then go for Lecce’s only five-star hotel:
> Patria Palace Hotel - Piazzetta Gabriele Riccardi 13, Tel. 0039 0832 245111, www.patriapalacelecce.com. Attentively furnished and individually decorated rooms, mainly in the prevailing Liberty style. The location opposite the Santa Croce Basilica means there are great views over the magnificent church from the roof terrace and from some of the rooms.
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Getting there...
Fly to Brindisi airport - www.seap-puglia.it - from Stansted with Ryanair - www.ryanair.com - or get there via a domestic connection. There is a coach from the airport to Lecce’s City Terminal, five Euros each way, but it’s infrequent. A better idea is the Air Shuttle minibus service that takes you directly to your hotel, 14 Euros per person. Book by phoning 0039 0832 305522. |
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Local lingo
"Scusi da dove parte l’autobus?" - "Excuse me, where does the bus leave from?"
"Vorrei due sciarpe giallorosse per favore." - "I’d like two red and yellow scarves please."
"Secondo te dovrebbe tornare Zeman?" - "Do you think Zeman should come back?"
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Compiled by: Sarah Lane
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