Private Tour: Lecce City Sightseeing Including Basilica di Santa Croce
Lecce, Italy
Trip Type: Walking Tours
Duration: Duration is around 3 hours.
Discover the highlights of Lecce on a private walking tour with an expert guide. Known as the ‘Florence of the South,’ Lecce is full of beautiful Baroque churches, palaces and squares, and you’ll see plenty of them on a leisurely 4-hour walk in either the morning or afternoon. Visit the ancient Lecce Roman Amphitheatre, admire the exquisite façade of Basilica di Santa Croce and walk through Piazza del Duomo, home to Lecce Cathedral.
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Discover the highlights of Lecce on a private walking tour with an expert guide. Known as the ‘Florence of the South,’ Lecce is full of beautiful Baroque churches, palaces and squares, and you’ll see plenty of them on a leisurely 4-hour walk in either the morning or afternoon. Visit the ancient Lecce Roman Amphitheatre, admire the exquisite façade of Basilica di Santa Croce and walk through Piazza del Duomo, home to Lecce Cathedral.
Meet your private guide at Porta Napoli in the morning or afternoon and embark on a leisurely walk along Lecce's sun-soaked streets. First, go back to Roman times with a visit to Lecce Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza St Oronzo. This restored 2nd-century amphitheater was discovered in 1901, and excavated to reveal a perfect horseshoe with seating for 15,000 spectators, who once gathered for bloody gladiator games.
Get a taste of arts and culture with a visit to a local workshop, and watch an artisan creating typical papier-mâché crafts. Then, walk through the center of town to discover Lecce’s remarkable Baroque architectural style, attributing to the city's nickname: ‘Florence of the South.’
As your guide will explain, Lecce saw a period of great splendor between the 16th and 18th centuries, when the city was embellished with Rococo and Baroque monuments. Admire the decorative style of the many buildings, churches and palaces sculpted from region’s soft stone. Lecce’s most exquisite Baroque monument is Basilica di Santa Croce, your next stop. Gaze at its richly decorated façade, and enter to see its more conventionally Renaissance interior. Adjacent, you’ll find the impressive Governor’s Palace, formerly a monastery for Celestine monks.
Next, walk to Piazza del Duomo, the city’s focal point and often regarded as one of the finest squares in southern Italy. Enjoy photos outside Lecce Cathedral, and then wander to a remarkable 16th-century palace to explore its private museum — Rosso Pompeiano — and hidden gardens.
Your tour then ends back at Porta Napoli.
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