In the heel of the imaginable boot that makes out the contours of Italy, lies Lecce. A city fun to stroll through, enjoy the food, the warmth. Lecce makes a great jump spot to discover the rest of the Salento peninsula. I've used Lecce for that twice, once in the spring of 2018, and around when 2021 became 2022. A selection of photos from my two brief visits.
The dome of the Church of Saint Mary of the Carmel (Chiesa del Carmine)
Typical streets of Lecce's innercity, with Lecce limestone buildings everywhere.
The cathedral at Piazza del Duomo, or Cattedrale Maria Santissima Assunta e S.Oronzo. Photos below also taken at the square or in the area.
At the forefront two buildings connected: the palace (Palazzo del Seggio-Sedile) and the former church of San Marco.
The Roman amphitheater in the centre of the city.
Every Lecce street has its own surprises.
To the southern tip
The first day of 2022 proved to be a wonderful nice warm day for the time of year. Taking the opportunity to see the year's first sunset at the southernmost part of the Province of Lecce. If the shape of Italy is a booth, than this is the front tip of the heel of this booth. Punta Meliso is the almost most southern point of the land here, second only to lower located Punta Ristola Leuca on the other side of the bay.
The highlight of a lunch stop-over in Gallipoli
View west from the Punta Melisa viewpoint, with the town of Santa Maria di Leuca down below.
First photo: Sailing against the sunset in the Ionian Sea.
Second photo: The Santuario di Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae on top of the Punta Melisa.
Second photo: The Santuario di Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae on top of the Punta Melisa.