Among Lecce’s main landmarks are the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Celestini Convent, the Church of Sant’Irene, the Church of San Matteo, and other important religious sites.

Puglia, and Lecce in particular, boasts an incredible food and wine tradition. Visitors must definitely try the typical local dishes, such as ciceri e tria (pasta with chickpeas), orecchiette with strong ricotta sauce, sagne ncannulate, municheddhe, horse meat stew (pezzetti di cavallo al sugo), octopus alla pugnata, puccia bread, pitta di patate, focacce, and among desserts, the unmissable pasticciotto leccese.

The local wine and olive oil production is also excellent.

The city is an open-air marvel, with must-see sights including the Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the Pontifical Basilica of Santa Croce — a symbol of Lecce Baroque style — on Via Umberto, the Lecce Castle on Viale XXV Luglio built by order of Charles V, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Piazza del Duomo, the Column of Sant’Oronzo, Porta Napoli (known as the Arch of Triumph), and the Obelisk.

Among natural areas, the Regional Park Bosco e Paludi di Rauccio, the Idume Basin, the Acquatina Coast Nature Oasis, and the San Cataldo Biogenetic Nature Reserve are worth visiting. For museums, highlights include the Castromediano Provincial Museum, the Art Gallery, the Museum of Popular Tradition, and the Salento Civic Museum of Natural History.

There is plenty to do here. Beyond city tours and walks to the main sights, the nearby beaches deserve a visit. Some of the most beautiful are Torre Pali, Pescoluse (known as the Maldives of Salento), Posto Vecchio, Lido Marini, Torre Mozza, and the beach of Porto Cesareo.