Lecce, nicknamed the ‘Florence of the South’, is one of Puglia’s most fascinating cities for its architecture, which is identified as a peculiar style of Baroque, the ‘Leccese Baroque’. It is especially during the 17th century that some of the most magnificent monuments were built, using the so-called ‘Lecce stone’, a particular kind of limestone, soft and workable, which makes it ideal for sculpting.

Lecce is the main city of the Salentine Peninsula, which stands at the heel of Italy’s boot. Start your walking tour of Lecce in Piazza Duomo, one of the sites that best represents the magnificence of the Leccese style. This is where the double-façade Cathedral stands. Originally built in 1144, it was completely restored in 1659-70 by Giuseppe Zimbalo, who also built the 70-meter-high bell tower.