Our First Day in Lecce

On Wednesday morning we departed from Bari on our way to Lecce. It was an easy train ride of about 90 minutes as Lecce is only about 80 miles south of Bari and is near the Adriatic coast. While on the train, we could see gorgeous views of the Adriatic to the east and the wide open valleys of southern Puglia to the west. Lecce is in the Salento region, which is a province in Puglia -- it is the true 'Heel of the Boot' of Italy. Because of it's rich history of art and architecture, Lecce is often referred to as 'The Florence of the South.'

Our hotel is called the Fiermontina Urban Resort and it is right in the heart of the city of Lecce. It is a beautiful, relatively new hotel.






On our first night in Lecce we went to a restaurant that is affiliated with our hotel that is just a few blocks away. However, prior to dinner, we were invited to tour a local museum that is also affiliated with the hotel. The museum is called the 'M.A.M.A' museum. "Designed by Giacomo and Antonia to honor the memory, the work and the cultural heritage of their grandmother, the M.A.M.A. is a widespread museum acting as the artistic link between La Fiermontina and Palazzo Bozzi Corso."

The sculptures in this museum were impressive and we learned that they were produced by a relative of the founder of the Fiermontina hotel.


After our tour of the museum we walked a few blocks to a sister property of the Fiermontina Hotel called 'Palazzo Bozzi Corso.' It is also a hotel, but the original building was built in 1775 and it has been beautifully restored. We had a fantastic meal in the courtyard of this incredible property in the heart of Lecce.







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