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Lecce is a historic city in southern Italy and the seat of the province of Lecce, which is the second most populous province in the region. It is also one of Apulia's most important cities. It is the capital of the Salentine Peninsula, a sub-peninsula at the Italian Peninsula's heel that dates back over 2,000 years.

Lecce is known as "The Florence of the South" because to the abundance of Baroque architectural landmarks in the city. The city also has a long history of association with Greek culture, dating back to its founding; Greek texts claim that the Messapians who established the city were Cretans. The griko language is still spoken in the Greca Salentina, a group of communities not far from Lecce.

Some most important sights

The construction of the Chiesa di Santa Croce began in 1353, but work was interrupted until 1549, and the church was eventually completed in 1695. The church boasts a big rose window and a lavishly adorned façade with animals, grotesque creatures, and plants. The Government Palace, a former convent, is located next to the church.

Lecce Cathedral: The church was erected in 1144, renovated in 1230, and then completely restored by Giuseppe Zimbalo in 1659–70, who also built the five-story, 70-meter-high bell tower with an octagonal loggia.

San Niccolò and Cataldo: The church is built in the Italo-Norman style. Tancred of Sicily established it around 1180. The façade was renovated in 1716, with numerous statues added but the original Romanesque doorway preserved. During the 15th and 17th centuries, frescoes were painted on the walls.

Giuseppe Zimbalo designed the Celestine Convent (1549–1695) in the Baroque style. Gabriele Riccardi designed the courtyard.

Santa Irene: The Theatines commissioned this church in 1591, dedicating it to Saint Irene. Francesco Grimaldi was the architect. It has a big façade with upper and lower sections with diverse styles. A Mauro Manieri statue of Ste Irene (1717) rises over the portal. The interior is laid out in a Latin cross layout and is quite plain. The main altarpiece is a replica of Guido Reni's St Michael the Archangel. Oronzo Tiso's Transport of the Holy Ark hangs over the high altar. One of Lecce's largest altars, dedicated to Saint Cajetan, can be found in the right transept (1651). The Rococo altar of Saint Andrew Avellino is nearby. The Altar of St Orontius by Francesco Antonio Zimbalo is also from the mid-seventeenth century, followed by the altar of Saint Irene with a canvas by Giuseppe Verrio (1639), nine busts of saints sheltering relics, and a massive statue of the saint. The Stoning of St. Stephen by Verrio is on the altar of Saint Stephen.

San Matteo: San Matteo is a 1667 church. It has a Baroque style that is typical of central Italy. On the façade, there are two columns, one of which is partially ornamented and the other is not. According to local mythology, the sculptor was slain by a jealous devil before he could finish his masterpiece.

Santa Chiara was erected between 1429 and 1438 and renovated in 1687.

San Francesco della Scarpa is known as the "church without a façade" because the former was dismantled during 19th-century restorations. The oldest section dates from the 13th to 14th centuries, and the inside is laid out in a Greek Cross pattern. Several Baroque altars and a magnificent statue of Saint Joseph stand out.