During your holiday in Salento, guests of Arcadia Luxury Suites, will find themselves surrounded by the beauties that make the historic center of Lecce one of the most beautiful in Italy. To reach the apartments you will surely pass through Porta Napoli, one of the three still existing and visible gates of the city, which stands out with the grandeur of a triumphal arch welcoming visitors inside the historic center of Lecce. Built in the mid-1500s in honour of Charles V who had built the fortification works of the city, Porta Napoli has undergone a recent restoration which, thanks to a lighting technology, embodies its majesty as one of the access points to a precious city. Walking through the paved alleys of the old town centre you will come across the shop windows of several artisan workshops that offer visitors papier-mâché and wrought iron objects worked with skill by hand, that have been passed down through centuries of artisan tradition. Your gaze will be captivated by the very particular baroque decorations that characterize and make rich and unique most of the churches in the historic center. The characteristic facade of the church of Santa Croce, recently restored, which, with its rose window has become, in the collective imagination, the symbol of the city. Walking through the alleys of the city, you will see Piazza Duomo open in front of you, with its bell tower (visible from anywhere in the city), the Cathedral dedicated to the patron Saint Oronzo and the palaces of the Curia. The white Lecce stone (a porous and calcareous stone used in Salento’s building industry) with which the buildings in the historic centre are built will contrast with the intense blue of the summer sky. Walking along one of the main arteries of the historical centre, full of typical restaurants and shops, you will arrive in Piazza Sant’Oronzo where you can admire the Sedile della città (or Palazzo del Seggio), a building that opens, with its ogival windows towards the Roman amphitheatre, a perfectly preserved jewel and still today a stage for shows and concerts. The advice we feel like giving to those who visit Lecce for the first time is to enjoy every corner of the city without haste, letting yourself be carried away by the scents and sensations typical of the places. For those who return to Lecce after having already visited it, we recommend instead to be surprised by counting the details that had previously escaped.

Lecce is a land of culture and traditions, but also of ancient beauties and baroque style churches. An ancient city that captivates the heart of those who choose to organize a holiday in Lecce with its beauty. We list below some of the traditional and popular elements that have made the city known many: The Lecce Baroque The city nicknamed “the Florence of the South“, is famous for the eccentric Baroque, an architectural style that developed in the city in the late 1700s. The word baroque comes from the French word “Baroque” which means whimsical, bizarre. The basilica of Santa Croce is the concrete and visible representation of the Baroque style in Lecce, starting from the facade you can admire complex representations and eccentric motifs typical of the style. No less important are the various churches scattered around the city, such as the church of Sant’Irene, the Duomo and the church of Santa Chiara. The city of Lecce has been declared a city of art thanks to its evident architectural heritage, ranging from the Roman period to the medieval and Renaissance. Walking through the historical streets of Lecce you can see balconies decorated with Lecce stone, carved with the most particular motifs such as ivy or climbing lilies. The Taranta This traditional dance is one of the most heartfelt musical traditions of Salento. The taranta is the expression of the territory in the form of music, it tells of the roots, the history and the popular beauties. The taranta is popular music that captivates from the very first notes! Lecce papier-mâché Statues of Saints, Madonnas, and other representations make the art of modelling with papier-mâché refined, giving added value to the Lecce tradition. Stories of papier-mâché masters who shape with paper, straw, glue and mortar the representations of statues with attention to detail with expressive poses, which give the faces a surreal expressiveness. The history of Lecce papier-mâché production is documented by the Cartapesta Museum, located in the Castle of Charles V. The patronal feast A heartfelt tradition of the people of Lecce and Salento is the feast of the patron saints, Sant’Oronzo, the most renown and the saints Giusto and Fortunato, who from the top of their pillars watch over and protect the city. During the festivities for the patron saint’s feast, the colours and flavours that emanate from this feast transform Lecce into a magical city with the evocative processions dedicated to the saint and the sumptuous illuminations that embellish Piazza Sant’Oronzo and the narrow streets of the old town centre. Visiting Lecce is the perfect experience for those who want to choose a holiday among history, popular traditions and culture. Arcadia Luxury Suite will welcome its guests with style and elegance, offering tourist itineraries and excursions during which to discover the history, art and culture of this magical city.

Summer is over but the events in Lecce do not stop! Concerts, tasting events, exhibitions in museums, festivals, Lecce and its province give days not to be missed. Below we list the main events that will be scheduled in autumn 2019/winter 2020: AGRO.GE.PA.CIOK 2019 – The National Exhibition of ice-cream parlour, pastry shop, chocolate shop and agro-food craftsmanship From 9 to 13 November 2019, at the Lecce Trade Fair Centre in Piazza Palio, the 14th edition of Agrogepaciok, the national exhibition of ice cream, pastry, chocolate and food quality craftsmanship dedicated to operators in the sector, will be held. Paola Turci in concert with her new album “VIVA DA MORIRE” Saturday, November 23rd the Greek Politeama of Lecce will host the concert of the Roman singer. Dodi Battaglia in concert in Lecce at the Politeama Greco Day December 14 at 21:00 the concert of the guitarist, composer and performer of the Pooh. Le Vibrazioni in concert Sunday 29 September in Piazza Italia in Ugento, beginning at 21:30. The concert is free admission. The Feast of “Lu Porcu meu in Muro Leccese on 19 and 20 October The third Sunday in October is dedicated to good food with a feast dedicated to one of the most succulent, tasty and loved meat. “1920-2020 Modigliani”. The Italian artist on show in Otranto until 3rd November The Municipality of Otranto, Theutra and Istituto Modigliani present us the multimedia and exciting exhibition of the most brilliant and cursed Italian artist of the early twentieth century. “Lampante. Gallipoli, city of oil” until November 3rd at the Castle of Gallipoli The rooms and outdoor spaces of the Castle of Gallipoli, host the exhibition curated by Luigi Orione Amato, Antonio Monte and Raffaela Zizzari, which celebrates “liquid gold” that, from the beginning of the sixteenth century, allowed Gallipoli to become the largest European square for the production and marketing of lampante oil, “illuminating” the great European capitals such as Paris, London, Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, Oslo, Amsterdam. So many events in Lecce and all over Salento! Among history, exhibitions, art, music and culture, the Salento festival gives great emotions to tourists and locals. Arcadia Luxury Suites will keep you updated on the best events of the moment in the city and throughout Salento!

Those who visit Lecce and Salento take away with them not only the memory of enchanting places, white beaches and fine architecture, but also a food and wine experience that cannot be separated from the territory that offers it. Today we give you eight good reasons to come (or to return) on holiday in Salento: The extra virgin olive oil produced in Puglia in large quantities will enrich every dish with a scent and taste that will be hard to forget. The wines produced from native grape varieties such as Primitivo and Negroamaro, and proposed by many wineries, will cheer your evenings and make you forget the daily worries. Frisa, a triumph of wheat, a poor dish typical of Puglia to be eaten strictly with the hands. You will be served with sun-ripened tomatoes, fresh oregano and basil, extra virgin olive oil and chef’s fantasies. The fresh pasta here is often still made completely by hand and with selected flours. You can’t leave without trying a dish of orecchiette or sagne ‘ncannulate. The pasticciotto, a shortcrust pastry filled with cream, will win over even those who are not used to breakfast. The coffee “leccese” an espresso coffee served with ice and almond milk. It will also conquer the purists of boiling black coffee… Absolutely to try! The puccia, a sandwich made of pizza dough, baked in a wood-fired oven and filled to taste. An unmissable alternative to pizza for a quick and nutritious meal. Ciceri e tria, a soup of chickpeas, fresh pasta and small pieces of fried pasta (tria). In winter it delights and in summer it surprises. If you like legumes you can’t miss it! Who has already been knows, there are at least a thousand good reasons to come on holiday in Salento. We have suggested eight of them: the unmissable food and wine culture of Salento. We invite you to discover all the others by visiting Lecce and Salento as guests of Arcadia Luxury Suites.