Italy
GREAT ROUND TRIP IN PUGLIA
- 7 days
- couples
- spring, summer, fall
Puglia is a beautiful part of Italy. In these seven days, you will drive through quite a large part of this region. You'll visit historic sites, picturesque towns and villages, take in the local countryside and sample plenty of local specialities. You will get to know a bit of the Ionian and Adriatic coast. Especially in spring and autumn, you will find peace and quiet here and you won't meet crowds of other tourists. In summer, it can get a little busier, but even so, Puglia is not one of the most popular places among tourists. Unjustifiably so, because it really is a great place for an explorative, active holiday!
Sightseeing in Lecce – Duomo di Lecce, Basilica di Santa Croce, the beautiful Chiesa di San Matteo, the excellent Jewish Museum Lecce, and possibly the Anfiteatro Romano. A trip to the town of Gallipoli on the shores of the Ionian Sea. Evening: town of Nardo.
Po snídani se vydejte na prohlídku Lecce. Historické centrum není nijak extra veliké, takže hlavní památky zvládnete prohlédnout do brzkého odpoledne. Neměli byste vynechat nádhernou katedrálu Duomo di Lecce, nádherně zdobenou baziliku Basilica di Santa Croce, pěkný kostel Chiesa di San Matteo, skvělé Jewish Museum Lecce, a případně i Anfiteatro Romano. Při prohlídce města se zastavte v Caffè Alvino a dejte si jeden z jejich skvělých dezertů. Kam zajít na oběd těžko radit, nabídka restaurací v Lecce je opravdu dobrá. Máte-li chuť na ryby, zkuste zajít do La Scarpetta Ristorante Lecce. Bylo to trošku dražší, ale jídlo bylo velmi dobré.
Později odpoledne přejeďte do města Gallipoli na pobřeží Jónského moře. Není to nijak daleko. V Gallipoli najdete krásné historické centrum, nádherný výhled na moře a ostrůvek Isola Sant'Andrea s majákem. Určitě se zastavte v opravdu nádherné katedrále Basilica Concattedrale di Sant'Agata a podívejte se na Gallipoli Castle. Posaďte se na skleničku vína či kávu v Buena Vista Gallipoli. Je to trošku předražené, ale výhled mají skvělý.
Pak vás čeká přejezd do malého města Nardo s krásným historickým centrem. Ideální je dorazit sem až večer, vše je hezky nasvícené a má to pěknou atmosféru. Trasa je zde. Zajděte se podívat do historického centra a nevynechejte Basilica cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta a pak nádherný kostel Chiesa di San Domenico. Cesta zpět do Lecce už není nijak dlouhá (trasa zde).
Máte-li rádi maso, pak jistě zajděte na večeři do restaurace La Locanda Del Macellaio. Původně to bylo řeznictví a dnes je z toho celý řetězec skvělých restaurací, celkem jich je již 8. V Lecce jsou rovnou dvě. My zvolili tu v ulici Via Taranto. Nejprve si sami vyberete maso, či uzeniny, které chcete na grilu připravit, pak už se jen usadíte, dáte si víno a vše vám za chvilku přinesou. Je to vážně skvělé! Nezapomeňte si dát jejich pečenou bramboru! A pozor – většinou je nutná rezervace!
Alternativní cíle: Lecce je nádherné město plné památek, poznat jej celé vám pomůže některá z prohlídek od Velo Service Lecce.
The Basilica of Santa Croce, the monastery church of the Celestine Fathers, was built between 1549 until 1646. The building is gorgeous and is rightly the symbol of the Lecce Baroque. The exterior and interior decoration will literally take your breath away. There is an entrance fee.
The museum has a permanent exhibition "Under the Baroque: discovering medieval Jewish Lecce". The tour is only possible with a guide. The tour is not very long, but it is very informative. The guides are very friendly and helpful. The tours in English take place only a few times a day, check everything on their website.
The exact dating of the building, which was used for gladiatorial fights and demonstrations of live hunters, is still debated, but the most accredited hypothesis dates the original building to the time of Augustus. The building could hold an incredible 14,000 spectators.
It's often very crowded, but you can buy a few pieces of sweet desserts to go. They're great. It's open almost all the time.
The church was built between 1667 and 1700. The main altar, named after San Matteo, is a special example of the Lecce Baroque style for its rich decoration.
The restaurant has mostly fish on the menu. Nice garden inside the block of houses. There is even a view into the kitchen so you can see your meal being prepared. A little pricey, but the fish was great.
Beautiful baroque cathedral with really nice interior decoration. The most beautiful, however, is the imposing entrance made of Lecce stone, which is a wonderful example of Baroque art. The Baroque appearance of the cathedral dates back to 1670. The bell tower next door was built between 1661 and 1682. There is a charge for entry to the cathedral.
Gallipoli is a small town in southern Puglia on the shores of the Ionian Sea. The old town can be found on a small island, which is connected to the mainland by a 16th century stone bridge. The main sights include the Basilica Concattedrale di Sant'Agata and Gallipoli Castle. In the old town you will find a typical tangle of small streets with shops, cafés, and bars.
Bar, café, restaurant – all in one. I recommend it just for a coffee or a drink – even then, be careful, as it's not cheap here at all. But the view from the terrace is great, so it's worth sitting here, having a glass of wine, and just watching the sea.
A majestic cathedral in Baroque style with beautiful interior paintings. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1629 and it was not completed until 1696. The cathedral is very much drowned in the surrounding buildings, so the magnificent facade is not quite visible.
The history of this fortification dates back to 265 BC. But of course, the castle has undergone many modifications and reconstructions over time. The current appearance dates back to the 16th century. You can buy an audio guide with your ticket. This is not necessary as there are descriptions in each room. The castle is also rather austere in terms of furnishings.
Nardò is not a typical tourist destination. However, that makes it all the more attractive. The city centre is full of churches, palaces, and monuments in the style of the Lecce Baroque. There are over 30,000 inhabitants, but the historical centre is not very big, you can walk through the whole of it easily.
The cathedral stands on the site where the first church was built in 1080. In the 15th century the church was made into a cathedral. The current appearance dates back to 1725. Inside there are some nice frescoes.
Nice church both from the outside and the inside. Especially interesting is the Bull Fountain on the north side of the church, because according to legends, the first settlement of Nardò was in a place where a bull summoned spring water with its hoof in the ground.
It was originally a butcher's shop and today it has become a chain of great restaurants. There are 8 of them overall, and two of them are in Lecce. First you choose the meat or sausages you want to grill, then you just sit down, have some wine and everything is brought to you in a moment. It's really great. Don't forget to have their baked potato! And beware – reservations are usually required!
Niky Malečková
17.07.2024
406
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