A RECCE IN LECCE
Live life at a slower pace in Puglia
AS THE sun rises on a typical Sunday morning in southern Italy, small flecks of light dance along the narrow streets of Lecce, one of Puglia’s most beautiful cities. As I walk to a nearby café, the city starts to come alive and I can almost hear the gestures of passionate Italians talking over their morning coffee.
Taking up position outside one of the cafés in Piazza Sant Oronzo, I take a deep breath and realise that I’ve now lived in Italy for two months. Time moves differently here but I feel happy and relaxed when faced with life’s simple pleasures. Ordering a cappuccino and deliciously creamy pastry, I sit opposite my friend and we watch as the historic centre comes to life.
We had arrived in Lecce the day before, taking the train from the slightly more northern town of Fasano. After an hour and a half speeding through the Italian countryside, passing such wondrous places like Ostuni and Brindisi (more on these spots at a later date), we were welcomed to Lecce by a fantastic burst of sunshine.
Sometimes referred to as the Florence of the South, Lecce boasts a stunning array of Baroque buildings, with the architecture immediately captivating any visitor.
As you wander down the narrow streets, little surprises await you around every corner, whether it’s a solitary ray of light highlighting a newly blooming flower or a mysterious mark in the wall that could have appeared yesterday or even 100 years ago.
Allowing curiosity to lead us, we followed one street after another, eventually stumbling upon Plaza Sant Oronzo.
THE square was absolutely thronged with people and we were trying to figure out if we’d stumbled upon a protest, a fundraiser or something else entirely.
It wasn’t an angry affair so we happily meandered through the crowd, observing the fusion of old and new framing the plaza, from cafés and complexes to a McDonald’s taking residency at the far end of the square.
However, the heart of the plaza is still the Roman amphitheatre, which was built around the 2nd century. As I have been getting so used to perfectly pretty towns and villages, actually coming face-toface with a Roman ruin filled me with such childish excitement.
Without needing to stray too far from the plaza, you’ll find the city’s main church, Basilica di Santa Croceis. A Baroque church in the historic centre, I was disappointed to see that its facade was undergoing some reconstruction during our visit so we weren’t able to appreciate its intricacies. However, we were able to go inside and admire the decorative wooden caisson ceiling and chapels.
As we continued our exploration of Lecce, hunger pangs started to make themselves known and before we knew it, we were feasting on wine, bread, taralli, polpette,
chips and cime di rapa with puréed beans.
Walking off our lunch, we found ourselves in Plaza del Duomo, which for me is the crown jewel of the city. Home to Lecce’s impressive Cathedral, we arrived during the golden hour and sat just inside a café located beneath the square’s towering structures.
There was still a chill in the air so we grabbed an espressino and perfected the art of people watching, from the loving couples strolling towards the sun to the solitary soul perusing his paper. People take the time to relax and enjoy the moment in Italy and the famous saying, ‘Il Dolce Far Niente’ (The sweetness of doing nothing), is something I’ve been trying to master.
In fact, I’m learning that the most important thing to do in Italy is just to relax. From my students to my new Italian friends, really enjoy- ing the moment is key. This is especially true with food. It’s not about heading out on the town and scoffing down three courses in record time or downing a bottle of wine before hitting the town.
Meal times are so long and sacred here because people want to savour every bite. It’s a social experience, one that requires chatter rather than having your head in your phone. People relish each other’s company and it’s something I notice when I look at every table in a restaurant.
We finished our coffee and decided it was time to seek out our accommodation for the night. We stayed in a little Airbnb in Pizzetta Chiesa Greca that had everything we needed for a short stay. With vaulted ceilings and a location just opposite one of the city’s many
churches, I couldn’t help but wonder what tales of the past lurked beneath the ceiling’s vaults. Oh if only walls could talk…
That night, we grabbed a pizza from a pizzeria and munched away while reading and fully relaxing.
The next morning takes us back to my position in one of the cafés in Piazza Sant Oronzo. As I’ve said, it was a typical Sunday and we ordered coffee and a pastry. By now, I’d been living in Italy for over two months so suffice to say, I’d mastered the art of ordering a coffee in Italian. But something just wasn’t meant to be that day…
Apparently we didn’t order the coffee correctly as this particular venue had table service.
MY €5 note literally blew away and needed to be chased down between two Italian families. Our pastries were topped with more icing sugar than I thought possible and left a huge mess on the table.
We were basically just two stupid and clumsy tourists and it was embarrassing. After a pathetic attempt to explain the situation, we ordered again, smiled and said
gracie as we left. So really, I came to Lecce to sightsee and ended up leaving feeling more relaxed and confident than ever. Yes I had an awkward moment but the Italians as a people are so charming and chilled out that it actually doesn’t matter.
They put sugar in their coffee because ‘life is bitter enough already’ and they take time to enjoy their food, wine and company. I needed to learn not to get stressed out by awkward or embarrassing moments and I’m glad I learned it in beautiful Lecce.
Overall, Lecce is a lovely spot for a bit of weekend exploring. Personally, if you visit Lecce or indeed, anywhere in Puglia, make sure you relax and remove the word ‘stress’ from your vocabulary.
Maybe then you’ll master the art of “il dolce far niente’.