Hi Robert. Ha! Yes, I am living here voluntarily. I found your comment to be really interesting! I'm curious where you stayed. Personally, I bounce between Seattle and Lecce on the regular and I come here for my own interests - not for romance, real estate, or family connections. My affection for the Salento (Lecce) is very intense, indeed! This is my sixth trip to Lecce and I've certainly been here long enough to develop pet peeves, but I love it more than anything else.
I'm attaching an excerpt that I wrote recently with a few positive aspects about Lecce. It is not meant to be comprehensive, but it will give you a bit of insight into my perspective.
I'm copying and pasting here:
In the region of Puglia, in the most southeastern extremity, therein lies a cultural anomaly. One of Europe's best kept secrets is otherwise known as the Province of Lecce.
Lecce is not simply a province, but the principal ambassador of a cultural legacy, the Salento. Notably, the residents of Lecce collectively identify themselves as Salentino. Lecce is interchangeable with the name, Salento, as it depicts the cultural identity of the city and people.
The Salento culture is profound and multilayered. Looking back to the first millennium B.C., remnants of the Messapian people are still revered as meaningful contributors to Lecce's unique heritage. From medieval castles to coastal watchtowers to grandiose Baroque Renaissance architecture, the Salento narrates an elaborate story. These historical tales are translated into an impermeable cultural identity adorned with romantic nostalgia. In short, the Salentino culture is vivacious, captivating, and infectious. For the European traveler or international tourist, Lecce unlocks an enchanted passage into another world. Fortunately, these infinite treasures are found within the provincial boundaries in an area less than 400 km².
The small province of Lecce is home to several museums and artistic venues. One example is the Museo Provinciale Sigismondo Catromediano. This particular museum provides insight into the cultural heritage, as the first and second floors exhibit ancient and medieval artifacts and sculptures. The third floor, however, is dedicated to gallery paintings, an illustrious grand piano, and an intimate performance stage with seating. Another noteworthy fact about this museum is its proximity (less than two km) to the Teatro Romano di Lecce, an archeological site constructed of limestone which dates back to the I-II century A.D. It should be noted that the Teatro Romano di Lecce is not a neglected attraction; instead, it serves as an active host to a series of artistic events throughout the summer months. These examples aim to illustrate the density and proximity of the city's cultural wealth, and how Lecce is easily navigated by foot, bicycle, and even public transportation.
Many residents from Lecce speak standard Italian, while most young people also study multiple foreign languages.
Remarkably, the province of Lecce is divided into 97 smaller municipalities, and remarkably still, is how nearly each municipality maintains a unique dialect. Within this dialectal diversity lies one linguistic group, one that encompasses nine municipalities. This area is known as the Grecia Salentina and, historically, the inhabitants spoke an Ancient Greek dialect known as Griko. Grecia Salentina is thought to be the heart of the Salento, as it's responsible for infiltrating Greek vocabulary, culinary dishes, dance, music, and folklore into the culture. The Grecia Salentina connects the Salento to Ancient Greece, which distinguishes it from northern Puglia and other regions in Italy.
Perhaps the most seductive appeal is the Adriatic and Ionian seaside. With warm crystal clear waters and sandy shores, the Mediterranean gives the Salento some of its best beaches. The Salento peninsula is comprised of karst (limestone), which makes the seaside perimeter extraordinary with geological formations and caves. This is a bountiful land, plentiful in natural resources and organic beauty. The red iron-rich soil yields crops effortlessly, which results in traditional cuisine that caters to natural flavors and simple wholesomeness. The passion for culinary art thrives from within the Salento and cookery schools and five star restaurants are never far from reach. Like many cities that share the Mediterranean shore, the beaches are welcoming and the olive oil and wine are some of the best in the world.
The Salento offers an exciting combustion of Southern Italian curiosities, a living storybook of history, and distinguished standards in cultural enjoyment. Certainly, when a city is as culturally rich as Lecce, it elicits recognition among its neighboring countries. Yet despite cultural abundance and a predictable influx of seasonal tourism, Lecce remains relatively unknown within the European community.
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