Porta Napoli Tours and Activities

Lecce is best known for its sumptuous baroque architecture, but the city has an equally rich cuisine worth exploring. Discover both its cultural treasures and gastronomic delights with this tour that combines a guided walk past the Basilica of Santa Croce, the cathedral, and other highlights of the historic center with stops to sample traditional specialties like savory “rustico” and “frisella” pastries, and the sweet custard-filled “pasticciotto”.

The historic center of Lecce is one of the most interesting in Puglia. The particularity of its Baroque architecture derives from the ability of local artists and architects who, between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, have done something unique thanks to the quality of the tender local stone. Our tour will be a journey through time, from the splendor of the Roman Empire to contemporary Lecce. An elegant and refined city where churches and ancient buildings alternate artisan workshops (especially papier-mache), shops and places where you can taste typical products.

Immerse yourself in the rich architectural array of Lecce during a private 3-hour rickshaw tour of the charming city. After selecting a departure time to suit your schedule, greet your guide and climb aboard your comfortable rickshaw. Cruise past historical highlights like the Roman amphitheater; absorb the Baroque beauty of monuments like the Basilica di Santa Croce; and delve into authentic local culture as you stop to sample local specialties in popular eateries. Receive the undivided attention of your guide on this tour.

Explore Lecce in the evening with your own private guide who showcases both the city’s landmarks and its tasty food and wines. Visit seven restaurants for tastings of authentic local food specialties and wines, and view important Baroque architectural monuments such as the Church of Saint Chiara, the Lecce Cathedral, and the Palazzo dei Celestini. Your tour includes food and wine tastings, a 2-course dinner, and snacks.

From Porta Napoli, start this exciting experience with an expert, funny, local guide, that will be there exclusively for you and ready to reply to all your questions. Walking off the beaten paths, discover the most beautiful noble palaces, like Palazzo Adorno and its façade diamond-shaped. Learn histories about the families who lived in the town in past centuries and curious anecdotes about the buildings that you will pass. See the jewels of Baroque architecture like Basilica of Santa Croce and Piazza Sant'Oronzo with the "Sedile" the old city Hall. Let yourself be attracted by the soft atmosphere in Piazza Duomo, the unique closed square with it's baroque jewels: the old Seminary, the bell tower and the church.

Enjoy this 3.5-hour food tasting tour into one of the most enchanting and magic cities of the Southern Italy. Walk through the historic city centre, stopping to sample the traditional cuisine: be impressed by the taste of the rustico, the flavour of local salami, the crunchy bite of tarallini and even more! An amazing walking and tasting food throughout the alleys of breathtaking embroideries of Barocco architecture with an exciting tasting experience of the best local food.

First time you visit Lecce and want to know the city and its food specialties? This tour is the perfect solution for you! Stroll into the city center and taste the best known local street food. Your guide will tell you the history related to the main highlights, such as the Basilica of Santa Croce, considered the emblem of Lecce's baroque style, the Cathedral, and the many palaces you will find on the way. From one place to the other, you will stop and delight your palate with the most famous and tasty delicacies of Salento, like the "rustico", a soft puff pastry disc filled with mozzarella, tomato and béchamel; the "frisella", a twice-baked bread roll topped with fresh tomato and olive oil; or the pastry star "pasticciotto", a shortcrust pastry stuffed with custard. You'll also taste other fantastic samples of Salento specialties. Take this tour either at lunch or dinner time, as it is an ideal way to do some sightseeing while having a light meal as you make your way through the city.

Explore how very different, friendly and playful Baroque style can be in the honey-colored “Florence of the South”. Visit Lecce, famed city of art and birthplace of the marvelous  "barocco Leccese". Besides the mesmerizing virtuously carved fine-grained honey-colored local limestone decorations of the impressing churches, monumental monasteries and renaissance and baroque style noble houses, which made Lecce so famous, the second most important and still kept alive artisanship is papier-mâché art. Discover how local craftsmen express their art in the numerous little papier-mâché "botteghe" in the historical district.

Explore how very different, friendly and playful Baroque style can be in the honey-colored “Florence of the South”. Visit Lecce, famed city of art and birthplace of the marvelous "barocco Leccese". Besides the mesmerizing virtuously carved fine-grained honey-colored local limestone decorations of the impressing churches, monumental monasteries and renaissance and baroque style noble houses, which made Lecce so famous, the second most important and still kept alive artisanship is papier-mâché art. Discover how local craftsmen express their art in the numerous little papier-mâché "botteghe" in the historical district.

It's difficult to keep children involved during a walking tour, but not when the tour is taylor-made for them! Take a fun and educational tour of the city center of Lecce after sunset led by a kids-friendly, local guide. You will play games, quizzes and treasure hunts to keep the family happy and engaged while visiting some of the city highlights including Piazza del Duomo, the church of Santa Croce, Piazza Sant’Oronzo and many more great sites. Both children and parents will love to discover the history and architecture of Lecce in the most entertaining way. You will also taste local typical food like a “rustico” (a local, paff pastry disc) or pizza and a genuine home-made ice cream or pastry.