Heal And Toe And Away We Go

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010

We left Modica and Sicily on Monday by taking the ferry to cross the Straights of Messina at the Sicilian city of the same name. We had borrowed Dani's GPS and I found a European chip for it on Ebay before we left. It gave us maps of the roads we needed. Problem was, it might have been a couple of years old and road building is proceeding at a rapid pace on Sicily. Here and there, we came to dead ends where there should have been an entry ramp or an Autrostrada where the map said there was no road at all! A little bit stressful making our way north to Messina. Once we found ourself in an industrial backwash of Catania, Mount Etna in the distance, a huge garbage dump to our west and a few scantily dressed prostitutes soliciting the occasional driver who passed by. It was a scene out of a Fellini movie I thought. The beauty part of GPS, however, is you really can't get lost. It just keeps correcting you and pointing you to your final direction - maybe not the best route but you will get there in the end. And we did.

We boarded the ferry at the big and bustling city of Messina. You could see the mainland across the choppy waters, a few miles away. Before we knew it, we were on the A3 Autostrada and heading North out of Messina's twin across the straights, San Giovanni. The road took us through breathtaking vistas of mountain and sea as we headed north up Italy's "instep." To our west was the vast Tyrrhennian Sea and all around us the towering Appenine mountains. The Italians are master road builders - the Autostrada went through tunnel after tunnel as it cut a path right through the mountains. At other times we spanned wide valleys on bridges that balanced on concrete stilts hundreds of feet high. Awesome!

From Modica to Lecce - a beautiful car ride. We stopped on Monday nigh at "A" - the capital of Calabria province. Click the map to see it larger.

On the Ferry at Messina, Sicily. The mainland of Italy - the "toe" - is visible across the Straits of Messina.
Remember - you can click on any photo to see it larger and clearer.

We awoke Tuesday morning to continue our ride. Now we were heading east to Italy's "heel" - the province of Puglia. Our destination, the beautiful Baroque town of Lecce filled with palazzi and chiese (palaces and churches) built of Piedra Leccese (stone of Lecce, which to this day is the city's largest export) in a Baroque-Rococco manner that some have described as either fabulously beautiful or over-the-top maniacal - such was the extravagance of design that led one architect to outdo the work of another. The city is a masterpiece of design and construction and we immediatly fell in love with it on our first walk its piazzas and pedestrianized streets.

The triangular staircase (you're looking straight down from the fourth floor) of our Hotel, La Casa Dei Mercanti, in Lecce. Many hotels we've been to are on upper floors of a building and share the occupancy with other residences or, as in this case, with offices.

Our Lecce Hotel, La Casa dei Mercanti, is located on this lovely square: the Piazza de Oronzo. The piazza is the center of the historic district. We have a "Junior Suite" with bedroom, bath, living room, Kitchen and dining area. Quite nice but we later found out, very noisy at  night with party goers roaming the piazza and adjacent streets till late at night.

This is a university town. So Lecce's old streets and plazas (many of which are barred to car traffic) are teeming with students, walking or biking to and fro. It also seems to be a wealthy town, or perhaps an attractor of wealthy tourists, as the streets are lined with expensive, upscale shops. It's known for its papier-mache and terra-cotta crafts - there are dozens of "laboratories" where artisans create their artwork.

Lecce has a system of inexpensive-to-rent city bikes. Hop on, Hop off. And tour the city on two wheels. A fabulous way to see the town - and, by and large, no cars to strike fear in you.

The Roman amphitheater (the largest in all of Puglia) was discovered not too long ago when excavation was made for the foundation of a bank.
Remember - you can click on any photo to see it larger and clearer.

When they talk of Lecce, they talk of its over-the-top Baroque architecture.

The history of Lecce is too complicated to describe here - needless to say it is the same story of Italy and Europe as a whole - internecine strife and war with endless conquests and conquering. From the 15th century Lecce became one of the most important cites in southern Italy and beginning around 1630 it was restored with its precious Baroque design, in favor at the time, to showcase the wealth and power of its various Roman Catholic orders - the Jesuits, Celestines and Benedictines. Palaces of the wealthy merchants, many from Venice, were also renovated during that period and survive to this day and give the town its elegant appearance.

This is Il Duomo de Lecce - it stands in all its glory on the piazza of the same name - a serene and beautiful courtyard.

The Duomo's bell ower in a fading sunlight.

We walked some more and understood why Lecce is known as the "city of churches." At every turn, it seemed, there was another lovely old church, all with the hallmark Barocco Leccese decorations. Quite an amazing collection and preserved for us to admire hundreds of years later.

We headed back to our hotel as the light faded on our fist day in Lecce. Passing by the Duomo, the courtyard was now illuminated but also bathed in the fading dayling - quite a lovely sight.

Dinner was at a local restaurant that served typical Luccese fare: we shared a pasta - cece con vongole - chickpeas with clams, that was quite delicious. And then we shared marvelous lamb chops (agnello) that sat in an intense balsamic reduction. Served with some fantastic Pugliese onion bread and a bottle of the local wine, Salice Salentino, it was a wonderful and memorable dinner. A short walk home and a sweet night of repose and rest - the better to explore the town the next day.

Down the street from the fabulous Duomo, still another church with fanciful decoration. The architects spared nothing to cover every inch with their artwork.

We headed back to our hotel as sunset turned the lovely streets dark.

We passed by Il Duomo on our way back to the hotel. Now it was bathed in the last bits of sunlight and was quite something to behold.

The next day we just strolled around taking in Lecce which we had grown pretty fond of. A visit to the Basilica of the Holy Cross (Chiesa de Santa Croce) was on our list as it's considered the ultimate example of the Leccese style of Baroque architect. And, indeed, it took our breath way when we came upon it.

But for that, you'll have to return to our next post. Arriverdci! - Matteo

To see all my photos of Lecce - just CLICK HERE.