High heels - Lecce

Pescara in the sounds of jazz

A holiday on the Italian coast, especially in summer, is something everyone should experience at least once in their life. If only to be able to feel this wonderful atmosphere every time he looks at a photo of a romantic cove, incredibly clear water or a wide beach. You will never forget waking up in the morning and looking straight into the blue of the water, blending almost imperceptibly with the blue of the sky.

But to be able to admire it, it's best not to waste time and continue your journey along the coast. From Ancona we go towards Pescara , another small but very atmospheric town. It is one of the most important economic, commercial and tourist centers on the Adriatic coast. Thanks to its diversified coastline, over 20 km long, it is also a popular resort, crowded with thousands of holidaymakers in the summer. In addition, each year in July, Pescara organizes the international jazz festival Jazz Pescara . The sounds of jazz resounded here for the first time in 1969, and the event was the first Italian summer festival dedicated to jazz music. Since then, it has been one of the most important jazz festivals in Europe.

Manfredonia - small is beautiful

We are making our next stop in Manfredonia . It will not be a discovery to say that it is also a small city. Despite its small size, it is very pretty and full of attractions. The historic 12th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore di Siponto , which is located in it, is beautiful, and the Duomo di Manfredonia, a Catholic basilica, is also very beautiful. In this town, even the train station is beautiful - because this inconspicuous holiday resort has so much charm and specific atmosphere.

The town of Bari is a bit larger, about 1.5 hours from Manfredonia. It is the second most important economic center of southern Italy after Naples, and is also known as a port and university city. Apart from monuments and beaches, we were attracted by Saint Nicholas . Exactly, this is where the bishop referred to as Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker or Nicholas of Myra comes from. It is true that most of us are used to the idea that the "real" Santa Claus lives in Rovaniemi among reindeer and elves, but there was once a man in Bari who became famous for his goodness and courage in saving the innocent from death.

And so, among sunny Italian beaches, we found a place that immediately reminded us of winter and snow (after all, why would such a saint ride a sleigh?). It's high time to reach our destination, Lecce . We are only 1.5 hours away from the city.

Florence of the South - Lecce

It is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful resorts in southern Italy for a reason. The town is magnificent, and its baroque buildings delight with the splendor of the interiors and decorations on the facades. La Basilica di Santa Croce (Church of Santa Croce), one of the most important monuments, catches the eye of every viewer. It is not known which adjective describes it best - fabulous, monumental or majestic. It is beautiful inside and out. The church of St. Matthew, not to mention the beautiful San Giovanni Battista , i.e. the Church of St. John the Baptist. Monuments can also be found in Piazza Duomo - Cathedral Square, next to which stands the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The local baroque buildings can be listed for a long time, but it is enough to repeat after French art historians from the 20th century that if the churches of Lecce were set up on one street, the most beautiful street in the world would be created.

The baroque splendor of monuments is one of the most important, but not the only advantage of the city. As it is a seaside town, it tempts with a wonderful beach and everything related to holidays on the sand. In addition, about 40 minutes from the town is Torre Sant'Andrea , a beautiful place with an even more beautiful beach. It has already been awarded the Blue Flag several times in recognition of the cleanliness of the water and the surrounding area, and the picturesque cliffs and sharp rocks are a real pleasure for the eyes.

Overnight at the beach

Approx. 20 minutes from Lecce there is a nice Camping Village Torre Rinalda , which is worth stopping at. The prices of stay here are increasing every month: a group of 3, who came by camper, in June and earlier will pay 19.80 EUR / day, while in the high season (in August) - as much as 57.90 EUR / day. On the other hand, guests have at their disposal two tennis courts, football and basketball courts, there is also a swimming pool and a place to play volleyball. That's not all - there are two shops, one of which is directly on the beach, a restaurant, an internet cafe and a Wi-Fi zone.

The route from Ancona to Lecce is less than 700 km and the travel time depends only on how long we stay in the places we pass.

In such a place you can spend the night with pleasure. You can also stay longer and consider whether to return home with a heavy sigh, or take the opportunity to spend some more time traveling along the coast. There are tons of places to visit, including the beautiful Taranto and the place where Scylla hunted wanderers.