We had been to Italy several times as ‘vacationers’ (Lake Como, Rome, Sorrento, Cinque Terre, Ancona), but as full-time travelers, we wanted to experience Italy in a different way – so we decided to spend a month in Lecce!
We stayed inside the Lecce Old Town walls where Roman ruins have been unearthed and opulent Baroque architecture is the standard. During our time in Lecce, we ate our way through the unique regional cuisine, took a day trip to Gallipoli and were joined for a week by friends from the States.
Since our time in Lecce, we have returned to Italy for a whirlwind visit to Rome and recently spent 10 incredible days in Tuscany. It's fair to say there will be more of Italy in our travel plans very soon!
Italy Facts:
Capital City: Rome
Country Population: 60 Million
Language: Italian
Useful Words and Phrases: Hello - Ciao | Thank You – Grazie
Currency: Euro (EUR) | Current Value
Italy Guides:
Get Inspired for Your Trip to Italy
Italy’s beautiful architecture, iconic landmarks and delightful cuisine are a few of the best reasons to visit the country. These beautiful scenes are depicted in the best movies about Italy and eloquently written about in books based in Italy, too. While preparing for an impending trip to Italy, travelers can also get ready for the trip with a taste of Italian food and drink.
Italy Travel Movies
When it comes to travel movies about Italy, there are plenty of choices! From romantic comedies to wild adventures to thrillers, there are dozens of inspiring travel movies set in Italy.
One of my favorites is Only You, where the lead character flies to Rome with the intent of tracking down an illusive man whom she thinks is destined to marry.
Other movies that seem to transport viewers to Italy are Under the Tuscan Sun - a second-chances movie about friendships and romance; The Tourist -a mystery thriller set in Venice; and The Trip to Italy - a comedy culinary road trip through Italy.
Books Set in Italy
People who prefer to read about adventures in Italy have a good selection of books for travel inspirations, too! Some of the best books about traveling in Italy are the classic, A Room With A View by EM Forster, Italian Neighbors by Tim Parks and The Neapolitan Novels.
Italian Food
Italian cuisine is ranked as the most popular food in the world. In fact, we have been able to eat Italian food – either at local restaurants or from food found on local grocery store shelves – in every single place we have visited (even Vietnam!)
Spaghetti, lasagna and pizza are obvious choices – and eating these meals are an easy way to celebrate Italian fare. However, some of our favorite Italian food comes from Lecce, a city in the Puglia region, where they make simple farm meals that taste extraordinary.
Some of the Puglia comfort food that we enjoyed was Ciceri e Tria and platters of grilled meat, which could possibly be recreated in your own kitchen.
What To Drink in Italy
If you are wondering what to drink from Italy, the answer is wine, of course! Italy boasts more than 350 Italian wine grape varieties – and most are widely available internationally.
However, wine is not the only Italian beverage. Campari is both bitter and refreshing, the Bellini is sweet and pink and of course the Aperol Sprtiz – also called the Veneziano – has a kick!
Start Planning your Italy Trip:
For more information, travel tips and advice, jump over to our Travel Planning Page.
