Things to do in Lecce
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Santa Maria di Leuca: 3-Hour Boat Tour & Cave SwimmingYou board a small boat at Santa Maria di Leuca and spend three hours swimming in sea caves on both sides of Salento's southern point, with snorkel gear, life jackets, and an aperitif included. The boat holds only 12 people and has shade, cushions, and a shower on board. You return to the same marina by early afternoon.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the caves and swim without arranging your own boat or timing multiple stops—the fixed three-hour loop handles the route, the stops, and the gear, and the small group size means you're not jostling for space or waiting for others to finish.
Porto Cesareo: Catamaran Snorkeling Tour & Aperitif LunchYou’ll board a catamaran in Porto Cesareo for a day of snorkeling over Roman ruins, swimming by pine-covered islands and golden beaches along the Ionian coast. Taste local snacks and wine during an onboard aperitif lunch in a quiet cove. Expect easygoing company, salty air, and moments you’ll want to replay later.
Puglia Cooking Class Near Lecce: Make Fresh Pasta, Eat DinnerA hands-on cooking class in Corigliano d'Otranto, 15 minutes from Lecce, where you learn to shape traditional orecchiette and maccheroncini from scratch in Enza's family home, then sit down to a full dinner with local wine, homemade dessert and limoncello. The evening runs about three and a half hours and includes aperitif, wine, coffee and tea; vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free options are available, and children are welcome.Is it for me?You'll cook fresh pasta with Enza's family, then sit down together that same evening to eat what you made—no demonstration, no takeaway, just dinner around their table.
Salento Day Trip: Otranto, Leuca, Gallipoli & Galatina TourYou’ll trace Salento’s coastline from Galatina’s frescoed basilica to Otranto’s seaside walls and Gallipoli’s maze-like streets—all with a local guide who knows every shortcut and story. Expect salty breezes, unexpected laughter, hotel pickup from Lecce and enough free time to get lost (in a good way). The feeling lingers long after you’re back.
Lecce: Walking Tour of Baroque Squares & Roman RuinsYou’ll join a local guide for a two-hour stroll through Lecce’s historic heart—past grand baroque squares, ancient Roman ruins, and quieter backstreets most people miss. Taste fresh figs from a market stall, stand where gladiators once fought, and pause in front of Santa Croce’s wild stonework. It’s less about checking sights off a list than feeling the city breathe around you.
Lecce: Santa Maria di Leuca Caves Boat Tour & SnorkelingYou board a small boat in Lecce and spend three hours exploring the caves carved into the cliffs at Santa Maria di Leuca, with stops on both the Adriatic and Ionian sides. Two swimming breaks let you snorkel in clear water with provided gear. The skipper narrates the route and the history, and you're back by early afternoon.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the caves and swim in the water without planning the route yourself or renting separate snorkeling gear — the boat, the stops, and the equipment are all arranged, which is what makes three hours enough to cover both sides of Leuca.
Mini-cruise to Santa Maria di Leuca caves: Swim and aperitifA mini-cruise from Santa Maria di Leuca explores the sea caves carved into the coastline on both sides of the peninsula, lasting about two and a half hours with a swim stop and a tasting of Salento frisa on board. The boat departs from near the Basilica Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae, and a live Italian-speaking guide narrates the route. Life jackets and armrests are provided, and the tour suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?The swim stop and the slow pace through the caves suit swimmers and anyone who wants to move through the water rather than observe from the deck. The two-and-a-half-hour duration fits a morning or afternoon slot without consuming a full day.
Lecce: Baroque Walking Tour & Street Food TastingYou walk through Lecce's baroque old town with a guide, stopping at five key landmarks including the Basilica of Santa Croce and Roman Amphitheatre while tasting rustico, pasticciotto, tarallini and local cheese at each pause. The tour takes two and a half hours, groups stay small, and dietary needs can be arranged at booking. Arrive at the meeting point ready to move; the guide handles the rest.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Lecce's baroque architecture and taste its street food in context, without arranging a separate food tour or hiring a private guide—the small group and fixed route mean you move at a pace that lets both the history and the flavour land.
Lecce: Jewish Museum & Baroque Churches Walking TourYou descend into the Underground Jewish Museum to see medieval purification tanks, then walk through Lecce's historic center with a guide who explains the Baroque symbols carved into the Basilica of Santa Croce, the Roman remains in Piazza Sant'Oronzo, and the cathedral complex at Piazza Duomo. Museum entry is included, and the route is wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to understand Lecce's layered history—Jewish medieval, Roman, and Baroque—without having to navigate the city alone or piece together which buildings matter and why.
Boat tour Santa Maria di Leuca: Caves and snorkeling stopsA 3-hour boat tour from Santa Maria di Leuca along the Capo di Leuca coast, with snorkeling stops at two named caves and time to swim or rest on deck. The boat carries a small group, includes snorkeling gear, and runs with a live guide in English or Italian. Children from age 1 are welcome.Is it for me?Sail along Capo di Leuca's dramatic coastline, exploring sea caves from the water and snorkeling at hidden coves with all equipment provided.
Sea caves tour Santa Maria di Leuca: Swim and aperitifA boat tour of the sea caves at Santa Maria di Leuca in Salento takes you into rock formations and hidden coves accessible only by water, with time to swim in clear seawater and an aperitif on board. The tour runs between one and three hours depending on conditions and your choice; a live guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language. Fresh water, soft drinks and snacks are included.Is it for me?Staying in Salento and want the caves, swimming, and aperitif without the planning—this boat departs when you're ready and wraps up in time for dinner.
Walking tour of Lecce: Baroque churches and Roman ruinsA two-hour walking tour of Lecce's historic center in English, led by a guide through Baroque churches, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Cathedral square, with coffee and appetizers included. Groups stay under 15 people. Children from age one are welcome, and the route is wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to walk with a small group — no more than 15 — and have someone point out how Baroque, Roman and Venetian layers sit inside the same streets. The two-hour pace and included coffee break fit a morning or afternoon without eating up your whole day.
Porto Selvaggio: Kayak Tour, Cliff Diving & Cold Spring SwimYou’ll paddle along Porto Selvaggio’s rugged coast by kayak with a local guide, slip into hidden caves if sea conditions allow, plunge into an icy freshwater spring for a real shock to the system, and try cliff diving above Gaia Cave—all with photos included so you don’t have to risk your phone.
Orecchiette Cooking Class and Wine in Lecce: Baroque views of old townLearn to make orecchiette pasta from scratch in a Lecce old-town bistro with a local guide, then taste Puglia wines paired with local cheese, taralli and the pasta you just rolled. The class runs two hours and includes bottled water; a minimum of two people per booking is required, and vegetarian or vegan tastings are available on request.Is it for me?Shape orecchiette by hand in Lecce's old town, then taste it paired with wines explained by a local expert—all in one morning or afternoon without sacrificing your whole day.
Boat tour to Santa Maria di Leuca caves: 3 hours, two swimsA 3-hour guided boat tour from Santa Maria di Leuca marina explores the Ionian side caves—the River Cave, Cave of Indians, Cave of Seagulls, Cave of Varduselle, Cave of Blow, Cave of Vora, and others—with two stops for swimming and snorkeling. The tour includes masks, an aperitif with prosecco, and a captain who speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language. Small group size keeps the boat intimate.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see multiple sea caves without arranging transport or snorkeling gear yourself—the boat, the guide, the masks and the prosecco all come with the booking, and the small group size means the pace stays relaxed.
Santa Maria di Leuca: Caves & Swim Stop Boat TourYou board at Leuca port, spend two hours on a small passenger boat exploring sea caves and limestone cliffs, and get a swim stop in crystal-clear water. Bottled water is provided, the boat is wheelchair accessible, and the whole thing wraps before lunch. It's the kind of outing that works whether you have three hours free or you're building a longer coastal day.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in or near Lecce who want to see the Salento coast without renting a car or booking a full-day excursion. The two hours fit between other plans, and the swim stop is what makes the caves feel like more than just a boat ride past rocks.
Puglia Day Trip: Ostuni, Alberobello & Polignano a Mare TourYou’ll wander Ostuni’s maze of white alleys, catch sweeping valley views in Locorotondo, touch the ancient stones of Alberobello’s trulli, and breathe salty air above Polignano’s cliffs—all with hotel pickup from Lecce and stories from a local guide. Expect real moments: laughter in narrow streets, olive oil on your hands, and time to let Puglia sink in.
Lecce: Hands-On Orecchiette Cooking Class & Wine TastingYou’ll step into a Lecce kitchen where you’ll knead fresh orecchiette dough by hand, laugh with a local chef over coffee and limoncello, craft two classic sauces together, then linger over a homemade dinner with Salento wines. Expect floury hands, new friends, and recipes (plus your own pasta tool) to bring a bit of Puglia home with you.
Lecce: Santa Maria di Leuca Boat Tour & Cave SnorkelingYou board a private boat near Lecce and spend three hours exploring the limestone caves at Santa Maria di Leuca with snorkeling equipment, a knowledgeable skipper, and stops at the Cave of the Three Gates and other formations. An aperitif with local products is served on board, and the small group size means you move at a pace that lets you actually see what you came for.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the caves and seabed at Santa Maria di Leuca without renting a boat yourself or figuring out how to get there from Lecce — the skipper handles the navigation and the timing, and the small group means you actually get a view instead of a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd.
Lecce Cooking Class: Handmade Pasta & Salento WineYou arrive at 6:15pm, make two types of fresh pasta by hand with a local host, taste an aperitif of Salento specialties and local wines while sauces cook, then sit down to dinner with the pasta you shaped. The class lasts three and a half hours, includes hotel pickup, and works for couples, families and small groups. Book if you want to leave with a skill and a memory that doesn't fade.Is it for me?This works well if you want to learn a real skill in a small group without the rush of a large tour, and if you travel as a couple, family or friends who want to share something hands-on together — the intimate setting is what makes the personalized teaching and the conversation possible.
