It was just a two and a half hour flight from Gatwick Airport to Bari, Southern Italy, and after a two hour coach journey we arrived at our hotel in Lecce late morning on Monday 23rd May 2016. Lecce  is a historic city of 94,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the third province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Apulia. It is the main city of the Salentine Peninsula, a sub-peninsula at the heel of the Italian Peninsula and is over 2,000 years old.

Because of the rich Baroque architectural monuments found in the city, Lecce is commonly nicknamed "The Florence of the South". The city also has a long traditional affinity with Greek culture going back to its foundation; the Messapii who founded the city are said to have been Cretans in Greek records. To this day, in the Grecìa Salentina, a group of towns not far from Lecce, the griko language is still spoken.

In terms of industry, the "Lecce stone" — a particular kind of limestone — is one the city's main exports, because it is very soft and workable, thus suitable for sculptures. Lecce is also an important agricultural centre, chiefly for its olive oil and wine production, as well as an industrial centre specializing in ceramic production.