Beautiful but Underrated Cities to Visit Before They Become Tourist Hotspots

City Twenty-Six: The Artistic Pulse of Lecce, Italy

Lecce is southern Italy’s best-kept secret—a baroque masterpiece bathed in golden limestone and kissed by the Apulian sun. While crowds rush north to Florence and Rome, Lecce lives slower, softer. Its historic center is an open-air gallery of ornate churches, palazzos, and intricately carved facades that seem to glow at dusk. Art and architecture are only part of the story: Lecce pulses with creativity, from modern design shops to avant-garde theater in ancient courtyards. Just beyond the city lie olive groves, vineyards, and quiet Adriatic beaches. This is where beauty, culture, and cucina povera combine into something effortlessly rich.