Otranto Tour from Lecce: The Gateway to the East

Ciao! I'm Francesca, a licensed tour guide born and raised in Lecce, in the heart of Salento in Puglia. Growing up surrounded by so much beauty naturally led me to fall in love with ART and HISTORY. I hold a degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage and another in Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management, but my passion started much earlier. As a child, during family trips around Italy, I was always the one reading information panels and pretending to be the guide, and I took that role very seriously!! What started as a game slowly turned into a dream, and in 2019, I officially qualified and became a licensed professional tour guide. Since then, I've been guiding travelers from all over the world, always trying to put myself in their shoes: if I were just listening to a long list of information without any emotion or connection, I would get bored, and I know my guests would feel the same. That's why, even though I have a strong academic background, I always start from the historical context but then I bring everything to life by mixing it with local habits, legends, and interesting details. My goal is always to create an experience that is beautiful, enjoyable and fun for my guests, but also for myself, because I truly believe that a great tour only works when everyone is fully engaged. This is exactly what I try to offer in my tours: not only the MUST-SEE highlights of Lecce, but also its most authentic side: hidden corners, local traditions, and stories you wouldn't easily discover on your own. Because a city is not just about monuments, it's about PEOPLE. And in Lecce, this is something truly special: from stone carvers to papier-maché artisans, ancient crafts are still alive and tell a story of resilience, passion and identity. My favorite writer, Italo Calvino, once wrote that "a city does not tell its past, but contains it like the lines of a hand". I deeply connect with this idea, because for me, every city is a small world to explore. So if you are like me, curious, detail-oriented, and always looking for the real soul of a place, I might be the right guide for you. My tours are always flexible and can be tailored to your interests and pace. Whether you prefer a relaxed walk with a stop for a coffee, a gelato or a traditional pasticciotto, or a deeper exploration into lesser-known corners, we can shape the experience together. I also offer street food tours, because I truly believe that discovering a place means tasting it too. Food is not just about flavors, it's about history, culture and identity. My ultimate goal is that when you leave Lecce, you'll carry a piece of it with you. See you soon in Puglia!