If you’ve travelled a bit around Italy, chances are you’ve fallen in love with Puglia, a region people associate with the whitewashed trulli of Alberobello and the beautiful coastlines. But in the heart of the Salento Peninsula, there’s a medium-sized city that’s been quietly winning over expats and retirees: Lecce. Often called the “Florence of the South” for its stunning architecture, and known for its proximity to some of Italy’s most beautiful beaches, Lecce seems to be the perfect place to live thanks to its affordability, climate and position. But the real question is: what’s living in Lecce actually like year-round? To find out, we combined our data with the experiences of the people who actually live here. Life in Lecce: What People Say According to residents, what makes Lecce so unique is that it’s a city where you can breathe that “holiday” energy year round. Let me clarify: it’s a place that’s full of people during the summer months for obvious reasons (its proximity to the beaches, the lovely architecture, good restaurants etc), but at the same time, it does not empty out like many other places. “Coming from California, I decided to retire here, without knowing the language…<\/p>\n