The lovely Italian city of Lecce is found right down in Italy’s heel in the heart of Puglia.
Famous for its baroque architecture the 17th century university city is sometimes called The Florence of the South.As well as being home to some amazing churches, palaces and piazzas Lecce also has some luxurious hotels that epitomise Italian glamour.
After a day exploring the winding streets of Lecce and admiring the cherubs and gargoyles which adorn the cathedral in Piazza Duomo, the Roman amipheatre in Piazza Sant’Oronzo and making frequent stops for cappuccino and cocktails, it was heavenly to relax at La Fiermontina Urban Resort.
La Fiermontina Urban Resort is a luxurious, elegant boutique hotel with 16 distinctive rooms and suites built around a 17th century private home filled with art and custom design furniture reminiscent of 1920’s Italy. Opened in 2015, it was lovingly converted from a former masseria over ten years by Parisian Giacomo Fiermonte as a tribute to his glamorous grandmother Antonia Fiermonte and her two artist husbands.
Photographs, posters and mementos of the family’s history are dotted around the hotel which has a lovely garden with century old olive trees, imposing modern sculptures and, unusually for the city, an inviting outdoor swimming pool. La Fiermontina is decorated in simple, muted tones with stylish touches, elegant but comfortable furniture and an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional artworks from the owners’ own collection including some by Le Corbusier.
And a few minutes’walk away is the fabulous Palazzo Bozzi Corso, Lecce’s most luxurious hotel which is also owned by Giacomo Fiermonte. The grand palace in which it is housed was built in 1775 by Gabriele Bozzi Corso and later passed to another aristocratic family. Giacomo Fiermonte purchased the palace and transformed it into an all-suite, super luxurious, elegant hotel. It opened its doors last year. As at sister property La Fiermontina French interior design company Charles Philippe & Christophe have worked their magic here with strong colours, stylish furniture and a mix of antique and contemporary paintings, sculptures and objets d’art.
All the rooms have high ceilings with fascinating touches including many images of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Anne Filali, mother of Giacomo, created the Strawberry Fields Garden memorial in New York’s Central Park with her friend Yoko Ono. The Palazzo Bozzi Corso has the John & Yoko Suite as one of its Wellness suites. Measuring 645 square feet it is furnished with a pop-art feel and features a shared roof terrace and sauna
Both hotels are in the heart of the historic city of Lecce in Puglia in the south of Italy. The nearest airports are Brindisi and Bari. Transfer from Brindisi is about 30 minutes by car or bus and from Bari about 2 hours.
www.la fiermontina.com
www.palazzobozzicorso.com