Where to eat in Lecce? Start at a pastry counter at breakfast and work your way to a family trattoria by dinner. Lecce, the baroque capital of Salento in the heel of Italy, has one of the most distinctive food cultures in the south: custard-filled pasticciotto, rustico straight from the oven, chickpeas with fried pasta, and robust red wines from Negroamaro and Primitivo grapes.

Fall and winter are a good time to come. The beach crowds are gone, the honey-colored stone of the old town glows in the low sun, and the trattorias switch to slow-cooked dishes. Lecce is small enough to explore on foot in two days.

Here is what to order, where to find it, and three historic hotels in and around the city where you can stay.

What to eat in Lecce

• Pasticciotto: a small oval tart of shortcrust pastry filled with warm custard, the local breakfast. Order it with an espresso standing at the bar.
• Rustico leccese: two discs of puff pastry filled with béchamel, mozzarella, tomato and black pepper. Best eaten hot, mid-morning.
• Ciceri e tria: chickpeas with handmade pasta, part boiled and part fried until crisp. The signature dish of Salento.
• Puccia: round bread from a wood oven, split and filled, often with olives baked into the dough.
• Pittule: small fried dough balls, plain or with salt cod, capers or cauliflower, a fall and Christmas tradition.
• Frisa: twice-baked bread softened with water and topped with tomatoes, olive oil and oregano.

Wines to drink with it

Salento is red-wine country. Negroamaro is the local grape, behind Salice Salentino and many Copertino reds; Primitivo di Manduria is richer and higher in alcohol. Salento is also known for its rosato, dry rosé made from Negroamaro, which pairs well with the vegetable dishes and fried starters.

Where to eat in Lecce

For breakfast, Caffè Alvino on Piazza Sant'Oronzo is the historic café on the main square, the obvious place for your first pasticciotto. Pasticceria Natale, near the square on Via Salvatore Trinchese, is known for its pasticciotti and pastries. If you have a car, drive 20 minutes south to Galatina, the town where the pasticciotto is said to have been invented.

For lunch and dinner, the old town has trattorias serving home-style Salento cooking. Alle Due Corti, in a small courtyard of the historic center, writes its menu in the local dialect; Le Zie, just outside the old town walls, is a family-run trattoria with a short daily menu. Both are small: book a day ahead, especially on weekends.

A practical note: many restaurants in Lecce close one day a week and some close for a few weeks in winter. Check before you go, and expect dinner to start around 8:30 pm.

A day in Lecce

Morning: pasticciotto and espresso, then the Basilica di Santa Croce and its carved baroque facade, and Piazza del Duomo. Late morning: rustico from a bakery. Afternoon: the Roman amphitheater on Piazza Sant'Oronzo and a walk through the lanes to Porta Napoli. Evening: dinner of ciceri e tria and a glass of Negroamaro.

Where to stay in Lecce

Pollicastro Boutique Hotel – Lecce (Puglia)

A 16th-century palazzo on Via dei Perroni, in the heart of the old town and a few steps from the cathedral and Piazza Sant'Oronzo. The facade carries a statue of Sant'Oronzo by the baroque sculptor Giuseppe Zimbalo, and over the doorway an angel holds a loaf of local bread, a reminder of a legend linked to Saint Francis of Assisi. Rooms and suites are each furnished differently, some with a private grotto pool. The hotel can arrange cooking classes, tours and airport transfers.

Torre del Parco – Lecce (Puglia)

A fortress built in 1419 by Giovanni Antonio Orsini del Balzo, Prince of Taranto, with a tall tower, a frescoed chapel and underground cells where prisoners carved their prayers into the stone. Nine rooms with period details, a courtyard garden with centuries-old palms, and massages on request. The historic center is a 10-minute walk away. There is no restaurant on site, which makes it a good base for eating your way through the city.

Masseria & Spa Luciagiovanni – Lecce (Puglia)

A 17th-century masseria in Moorish style a few minutes from the old town, with 28 rooms furnished with North African craftsmanship, some with a private garden corner. The La Medina spa has a sauna, a Turkish bath and an indoor pool, open every afternoon. The restaurant serves traditional Salento recipes with a wine list focused on Puglia. Free parking.

Check availability for your dates and book directly with the hotel.

Getting there

The nearest airport is Brindisi, about 40 minutes by car; Bari is two hours. High-speed trains reach Lecce from Rome and Bologna. Lecce works well as the last stop of a southern Italy trip: our Plan your trip page can help you build the route.

A gift idea

Our Italy gift card is digital, valid for five years and can be used for hotels and experiences across the collection.

FAQ

What food is Lecce famous for?
The pasticciotto, a custard tart eaten at breakfast, and the rustico, a hot puff pastry with béchamel and mozzarella. For a main course, ciceri e tria.

How many days do you need in Lecce?
Two days for the city and its food; three or four to add Otranto, Gallipoli and the Salento coast.

Is Lecce worth visiting in winter?
Yes. The old town is quieter, the weather is mild for the season, and the trattorias serve their cold-weather dishes. Some seaside restaurants close until spring.

For more food guides, read where to eat in Siena, or browse all our historic hotels in Italy. We are a small team in the Venice area, not a marketplace: you book directly with each hotel.

Cover photo: Renano, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Christmas markets in Northern Italy are a different trip from the Italy most Americans know. In December, Trentino and South Tyrol trade vineyards and piazzas in the sun for wooden stalls, mulled wine and snow on the Dolomites, with a German-Austrian accent that you won't find anywhere else in the country.

The good news for travelers from the US: the season runs from late November to January 6, so it fits Thanksgiving week, the first half of December or the holidays themselves. Flights into Venice, Verona or Milan put you two to three hours from the markets by train.

This guide covers the 2026 dates, how to plan four or five days between Trento and Merano, and three historic hotels where you can book directly with the owners.

2026 dates at a glance

• Trento: November 20, 2026 – January 6, 2027, in Piazza Fiera and Piazza Cesare Battisti. Open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 24, 25 and 31 and January 6.
• Merano: November 26, 2026 – January 6, 2027, in the town center. Closed December 25; on December 24 and 31 it closes at 3:30 p.m.
• Bolzano, Bressanone (Brixen), Brunico, Vipiteno (Sterzing): usually late November to Epiphany. Check the official sites before you go.

Italian crowds peak on December weekends and over the Immaculate Conception holiday (December 5–8 in 2026). Weekdays in early December are the sweet spot.

Trento: a market under the castle

Market stalls in Piazza Fiera, Trento. Photo: Syrio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trento's market fills Piazza Fiera, along the medieval walls, and Piazza Cesare Battisti, a short walk from the Buonconsiglio Castle, the former residence of the prince-bishops. Stalls sell carved wood, wool, ornaments and local food. Five minutes away is Piazza Duomo, with its frescoed houses and the Neptune fountain.

What to try: apple strudel, canederli (bread dumplings) and a glass of Trentodoc, the local traditional-method sparkling wine. You can build a tasting into your stay with the Starred Bubbles, History and Relaxation in Trento experience.

Merano: a spa town in December

Merano is smaller and easy to walk. The market sits in the center of this old Habsburg spa town, with a lit Christmas tree, South Tyrolean crafts, speck, mountain cheeses and Zelten, the local fruit-and-nut Christmas cake. The public thermal baths are right in town, which makes Merano a good base if you want an afternoon in warm water between market visits.

What to eat and drink

Local specialities at a stall in Trento. Photo: MicheleCa3112, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The markets are as much about food as shopping. Expect speck and smoked sausages from South Tyrol, mountain cheeses, Kaiserschmarrn (a torn, caramelized pancake served with jam), Knödel in broth, and roasted chestnuts in paper cones. For drinks, mulled wine (vin brulé or Glühwein) comes in red and white versions, and many stalls serve a warm apple-cinnamon juice for anyone skipping alcohol. In Trentino, look for apples from the Val di Non, grappa from small distilleries and Trentodoc; in South Tyrol, Lagrein and Gewürztraminer, the aromatic white named after the village of Tramin, south of Bolzano.

For a sit-down dinner, book a table in a Stube, the traditional wood-paneled dining room you will find in most restaurants of the region: December evenings are busy, and walk-ins are often turned away on weekends.

A sample itinerary

• Day 1: Fly into Venice or Verona, train to Trento (about 1 hour from Verona). Evening at the market.
• Day 2: Buonconsiglio Castle in the morning, Trentodoc tasting in the afternoon.
• Day 3: Train to Merano via Bolzano (about 1.5 hours); stop for Bolzano's market on Piazza Walther and the Ötzi museum.
• Day 4: Merano market and thermal baths.
• Day 5: Optional day in the Dolomites, or back to Venice for a night before your flight.

Need help putting it together? Our Plan your trip page explains how our team, based in the Venice area, can help you build a route.

Where to stay

Hotel Castel Rundegg – Merano (South Tyrol)

A castle dating back to the 12th century, about a ten-minute walk from Merano's center. After a cold evening at the market you come back to an indoor pool, a Finnish sauna and a steam room. A good pick if you want to do everything on foot.

Hotel Villa Madruzzo – Trento (Trentino)

A historic villa on the green hills overlooking Trento, quiet and away from traffic, with a spa, a pool and a restaurant focused on fresh local ingredients. The center is a short drive or taxi ride away, and parking is free on site.

Historic Hotel La Stua – Cavalese (Trentino)

If you want snow as well as markets: a four-star hotel with antique furniture and fireplaces in Cavalese, 400 meters from the Alpe Cermis ski lifts, with a sauna and steam room. Trento is about an hour away by car.

Check availability for your dates and book directly with the hotel: December weekends fill up early.

Practical tips

• Skip the rental car: Trento, Bolzano and Merano are all on the rail network, and parking near the markets is hard.
• Bring some cash in euros; smaller stalls may not take cards.
• Evenings drop below freezing. Pack waterproof boots and layers.
• Many stores and restaurants close on December 25 and 26; plan meals ahead.

A gift idea

Traveling with someone special, or giving the trip as a present? Our Italy gift card can be used at any hotel in the collection and stays valid for five years.

FAQ

When are the Christmas markets in Italy open in 2026?
Trento opens November 20 and Merano November 26, 2026; both close on January 6, 2027. Bolzano and the other South Tyrol markets usually follow a similar calendar.

Can I visit the Christmas markets over Thanksgiving?
Yes. Thanksgiving falls on November 26, 2026, the day Merano opens, and Trento is already open by then.

What is the nearest airport?
Verona is the closest major airport to Trento (about 1 hour by train). Venice and Milan work too, with 2.5 to 3 hours of travel.

For the rest of your winter trip, read our guides to Christmas in Rome and New Year's Eve in Italy, or browse the historic homes of Venice and the Veneto.

Knowing where to eat in Siena changes the trip. The city is small enough to cross on foot in twenty minutes, but the restaurants on Piazza del Campo are not where the Sienese eat. Two streets back, in the steep lanes of the contrade, you find the osterie that still roll pici by hand and serve ribollita in winter.

Siena's cooking is plain and generous: thick hand-rolled pasta, slow-cooked meats, Cinta Senese pork, pecorino from the nearby Crete, and some of Italy's oldest sweets. Fall and winter are the best seasons to try it, when the soups and game dishes come back on the menu.

This guide covers the dishes to order, a short list of addresses in the historic center, practical tips on timing and booking, and three historic places to stay, in town and in the countryside around Monteriggioni.

What to order in Siena

• Pici: thick, hand-rolled spaghetti. Try them all'aglione (with a garlicky tomato sauce) or with a ragù of Cinta Senese, the local heritage pork.
• Ribollita and pappa al pomodoro: the two bread-based Tuscan soups, hearty and best in cold months.
• Tagliata and grilled meats: Chianina beef or Cinta Senese, cooked simply over coals.
• Pecorino: sheep's cheese from the Crete Senesi and nearby Pienza, served young or aged, sometimes with honey.
• Panforte and ricciarelli: the city's historic sweets, a dense spiced cake with candied fruit and almonds, and soft almond cookies dusted with sugar.

Where to eat in the historic center

Osteria Le Logge (Via del Porrione 33): a few steps from the Campo, in a former grocery that still has its antique glass-fronted cabinets. Tuscan cooking with a refined touch and a serious wine list. Book ahead.

Osteria Il Grattacielo (Via dei Pontani 8): a tiny, no-frills osteria with a handful of tables and a short daily menu: pici all'aglione, ribollita, cured meats. Go early.

Osteria degli Svitati (Via della Galluzza): handmade pici, soups and meat dishes in one of the most picturesque arched lanes of the city.

Pasticceria Nannini (Banchi di Sopra 24): the classic stop for panforte, ricciarelli and an espresso at the counter, on Siena's main street.

Tips for eating well in Siena

• Lunch runs from about 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., dinner from 7:30 p.m. Many kitchens close between services.
• Book dinner on weekends, especially in fall when tour groups and wine travelers fill the city.
• Avoid places with photo menus on the Campo; walk a block or two into the contrade.
• Ask for the house wine or a glass of Chianti Classico: Siena sits at the southern edge of the Chianti region, and Montalcino and Montepulciano are less than an hour away.

A food day in and around Siena

Morning coffee and ricciarelli on Banchi di Sopra, then the Duomo and the Campo before the crowds. Lunch of pici in the contrade. In the afternoon, a short drive to Monteriggioni, the walled village on the Via Francigena, or a wine tasting in the Chianti hills. Back in town for dinner in an osteria. If you are planning a longer trip through Tuscany, our historic homes in Tuscany page and the Plan your trip service can help you build the route.

Where to stay

Villa del Sole – Siena (Tuscany)

A boutique hotel in the historic center, about a two-minute walk from Piazza del Campo. From the windows you can see the Torre del Mangia, the Duomo and the Basilica of Sant'Agostino, and the panoramic terrace looks toward the Val d'Orcia. The best choice if you want to walk to dinner every night.

Borgo San Luigi – Monteriggioni (Tuscany)

A restored 17th-century rural village set in a park of more than 60,000 square meters among the hills near Monteriggioni. Rooms have terracotta floors, antique furniture and four-poster beds; the restaurant serves Tuscan dishes and there is a large outdoor pool. A short drive from Siena and the Chianti wineries.

Relais La Costa – Monteriggioni (Tuscany)

A historic residence on a hilltop surrounded by fifty hectares of woodland, with a view of Siena, which is only a few minutes away by car. It has a wellness center with a hot tub and sauna, an outdoor pool and a restaurant serving traditional Tuscan food and wine.

Check availability for your dates and book directly with the hotel: fall weekends in Siena fill up early.

A gift idea

Planning the trip as a present? Our Italy gift card can be used at hotels and experiences in the collection and stays valid for five years.

FAQ

What is the typical dish of Siena?
Pici, thick hand-rolled pasta, usually served all'aglione or with a Cinta Senese pork ragù. For dessert, panforte and ricciarelli.

Should I book restaurants in Siena?
Yes for dinner on weekends and in the fall high season; at lunch, small osterie often work on a first-come basis.

Is it better to stay inside Siena or in the countryside?
Inside the walls if you want to walk everywhere; in the countryside near Monteriggioni if you have a car and want a pool, quiet and easy access to the Chianti wineries.

For more food in Tuscany, read our guides to where to eat in Florence and Thanksgiving in Florence and Chianti.

Spending New Year's Eve in Italy means choosing between three very different nights: fireworks over the lagoon in Venice, concerts in Renaissance squares in Florence, or a city-wide celebration in Rome that carries on until the early hours. All three are easy to reach from the US with one connection, and all three are worth booking now, three months ahead.

This guide compares the three cities, explains the Italian traditions you will meet at the table, and suggests one historic hotel in each, so you can decide where to raise your glass at midnight.

Venice: fireworks over St. Mark's Basin

Venice celebrates at midnight with fireworks over the Bacino di San Marco, the stretch of water in front of St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace. The crowd gathers along the waterfront, so arrive early or watch from a quieter spot along the Riva degli Schiavoni. The days around New Year are also a good time to see the city at its most atmospheric, with short, misty days and empty back streets.

On January 1, a group of hardy locals traditionally takes a New Year's swim at the Lido: worth the vaporetto ride just to watch.

Florence: concerts and a quieter midnight

Florence usually hosts free concerts in several squares on the evening of December 31, and many people end the night at Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the Duomo. It is the most relaxed of the three: ideal if you want a long dinner, a walk across the Ponte Vecchio and the museums almost to yourself in the first days of January.

Rome: the big-city celebration

Rome is the liveliest choice. The city usually organizes a large public concert, and the celebrations spread through the historic center until late. Stay close to where you want to be at midnight: taxis are scarce and many streets close to traffic. For more on the holiday season in the capital, read our guide to Christmas in Rome.

Italian New Year traditions

• Lentils and cotechino. The traditional New Year's Eve dinner, the cenone, ends with lentils, a wish for money in the new year, served with cotechino or zampone sausage.
• Red for luck. Wearing something red on the night is said to bring good luck.
• Set menus. Most restaurants offer a fixed New Year's Eve menu at a set price, often with music. Book as early as you can.
• The season lasts until January 6. Epiphany, la Befana, closes the holidays: many families travel until then, so hotels stay busy.

Practical tips

• Book flights and hotels now. The week between Christmas and Epiphany is one of the busiest of the year in all three cities.
• Stay at least three nights. Arrive on December 30 so that jet lag is behind you by midnight on the 31st.
• Combine two cities. Venice, Florence and Rome are connected by fast trains: our Venice, Florence and Rome journey shows how to split the holidays between them.

Where to stay for New Year's Eve

Palazzo Ruzzini – Venice (Veneto)

A late 18th-century palace between Campo Santa Maria Formosa and the Rio del Paradiso, a ten-minute walk from St. Mark's. Its lounges and rooms keep the atmosphere of an aristocratic Venetian home, and after the fireworks you are back in a quiet square.

Loggiato dei Serviti – Florence (Tuscany)

On Piazza Santissima Annunziata, one of the most harmonious Renaissance squares in Florence, a few minutes from the Duomo and the Accademia. Rooms are furnished with antiques, and some look out onto the Cathedral or the square.

Donna Camilla Savelli – Rome (Lazio)

A 17th-century Baroque monastery on the slopes of the Gianicolo in Trastevere, still peaceful behind its walls. It is a short walk from the lively streets of Trastevere and a quiet retreat once the celebrations are over.

Check availability for New Year's Eve now: the last week of December is the first to fill up in all three cities. Choose your hotel and dates below.

Frequently asked questions

Which Italian city is best for New Year's Eve?

Rome for a big celebration, Venice for fireworks on the water, Florence for a quieter night with concerts and a long dinner.

Is it cold in Italy at New Year?

Expect around 35 to 50°F in Venice and Florence and slightly milder weather in Rome, with fog on the lagoon.

How far ahead should I book?

Book flights and hotels by October, and your New Year's Eve dinner as soon as restaurants publish their menus.

Keep planning

Explore our selections in Venice and the Veneto, Tuscany and Rome, or use Plan your trip to build your itinerary. We are a small team based near Venice, and you always book directly with the hotel.

Cover photo: Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but , CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons