They call Lecce the Florence of the south but the undulating Baroque facades of Lecce’s sculpted palaces and churches couldn’t be more different than its sober, sedate Tuscan countepart.  Situated in the extreme southeast of the Italian peninsula, Lecce is the capital of Salento, a region well known among Italians for its crystal waters which touch its two coasts-the Adriatic side with its caves and grottos, and the Ionian side with its royal blue waters. Over the past millennium, Lecce has been ruled by Greeks, Byzantines, Arabs, French, Germans, Spanish, and, currently, Italians. In the process, the city has developed a unique cuisine, language and culture that is dramatically different even from nearby Bari and Brindisi. Sitting just 5 miles from the Adriatic coast, Lecce is a destination that offers the traveler picturesque beaches by day and bustling city life by night. And with an culinary tradition drawing on fresh local produce, fresh fish, homemade pastas, and olive oil, Lecce might just be the unofficial food capital of Italy.