Patria Palace: a chic, relaxing bolthole in the heart of Lecce

Puglia is an area of Italy often ignored by foreign tourists. Famous neighbours to the north, like Tuscany, Umbria and Campania steal the holiday headlines, while the legendary glamour of Florence, Milan, and Rome draws the crowds. Puglia, though, has plenty to offer its visitors, and the relative few who do choose a sojourn in the stiletto heel of Italy's boot will find year-round sunshine, an intoxicatingly gentle pace of life, and a trove of architectural and cultural treasure which easily rivals the more famous regions to its north.

The city of Lecce, the cultural capital of Puglia, is an ideal base from which to discover the region and, at its centre, Patria Palace is just the kind of understated, elegant hotel to enhance the whole experience.

Why stay here?

Patria Palace is tucked away on a little square opposite one of Lecce's most important landmarks: the Basilica di Santa Croce. The entire city is known for its Baroque architecture – it's often called the "Florence of the South" – and this cathedral is arguably its finest example. Whether in morning sunlight or under evening illumination, the carved stonework around the rose window is breathtaking to behold. The relationship between the hotel and the cathedral is strong: dinners are taken on a rooftop terrace with an unrivalled view of its majestic neighbour and, through the hotel, you can arrange a genuinely moving night-time private tour of the cathedral's artworks.

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The fact that Puglia is relatively undiscovered means that many visitors will need a helping hand to get the most out of a trip. Sure, Google can provide a list of the main attractions, but only true local knowledge from the hotel's concierge can point you in the direction of the mother-and-daughter team who give you cooking lessons using the food they helped you choose at the market that morning. The concierge can also arrange a behind-the-scenes tour of Le Costantine, the nearby atelier where garments for Dior are still made by hand on century-old looms. If you're really lucky, you can even get access to the cathedral balcony for a close-up of the stonework and a view of the piazza few people get to experience.

Once all that sightseeing has tired you out, Patria Palace is the ideal place to recover. Rooms are generous in size and tastefully designed, most featuring tall windows and gorgeous parquet or tiled floors. Mine faced onto the Basilica, with a wonderful view each morning as the square below slowly came to life. Some rooms have private terraces – with the Terrace Suite, the hotel's crowning glory, boasting 100 square metres of private outside space, including a pool. Thoughtful touches, such as locally handmade tiles, underline the hotel's connection to the local community and contribute to an atmosphere of warmth and welcome that fills the whole building.

Eating and drinking

In-house restaurant Atenze serves meals in a pristine dining room on the ground floor, with a small terrace for al fresco fans, and dinner service on the rooftop in the warmer months. The cuisine is classic Italian, with few frills and plenty of pride in locality. Until dining here, I had never heard of an olive oil sommelier but it turns out they exist, and the variety of oils and flavour profiles they presented to pair with each course astonished me. All were from the local Salento region, and all were delicious.

Alongside the olive oil was a mixture of Italian classics, perfectly rendered, and some more inventive modern dishes. Raviolo with lemon caviar, and a lemongrass cheesecake with caramelised apples and Calvados sauce (not strictly local but I'm a sucker for Calvados) were personal highlights, but the menu and kitchen expertise are extensive enough to provide for most palettes. The view of the Basilica, illuminated against the dark night sky, makes for a dramatic and romantic backdrop for evenings in the rooftop season.

Breakfast is a typical continental buffet, beautifully presented in the downstairs dining room, and should set you up well for a long day of sightseeing. If you’re in need of an afternoon refreshment or evening aperitivo, Barba's Natural Lounge on the second terrace offers an excellent people-watching vantage point, and the Sira rooftop bar provides another opportunity to revel in the beauty of that Basilica vista.

What to do

Lecce, like many Italian cities, is packed with history and tradition. Strolling around the city centre, marvelling at the architecture and drifting in and out of ancient churches, is a pastime in itself, but there is plenty to discover in wider Puglia as well. In the summer period (June to September), the hotel partners with a beach club on the Adriatic coast, offering a private transfer and access to guests who wish to unwind by the sea. Should you wish to rent your own car and meander through the more rural and coastal areas yourself, the hotel can arrange access to the limited traffic zone in the historic city centre where the hotel is located, and valet parking when you return.

Activities on-site are kept to a minimum: eating, drinking, and relaxing. This is not a resort hotel designed to keep you indoors as much as possible and extract the maximum margin from your presence; instead, it has the feeling of a local residence, set up with the intent of making your life as easy and luxurious as possible while you spend a few days as a true Leccese.

The verdict

It's a shame that Puglia is perhaps not as well visited as its northern counterparts but that may well change quickly. A burgeoning Fashion Week that shines a light on local artisans, an uptick in refined hospitality openings, and a wonderful array of beaches and towns and scenery and cuisine – mostly at a far more attractive price than further north – will soon have savvy travellers choosing the region for their summer dose of Italian dolce vita. You could do a lot worse than select Patria Palace as the beautiful place where you administer yours.

Nick was a guest at Patria Palace. Rooms from €350 per night, on a B&B basis.