I recently wandered through Italy’s heel, Puglia, to pursue my version of an "eat, pray, love" summer. Determined to explore as much of the region as possible, I hopped cities and, for my final stop, I settled on a town that many call the "Florence of the South": Lecce. For years, I had seen the sapphire waters and alluring grottos that decorate the region from afar but knew very little about the town.

But the ancient golden baroque city, which often serves as a base for travelers heading to nearby towns like Ostuni and Monopoli, is worth dedicating a few days to. I stayed at Palazzo De Noha, a 15th-century mansion that sits in the heart of the city near famous landmarks like Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazza del Duomo. Whenever I walked down the cobblestone road to this historic hotel, I was reminded that I was in a town full of towering relics of yesteryear.