Four weeks in Lecce and the Salento

I just finished four weeks of study at the Scuola d’italiano per Stranieri in Lecce, Puglia. The trip was organised through Learn Italian in Lecce, an Adelaide enterprise set up to give students an opportunity to immerse themselves in Italian culture and language through classroom study, cultural events and excursions with Italian speaking teachers and guides.

The city of Lecce is down on the heel of Italy, in a region known as ‘the Salento’. Like all Italian regions, it has unique cuisine, language and customs. Along with a group of other learners from Australia plus learners from Spain, Columbia, US and Egypt, I had a full immersion in all things Salento.

Below is a selection of photos highlighting my time in the Salento. Thanks to fellow student David Bishop for allowing me to use some of his photos here. David has a keen eye; I have noted his photo with the initials(DB) in the caption. Click any photo to enlarge it, read the caption and scroll to the next.

Martano – Kurumuny Festival

We started off the weekend with a cure for jet-lag: Pizzica music and dancing. The 2016 Kurumuny festa was dedicated to Lucia Assunta De Pascalis, a great interpreter of the oral tradition of Salento folk song and protagonist and promoter of the previous  May Day celebrations (Kurumuny).

Riding to Martana through fields of spring flowers

The oven was ready to feed the gathering.

Lucia Assunta De Pascalis, interpreter of the oral tradition of Salento folk song

The Pizzica music and dancing were the highlights of a great day. Kurumuny festival.

Il cibo e il vino – Food and wine

Like much of the south of Italy, the diet springs from what was traditionally available. The term ‘cucina povera’ is heard often, but this isn’t what we think of as the ‘food of the poor’. What we tasted used simple ingredients and cooking methods that be achieved by home cooks — and language students! We tried our hand at a few Italian and Salento dishes each week with Cooking Experience Lecce‘s irrepressible Gianna and her sous chef Andrea. Both are also knowledgable about wines and our dishes were always served with a selection of local wines.

Apart from the meals at Cooking Experience Lecce, we had many good meals on day trips around the Salento and in the town of Lecce.

A divine desert based on olives: olive paste (sweetened), olive oil mousse. The almond biscuits were buttery and crisp. The creme anglaise added enough sweetness.

Marinated anchovies

Chicory & artichokes. Cicoria & carciofi.

baby cheeses (ricotto)

Fennel baked with cheese and breadcrumbs. One of my faves!

Carmelised onions & lentils

My host family’s husband love to cook up a storm on the weekend. This beef sugo was cooked for hours.

Cheeses and veggies

In Bari, we let the waiter bring us food until we said STOP. These skewered prawns were encrusted with almond slivers. DELISH.

Una Puccia. A puccia being a bread roll that resembles a little cheek that you fill with meats, cheeses and vegetables as desired. A local lunch favourite.

A crisp Fiano at Masseria l’Astore

Fresh calamari at Castro, Salento

A rosè (rosato) at Masseria l’Astore

Treccia pasta at Cooking Experience Lecce.

At Parabita there were vendors with buckets of salted fish. Not everyone’s thing, but I loved it.

Mushrooms for risotto

Mushrooms for risotto

Cooking class with Gianna. Making a mushroom risotto.

The finished product with the Saffron and butter giving that glorious colour! (DB)

Wow, we made this focaccia! (DB)

Day tripping

The Scuola d’italiano per Stranieri and Learn Italian in Lecce organised day trips to various places in the Salento and beyond, including: Martano, Otranto, Bari, the Adriatic coast (plus the bottom of Italy, Leuca) , a Masseria (with winery and olive oil production), Ugento, Felline and more. We visited a working farm near Ugento where vegetables are cooked, dried or otherwise preserved for sale. We experienced degustations, meals, local traditions, festivals, fireworks and parades. We danced, ate, drank, chatted with locals and smiled a lot!

The harbour at Bari

On the ‘mean’ (?) streets of Bari waiting for the parade celebrating San Nicola (photo by DB)

12th Century mosaics cover the floor of the Cathedral at Otranto. Scene of Infernus – Hell.

12th Century mosaics cover the floor of the Cathedral at Otranto. Animals are a common feature.

Bottom of Italy – Leuca

Cinquecento in Otranto

Bari lights, before being lit!

Tomb of a young athlete discovered during renovation work at Ugento (photo by DB)

A copy of the statue of Zeus at the Civic Museum Ugento. The original is located at the Museum of Taranto but is under restoration and not on display.

old typewriter at the Museo Ferroviario della Puglia

Working the old signals at Museo Ferroviario della Puglia

Signals – Museo Ferroviario della Puglia

Our new friend Barbara at Festa di Santa Maria della Coltura in Parabita (photo by DB)

Dancing animals in the piazza – Festa di Santa Maria della Coltura in Parabita (photo by DB)

Festa di Santa Maria della Coltura in Parabita (photo by DB)

Festa di Santa Maria della Coltura in Parabita (photo by DB)

Festa di Santa Maria della Coltura in Parabita (photo by DB)

at i Contadini – looking lovely ladies!

sugo – at i Contadini

Carciofi – artichokes – at i Contadini

Mary protecting the workers at i Contadini!

Around town

The people of the Lecce welcomed us with open arms. The teachers, baristas and waiters, tour guides and host families alike wanted us to experience life as it is lived year in and year out. They are proud of their heritage, traditions and culture.  This is not a show for tourists. Lecce and the Salento are real. And really fantastic.

First view of Lecce on arrival. The sky at twilight was a beautiful blue. Crepuscolo a Lecce.

Inside Teatro Politeama Greco for the opera.

My host family’s country house not far from Lecce.

Little shrines appear around town.

Spuntini time with an Aperol Spritz.

Now that’s a door!

Luce on Lecce

The column with St Oronzo on top.

I passed this door handle every day and loved the image.

Lunching on salad, vegetables and tuna.

Porta Rudaie, near my homestay.

Little shrines appear around town.

Lecce building with ornate balcony

Provincial palazzo doorway leading to public gardens (DB).

Ornate balcony and doorway

Street Art.

Street art.

More Street Art, near Porta Rudiae.

I love this font.

During our month in Lecce I watched the cactus flowers start to form.

Lunch with my host family

Breakfast with host family included the last blood oranges of the season…

A scene from Teatro Piaisello. Musica a Sud Est held a tribute performance for musician Pierangelo Colucci of nearby Ostuni who died in 2015, aged 56. This audience member could not contain himself! (DB)

If you’ve been considering studying Italian in Italy, I would highly recommend this trip organised through Learn Italian in Lecce. Raffaele is well connected and has a true passion for the Salento. The trip contacts and costs can be found on the website link above.

The teachers and administration at Scuola d’italiano per Stranieri in Lecce, were top notch and I know our group of students felt well cared for, regardless of our level.

Lecce and the Salento will enchant you.