Did you ever wonder how upper-class Italians lived, say in the 1800s? Maybe even those of the nobility class? If so, Palazzo Pio is the place for you. My wife and I stayed there recently for a week with another couple. The place is so large that, at times, I had to hunt for another human being. The place has seven large and spacious rooms (and most are air conditioned) with huge vaulted and stenciled ceilings (some may even be bass-relief) facing intricate mosaic tiled floors through out the complex.
The eat in kitchen has the old cooking and warming stove, including two large tureen warmers built in. It also has a modern range with fridge and clothes washing machine. If you have a lot of Lecce friends, you could invite them to dinner in the huge dining room. I counted 16 dining room chairs that could easily fit the long beautiful dining room table. Think royal state dinner.
There are two large parlors, a nicely appointed study/library/reading area and a couple of spacious bedrooms. One has an ensuite bathroom. The other private chamber is down the hall near the kitchen.
Each sleep chamber has its own balcony over looking Viale Lo Re (Francesca) a lane that fronts the gates to the old walled city. There are numerous cafes, bistros, fruit stands etc. along the street. In fact, right across Lo Re is a café that serves fresh squeezed orange juice and the best cappuccinos in Lecce along with an array of pastries and just about every other food imaginable. It was our morning gathering place.
It was interesting to discover, that even though this was one of two apartments on the second floor (In Europe the second floor is considered the first floor) each room but one had at least 1 or two windows that faced either the street or a beautiful internal court yard. The thick shutters easily shut out any street noise once closed.
The courtyard with its nicely landscaped grounds and numerous olive trees was a haven after a long day of sightseeing. It has several sitting areas with each one suitable for a group to down a chilled bottle of prosecco.
Oh, I almost forgot. The complex has a welcome cat. A small feline that meets each guest with a meow that means, “Scratch my head.” It patrols the courtyard looking for a lap to rest on or a person to pet it or just to talk with you. Kinda cool.
The apartment is reached by a grand stone mosaic tiled staircase that has three landings. Could be a set for a movie.
So, as you can see, we enjoyed our time immense