Our first impressions of Lecce, Italy! One week in Puglia.

Ep.36 We were so surprised by what we discovered in this Italian gem of the Puglia region. The weather also shocked us and forced us to work hard to stay warm much of the time. Watch as we brave hail and heavy winds on our rooftop patio to tell you all about our trip to this lovely city during the week we visited.
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00:00 Intro
Finding Gina Marie is where we share our lives as full-time travelers and the connections we make along the way.
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📹 VIDEO EQUIPMENT
* Primary Camera: Sony FX30
* B-Roll Camera: Sony ZV-1, iPhone 14 Pro
* Editing: Final Cut Pro X on an M1 Max MacBook Pro
* Key Light: Aputure Amaran 100d COB LED Light
* Diffuser: Selens Hexadecagon Softbox 65cm/26in
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#findingGinaMarie #worldtraveler #worldtravel #livingthedream #slowtravel #digitalnomad #digitalnomadlife #europetravel #retireearly#retireearlyandtravel #lecce #puglia

[@claudiahansen4938]

Your humor is so cute. We've never seen Italy's boot. Will never eat dinner in Europe though. We prefer long and gourmet lunches so we have all day to walk it off!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

You are too sweet, Claudia! You are wise regarding gourmet lunches. We have mostly evolved (?) to eating a small breakfast and then an early dinner. It does not fit with the Italian culture, but we don't need to eat late at night, either! -Judy

[@claudiahansen4938]

Lecce looks absolutely beautiful! Good choice.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We really need to go back when it's nicer weather. It was lovely, but really, really cold. It didn't help that our Airbnb had the heat throttled. Brrrr! -Judy

[@GruenerGummistiefel]

You sure remember lecce for long time . Harsh weather conditions makes you want to return so you picked the right time for first visit. Lol

[@FindingGinaMarie]

You are probably right about that! It also was a good learning experience for us that certain parts of the country shut down and many restaurants and shops aren't operational at certain times. Here's our other episode from Lecce if you missed it. Also, this Saturday we'll be bringing you our episode from Orvieto, Italy and additional content from our travels in Italy! Thanks for watching! -Judy 🎥 Lecce More Travel Tips! kzbin.info/www/bejne/npTHqpyIjsulosU

[@ntf5115]

First of all, your family stories are so endearing and heartwarming. Your journey (s) so clearly resonates with my husband and I. We are about to make our 3rd trip to Italy in 18 months - leaving next week. Mind you; we had never set foot on European soil until our first trip to Italy In September, 2021. Like Judy (Gina Marie), I am of Italian ancestry. My maternal Grandmother was born in Sicily and my maternal Grandfather was born in Abruzzo and they met as adults in Chicago. My Grandfather was still an Italian citizen when my mother was born in Chicago and I am most likely eligible for dual Italian citizenship via June Sanguines. My grandparents never returned to Italy - my Grandfather passed away at the early age of 38. Sadly, my mother & her siblings never traveled to Italy during their lifetimes. However, I have always identified as Italian American, rather than aligning with the English/Scottish/Northern European ancestry of my Father's family tree. My husband's ancestry is mostly Norwegian, but he quickly and enthusiastically embraced the raucous nature of my extended Italian American family. We are pursuing the possibility of relocating to Italy, regardless of whether I pursue dual citizenship. Since we are now both retired, we would pursue the path of the "Elective Residence Visa". Our wish list for a possible new residence is very similar to yours. So.....one of the cities on our list to visit during our upcoming trip is Lecce! We are using Bari as our Puglia base and plan on visiting the areal north of Bari - Barletta/Andria/Trani-along with Lecce and perhaps Monopoli. We were encouraged by your opinion of Lecce; especially the confirmation that the University plays a role in the overall city vibe. You mentioned your Lecce walking tours and I was hoping you'd be able to pass along the tour group you used. Sorry for the less than hospitable weather in Lecce; hoping your travel weather improves. We're still recovering from the serious ice storms we experienced here in northern Chicago suburbs. Best to you both and keep the videos coming.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@ntf5115 Thanks so much for watching our videos and for your very sweet comment and for sharing your story with us! Our commonalities are fascinating! I especially love how you embraced your Italian heritage! It's so sad about your grandfather's young passing, but what an incredible legacy he left behind. It sounds like you definitely would be eligible for jure sanguinis if you chose to apply for it, and in your situation, you should be able to live in Italy while your application is processing. We have another episode on Lecce coming next week! After we filmed the first one, we realized that there was so much we still hadn't talked about, so look for it next Saturday. Our weather here in Egypt is starting to get warm. We've benefitted from a small space heater, but the sun is hot and the days are getting nicer. I wish you warm weather as well. Ice storms sound miserable, but like Buffalo, where we're from, Chicago is known for brutal winters. You are brave to continue to endure them as long as you have! -Judy

[@ntf5115]

@@FindingGinaMarie Looking forward to the 2nd installment on Lecce. Can't wait to learn more about your Egyptian adventure. Thanks for continually providing a fresh and honest portrayal of your travels and family history!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@ntf5115 We are eager to share our Egyptian adventures, but we have a few more episodes from Italy first! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! -Judy

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@ntf5115 Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean more than you know! I hope you enjoyed our second episode about Lecce. We are eager to share everything from our time in Egypt. It’s been such an interesting experience. We are so glad we stepped outside of our comfort zone, because it has been very worthwhile! -Judy

[@StefanoGuarascio]

I live in Lecce and it’s always enriching how people from different countries see the city you’ve always lived in.. so sorry for the weather, May and September are the best months to visit it indeed for two reasons 1) from June to August (especially August) it’s full of tourists, you have to book any place at least one week in advance and you won’t find any spot to park your car before spending at least 30 minutes trying to find it 2) summer here is extremely hot and A/C is not very common here, people just go to the sea 😂

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Stefano! We hope that we represented your city fairly. We have a second video on Lecce, because we realized that there was so much more to talk about! We've been to Italy in November, but it was not anywhere near as cold as we experienced. Our Airbnb had a throttle on the heat, and we wanted to be respectful of that because of the rising fuel costs. But it made our time there much more uncomfortable than we would have preferred. We'll be back in Italy in June, but not as far south as Lecce, unfortunately. We do have more of that region we would love to explore. Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@Paul-yd6rr]

We would love to discuss the better places to buy a home in Lecce.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Paul, as full-time travelers, we won't be the best people to provide input. It's possible @StefanoGuarascio has feedback that could be helpful. Otherwise, if you'd like we can reach out to our tour guide to see if she has any recommendations or can refer someone who may be able to help you with this information. How fun it would be to live there full time! -Judy

[@marks.2613]

I hope to visit there in the autumn

[@FindingGinaMarie]

I'm sure it will be fantastic weather for you, especially if you are there in September/October and even early November. We'd love to hear what you think about it after you visit! Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@Paul-yd6rr]

Loved this video! You 2 are great!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you so much for checking it out and for taking the time to let us know you enjoyed it. We appreciate it more than you can know! -Judy

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We also have a second episode on Lecce if that's a place you are interested in: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npTHqpyIjsulosU and a few Judy's Journal blog posts about our time in Lecce, which you can find through this search link: findingginamarie.com/search?q=lecce

[@itsmetaran]

Great video!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you, Taranjeet! It really means a lot that you are taking the time to watch and comment! -Judy

[@guerro327]

Another great video. Love that you are both enjoying the Salento. That is a great rate for a week stay. FYI, orecchiette means "little ears" I have not tried the horse meat, personally. I know it is a food in Sicilia as well. I found that most (all?) house or table wine at restaurants was very good. I will be back in October!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We have had great luck with house wines in Italy! And thank you for the clarification! I may have said elephant ears in error! And you are right about horse meat in Sicily. It’s called cavallo for people who want to be warned in advance! Thank you for watching! We will be visiting Turino and Genova in early July for the first time! October should be lovely weather for you! If you come back with recommended places to visit, please let us know! -Judy

[@Property2030sg]

Nice video! Enjoyed watching it and thanks for “enlightening” me about that part of Italy :) I am just a bit curious why you chose to visit Lecce, instead of other cities in that region. Anyway, I hope I can also have the opportunity to explore that part of Italy in the future!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We considered Bari, Brindisi, and Monopoli, but Lecce enticed us as being referred to as the "Florence of the South." We didn't think Monopoli-as a fishing town-would be ideal in winter. However, the entire Puglia region is pretty popular right now, and there's a lot of places in that area we'd like to explore during better weather (but not in summer, when it may be too hot for us!). If you do visit, we'd love to hear your thoughts! We appreciate that you took the time to comment. It really helps our channel, and we LOVE hearing from our viewers! -Judy

[@dianarider7712]

Thank you for sharing Lecce with us. I keep looking at it but we can only travel to Italy in the summer (hubby works in education) and the south is just too hot. We hope to visit one day, though!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you for your sweet comment and for watching, Diana! Lecce is definitely worth a visit, but I understand your concerns. We are going to be in Italy for two weeks in June, and I'm a little concerned about the heat myself! We typically avoid tourist locations in the summer due to crowds as well, so I can appreciate how challenging it is when you have no choice. I am sending good thoughts to you that you'll be able to visit someday soon. Do you have top locations on your bucket list? -Judy

[@erinaustin9968]

I love your channel! Keep up the good work!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Erin, thank you SO much for your comment, which is so heartwarming and encouraging to us. We appreciate you! -Judy & Kevin

[@erinaustin9968]

@@FindingGinaMarie well now I’ve got to go to Leece! I hope you are warmed up.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Yes, we've had some nice, sunny days in Egypt (but initially it was cold here, too)! Lecce is definitely worth a visit!

[@josephaugello1527]

It's snowed in parts of LA san luis obisbo

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hey, Joseph, we’ve been hearing that! Also, Venice Beach, California. What a winter it’s been for everyone!

[@alekseyt9199]

the best thing about Lecce is rustico - amazing pasticino which you will never find in Milan or anywhere, it is local treasure. as you bite it, cheese just explodes out of it. another great thing about Lecce are some hidden and secluded beaches nearby. in the whole, it is very provincial and poor, but people are really kind and simple

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Aleksey, I'm not sure how we missed this! I looked it up and the pastacceria where we ate every day (Cafe Alvino) actually serves it. I wish we had known about it sooner. One more reason to go back! Thanks for watching and for sharing this delicious looking Leccese delight! -Judy

[@alekseyt9199]

@@FindingGinaMarie I have been there 5 times, 3 weeks each time. At first, I didn't like it at all, only nice people and the sea, I was shocked how dirty the streets were, graffiti on the walls even in the very centre near theatre Apollo, everything seemed to me like Crimea in the 90ies, but then I discovered all the nice beaches and little things which count. Each beach is different- some are like Maldives, others like Baltic dunes, just everything. Too bad there is no infrastructure, no public transport, but it is the South, so one should be humble and take things easy.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

How wonderful to have had such a depth of experience there! When we were there, Lecce itself was clean and beautiful with a reasonable amount of infrastructure. It's disappointing but understandable that the small, poorer towns aren't as accessible. We prefer not to rent a car, but I'm guessing that's the only option. Our guide went to great lengths to mention how warm and wonderful the people are in the small nearby towns. -Judy

[@FCTouhou]

Have you tried the pasticciotto? The most famous pastry in this region. Near Lecce there is Galatina which is where the pasticciotto was born

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We do talk briefly about pasticcioto and trying it in Lecce. We liked it! We plan to be back in Lecce again when the weather is warmer and will need to check out Galatina when we are there. Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@dojocho1894]

I myself am looking at Lecce in my sicily hunts. I'm a Physician, newly divorced and looking to retire in a couple of years and I want to live in Sicily. I'm in Manhattan now.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Being on the island of Sicily is a good bit different than the Puglia region, but both are absolutely lovely. We enjoyed Palermo quite a bit and have a couple videos about it and Naples. I've linked them below. We also have a second video on Lecce, which I'll also link-we realized there was so much more that we hadn't said about it! We would definitely spend more time in Sicily because the people are absolutely wonderful! We'd love to hear if there are other cities that you are interested in! Thanks so much for watching! -Judy kzbin.info/www/bejne/npTHqpyIjsulosU kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXnXlKWAgbiFbck kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaWxh4ihidd7a8U

[@cindybruin4888]

What month were you there?

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Cindy, it was late January/early February. Brrr! Thanks for watching! By the way, we have a second episode from Lecce (Tips from Lecce: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npTHqpyIjsulosU) if you're interested! -Judy

[@cindybruin4888]

@@FindingGinaMarie thanks, yes I watched #2. I'm going to be there in November, so hopefully not as cold.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@cindybruin4888 We will cross our fingers for you! It should be a little better at that time of year. We've been to Italy in November in the past. It's been cold, but we didn't see snow at that time of year, unlike we did in February! We'll be in Sardinia in November, so cross your fingers for us, too! -Judy

[@deenaparker8689]

Can you share the name of the Airbnb? Thanks!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Deena, it wasn’t our favorite Airbnb for winter, but I assume it would be much nicer in warmer weather. It was, “LUCE BAROCCA.” Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@deenaparker8689]

@@FindingGinaMarie I’ll be there next December but kind of want to avoid that one, I think but I’m trying to figure out which one it is…. I don’t think I’d like all those stairs either.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

The host was very nice and the location wasn't bad, but we could not get warm enough. The host controlled the heat-which we understood due to exorbitant heating prices-but between that and the spiral staircase to the bedroom, it was not right for us at that time of year. It's a beautiful city, and I hope December treats you better than January treated us! Have a fun trip and we'd love for you to report back on your experiences so we can learn! -Judy

[@sharondamongeot1439]

Lady cracks up for any dumb comment. Terribly annoying.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

My laughter is genuine. And I think it's impressive that I can still be this in love with my husband and his humor after 45 years together. We understand that we may not be everyone's cup of tea, but we are happy and enjoying ourselves. -Judy